Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a cell stack in which a plurality of unit cells each including a pair of separators is stacked together. The fuel cell stack includes a seal sheet configured to seal between adjacent unit cells. The pair of separators each include a seal line rib on a seal sheet side of the separator, the seal line rib serving as a seal line with the seal sheet. Among two facing separators that are a first facing separator and a second facing separator facing each other while sandwiching the seal sheet between the adjacent unit cells, the first facing separator includes a protruding portion on at least one part of the seal line rib, and the second facing separator includes a recessed portion in the seal line rib that is configured to fit the protruding portion.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing fuel cells may include forming an adhesive layer by applying a pressure-sensitive adhesive along a predetermined seal line on a surface of a supporting frame which supports a membrane electrode assembly; bringing a separator to the surface of the supporting frame until the separator contacts the adhesive layer; and bonding the supporting frame and the separator together by applying a compressive force to the supporting frame and the separator which contact each other via the adhesive layer. In bringing a separator to the surface of the supporting frame, in a cross-sectional view perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the seal line, a distance between a surface of the adhesive layer and a surface of the separator facing the surface of the adhesive layer may be minimum at a specific point and increases monotonically from the specific point in a width direction of the seal line.

Abstract: A power generation unit cell includes: a membrane electrode assembly including an electrolyte membrane and catalyst layers located so as to sandwich the electrolyte membrane; a support located so as to surround the membrane electrode assembly; and a pair of separators located so as to sandwich the membrane electrode assembly and the support. The support includes a base material and adhesive layers stacked on both surfaces of the base material. Each of the separators includes a sealing part and a restraining part, in a portion of the separator that is bonded to corresponding one of the adhesive layers of the support. The sealing part is a smooth surface, and the restraining part is a portion with irregularities.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a cell stack in which a plurality of unit cells each including a pair of separators is stacked together. The fuel cell stack includes a seal sheet configured to seal between adjacent unit cells. The pair of separators each include a seal line rib on a seal sheet side of the separator, the seal line rib serving as a seal line with the seal sheet. Among two facing separators that are a first facing separator and a second facing separator facing each other while sandwiching the seal sheet between the adjacent unit cells, the first facing separator includes a protruding portion on at least one part of the seal line rib, and the second facing separator includes a recessed portion in the seal line rib that is configured to fit the protruding portion.

Abstract: A fuel cell case includes: a casing portion provided with a through hole that communicates between an internal space for accommodating a fuel cell stack and outside of the casing portion; a lid portion attached to an outer surface of the casing portion by a first connection portion so as to close the through hole; and a cover portion arranged on the lid portion and attached to the outer surface of the casing portion. It is configured that at least one of the lid portion and the first connection portion is fractured when an internal pressure of the casing portion is increased to be equal to or higher than a predetermined pressure and that the cover portion remains to be attached to the casing portion even after at least one of the lid portion and the first connection portion is fractured.

Abstract: A fuel cell device that can prevent exposure of a cell stack to the outside of a stack case, and a vehicle with the same mounted thereon. The fuel cell device includes a cell stack, end plates disposed at opposite ends of the cell stack in a stacking direction of fuel cells, and a stack case housing the cell stack and end plates. The stack case has a bottom surface portion, end plate facing portions facing the respective end plates, side surface portions extending in the stacking direction, and mount portions disposed near corner portions between the respective side surface portions and end plate facing portions and on outer walls of the respective side surface portions such that the mount portions are positioned in a pair across the bottom surface portion. The bottom surface portion has rib portions disposed thereon that each extends between a pair of the mount portions.

