Fuel cell

Abstract

The invention provides a furl cell wherein relatively expensive separators may be favorably miniaturized and the manufacturing cost may be reduced, and the stiffness of membrane-electrode assemblies may be effectively increased. The fuel cell (10) includes a cell unit (12) which includes a first membrane-electrode assembly (14), a first separator (16), a second membrane-electrode assembly (18), and a second separator (20). The first and second membrane-electrode assemblies (14, 18) are provided with frame members (28a, 28b), and fluid communication holes are provided in the stacking direction in each of the frame members (28a, 28b) provided with thickened portions (28aa, 28ba) around outer peripheral edges. The thicknesses of thickened portions (28aa, 28ba) are the largest dimensions among those of other regions along the respective outer peripheral edges excluding the outer peripheral edges.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to a fuel cell including a battery cell in which an electrolyte-electrode structure is sandwiched between a first separator and a second separator. The electrolyte-electrode structure has a pair of electrodes arranged on both sides of an electrolyte. Background technique [0002] For example, a solid polymer fuel cell uses a solid polymer electrolyte membrane composed of a polymer ion exchange membrane. In this fuel cell, a unit cell is constituted by sandwiching an electrolyte membrane-electrode structure (electrolyte-electrode structure) (hereinafter also referred to as MEA) by separators (two-way plates), and the electrolyte membrane-electrode structure is in a solid state. An anode-side electrode and a cathode-side electrode composed of an electrode catalyst layer and porous carbon are arranged on both sides of the polymer electrolyte membrane, respectively. Generally, a fuel cell stack obtained by laminating a predet...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0007] However, since the manifold filling ports 3a, 3b, 3c, and 3d are formed through the above-mentioned partition plate 1, the area of ​​the partition plate 1 becomes considerably large.

As a result, the amount of raw materials used, such as expensive stainless steel, is increased, resulting in an increase in the unit price of parts.

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