In a joining method in a method of producing a dummy cell, a dummy structural body and a dummy resin frame member are stacked together into a dummy stack body in a state where an adhesive is interposed between the dummy structural body and the dummy resin frame member, and heat and pressure are applied to the dummy stack body to harden the adhesive to join components of the dummy stack body together into a single piece of the dummy stack body. In the joining step, in a state where a limitation projection is brought into contact with an outer peripheral end surface of the dummy resin frame member to limit outward deformation of the dummy resin frame member, heat and pressure are applied to the dummy stack body.

A lightweight electrochemical fuel cell suitable for modular stacking to achieve high output power is described. The electrochemical fuel cell is constructed of a stack of flexible polymer layers sealed at the periphery to create fuel and reactant channels. To scale up the output power, the electrochemical fuel cell is stacked on an external mechanical frame, wrapped-over on to itself in a self-supported 3-dimensional form, or wrapped over around a central mandrel to increase the active area of the fuel cell The electrochemical fuel cell has built in current collecting means and sealed electrodes to eliminate the need for bipolar plates, thereby enabling applications requiring high output power while maintaining a low weight. The thermal management is external to the fuel cell core structure to facilitate modular expansion of the stack to achieve high output power.

A lightweight electrochemical fuel cell suitable for modular stacking to achieve high output power is described. The electrochemical fuel cell is constructed of a stack of flexible polymer layers sealed at the periphery to create fuel and reactant channels. To scale up the output power, the electrochemical fuel cell is stacked on an external mechanical frame, wrapped-over on to itself in a self-supported 3-dimensional form, or wrapped over around a central mandrel to increase the active area of the fuel cell The electrochemical fuel cell has built in current collecting means and sealed electrodes to eliminate the need for bipolar plates, thereby enabling applications requiring high output power while maintaining a low weight. The thermal management is external to the fuel cell core structure to facilitate modular expansion of the stack to achieve high output power.

A unit cell for a fuel cell includes a membrane electrode body, a pair of gas diffusion layers disposed on both sides of the membrane electrode body, and a pair of separators disposed outside the gas diffusion layers, and including a gas path formed on a surface facing each of the gas diffusion layers and configured to allow reaction gas to flow therethrough, and a coolant path formed on a surface opposite to the surface facing each of the gas diffusion layers and configured to allow coolant to flow therethrough, wherein an inverse forming portion is formed on at least one of both sides of an outermost region in a transverse direction of each of the separators to be bent towards the surface opposite to the surface facing each of the gas diffusion layers.

A lightweight electrochemical fuel cell suitable for modular stacking to achieve high output power is described. The electrochemical fuel cell is constructed of a stack of flexible polymer layers sealed at the periphery to create fuel and reactant channels. To scale up the output power, the electrochemical fuel cell is stacked on an external mechanical frame, wrapped-over on to itself in a self-supported 3-dimensional form, or wrapped over around a central mandrel to increase the active area of the fuel cell The electrochemical fuel cell has built in current collecting means and sealed electrodes to eliminate the need for bipolar plates, thereby enabling applications requiring high output power while maintaining a low weight. The thermal management is external to the fuel cell core structure to facilitate modular expansion of the stack to achieve high output power.

A lightweight electrochemical fuel cell suitable for modular stacking to achieve high output power is described. The electrochemical fuel cell is constructed of a stack of flexible polymer layers sealed at the periphery to create fuel and reactant channels. To scale up the output power, the electrochemical fuel cell is stacked on an external mechanical frame, wrapped-over on to itself in a self-supported 3-dimensional form, or wrapped over around a central mandrel to increase the active area of the fuel cell The electrochemical fuel cell has built in current collecting means and sealed electrodes to eliminate the need for bipolar plates, thereby enabling applications requiring high output power while maintaining a low weight. The thermal management is external to the fuel cell core structure to facilitate modular expansion of the stack to achieve high output power.

A manufacturing apparatus for a fuel cell member includes a positioning device for positioning a resin frame equipped membrane electrode assembly and a separator member. This positioning device includes a base and positioning pins which are inserted into positioning holes formed in the resin frame equipped membrane electrode assembly and the separator member. Lifting members are provided around the positioning pins. The lifting member is lifted and lowered by a lifting mechanism.

The manufacturing method for the fuel cell unit includes a stacking step and a laser irradiation step. In the stacking step, a stacked portion including, stacked together, a resin frame member of a resin frame equipped membrane electrode assembly and an outer peripheral portion of a separator is placed on a metal spacer. The resin frame member at a joining target portion of the stacked portion is placed so as to face a recess of the metal spacer. In the laser irradiation step, the separator at the joining target portion in a state where the resin frame member faces the recess is irradiated with a laser beam to thereby form a welded portion where the resin frame member and the separator are welded to each other.

Disclosed herein are aspects of methods, systems, and devices forming fuel cell sub-assemblies including placing a gasket with a peripheral seal defining a central aperture of the gasket on at least one of an anode flow plate and a cathode flow plate then placing a gas diffusion layer having less rigidity than the gasket within said within said central aperture wherein the gas diffusion layer is substantially uniformly spaced by a predetermined spacing from the inside facing surface of the gasket for forming a gallery.

Disclosed herein are aspects of methods, systems, and devices forming fuel cell sub-assemblies including placing a gasket with a peripheral seal defining a central aperture of the gasket on at least one of an anode flow plate and a cathode flow plate then placing a gas diffusion layer having less rigidity than the gasket within said within said central aperture wherein the gas diffusion layer is substantially uniformly spaced by a predetermined spacing from the inside facing surface of the gasket for forming a gallery.