Abstract: A fuel cell case includes: a casing portion provided with a through hole that communicates between an internal space for accommodating a fuel cell stack and outside of the casing portion; a lid portion attached to an outer surface of the casing portion by a first connection portion so as to close the through hole; and a cover portion arranged on the lid portion and attached to the outer surface of the casing portion. It is configured that at least one of the lid portion and the first connection portion is fractured when an internal pressure of the casing portion is increased to be equal to or higher than a predetermined pressure and that the cover portion remains to be attached to the casing portion even after at least one of the lid portion and the first connection portion is fractured.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a stack; a case that accommodates the stack; and end plates arranged in the outside of a stacking direction and formed with fluid flow path holes penetrating in the stacking direction an accommodating groove for accommodating a seal member for sealing a part between the accommodating groove and the case. The end plates have a metal member formed with the fluid flow path holes, a first recess and a second recess that continues to the first recess, and a resin layer that continuously covers an inner peripheral wall surface of the fluid flow path holes, a surface that faces the stack, a part that includes at least an outer peripheral side end in the first recess, and the second recess, in the metal member. The resin layer is formed with the accommodating groove in a surface corresponding to the end surface of the case in a part covering the part that includes at least the outer peripheral side end in the first recess.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack 100 includes a fuel cell stack 10, and an end plate 30 placed at an end of the fuel cell stack 10. The end plate 30 includes a metallic plate-like body 32, and a resin layer 60 formed on a surface 32b of the plate-like body 32. The plate-like body 32 includes flow holes 39 for a reactant gas and a cooling medium, and a stripe-shaped protrusion 38 protruding from the surface 32b and which divides the surface 32b into an inner area containing the flow holes 39 and an outer area outside the inner area. The protrusion 38 includes a vertical portion 38a protruding from the surface 32b, and a jutted portion 38b jutted from a distal end of the vertical portion 38a toward the inner area. The resin layer 60 is formed in the inner area to cover a surface 38as of the vertical portion 38a facing the inner area as well as at least part of the jutted portion 38b.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack comprises a stacked body, an end plate and a case configured such that the stacked body is placed therein. The end plate is arranged to cover an end face of the stacked body in a stacking direction and an end face of the case in the stacking direction and is fastened to the end face of the case. A placement groove is formed in at least one surface out of two surfaces of the end plate and the case opposed to each other, such that a seal member is placed in the placement groove. The end plate includes a resin layer formed to continuously cover an inner circumferential wall surface of the fluid flow path hole, a surface of the end plate opposed to the stacked body, and an outer circumferential side end of the placement groove.

Abstract: A fuel cell device that can prevent exposure of a cell stack to the outside of a stack case, and a vehicle with the same mounted thereon. The fuel cell device includes a cell stack, end plates disposed at opposite ends of the cell stack in a stacking direction of fuel cells, and a stack case housing the cell stack and end plates. The stack case has a bottom surface portion, end plate facing portions facing the respective end plates, side surface portions extending in the stacking direction, and mount portions disposed near corner portions between the respective side surface portions and end plate facing portions and on outer walls of the respective side surface portions such that the mount portions are positioned in a pair across the bottom surface portion. The bottom surface portion has rib portions disposed thereon that each extends between a pair of the mount portions.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a stack; a case that accommodates the stack; and end plates arranged in the outside of a stacking direction and formed with fluid flow path holes penetrating in the stacking direction an accommodating groove for accommodating a seal member for sealing a part between the accommodating groove and the case. The end plates have a metal member formed with the fluid flow path holes, a first recess and a second recess that continues to the first recess, and a resin layer that continuously covers an inner peripheral wall surface of the fluid flow path holes, a surface that faces the stack, a part that includes at least an outer peripheral side end in the first recess, and the second recess, in the metal member. The resin layer is formed with the accommodating groove in a surface corresponding to the end surface of the case in a part covering the part that includes at least the outer peripheral side end in the first recess.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack 100 includes a fuel cell stack 10, and an end plate 30 placed at an end of the fuel cell stack 10. The end plate 30 includes a metallic plate-like body 32, and a resin layer 60 formed on a surface 32b of the plate-like body 32. The plate-like body 32 includes flow holes 39 for a reactant gas and a cooling medium, and a stripe-shaped protrusion 38 protruding from the surface 32b and which divides the surface 32b into an inner area containing the flow holes 39 and an outer area outside the inner area. The protrusion 38 includes a vertical portion 38a protruding from the surface 32b, and a jutted portion 38b jutted from a distal end of the vertical portion 38a toward the inner area. The resin layer 60 is formed in the inner area to cover a surface 38as of the vertical portion 38a facing the inner area as well as at least part of the jutted portion 38b.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack comprises a stacked body, an end plate and a case configured such that the stacked body is placed therein. The end plate is arranged to cover an end face of the stacked body in a stacking direction and an end face of the case in the stacking direction and is fastened to the end face of the case. A placement groove is formed in at least one surface out of two surfaces of the end plate and the case opposed to each other, such that a seal member is placed in the placement groove. The end plate includes a resin layer formed to continuously cover an inner circumferential wall surface of the fluid flow path hole, a surface of the end plate opposed to the stacked body, and an outer circumferential side end of the placement groove.

