Disclosed is a vehicle with a fuel cell system mounted thereon, the fuel cell system including: a fuel cell; a plurality of tanks for storing therein fuel gas to be used for power generation of the fuel cell, each tank having an opening/closing valve for switching over between execution and halt of supply of the fuel gas; a plurality of supply flow paths connected to the opening/closing valves in the plurality of tanks to feed the fuel gas supplied from the plurality of tanks, respectively; a merging flow path for merging together the plurality of supply flow paths to feed the fuel gas to the fuel cell; and a controller for controlling opening and closing of the opening/closing valves. The merging flow path is fastened to a vehicle body of the vehicle, and at a start-up of the fuel cell system, the controller exerts such control as to open an opening/closing valve that is longest in total length out of the opening/closing valves in the plurality of tanks, the total length being a total sum of lengths of the merging flow path and the relevant supply flow path located within a range from a fastening position, at which the merging flow path is fastened to the vehicle body, to each opening/closing valve. Thus, it becomes possible to suppress the possibility that noise caused by vibrations due to discharge of hydrogen gas may be recognized by a passenger of the vehicle.

Disclosed is a vehicle with a fuel cell system mounted thereon, the fuel cell system including: a fuel cell; a plurality of tanks for storing therein fuel gas to be used for power generation of the fuel cell, each tank having an opening/closing valve for switching over between execution and halt of supply of the fuel gas; a plurality of supply flow paths connected to the opening/closing valves in the plurality of tanks to feed the fuel gas supplied from the plurality of tanks, respectively; a merging flow path for merging together the plurality of supply flow paths to feed the fuel gas to the fuel cell; and a controller for controlling opening and closing of the opening/closing valves. The merging flow path is fastened to a vehicle body of the vehicle, and at a start-up of the fuel cell system, the controller exerts such control as to open an opening/closing valve that is longest in total length out of the opening/closing valves in the plurality of tanks, the total length being a total sum of lengths of the merging flow path and the relevant supply flow path located within a range from a fastening position, at which the merging flow path is fastened to the vehicle body, to each opening/closing valve. Thus, it becomes possible to suppress the possibility that noise caused by vibrations due to discharge of hydrogen gas may be recognized by a passenger of the vehicle.

A stack (1) of intermediate temperature, metal-supported, solid oxide fuel cell units (10), each unit comprising a metal support substrate (12), a spacer (22) and an interconnect (30) that each have compression bolt holes (34), fuel inlet port (33), fuel outlet port (32) and air outlet (17) therein, wherein bolt voids (34) are formed by aligning the bolt holes and a further void (17) by aligning the air outlets, and the voids are vented, for example, to the environment or further void to prevent the build-up of fuel, moisture or ions.

A fuel cell stack (100) includes a first power generation element, a first supporting substrate (5a), a second power generation element, a second supporting substrate (5b) and a communicating member (3). The first supporting substrate (5a) includes a first substrate main portion, a first dense layer, and a first gas flow passage. The first dense layer covers the first substrate main portion. The first gas flow passage extends from a proximal end portion (501a) to a distal end portion (502a). The second supporting substrate (5b) includes a second substrate main portion, a second dense layer, and a second gas flow passage. The second dense layer covers the second substrate main portion. The second gas flow passage extends from a proximal end portion (501b) to a distal end portion (501b). The communicating member (3) extends between the distal end portion (502a) of the first supporting substrate (5a) and the distal end portion (502b) of the second supporting substrate (5b) and communicates between the first gas flow passage and the second gas flow passage.

A fuel cell stack (100) includes a first power generation element, a first supporting substrate (5a), a second power generation element, a second supporting substrate (5b) and a communicating member (3). The first supporting substrate (5a) includes a first substrate main portion, a first dense layer, and a first gas flow passage. The first dense layer covers the first substrate main portion. The first gas flow passage extends from a proximal end portion (501a) to a distal end portion (502a). The second supporting substrate (5b) includes a second substrate main portion, a second dense layer, and a second gas flow passage. The second dense layer covers the second substrate main portion. The second gas flow passage extends from a proximal end portion (501b) to a distal end portion (501b). The communicating member (3) extends between the distal end portion (502a) of the first supporting substrate (5a) and the distal end portion (502b) of the second supporting substrate (5b) and communicates between the first gas flow passage and the second gas flow passage.

A fuel cell stack includes a first power output unit connected to a first terminal plate, the first power output unit including a first conductor, and a second conductor extending from the first conductor to the outside of an outer peripheral end of a first inner insulator in the state where the second conductor is placed between the first inner insulator and a first end plate. The second conductor is positioned inside of the first end plate in a stacking direction of a cell stack body.

A fuel cell stack includes an insulating collar member provided in an end plate and screwed with a positioning pin, and a rotation restriction mechanism that restricts rotation of the collar member relative to the end plate in a screw tightening direction of the positioning pin. A method of assembling the fuel cell stack includes a screwing step and a stacking step. In the screwing step, rotation of the collar member relative to the end plate in the screw tightening direction of the positioning pin is restricted by the rotation restriction mechanism.

A fuel cell stack includes an endplate assembly having a structural endplate. An insulator plate has a second exterior surface contacting a first interior surface of the structural endplate and a second interior surface on an opposite side of the insulator plate. A third plate has a third exterior surface contacting the second interior surface and a third interior surface on an opposite side of the third plate relative to the insulator plate. The third interior surface and third exterior surface are substantially flat. The second interior surface and the third exterior surface contact each other substantially continuously in a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction, and are flat and substantially parallel to each other. The second exterior surface is contoured such that the second exterior surface is not flat and is substantially non-parallel relative to the third interior surface.

A fuel cell vehicle capable of determining, when a fuel cell vehicle collides with a rigid body, whether a stack is damaged by a visual observation at a low cost. A fuel cell vehicle includes: a fragile part configured to be located so as to come into contact with a side surface of the stack frame that is orthogonal to a direction in which cells in the stack are stacked, and be deformed when a preset collision force causing damage to a stack is applied; and a deformation part configured to form a part of the vehicle body, and be deformed and come into contact with the fragile part when a collision force is applied to the vehicle body.

A manufacturing method includes providing a cell stack including fuel cells and has a first end and a second end. A first end plate is provided at the first end of the cell stack. The first end plate has a first end plate through hole. A second end plate is provided at the second end of the cell stack. A connecting member is provided to connect the first end plate and the second end plate. A first knock is inserted into the first end plate through hole and into a first connecting member installing hole. A first seal is located between the first knock and the first end plate in the first end plate through hole. The first end plate is moved in the stacking direction to contact the connecting member. A fastening member is inserted into the first knock.