Patent ID: 7358000
Filing Date: 2008-04-15
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A fuel cell stack formed by stacking a plurality of fuel cell units each including an anode electrode, a cathode electrode, and a solid polymer ion exchange membrane interposed between said anode electrode and said cathode electrode, and separators sandwiching said fuel cell unit, said fuel cell units and said separators being stacked in a horizontal direction, said fuel cell stack including: a supply hole extending through said separators, for supplying a reaction gas to said fuel cell units; a discharge hole extending through said separators, for discharging said reaction gas from said fuel cell units after said reaction gas is used in reaction in said fuel cell units; a drainage pipe disposed within said discharge hole and extending at least partly through said separators; and at least first and second pipes provided outside said fuel cell units, said first and second pipes being directly connected to said discharge hole wherein a valve is disposed in said first pipe, and wherein one end of the second pipe is coupled to said drainage pipe, and an opposite end of said second pipe is coupled to said first pipe at a position downstream of said valve.