Patent ID: 7632597
Filing Date: 2009-12-15
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A fuel cell comprising a plurality of fuel cell units, each fuel cell unit comprising: an electrode assembly formed by disposing electrodes on both sides of an electrolyte; a pair of separators that sandwich the electrode assembly in the thickness direction thereof; and gas sealing members that are disposed at an outer peripheral portion of the electrode assembly, and that seal respective reaction gas flow passages that are formed between each separator and the electrode assembly and are bounded by the separators and electrode assembly, wherein, at least two of the fuel cell units that are stacked in the thickness direction thereof comprise at least two electrode assemblies and at least three separators that sandwich the electrode assemblies in the thickness direction thereof, in each of the separators, reaction gas communication ports that penetrate the separator in the thickness direction thereof are provided outward from the gas sealing members, in one of the separators of one of the stacked fuel cell units that is located at an end in a direction of stacking, through paths are formed that penetrate the separator in the thickness direction thereof and connect the reaction gas communication ports with the reaction gas flow passages, in one of the separators of one of the stacked fuel cell units that is located at the other end in the direction of stacking, reaction gas communication paths are formed that detour around one of the gas sealing members in the thickness direction of the separator and connect the reaction gas communication ports with the reaction gas flow passages, and both the through paths and the reaction gas communication paths are formed in all separators that are located between the one of the stacked fuel cell units that is located at the end in the direction of stacking and the one of the stacked fuel cell units that is located at the other end in the direction of stacking.