JP2012018854A - Fuel cell - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a technique of improving power generation performance of fuel cells for solving the problem in which: in the case that a shape of a gas channel is an interdigital channel, particularly in a cathode channel, produced water arising along with power generation moves and stays in a tip occluded region of an interdigital primary occlusion channel; the staying produced water inhibits supply of reaction gas to a membrane electrode assembly; and thereby, the power generation performance deteriorates.SOLUTION: A fuel cell comprises: an anode meandering channel 43 meandering back-and-forth along an X-axis direction and guiding fuel gas; and anode downstream channel 45 extending along a Y-axis direction and guiding fuel gas coming through the anode meandering channel 43.

Description

  The present invention relates to a fuel cell that generates electricity electrochemically using a reaction gas, and more particularly, to a gas flow path for flowing a reaction gas inside the fuel cell.

  As a fuel cell, a membrane electrode assembly (hereinafter also referred to as “MEA”) in which electrode layers are bonded to both surfaces of an electrolyte membrane, and a separator that separates the membrane electrode assemblies are alternately laminated, 2. Description of the Related Art A gas flow path for flowing a reaction gas on an electrode surface of an MEA is formed by a separator. An anode flow channel for flowing fuel gas as a reaction gas is formed on the anode surface of the electrode surface of the MEA, and a cathode flow channel for flowing oxidizing gas as a reaction gas is formed on the cathode surface of the electrode surface of the MEA. .

  Conventionally, in order to increase the power generation efficiency of the fuel cell depending on the shape of the gas channel, a fuel cell in which the comb-shaped channel is applied to the anode channel and the cathode channel has been proposed (for example, Patent Document 1). The comb-shaped flow path is formed by separating the primary closed flow path communicating with the reaction gas supply side and the secondary closed flow path communicating with the reaction gas recovery side into a comb-tooth shape and meshing with each other. It is the formed obstruction | occlusion flow path.

JP 2005-85626 A

  However, in the case of a comb-shaped channel, particularly in the cathode channel, the generated water generated due to power generation moves to and stays in the closed region of the tip of the comb-shaped primary blocked channel, and stays there. There has been a problem that the power generation performance is reduced by the generated water hindering the supply of the reaction gas to the MEA.

  In view of the above-described problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a technique for improving the power generation performance of a fuel cell.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is to solve at least a part of the problems described above, and the invention can be implemented as the following forms or application examples.

Application Example 1 A fuel cell according to Application Example 1 includes a membrane electrode assembly in which electrode layers are bonded to both surfaces of an electrolyte membrane, and an anode flow channel for flowing fuel gas to the anode surface of the membrane electrode assembly, The anode flow path is meandering in a reciprocating manner along the first direction on the anode surface and the anode supply portion for supplying the fuel gas to the anode surface, and guides the fuel gas supplied from the anode supply portion An anode meandering flow path, and an anode latter flow path that extends along a second direction intersecting the first direction on the anode surface and guides fuel gas via the anode meandering flow path. Features. According to the fuel cell of Application Example 1, since the flow rate of the fuel gas flowing on the anode surface is larger in the anode meandering channel than in the anode latter-stage channel, the membrane electrode assembly provided with the anode meandering channel is provided. It is possible to increase the amount of water discharged from the region by the fuel gas and humidify the fuel gas. As a result, the power generation performance of the fuel cell can be improved when the fuel cell configuration tends to cause excessive retention of water in the region of the membrane electrode assembly provided with the anode meandering flow path.

[Application Example 2] The fuel cell according to Application Example 1, further including a cathode flow channel for flowing an oxidizing gas to the cathode surface of the membrane electrode assembly, wherein the cathode flow channel is the anode rear-stage flow on the anode surface. A cathode supply section for supplying the oxidizing gas to a region of the cathode surface corresponding to a roadside; and a region on the cathode surface corresponding to a region of the anode surface extending from the anode downstream flow path to the anode meandering flow path. A cathode closing channel that extends along two directions, is formed in a comb-teeth shape that is separated from and meshes with each other, and guides the oxidizing gas supplied from the cathode supply unit may be included. According to the fuel cell of the application example 2, in the fuel cell in which the comb-like channel is applied to the cathode channel through which the oxidizing gas flows from the side facing the fuel gas, the fuel cell stays in the supply-side blocking region in the cathode blocking channel. The generated water can be discharged by the fuel gas flowing through the anode meandering channel, so that the power generation performance of the fuel cell can be improved.

