JP2007317439A - Cell for fuel cell - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cell for a fuel cell with a connecting mechanism for a gas passage with no occurrence of a gas leak when carrying out supplying and exhausting of gas. <P>SOLUTION: The cell for the fuel cell is provided with a plate-type solid polymer electrolyte 1, an electrode plate 2 and an electrode plate 3 which are installed on both sides of it to sandwich it, a metal plate 4 and a metal plate 5 installed further outside of the electrode plates 2 and 3, a passage groove 9 formed in a space between the metal plate 4 and the electrode plate 2 for passing hydrogen gas, a gas supplying hole 4c and a gas exhausting hole 4d formed on a metal plate 4 and positioned on both end parts of the passage groove 9, and metal booths 10 and 11 respectively attached to positions of the gas supplying hole 4c and the gas exhausting hole 4d. The booths 10 and 11 are provided with an interior communicating path for communicating a gas supplying tube 12 carrying out supplying of the gas to the passage groove 9 or a side hole 10b to which the gas exhausting tube carrying out exhaustion of the gas from the passage groove 9 is attached and the passage groove 9 and the gas supplying tube 12 or the gas exhausting tube and the booths 10 and 11 are connected to the metal plate 4 by welding. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention includes a plate-shaped solid polymer electrolyte, a first electrode plate and a second electrode plate disposed on both sides so as to sandwich the solid polymer electrolyte, and a first electrode disposed further outside these electrode plates. The present invention relates to a fuel cell including a metal plate and a second metal plate, and a flow channel for allowing a gas formed in a space between at least one of the metal plate and the electrode plate to pass therethrough.

  As such fuel cells, for example, fuel cells disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 below are known. In this fuel cell, a metal plate on the anode side is formed with a flow channel for allowing hydrogen gas to pass therethrough, and gas supply holes and gas discharge holes are formed at both ends of the flow channel. . The hydrogen gas supplied through the gas supply pipe is supplied to the flow channel groove through the gas supply hole formed in the metal plate, and the hydrogen gas that has passed through the flow channel groove passes through the gas discharge hole to the gas discharge pipe. Discharged. On the other hand, a large number of opening holes for taking in air (oxygen) are formed in the metal plate on the cathode side. The supplied hydrogen gas becomes hydrogen ions and electrons by a catalytic reaction at the anode, and the hydrogen ions move through the solid polymer electrolyte and react with oxygen by the catalytic reaction at the cathode to become water. On the other hand, the electrons travel through the external circuit and move to the cathode. Electric energy is generated by the movement of the electrons.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-150008 JP 2006-107916 A

  In the fuel cell having the above configuration, in order to supply hydrogen gas into the cell or discharge the hydrogen gas outside the cell, the gas supply pipe and the gas discharge pipe are connected to the flow channel groove inside the fuel cell. There is a need to. Further, when connecting the flow paths, a connection mechanism is required so that fuel gas such as hydrogen gas does not leak to the outside.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its object is to provide a fuel cell having a gas flow path coupling mechanism that does not cause gas leakage when supplying and discharging gas to and from the fuel cell. Is to provide.

In order to solve the above problems, a fuel battery cell according to the present invention comprises:
A plate-shaped solid polymer electrolyte, a first electrode plate and a second electrode plate arranged on both sides so as to sandwich the solid polymer electrolyte, a first metal plate and a first metal plate arranged further outside these electrode plates A fuel cell comprising two metal plates, and a flow path groove formed in a space between at least one of the metal plates and the electrode plate for allowing gas to pass therethrough,
A gas supply hole and a gas discharge hole formed in the at least one metal plate and positioned at both ends of the flow channel groove;
Metal flow path connecting members respectively attached to the positions of the gas supply hole and the gas discharge hole,
This flow path connecting member includes a gas supply pipe for supplying gas to the flow path groove, or a pipe mounting portion for mounting a gas discharge pipe for discharging gas from the flow path groove;
An internal communication passage for communicating the flow channel with the gas supply pipe or the gas discharge pipe,
The flow path connecting member is connected to the at least one metal plate by welding.

  The operation and effect of the fuel battery cell having this configuration will be described. The fuel cell includes a pair of electrode plates disposed on both sides of a plate-shaped solid polymer electrolyte, and a pair of metal plates disposed further outside the electrode plate, and at least one of the metal plates A channel groove for allowing gas to pass through the space between the electrode plates is formed. The metal plate is provided on the cathode side and the anode side, but the flow channel is formed on both the cathode side and the anode side, or is formed on either the cathode side or the anode side. Although the mode in which the flow channel is formed may differ depending on the structure of the battery cell, the present invention is not limited to this mode. A gas supply hole and a gas discharge hole are formed in the metal plate, and a flow channel groove is formed inside the fuel cell so as to connect the gas supply hole and the gas discharge hole.

