Patent ID: 8278002

Claim:
A fuel cell system comprising: a fuel cell including: a plurality of cells, each of which includes: an electrolyte layer-electrode stack assembly having an electrolyte layer and a pair of gas diffusion electrodes sandwiching a portion of the electrolyte layer, which portion is located on an inner side of a peripheral portion of the electrolyte layer; an annular peripheral member disposed at the peripheral portion of the electrolyte a pair of electrically conductive plate-shaped separators which sandwich the electrolyte layer-electrode stack assembly and the peripheral member and each of which has a main surface contacting the gas diffusion electrode and having a gas channel groove through which a reactant gas flows; and damage detecting wires; and a fuel cell stack formed by stacking the cells, wherein: the peripheral member is constituted by an annular frame member and a sealing member or by a gasket, the frame member surrounding the electrolyte layer; the damage detecting wires are formed at at least one of the frame member and the separators constituting the cell; and the damage detecting wires are connected to one another to form an open circuit by stacking the cells; a damage detector configured to detect an increase in resistance of the damage detecting wires; and a control device, wherein the control device detects damage of the separator of the fuel cell stack based on the increase in the resistance of the damage detecting wires which are detected by the damage detector.