Patent ID: 7285343

Claim:
A fuel cell provided with a water electrolyzer, comprising a bonded membrane-electrode assembly which comprises at least a pair of bonded membrane-electrode assemblies having water-electrolyzing and power-generating functions and each comprising a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, an oxygen electrode bonded to one of sides of said solid polymer electrolyte membrane, and a hydrogen electrode bonded to the other side of said solid polymer electrolyte membrane; an end plate interposed between the pair of bonded membrane-electrode assemblies; opposite outer end plates between which at least the pair of bonded membrane-electrode assemblies are positioned; a hydrogen flow passage formed through central portions of said bonded membrane-electrode assemblies to permit the flowing of a fluid therethrough; a single tie bolt passed through said hydrogen flow passage in the central portions of said bonded membrane-electrode assemblies to integrate said members; and a fixing nut threadedly fitted over said tie bolt to integrally tighten said bonded membrane-electrode assemblies between said end plates through O-rings or the like threadedly fitted over opposite ends of said tie bolt, wherein each of said bonded membrane-electrode assemblies includes a flow passage plate adjacent said oxygen electrode, and a separator plate serving as a collector plate and mounted adjacently outside the flow passage plate and outside the hydrogen electrode; one of said bonded membrane-electrode assemblies being immersed in water, and a DC power source being connected to the separator plate of said one bonded membrane-electrode assembly.