  The method of forming the channel groove is not limited to a specific method, and the channel groove can be formed by etching or cutting on the back surface of the metal plate or by press punching. . Moreover, you may employ | adopt the method of forming a flow-path groove | channel in an electrode plate. A metal channel connecting member is joined by welding to a position where the gas supply hole and the gas discharge hole of the metal plate are formed. The flow path connecting member is provided with a pipe mounting portion for mounting a gas supply pipe or a gas discharge pipe and an internal communication path, and the gas supply pipe or the gas discharge pipe is connected to the internal flow path via the flow path connecting member. A road groove can be connected. Further, since the flow path connecting member is bonded to the metal plate by welding, it can be bonded to the metal plate in a form without a gap. This eliminates the risk of gas leaking from the connection. As a result, it is possible to provide a fuel battery cell having a gas flow path coupling mechanism that does not cause gas leakage when supplying and discharging gas to and from the fuel battery cell.

  In the present invention, in order to weld and connect the flow path connecting member to the metal plate, the flow path connecting member is preferably provided with a ring-shaped protrusion.

  By providing the ring-shaped protrusion, energy can be concentrated on the protrusion when welding is performed, and welding connection can be performed in a short time. As a result, the flow path connecting member can be coupled in a state where there is no gap at the coupling site without adverse effects such as thermal damage to the fuel cells.

  In the present invention, the flow path groove is formed on the back surface side of the metal plate by stamping at least one metal plate, and the flow path connecting member is coupled to the projecting portion that appears on the front surface side of the metal plate. It is preferable.

  When the flow path groove is formed on the back surface of the metal plate, the flow path groove can be formed on the back surface side of the metal plate by press punching the metal plate. When such a punching process is performed, a protrusion corresponding to the shape of the channel groove is formed on the surface side of the metal plate. Thus, by attaching the flow path connecting member to the protruding portion, the flow path groove can be easily connected to the gas supply pipe and the gas discharge pipe.

  A preferred embodiment of a fuel cell according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First, the structure of a fuel cell (unit cell) will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 is an external perspective view seen from the anode side, and FIG. 2 is an external perspective view seen from the cathode side. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the internal structure of the fuel cell shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the fuel cell shown in FIGS.

  As shown in the drawings, the fuel cell of the present invention includes a plate-shaped solid polymer electrolyte 1 and an anode-side electrode plate 2 (corresponding to a first electrode plate) disposed on one side of the solid polymer electrolyte 1. ) And a cathode side electrode plate 3 (corresponding to the second electrode plate) disposed on the other side, and the solid polymer electrolyte 1 is sandwiched between the pair of electrode plates 2 and 3. Further, an anode side metal plate 4 (corresponding to the first metal plate) is arranged outside the anode side electrode plate 2, and a cathode side metal plate 5 (corresponding to the second metal plate) is arranged outside the cathode side electrode plate 3. Is done. A flow channel described later for allowing hydrogen gas to pass therethrough is formed in a space formed between the anode side metal plate 4 and the anode side electrode plate 2.

  The peripheral regions 4a and 5a of the metal plates 4 and 5 are sealed by caulking (corresponding to press bending) after the solid polymer electrolyte 1 and the electrode plates 2 and 3 are accommodated. For convenience of explanation, regions other than the peripheral regions 4a and 5a of the metal plates 4 and 5 are referred to as central regions 4b and 5b. Before the caulking process, as shown in FIG. 3, the peripheral region 5a of the cathode-side metal plate 5 is a vertical standing bent portion, and the peripheral region of the anode-side metal plate 4 is lowered by inclining it inward. 4a can be overlaid and sealed. This vertical standing bent portion can be formed by drawing.

  The solid polymer electrolyte 1 may be any solid polymer membrane battery as long as it is used in conventional solid polymer membrane batteries. From the viewpoint of chemical stability and conductivity, a perfluorocarbon having a sulfonic acid group which is a super strong acid. A cation exchange membrane made of a polymer is preferably used. Nafion (registered trademark) is preferably used as such a cation exchange membrane. In addition, for example, a porous film made of a fluororesin such as polytetrafluoroethylene impregnated with the above Nafion or other ion conductive material, a porous film made of a polyolefin resin such as polyethylene or polypropylene, or a non-woven fabric. A material carrying Nafion or another ion conductive material may be used.

