Abstract: A power generation cell or a fuel cell includes an MEA, a first separator, and a second separator. A frame member is provided on an outer peripheral portion of the MEA. The frame member includes a frame member inner peripheral portion and a frame member outer peripheral portion held between the first separator and the second separator. The central position of a power generation area of the MEA in the thickness direction and the central position of the frame member outer peripheral portion in the thickness direction are offset from each other. Further, a first seal line of the first separator and a second seal line of the second separator, sealing the frame member outer peripheral portion, are non-symmetrical with each other.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes an MEA, a first separator, and a second separator. A frame member is provided around an outer peripheral portion of an MEA, and held between the first separator and the second separator. The height of an oxygen-containing gas flow field formed by the second separator, from the MEA is larger than the height of a fuel gas flow field formed by the first separator, from the MEA. The central position of the MEA in the thickness direction and the central position of the frame member outer peripheral portion of the frame member in the thickness direction are offset from each other.

Abstract: An oxygen-containing gas flow field and an inner bead (or a bead seal) are formed on one surface of a first metal separator, and a coolant flow field as a passage of a coolant is formed on the other surface of the first metal separator. Further, a coolant supply passage and a coolant discharge passage extend through the first metal separator in a separator thickness direction. An in-bead channel as a passage of the coolant is formed by a recess on the back side of the inner bead. A narrowed segment is provided in a part of the in-bead channel. The channel cross sectional area of the narrowed segment is smaller than those of other segments.

Abstract: In a power generation cell, first bypass stop protrusions for preventing bypassing of an oxygen-containing gas are provided between an end of an oxygen-containing gas flow field in a flow field width direction and an outer peripheral bead. An end wavy ridge includes curves recessed away from the outer peripheral bead. The first bypass stop protrusions are provided between the recessed curves and the outer peripheral bead. A first metal separator has first support protrusions for supporting a cathode, between the recessed curves and the first bypass stop protrusions.

Abstract: A first metal separator of a power generation cell includes an oxygen-containing gas supply passage extending through the first metal separator in a separator thickness direction, a passage bead formed around the oxygen-containing gas supply passage, and a plurality of tunnels protruding from a side wall of the passage bead and expanded in the separator thickness direction. The plurality of tunnels have the same shape in cross section of a root connected to the passage bead.

Abstract: A first metal separator of a power generation cell includes boss pairs. Each of the boss pairs includes two first bosses provided adjacent to a hole and adjacent to each other between a passage bead and an oxygen-containing gas flow field. A gap facing the hole is formed between the two first bosses. The second metal separator includes one second boss facing the boss pair through a resin film. The second boss extends over the two first bosses as viewed in a separator thickness direction.

Abstract: A first metal separator of a power generation cell includes bosses formed between an oxygen-containing gas flow field and a passage bead. A second metal separator includes bosses formed between a fuel gas flow field and a passage bead. A resin film is held and sandwiched between the passage bead of the first metal separator and the passage bead of the second metal separator. The protruding height of the bosses is lower than the protruding height of the passage bead.

Abstract: A first metal separator of a power generation cell includes an oxygen-containing gas flow field extending along an electrode surface of a membrane electrode assembly, an oxygen-containing gas supply passage connected to the oxygen-containing gas flow field and extending through the first metal separator in a separator thickness direction, and a passage bead formed around the oxygen-containing gas supply passage and protruding in the separator thickness direction. A water drainage channel configured to connect an inner space of the passage bead with the oxygen-containing gas supply passage is provided at a lower portion of the passage bead.

Abstract: A plate includes a working face and a header portion. The working face defines a plurality of reactant channels thereon. The header portion is disposed in a peripheral area of the plate and includes a plurality of flanges and a plurality of beads. The flanges are disposed on the header portion and define a plurality of apertures through the plate. Each flange defines a respective one of the apertures. At least one of the apertures is fluidly connected to the reactant channels. The plurality of beads is disposed on the working face. Each bead is disposed about a respective one of the apertures and thereby defines a respective one of the flanges. Each bead defines a shape consisting of bead-corners and bead-sides. Each bead has a sealing surface thereon. The sealing surface is configured to deflect when exposed to a contact pressure to thereby provide a substantially fluid-tight seal.

Abstract: A plate assembly includes a first plate having a planar portion and a first bead seal formed therein. The first bead seal includes a first end surface spaced away from the planar portion. The first bead seal includes first and second opposing sides extending away from the first end surface and contiguous with the planar portion. The first bead seal includes a first reinforcement structure having a first plurality of walls each intersecting the first opposing side of the first bead seal. The first plate includes a second bead seal formed therein. The first bead seal and the second bead seal may be joined via the first reinforcement structure such that the first plurality of walls of the first reinforcement structure each intersect a third opposing side of the second bead seal.