Abstract: A fuel cell system 100 includes a fuel cell 10, a cathode gas supply system 30, a supply valve 34, an exhaust valve 43 and a controller 20. The fuel cell 10 has a supply manifold M1, an exhaust manifold M2, and a power generation area GA connected with these manifolds M1 and M2. The cathode gas supply system 30 causes a gas to be flowed into the supply manifold M1. The supply valve 34 is operable to seal the supply manifold M1, whereas the exhaust valve 43 is operable to seal the exhaust manifold M2. The controller 20 closes the supply valve 34 and the exhaust valve 43 after operation stop of the fuel cell 10 to seal the fuel cell 10 under a specified pressure and then waits for a predefined time. The controller 20 subsequently opens the supply valve 34 to move water remaining in the power generation area GA on the flow of the gas toward outside of the power generation area GA.

Abstract: There is provided a fuel cell. The fuel cell comprises a stacked body that has a stacked configuration by stacking a plurality of single fuel cells; a fastening support member that is extended along a stacking direction of the plurality of single fuel cells and is configured to fasten the stacked body in the stacking direction; and an impact transmission member that is configured to include a dilatant fluid and is placed between the stacked body and the fastening support member to be arranged in a location corresponding to multiple consecutive single fuel cells along the stacking direction among the plurality of single fuel cells.

Abstract: There is provided a fuel cell. The fuel cell comprises a stacked body that has a stacked configuration by stacking a plurality of single fuel cells; a fastening support member that is extended along a stacking direction of the plurality of single fuel cells and is configured to fasten the stacked body in the stacking direction; and an impact transmission member that is configured to include a dilatant fluid and is placed between the stacked body and the fastening support member to be arranged in a location corresponding to multiple consecutive single fuel cells along the stacking direction among the plurality of single fuel cells.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes: a membrane-electrode assembly in which electrode catalyst layers are formed on two sides of an electrolyte membrane; and a cerium-containing layer that is formed at an outer side of at least one of the two surfaces of the membrane-electrode assembly, and that contains a cerium-containing oxide in an amount that is greater than 5 wt % and less than or equal to 30 wt % where 100 wt % is an amount of solid components except the cerium-containing oxide which form the cerium-containing layer.

Abstract: A fuel cell system determines whether an operation condition of a fuel cell corresponds to a fuel gas shortage or an oxidation gas shortage. Upon determining that the fuel gas is in shortage, the system sets a lower voltage limit to be higher than that set when the system determines that the oxidation gas is in shortage. The system further controls an output voltage from the fuel cell so as to prevent output voltage from the fuel cell from decreasing below the lower voltage limit.

Abstract: A fuel cell system 100 includes a fuel cell 10, a cathode gas supply system 30, a supply valve 34, an exhaust valve 43 and a controller 20. The fuel cell 10 has a supply manifold M1, an exhaust manifold M2, and a power generation area GA connected with these manifolds M1 and M2. The cathode gas supply system 30 causes a gas to be flowed into the supply manifold M1. The supply valve 34 is operable to seal the supply manifold M1, whereas the exhaust valve 43 is operable to seal the exhaust manifold M2. The controller 20 closes the supply valve 34 and the exhaust valve 43 after operation stop of the fuel cell 10 to seal the fuel cell 10 under a specified pressure and then waits for a predefined time. The controller 20 subsequently opens the supply valve 34 to move water remaining in the power generation area GA on the flow of the gas toward outside of the power generation area GA.