  The thinner the solid polymer electrolyte 1 is, the more effective it is to make the whole thinner. However, in consideration of ion conduction function, strength, handling property, etc., 10 to 300 μm can be used, but 25 to 50 μm is preferable. .

  The electrode plates 2 and 3 can function as a gas diffusion layer, and can supply and discharge fuel gas, oxidizing gas, and water vapor, and at the same time can exhibit a current collecting function. As the electrode plates 2 and 3, the same or different ones can be used, and it is preferable to support a catalyst having an electrode catalytic action on the base material. The catalyst is preferably supported at least on the inner surfaces 2 b and 3 b in contact with the solid polymer electrolyte 1.

  As an electrode base material of the electrode plates 2 and 3, for example, conductive carbon such as carbon paper, fibrous carbon such as carbon fiber nonwoven fabric, and an aggregate of conductive polymer fibers can be used. In general, the electrode plates 2 and 3 are prepared by adding a water-repellent substance such as a fluororesin to such a conductive porous material. When the catalyst is supported, a catalyst such as platinum fine particles and fluorine It is formed by mixing a water-repellent substance such as a resin, mixing it with a solvent to form a paste or ink, and then applying this to one side of an electrode substrate that should face the solid polymer electrolyte membrane. The

  In general, the electrode plates 2 and 3 and the solid polymer electrolyte 1 are designed according to the reducing gas and the oxidizing gas supplied to the fuel cell. In the present invention, it is preferable to use air as the oxidizing gas and hydrogen gas as the reducing gas.

  For example, when hydrogen gas and air are used, the cathode side electrode plate 3 on the side where the air is naturally supplied causes a reaction between oxygen and hydrogen ions to generate water. Is preferred. In particular, under the operating conditions of low operating temperature, high current density, and high gas utilization rate, the electrode porous body is likely to be clogged (flooded) due to the condensation of water vapor, particularly at the air electrode where water is generated. Therefore, in order to obtain stable characteristics of the fuel cell over a long period of time, it is effective to ensure the water repellency of the electrode so that the flooding phenomenon does not occur.

  As the catalyst, at least one metal selected from platinum, palladium, ruthenium, rhodium, silver, nickel, iron, copper, cobalt and molybdenum, or an oxide thereof can be used. A supported one can also be used.

  The thickness of the electrode plates 2 and 3 is more effective for reducing the overall thickness as the thickness is reduced, but is preferably 50 to 500 μm in view of electrode reaction, strength, handling properties, and the like. The electrode plates 2 and 3 and the solid polymer electrolyte 1 may be laminated and integrated in advance by adhesion, fusion, or the like, or may simply be arranged in a stacked manner. Such a laminated body can also be obtained as a thin film electrode assembly M (MEA), and this may be used.

  An anode side metal plate 4 is disposed on the surface of the anode side electrode plate 2, and a cathode side metal plate 5 is disposed on the surface of the cathode side electrode plate 3. The anode-side metal plate 4 is provided with a gas supply hole 4c and a gas discharge hole 4d for hydrogen gas, which is a fuel gas, and in this embodiment, a flow path for allowing hydrogen gas to pass inside the anode-side metal plate 4 A groove 9 (see FIG. 4) is integrally formed.

  The cathode side metal plate 5 is provided with a number of opening holes 5c for supplying oxygen in the air. As long as the cathode-side electrode plate 3 can be exposed, the number, shape, size, formation position, and the like of the opening 5c may be any. However, in consideration of the supply efficiency of oxygen in the air and the current collecting effect from the cathode side electrode plate 3, the area of the opening 5c is preferably 10 to 50% of the area of the cathode side electrode plate 3, In particular, 20 to 40% is preferable. As for the opening hole 5c of the cathode side metal plate 5, for example, a plurality of circular holes or slits may be provided regularly or randomly, or the opening hole 5c may be provided by a metal mesh.

  As the metal plates 4 and 5, any metal can be used as long as it does not adversely affect the electrode reaction, and examples thereof include stainless steel plates, nickel, copper, and copper alloys. However, from the viewpoint of elongation, weight, elastic modulus, strength, corrosion resistance, press workability, etching workability and the like, a stainless steel plate, nickel and the like are preferable.

