Patent ID: 8003239

Claim:
A method of preserving a polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack that is provided with an oxidizing agent passage having an inlet and an outlet and extending through a cathode and a reducing agent passage having an inlet and an outlet and extending through an anode, the polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack being configured to generate power through an electrochemical reaction caused to occur in the cathode and the anode using an oxidizing agent supplied from the inlet of the oxidizing agent passage and a reducing agent supplied from the inlet of the reducing agent passage, the method comprising the step of: preserving the polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack in an uninstalled state under a condition in which an oxygen concentration within the oxidizing agent passage and within the reducing agent passage is lower than an oxygen concentration in atmospheric air wherein the uninstalled state is a state after manufacture of the polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack and before permanent incorporation of the polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack into a fuel cell system.