Patent ID: 9281528
Filing Date: 2016-03-08
CPC Classification: H01M,Y02E

Claim Text:
1. A fuel cell comprising: an electrolyte membrane; an anode catalyst layer and a cathode catalyst layer that are provided on respective surfaces of the electrolyte membrane: a fuel gas channel disposed on a side of the anode catalyst layer; an oxidizing gas channel disposed on a side of the cathode catalyst layer; a coolant channel in which a coolant flows; and a rectangular separator, wherein the separator includes openings that are formed at outer edge portions on first sides opposite each other, and used to supply a fuel gas to the fuel gas channel and to discharge the fuel gas from the fuel gas channel, respectively, the separator includes openings that are formed at the outer edge portions on the first sides, and used to supply an oxidizing gas to the oxidizing gas channel and to discharge the oxidizing gas from the oxidizing gas channel, respectively, the separator includes a first inlet port that is formed at one end portion of a second side, a second inlet port that is formed at the other end portion of the second side and used to supply the coolant to the coolant channel, and outlet ports that are formed at central portions of the second side, and used to discharge the coolant from the coolant channel, the outlet ports being between the one end portion of the second side and the other end portion of the second side, a flow direction of the fuel gas flowing in the fuel gas channel is opposite to a flow direction of the oxidizing gas flowing in the oxidizing gas channel, the coolant channel is configured to cause a coolant flow between each of the first inlet port and the second inlet port and the outlet ports to curve in a U-shape, whereby a downstream portion of the flow of the fuel gas and upstream portion of the flow of the oxidizing gas, in planes of the anode catalyst layer and the cathode catalyst layer, are cooled more than a central portion of the flow of the fuel gas and a central portion of the flow of the oxidizing gas within the planes, respectively; and the coolant channel is configured to cool both of the downstream portion of the flow of the fuel gas and a downstream portion of the flow of the oxidizing gas.