Abstract: A fluid passage for supplying or discharging fluid extends through a metal separator in a separator thickness direction, and a bead seal configured to prevent leakage of the fluid protrudes from the metal separator. A folded portion is formed in an outer marginal portion of the metal separator or in an inner marginal portion of the fluid passage, and the folded portion is bent or curved in a direction opposite to the protruding direction of the bead seal.

Abstract: A power generation cell (fuel cell) includes a membrane electrode assembly and first and second metallic separators arranged respectively on opposite sides of the membrane electrode assembly. An oxygen containing gas supply passage, a communication passage bead section (bead seal) that surrounds the oxygen containing gas supply passage, and a bridge section are disposed on the first metallic separator. At a location where the bridge section is disposed, the width of a root section of the communication passage bead section is greater than the width of the root section of the communication passage bead section at other locations thereof.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes a power generation unit. A first resin frame member is provided in an outer portion of a first membrane electrode assembly of the power generation unit. The first metal separator has a heating portion subjected to spot heating from a surface of the first metal separator for allowing the first resin frame member to be melted partially. The first metal separator and the first membrane electrode assembly are welded together by a plurality of welding portions to form a first structural body.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a plurality of power generation units, a reactant gas channel, and a coolant channel. The plurality of power generation units are stacked in a stacking direction to provide a stacked body and each includes a first separator, a first electrolyte electrode assembly, a second separator, a second electrolyte electrode assembly, and a third separator. The first electrolyte electrode assembly is provided on the first separator. The second separator is provided on the first electrolyte electrode assembly. The second electrolyte electrode assembly is provided on the second separator. The first electrolyte electrode assembly and the second electrolyte electrode assembly each include an electrolyte and a pair of electrodes sandwiching the electrolyte therebetween. The third separator is provided on the second electrolyte electrode assembly.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly and separators, an inner sealing member and an outer sealing member, a coolant channel, a base seal, an inner protrusion and an outer protrusion, and a middle protrusion. The membrane electrode assembly and the separators are stacked in a stacking direction. The inner sealing member and the outer sealing member are disposed between a first separator and a second separator. The base seal is disposed on at least one of separator surfaces between the second separator and a third separator. The inner protrusion and the outer protrusion are provided on the base seal so as to respectively overlap the inner sealing member and the outer sealing member when viewed in the stacking direction and so as to protrude between the second separator and the third separator in the stacking direction.

Abstract: A power generation cell includes a frame member. The frame member includes a first frame shaped sheet and a second frame shaped sheet that are joined together. The second frame shaped sheet is provided outside a cathode through a gap. A method of operating a fuel cell includes supplying a first reactant gas to a channel formed between the frame member and a first separator, a pressure of the first reactant gas being higher than a pressure of a second reactant gas, and supplying the second reactant gas to a channel formed between the frame member and a second separator.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a stack body including a plurality of power generation cells stacked in a stacking direction. Seal lines are formed on metal separators of the power generation cells. The seal lines protrude in the stacking direction of the stack body in a manner that the seal lines contact an outer circumferential portion of the membrane electrode assembly or a resin film provided on the outer circumferential portion of the membrane electrode assembly. Elastic seal members are provided on insulators or end plates. The elastic seal members abut against seal lines of the metal separators provided at the outermost ends in the stacking direction.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly, a separator, a reactant gas channel, a reactant gas manifold, and a buffer portion. The buffer portion includes a first buffer region and a second buffer region. The second buffer region is located in a vicinity of the reactant gas manifold and is deeper than the first buffer region in a stacking direction. Embossed portion groups are arranged in a plurality of rows in the second buffer region between the reactant gas manifold and the first buffer region. Each of the embossed portion groups includes a plurality of embossed portions. A disposition density of the plurality of embossed portions of one of the embossed portion groups in a vicinity of the reactant gas manifold is lower than a disposition density of the plurality of embossed portions of another of the embossed portion groups in a vicinity of the first buffer region.

Abstract: A fuel cell is provided with a power generation unit; the power generation unit is provided with a first metal separator, a first electrolyte membrane/electrode structure, a second metal separator, a second electrolyte membrane/electrode structure, and a third metal separator. The first electrolyte membrane/electrode structure is provided with a first resin frame member at the outer periphery, and the first resin frame member is provided with an inlet buffer section positioned outside a power generation region and coupled to a first oxidant gas flow path, and a protruding section, which is one part of an inlet coupling flow path coupling together the inlet buffer section and an oxidant gas inlet communication hole.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly, a separator, and a sealing member. The sealing member is provided on a separator surface and includes a base seal portion, a protruding seal portion, a first recessed portion, and a second recessed portion. The protruding seal portion protrudes from the base seal portion in a stacking direction so as to block leakage of at least one of a fuel gas, an oxidant gas, and a coolant which flow along the separator surface. The first recessed portion is disposed on a first side of the protruding seal portion. The second recessed portion is disposed on a second side of the protruding seal portion opposite to the first recessed portion. The first recessed portion and the second recessed portion have a height in the stacking direction smaller than a height of the base seal portion in the stacking direction.