Patent ID: 7316853

Claim:
An airbreathing fuel cell having end plates, a first cell stack disposed between the two end plates, a fuel distribution manifold disposed centrally of the first cell stack to feed a fuel thereto, a single tie bolt extended centrally through the fuel distribution manifold and the first cell stack to make them unitary, and fixing nuts screwed on both ends of the tie bolt to unitarily clamp the first cell stack between the end plates with O-rings or the like therebetween, the first cell stack being a power generating cell stack constituted by laminating a plurality of single cells together, wherein each single cell comprises a polymer electrolyte membrane, an oxygen electrode and a fuel electrode, which single cells are each provided on both sides of the polymer electrolyte membrane to be opposed to each other, an oxygen passage plate provided adjacent to the oxygen electrode, and separator plates provided adjacent to an outside of the oxygen passage plate and an outside of the fuel electrode, and moisture removal means for removal of moisture from said power generating cell stack, said moisture removal means comprising a second cell stack connected to the power generating cell stack in communication with said fuel distribution manifold and comprising at least one cell, which is constructed in the same manner as the power generating cell stack so as to make power generation possible, wherein external resistances are connected between the separator plates of said least one cell so as to make a closed circuit, said resistances being adapted to become heated by said second cell stack in order to remove moisture through evaporation.