A clamping chamber in a reactor or fuel cell architecture having a stack of elementary units is above the clamping fittings. The clamping chamber, in which a gas other than the reactive gases will flow, is substantially at the same pressure as the reactive gases in the stack. The pressure of the gas flowing in the clamping chamber above the stack of elementary units will then balance the pressure created by the reactive gases and the gases produced within the stack.

A cell includes a support substrate that is of a flat plate shape that includes a first principal surface and a second principal surface on an opposite side of the first principal surface and a columnar shape that includes a longitudinal direction and includes a gas flow path in an inside thereof, and a plurality of element parts that are arranged away from one another on the first principal surface and the second principal surface where at least a fuel electrode, a solid electrolyte film, and an air electrode are laminated thereon. The cell includes a first portion that is located on a side of the first principal surface with respect to the gas flow path and a second portion that is located on a side of the second principal surface with respect to the gas flow path. Structures of the first portion and the second portion are asymmetric.

A cell includes a support substrate that is of a flat plate shape that includes a first principal surface and a second principal surface on an opposite side of the first principal surface and a columnar shape that includes a longitudinal direction and includes a gas flow path in an inside thereof, and a plurality of element parts that are arranged away from one another on the first principal surface and the second principal surface where at least a fuel electrode, a solid electrolyte film, and an air electrode are laminated thereon. The cell includes a first portion that is located on a side of the first principal surface with respect to the gas flow path and a second portion that is located on a side of the second principal surface with respect to the gas flow path. Structures of the first portion and the second portion are asymmetric.

A cell includes a support substrate, electricity generation element parts that are arrayed at locations on a principal face of the support substrate and include a fuel electrode, a solid electrolyte, and an air electrode, and electrical connection parts that are each provided between adjacent electricity generation element parts and electrically connect a fuel electrode of one of the electricity generation element parts and an air electrode of another of the electricity generation element parts, wherein an electrical connection part bridges over the adjacent electricity generation element parts and includes air electrode collector parts, and the air electrode collector parts include a first site on an electricity generation element part on a side of a first end, a second site on the electricity generation element part other than the third end part, and a third site on a side of a second end.

A fuel cell system for enabling maintenance of a stack module without stopping operation thereof, and a method of replacing a stack module of the fuel cell system are provided. The fuel cell system includes a plurality of stack modules that are connected in parallel to a hydrogen line and an air line. Two or more of the stack modules are connected to form a group, and an inverter is connected to the group of the stack modules and is capable of being turned on and off.

A fuel cell system for enabling maintenance of a stack module without stopping operation thereof, and a method of replacing a stack module of the fuel cell system are provided. The fuel cell system includes a plurality of stack modules that are connected in parallel to a hydrogen line and an air line. Two or more of the stack modules are connected to form a group, and an inverter is connected to the group of the stack modules and is capable of being turned on and off.

In a cell stack, each of the plurality of the electrochemical cells includes an alloy member, a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer, and an electrolyte layer. The alloy member includes a base member constituted by an alloy material containing chromium, a coating film that covers at least a part of a surface of the base member, and a separation inhibiting portion that inhibits the coating film from separating from the base member. The number of the separation inhibiting portions included in the alloy member of the central electrochemical cell is larger than the number of the separation inhibiting portions included in the alloy member of the end electrochemical cell.

A cell stack device including: a cell stack comprising a plurality of cells; a support member; and a fixing part between the support member and the at least one cell of the plurality of cells, wherein in a cross section including the support member, the fixing part, and the at least one cell, the fixing part includes: a first region arranged close to the support member; a second region closer to the at least one cell than the first region; and a third region between the first region and the second region, and at least one of the first region and the second region includes a porous region having a porosity that is higher than a porosity of the third region.

A cell stack device including: a cell stack comprising a plurality of cells; a support member; and a fixing part between the support member and the at least one cell of the plurality of cells, wherein in a cross section including the support member, the fixing part, and the at least one cell, the fixing part includes: a first region arranged close to the support member; a second region closer to the at least one cell than the first region; and a third region between the first region and the second region, and at least one of the first region and the second region includes a porous region having a porosity that is higher than a porosity of the third region.

A fuel cell stack array is disclosed. The fuel cell stack array includes a first fuel cell stack having a first upper frame structure formed with a first through-hole for exposing a first topmost connector layer positioned at top of a first single cell stack structure, a second fuel cell stack having a second upper frame structure formed with a second through-hole for exposing a second topmost connector layer positioned at top of a second single cell stack structure, and a first current collector electrically connecting the first and second topmost connector layers via the first and second through-holes.