  The channel groove 9 provided in the anode side metal plate 4 may have any planar shape or cross-sectional shape as long as a channel such as hydrogen gas can be formed by contact with the anode side electrode plate 2. In the present embodiment, the gas supply hole 4 c and the gas discharge hole 4 d are connected by the flow channel 9, and the flow channel 9 is formed in a zigzag shape that is periodically folded along the width direction of the metal plate 4. Has been. The channel groove 9 is composed of a wide lateral groove (long side direction) and a narrow vertical groove (short side direction). In consideration of the flow path density, the stacking density at the time of stacking the fuel cells, the flexibility, and the like, various forms of the flow path grooves 9 can be adopted, and the present invention is not limited to the illustrated form.

  A part of the channel groove 9 formed in the metal plate 4 may be formed on the outer surface of the electrode plate 2. As a method of forming the flow channel groove on the outer surface of the electrode plate 2, a mechanical method such as hot pressing or cutting may be used. However, it is preferable to perform groove processing by laser irradiation in order to suitably perform fine processing. From the viewpoint of performing laser irradiation, the base material for the electrode plates 2 and 3 is preferably an aggregate of fibrous carbon.

  Although the number of the gas supply holes 4c and the gas discharge holes 4d communicating with the flow channel grooves 9 of the metal plate 4 is one in the drawing, a plurality of them can be formed. In addition, although the thickness of the metal plates 4 and 5 is more effective for reducing the overall thickness as the thickness is reduced, 0.1 to 1 mm is preferable in consideration of strength, elongation, weight, elastic modulus, handling property, and the like.

  As a method of forming the flow path groove 9 in the metal plate 4, it can be formed by performing press working (stamping) on the metal plate. That is, by performing press punching from the back surface side of the metal plate 4 shown in FIG. 3, the flow channel 9 can be formed on the back surface side of the metal plate 4 as shown in each drawing. Further, since the flow channel 9 is formed by punching, the same shape as the flow channel 9 appears on the surface side of the metal plate 4 as shown in each drawing. That is, a wide protrusion 4f corresponding to the wide channel groove 9, a narrow protrusion 4e corresponding to the narrow channel groove 9, and the gas supply hole 4c and the gas discharge hole 4d are also wide. 4g appears. The cross-sectional shape of the channel groove 9 is preferably substantially square, substantially trapezoidal, substantially semicircular, V-shaped or the like.

  The formation of the opening hole 5c in the metal plate 5 and the formation of the gas supply hole 4c and the gas discharge hole 4d in the metal plate 4 are also performed using press work (press punching process). Further, the metal plates 4 and 5 are similarly formed with recesses in the central regions 4b and 5b by using press working (stamping). This recessed part is a recessed part for accommodating the electrode plates 2 and 3 which comprise the thin film electrode composition M, as shown in FIG. Therefore, the area of the recess is processed according to the size of the electrode plates 2 and 3 to be accommodated.

  In the present invention, the peripheral regions 4a and 5a of the metal plates 4 and 5 are sealed with caulking while being electrically insulated. The electrical insulation is performed using an insulating sheet (corresponding to an insulating layer), but can also be performed by interposing the peripheral region 1 a of the solid polymer electrolyte 1.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a ring-shaped (frame-shaped) insulating sheet 6 is disposed on the cathode-side metal plate 5 in the peripheral region 5a. The outer edge of the insulating sheet 6 is set to be approximately the same size as the edge of the metal plate 5, and the inner edge is a region where a large number of opening holes 5 c are formed (or a size slightly larger than the size of the electrode plate 3). Is set to a slightly larger size. The insulating sheet 6 is affixed to the peripheral area 5a of the metal plate 5 in advance, and the peripheral area 5a is vertically bent in this state.

  As shown in FIG. 1, ring-shaped (frame-shaped) insulating sheets 7 are also disposed on the front and back surfaces of the peripheral region 4 a on the anode side metal plate 4. The sizes of the insulating sheets 7 on both the front and back surfaces are the same. The outer edge of the insulating sheet 7 is set to be approximately the same size as the edge of the metal plate 4, and the inner edge is set to be slightly larger than the electrode plate 2. The insulating sheet 7 can also be attached to the metal plate 4 in advance.

  The solid polymer electrolyte 1 is slightly larger than the size of the electrode plates 2 and 3, and as shown in FIG. 4, the peripheral region 1 a exposed from the electrode plates 2 and 3 has insulating sheets 11 and 12. It is assembled so that it may be pinched by.

