Patent ID: 6770396
Filing Date: 2004-08-03
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
A polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprising:a cell stack comprising a plurality of electrically conductive separator plates and electrolyte membrane-electrode assemblies sandwiched between neighboring separator plates, each of said electrolyte membrane-electrode assemblies comprising a pair of electrodes and a polymer electrolyte membrane sandwiched between said pair of electrodes; a a first and a second current collecting plate sandwiching said cell stack; a a first and a second end plate sandwiching said current collecting plates; a tightening means for tightening said end plates so as to apply a tightening pressure to said cell stack; gas supply and exhaustion means for supplying, to said cell stack, and exhausting, from said cell stack, an oxidant gas and a fuel gas, said gas supply and exhaustion means comprising: an oxidant gas inlet-side manifold, an oxidant gas outlet-side manifold, a fuel as inlet-side manifold and a fuel gas outlet-side manifold, and also comprising an oxidant gas flow channel for connecting said oxidant gas inlet-side manifold and said oxidant gas outlet-side manifold and a fuel gas flow channel for connecting said fuel gas inlet-side manifold and said fuel gas outlet-side manifold, wherein each end plate is made of an electrically insulating resin-dominant material comprising resin as a main ingredient; and wherein said first end plate comprises a first cylinder-shaped portion and a second cylinder-shaped portion and said second end plate comprises a first cylinder-shaped portion and a second cylinder-shaped portion; and wherein said first current collecting plate comprises a first hole and a second hole and said second current collecting plate comprises a first hole and a second hole; and wherein the first cylinder-shaped portion of the first end plate is inserted into the first hole of the first collecting plate to provide said oxidant gas inlet-side manifold: the second cylinder-shaped portion of the first end plate is inserted into the second hole of the first collecting plate to provide said fuel gas inlet-side manifold: the first cylinder-shaped portion of the second end plate is inserted into the first hole of the second collecting plate to provide said oxidant gas outlet-side manifold; and the second cylinder-shaped portion of the second end plate is inserted into the second hole of the second collecting plate to provide said fuel gas outlet-side manifold.