A fuel cell includes a fuel cell stack having a stacked body with a plurality of stacked unit cells, an end plate unit, and a gas manifold penetrating the stacked body and the end plate unit in a stacking direction for a flow of reaction gas. The fuel cell also includes a valve that is provided between the end plate unit and gas piping and includes an in-valve flow path for communicating the gas manifold and the gas piping and a valve element. The gas manifold includes a stacked body manifold and an end plate unit flow path. When the fuel cell stack is arranged so that a manifold bottom portion is horizontal, a bottom portion of an opening on the valve side in the end plate unit flow path is arranged above the manifold bottom portion.

A fuel cell includes a fuel cell stack having a stacked body with a plurality of stacked unit cells, an end plate unit, and a gas manifold penetrating the stacked body and the end plate unit in a stacking direction for a flow of reaction gas. The fuel cell also includes a valve that is provided between the end plate unit and gas piping and includes an in-valve flow path for communicating the gas manifold and the gas piping and a valve element. The gas manifold includes a stacked body manifold and an end plate unit flow path. When the fuel cell stack is arranged so that a manifold bottom portion is horizontal, a bottom portion of an opening on the valve side in the end plate unit flow path is arranged above the manifold bottom portion.

A separator for a fuel cell includes a metal separator base, crest sections, and a trough sections. Regions surrounded by the respective trough sections and a corresponding electrode layer each constitute a passage that supplies oxidation gas or fuel gas to the electrode layer. A first thin film is placed over the entire surfaces of the crest sections and the trough sections that face the corresponding electrode layer. The first thin film has conductivity and a corrosion resistance higher than that of the separator base. A second thin film having conductivity is placed at least on each of the parts of the first thin film that are placed on top surfaces of the crest sections. The second thin film on the top surface of each crest section has a groove. At least one end of the groove is connected to the passage.

A separator for a fuel cell includes a metal separator base, crest sections, and a trough sections. Regions surrounded by the respective trough sections and a corresponding electrode layer each constitute a passage that supplies oxidation gas or fuel gas to the electrode layer. A first thin film is placed over the entire surfaces of the crest sections and the trough sections that face the corresponding electrode layer. The first thin film has conductivity and a corrosion resistance higher than that of the separator base. A second thin film having conductivity is placed at least on each of the parts of the first thin film that are placed on top surfaces of the crest sections. The second thin film on the top surface of each crest section has a groove. At least one end of the groove is connected to the passage.

An electrochemical cell assembly (300, 500) comprising a base plate (308) and a top plate (303) between which a stack of planar cell units (306) and at least one positive (302, 507) and at least one negative electrical end plate (302, 507) are disposed in compression by means of compression means (307) acting between the base plate (308) and top plate (303). At least one of the electrical end plates (302, 507) is connected or integrally formed with, and in electrical contact with, an electrical stud (301, 505) that extends from a base portion of the at least one electrical end plate (302, 507) and passes through an opening in one of the base plate (308) and top plate (303) to form an electrical terminal. A fluidic seal is maintained by the compression means (307) between the base portion and the respective one of the base plate (308) and top plate (303), so as to prevent loss of fluid through the opening.

An electrochemical cell assembly (300, 500) comprising a base plate (308) and a top plate (303) between which a stack of planar cell units (306) and at least one positive (302, 507) and at least one negative electrical end plate (302, 507) are disposed in compression by means of compression means (307) acting between the base plate (308) and top plate (303). At least one of the electrical end plates (302, 507) is connected or integrally formed with, and in electrical contact with, an electrical stud (301, 505) that extends from a base portion of the at least one electrical end plate (302, 507) and passes through an opening in one of the base plate (308) and top plate (303) to form an electrical terminal. A fluidic seal is maintained by the compression means (307) between the base portion and the respective one of the base plate (308) and top plate (303), so as to prevent loss of fluid through the opening.

A bipolar plate has a first inlet port and a flow field comprising a plurality of ducts to connect the first inlet port to a first outlet port for a first reactant, and has a second inlet port and a flow field comprising a plurality of ducts to connect the second inlet port to a second outlet port for a second reactant, wherein at least one bypass duct is present at the margin of at least one of the flow fields. The bypass duct is associated with at least one flow connection branching off from the bypass duct into an adjacent marginal duct of the flow field.

This invention provides a highly reliable separator integrated gasket for fuel cells free from deformation of a separator in a gasket molding process. In order to achieve the object, a pair of separators having adjacent portions approaching each other and separation portions separating from each other in a stacked state and having manifold holes opened in the separation portions are stacked via a spacer in which an inner peripheral hole is opened and which enables the circulation of a fluid in a direction orthogonal to the stacking direction so that the manifold hole and the inner peripheral hole are continuous to each other, a stacked object of the separators and the spacer is disposed in a mold, and then a rubber molding material is charged into and cured in gasket molding cavities defined between a surface opposite to the spacer in the separator and the mold.

This invention provides a highly reliable separator integrated gasket for fuel cells free from deformation of a separator in a gasket molding process. In order to achieve the object, a pair of separators having adjacent portions approaching each other and separation portions separating from each other in a stacked state and having manifold holes opened in the separation portions are stacked via a spacer in which an inner peripheral hole is opened and which enables the circulation of a fluid in a direction orthogonal to the stacking direction so that the manifold hole and the inner peripheral hole are continuous to each other, a stacked object of the separators and the spacer is disposed in a mold, and then a rubber molding material is charged into and cured in gasket molding cavities defined between a surface opposite to the spacer in the separator and the mold.

Molten carbonate fuel cell configurations are provided that allow for introduction of an anode input gas flow on a side of the fuel cell that is adjacent to the entry side for the cathode input gas flow while allowing the anode and cathode to operate under co-current flow and/or counter-current flow conditions. It has been discovered that improved flow properties can be achieved within the anode or cathode during co-current flow or counter-current flow operation by diverting the input flow for the anode or cathode into an extended edge seal region (in an extended edge seal chamber) adjacent to the active area of the anode or cathode, and then using a baffle to provide sufficient pressure drop for even flow distribution of the anode input flow across the anode or cathode input flow across the cathode. A second baffle can be used to create a pressure drop as the anode output flow or cathode output flow exits from the active area into a second extended edge seal region (in a second extended edge seal chamber) prior to leaving the fuel cell.