Patent ID: 8679305

Claim:
A high-pressure hydrogen producing apparatus comprising: a cell device provided by stacking a plurality of unit cells, each of the plurality of unit cells comprising: an electrolyte membrane; a first current collector; a second current collector, the first and second current collectors being disposed on both sides of the electrolyte membrane; a first separator disposed on the first current collector; a second separator disposed on the second current collector; a water flow path provided between the first current collector and the first separator to supply water; and a hydrogen flow path provided between the second current collector and the second separator to provide hydrogen which is generated by electrolyzing the water and which has a pressure higher than a pressure of the water; and a piston member to apply a pressing force to the cell device from an end of the piston member in a stacking direction in which the unit cells are stacked, wherein a hydrogen communication hole extends in the stacking direction of the unit cells, communicates with the hydrogen flow path, and allows the hydrogen to flow in the stacking direction, the piston member is provided with a first hydrogen passage which opens at an end face of the piston member facing the cell device and which communicates with the hydrogen communication hole, at least one second hydrogen passage which communicates with the first hydrogen passage and which opens at the end face of the piston member facing the cell device, and a hydrogen lead-out passage which communicates with the first hydrogen passage and the second hydrogen passage and which leads the hydrogen out of the high-pressure hydrogen producing apparatus, an opening of the first hydrogen passage and an opening of the second hydrogen passage are spaced at substantially equal angular intervals on a virtual circle centered on a center of the end face of the piston member, and the first hydrogen passage and the second hydrogen passage extend in a moving direction of a piston of the piston member.