Patent ID: 8168346

Claim:
A fuel cell stack structure, comprising: a plurality of solid oxide fuel cells, each of the solid oxide fuel cells comprising: a circular cell plate holding a single cell and having a gas introducing opening and a gas exhausting opening in central section thereof; a circular separator plate having the gas introducing opening and the gas exhausting opening in central section thereof and having an entire outer peripheral edge joined to an outer peripheral edge of the cell plate; and a central channel member which is located between the central sections of the cell plate and the separator plate to allow the gas introducing openings of the cell plate and the separator plate to communicate with each other and to allow the gas exhausting openings of the cell plate and the separator plate to communicate with each other, and supplies and exhausts any one of fuel gas and air to and from a space formed between the cell plate and the separator plate, the space being formed by providing at least any one of the cell plate and the separator plate with a step along the outer peripheral edge thereof; sealing members interposed between each adjacent pair of the central sections of the stacked solid oxide fuel cells, the sealing members allowing the gas introducing openings opposite to each other to airtightly communicate with each other and allowing the gas exhausting openings opposite to each other to airtightly communicate with each other; and a bolt penetrating through the central sections of the stacked solid oxide fuel cells, wherein a plurality of the solid oxide fuel cells are stacked facing a same direction, an interspace between each adjacent pair of the solid oxide fuel cells serves as a channel for only the other one of fuel gas and air, and the solid oxide fuel cells stacked with the sealing members interposed therebetween are fastened and fixed by the bolt.