Patent ID: 7745032
Filing Date: 2010-06-29
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A fuel cell assembly comprising a humidifier and a plurality of fuel cell units, wherein each of the fuel cell units comprises an electrolyte membrane, a cathode adjacent to one face of the membrane, an anode adjacent to the other face of the membrane, a gas diffusion layer adjacent to the cathode, a gas diffusion layer adjacent to the anode, a separator having a flow channel on one face thereof for flowing oxidizing gas, which is adjacent to the cathode, and a separator having a flow channel for flowing fuel gas, which is adjacent to the anode, wherein the humidifier comprises a porous water-retaining layer for retaining water supplied thereinto, and a holder for the water-retaining layer, wherein a surface of the holder for the water-retaining layer and an adjacent surface of the water-retaining layer are in contact over entire surfaces thereof, wherein the water-retaining layer is made of a hydrophilic polymer material, said porous water-retaining layer being in communication with a channel containing water by way of a filter between said channel and said water-retaining layer for passing water, but not gas, from said channel to said water-retaining layer, said channel containing water exclusively supplying water to the water-retaining layer, supplying water thereto via the filter, wherein the water-retaining layer communicates with the channel containing water by way of the filter, which is disposed at a position where the cooling water inlet and the water-retaining layer communicate with each other, wherein the water-retaining layer takes water thereinto at a peripheral portion thereof, where the water-retaining layer is in contact with cooling water, and wherein the humidifier adjoins an end of the plurality of the fuel cell units in such a relation that the water-retaining layer faces the flow channels thereby to transfer water introduced into the water-retaining layer to the fuel gas and/or oxidizing gas flowing in the flow channels, the flow channels for flowing gases being partitioned with a wall from the channel containing water.