Patent ID: 7820331

Claim:
A fuel cell comprising: a plurality of electrolyte membranes; a first plurality of separators in each of which a fuel path through which a fuel flows is formed so as to face a first surface of a respective one of the plurality of electrolyte membranes; a fuel supply amount adjuster which is provided at the fuel path in each of the first plurality of separators and which adjusts an amount of the fuel supply; a fuel flow rate detector which is provided at the fuel path in each of the first plurality of separators and which detects a flow rate per unit time of the fuel path; a second plurality of separators in each of which an oxidizer path through which an oxidizer flows is formed so as to face a second surface of a respective one of the plurality of electrolyte membranes; and a plurality of control units which control the fuel supply amount adjuster of each fuel path to adjust the amount of fuel supply in accordance with the flow rate per unit time detected by the fuel flow rate detector of each fuel path; wherein, when a flow rate per unit time in one of the first plurality of separators is adjusted to a maximum by the fuel supply amount adjuster and the actual flow rate per unit time therein detected by the fuel flow rate detector is lower than a predetermined value, the control unit controls the fuel supply amount adjuster to minimize the flow rate per unit time in others of the first plurality of separators.