  That is, in the present invention, when performing caulking sealing, the peripheral region 1a of the solid polymer electrolyte 1 in the region outside the electrode plates 2 and 3 is separated by the peripheral regions 4a and 5a via the insulating sheets 6 and 7. It is assumed that it is pinched. According to such a structure, inflow of gas or the like from one of the electrode plates 2 and 3 to the other can be effectively prevented. Moreover, the insulating sheet 7 is also provided on the surface side of the metal plate 4, and when the caulking is performed, the insulating sheet 7 can be sealed in a state in which the insulating performance is reliably ensured.

  As the insulating sheets 6 and 7, a sheet-like resin, rubber, thermoplastic elastomer, ceramics, or the like can be used, but a resin, rubber, thermoplastic elastomer, or the like is preferable in order to improve sealing performance. Before processing the metal plates 4 and 5 into a predetermined shape, the insulating sheets 6 and 7 are attached to the metal plates 4 and 5 in advance by being attached or applied directly or via an adhesive. I can leave.

  As the caulking structure, the structure shown in FIG. 4 is preferable from the viewpoint of sealing performance, ease of manufacture, thickness, and the like. That is, the peripheral region 5a of one cathode side metal plate 5 is made larger than the peripheral region 4a of the other anode side metal plate 4, and the peripheral regions 5a of the cathode side metal plate 5 are interposed with the insulating sheets 6 and 7 interposed therebetween. A caulking structure is preferable in which the metal plate is folded so as to sandwich the peripheral region 4a of the anode side metal plate 4. As a manufacturing method and manufacturing equipment for performing such caulking sealing, for example, a technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-86041 by the present applicant can be used.

  When used as a fuel cell, it is possible to join a fuel supply pipe directly to the gas supply hole 4c and the gas discharge hole 4d of the metal plate 4, but in order to prevent leakage of hydrogen gas, Booth 10 and booth 11 (these correspond to flow path connecting members) are attached. Since the booth 10 and the booth 11 have the same shape, the booth 10 attached to the gas supply hole 4c will be described as a representative.

  The booth 10 has a main body portion 10a having a rectangular parallelepiped shape or a cubic shape (may be a cylindrical shape), and a horizontal hole 10b (corresponding to a tube attachment portion) into which a metal pipe 12 (corresponding to a gas supply pipe) is press-fitted. A vertical hole 10c located at the axial center of the booth 10 is formed, and the horizontal hole 10a and the vertical hole 10c function as an internal communication passage for allowing hydrogen gas to pass therethrough. In addition, a ring-shaped protruding portion 10 d is integrally formed on the bottom surface of the booth 10. A plastic pipe 13 (also corresponding to a gas supply pipe) having further flexibility is inserted into the metal pipe 12.

  The booth 10 is made of metal, and can be made of, for example, a metal material such as stainless steel, brass, or copper, and is bonded to the protruding portion 4g of the metal plate 4 by resistance welding. In order to facilitate resistance welding, the above-described protruding portion 10 d is formed on the bottom surface of the booth 10. The protruding portion 10d has a narrow ring shape so that energy at the time of voltage application is easily concentrated. When resistance welding is performed, by applying a pulsed voltage in a time of about several ms to 10 ms, the booth 10 can be coupled to the metal plate 4 in a short time, and thermal damage due to welding can be prevented. it can. Moreover, it can prevent that hydrogen gas leaks from the joining location of the booth 10 by joining the booth 10 by welding.

  An example of the dimensions of the booth 10 will be described. The height of the booth 10 is 1.6 mm, the size in plan view is 4 mm × 4 mm, the size of the protruding portion 10 d is φ1.6 mm, the protruding height is 0.1 to 0.3 mm, and the ring width is 0.1 to 0.1 mm. About 0.2 mm is preferable. Moreover, it is preferable that the magnitude | size of the horizontal hole 10b and the vertical hole 10c which form an internal communicating path shall be about (phi) 0.5-1.2mm.

  The metal plates 4 and 5 and the solid polymer electrolyte 1 which are members constituting the fuel battery cell are formed in a rectangular shape, but four corners thereof are formed in an R shape. By attaching R to the four corners, it is easy to perform the caulking sealing process described later.

  When configuring a fuel cell, one or a plurality of fuel cells as shown in each figure can be used, but the solid polymer electrolyte 1, a pair of electrode plates 2, 3 and a pair of metal plates 4, It is also possible to configure a unit cell with 5 and to stack a plurality of unit cells or to arrange them on the same surface. By doing so, it is possible to provide a high-power fuel cell without the need to apply a certain pressure to the cell parts by mutually coupling with the fastening parts of the bolts and nuts.

