Patent ID: 8535846

Claim:
A fuel cell, comprising: a stack structure composed by stacking a plurality of solid oxide fuel cell units with a first set of current collectors, the fuel cell units including: a cell plate which holds at least one cell and has a gas introduction hole for one of fuel gas and air in a center portion thereof; and a separator plate which has a gas introduction hole for the one of the fuel gas and the air in a center portion thereof and makes an outer peripheral edge thereof entirely and directly bonded to an outer peripheral edge of the cell plate such that a space in each fuel cell unit is formed, wherein a current collector from a second set of current collectors is disposed in the space, and wherein the space is configured to have the one of the fuel gas and the air flow therethrough; a casing housing the stack structure, the casing including a gas introduction portion and a gas discharge portion, and the casing configured to introduce the other of the fuel gas and the air thereinto from the gas introduction portion and to guide the other of the fuel gas and the air to the gas discharge portion; and a gas flow-regulating member provided in a gap between the casing and the stack structure and configured such that the other of the fuel gas and the air is guided to the gas discharge portion through the first set of current collectors located between the fuel cell units, and a flow of the other of the fuel gas and the air to the gap between the casing and the stack structure is prevented, and wherein each of a subset of the current collectors from the first set of current collectors contacts both a cell plate of one of the fuel cell units and a separator plate of a fuel cell unit adjacent to the one of the fuel cell units.