  In addition, a fuel cell with a reduced thickness can be configured by arranging fuel cells as shown in the figure and connecting them in series. In such a case, by using the booths 10 and 11 as described above, it is possible to connect the flow channel 9 between adjacent fuel cells while suppressing the overall height. Since the horizontal hole 10b is formed in the side surface of the booths 10 and 11, when connecting the flow-path groove | channel 9 of an adjacent fuel battery cell with the pipes 12 and 13, it can connect, suppressing thickness.

<Configuration example of cell unit>
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a cell unit in which a plurality of fuel cells are connected. In this cell unit, four fuel cells S are arranged in a plane and then connected in series. The hydrogen gas flow paths are also connected in series. The fuel cells are electrically connected to each other using a metal connecting member 20, and the anode and cathode of the adjacent fuel cells S are connected. The connecting member 20 is coupled to the metal plates 4 and 5 by resistance welding in the spot-like welding area 20a. The connection member 20 coupled to the fuel battery cells S at both ends is formed with a terminal portion 20b and is connected to a circuit board (not shown).

  Further, the booths 10 and 11 of the adjacent fuel cells S are connected by the metal pipe 12 and the resin pipe 13, and the hydrogen gas flow paths are connected in series. Hydrogen gas is supplied through the booth 10 of the left fuel cell S shown in the figure, and finally discharged through the booth 11 of the rightmost fuel cell S. Hydrogen gas is supplied from a hydrogen gas generation unit (not shown).

<Another embodiment>
The configuration of the fuel cell is not limited to the structure shown in FIGS. For example, the cathode side metal plate 5 has a shape having a large number of opening holes 5 c for taking in air, but the cathode side metal plate 5 may be formed in the same shape as the anode side metal plate 4. In this case, a booth is also attached to the anode side metal plate 4.

  In this embodiment, the peripheral region 5a of the cathode side metal plate 5 is bent and caulked and sealed, but the peripheral region 4a of the anode side metal plate 4 may be bent and caulked and sealed.

The perspective view which shows the external appearance of the anode side of a fuel cell The perspective view which shows the external appearance of the cathode side of a fuel cell Exploded perspective view showing internal structure of fuel cell Assembly sectional view showing internal structure of fuel cell Diagram showing booth configuration Diagram showing a configuration example of a cell unit

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Solid polymer electrolyte 1a Peripheral area | region 2 Anode side electrode plate (1st electrode plate)
3 Cathode side electrode plate (second electrode plate)
4 Anode side metal plate (first metal plate)
4a Peripheral region 4b Center region 4c Gas supply hole 4d Gas discharge holes 4e, 4f, 4g Projection 5 Cathode side metal plate (second metal plate)
5a Peripheral region 5b Central region 5c Opening hole 9 Channel groove 10, 11 Booth 10a Main body part 10b Horizontal hole 10c Vertical hole 10d Projection part 12 Metal pipe 13 Resinous pipe M Thin film electrode composition

Claims (3)

A plate-shaped solid polymer electrolyte, a first electrode plate and a second electrode plate arranged on both sides so as to sandwich the solid polymer electrolyte, a first metal plate and a first metal plate arranged further outside these electrode plates A fuel cell comprising two metal plates, and a flow path groove formed in a space between at least one of the metal plates and the electrode plate for allowing gas to pass therethrough,
A gas supply hole and a gas discharge hole formed in the at least one metal plate and positioned at both ends of the flow channel groove;
Metal flow path connecting members respectively attached to the positions of the gas supply hole and the gas discharge hole,
This flow path connecting member includes a gas supply pipe for supplying gas to the flow path groove, or a pipe mounting portion for mounting a gas discharge pipe for discharging gas from the flow path groove;
An internal communication passage for communicating the flow channel with the gas supply pipe or the gas discharge pipe,
The fuel cell, wherein the flow path connecting member is joined to the at least one metal plate by welding.   The fuel cell according to claim 1, wherein a ring-shaped protrusion is provided on the flow path connecting member in order to weld-connect the flow path connecting member to the metal plate.   The flow path groove is formed on the back surface side of the metal plate by stamping the at least one metal plate, and the flow path connecting member is coupled to the projecting portion appearing on the front surface side of the metal plate. The fuel battery cell according to claim 1 or 2.

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