Application Example 3 In the fuel cell according to Application Example 2, the width of the anode meandering channel along the first direction may be equal to the width of the cathode blocking channel along the first direction. According to the fuel cell of the application example 3, the water staying in the supply side closed region in the cathode closed channel can be effectively discharged by the fuel gas flowing through the anode meandering channel.

Application Example 4 In the fuel cell according to any one of Application Example 1 to Application Example 3, the anode rear-stage flow path may be a closed flow path formed in a comb-teeth shape that is separated and meshed with each other. . According to the application example 4, it is possible to improve the power generation performance of the fuel cell in which the comb-shaped flow path is applied to the anode downstream flow path.

  The form of the present invention is not limited to a fuel cell, and can be applied to various forms such as a fuel cell component, a vehicle equipped with a fuel cell, and a fuel cell system that operates the fuel cell. Further, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and it is needless to say that the present invention can be implemented in various forms without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

It is explanatory drawing which shows the structure of a fuel cell. It is explanatory drawing which shows the detailed structure of an anode separator. It is explanatory drawing which shows the detailed structure of a cathode separator. It is explanatory drawing which shows the permeation | transmission characteristic of the water | moisture content in MEA. It is explanatory drawing which shows the humidity change of the fuel gas in an anode flow path.

  In order to further clarify the configuration and operation of the present invention described above, a fuel cell to which the present invention is applied will be described below.

A. Example:
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the fuel cell 10. The fuel cell 10 generates electricity electrochemically using a reaction gas. In this embodiment, the fuel cell 10 is a solid polymer type fuel cell, and uses a fuel gas containing hydrogen and an oxidizing gas containing oxygen as reaction gases. In this embodiment, the fuel gas used in the fuel cell 10 is hydrogen gas stored in a storage tank. However, in other embodiments, it may be hydrogen gas stored in a hydrogen storage alloy or carbonized. Hydrogen gas obtained by reforming a hydrogen fuel may be used. In this embodiment, the oxidizing gas used in the fuel cell 10 is air taken from outside air.

  The fuel cell 10 includes a plurality of cells 15 that perform an electrochemical reaction that directly extracts electricity from a reaction gas, and the plurality of cells 15 are stacked on each other. The cell 15 of the fuel cell 10 includes a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) 20, an anode separator 30, and a cathode separator 50. The anode separator 30 and the cathode separator 50 are laminated members laminated on the MEA 20, and the MEA 20 is sandwiched between the anode separator 30 and the cathode separator 50.

  The MEA 20 of the fuel cell 10 includes an electrolyte membrane 210, an anode electrode 230, and a cathode electrode 250. The anode electrode 230 of the MEA 20 includes an anode catalyst layer 231 and an anode diffusion layer 235, and the cathode electrode 250 of the MEA 20 includes a cathode catalyst layer 251 and a cathode diffusion layer 255. An anode electrode 230 is bonded to one surface of the electrolyte membrane 210 by laminating an anode catalyst layer 231 and an anode diffusion layer 235 in this order. The cathode electrode 250 is bonded to the other surface of the electrolyte membrane 210 by laminating the cathode catalyst layer 251 and the cathode diffusion layer 255 in this order.

  The electrolyte membrane 210 of the MEA 20 is a proton conductor having proton conductivity. In this embodiment, the electrolyte membrane 210 is a perfluorosulfonic acid ion exchange membrane using an ionomer resin. The anode catalyst layer 231 and the cathode catalyst layer 251 of the MEA 20 are formed of a material having gas permeability and conductivity and supporting a catalyst (for example, platinum or platinum alloy) that promotes an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen. In this embodiment, it is formed of a carbon support carrying a platinum-based catalyst. The anode diffusion layer 235 and the cathode diffusion layer 255 of the MEA 20 are formed of a material having gas permeability and conductivity. For example, the anode diffusion layer 235 and the cathode diffusion layer 255 can be formed of carbon cloth or carbon paper which is a carbon porous body.

  The anode separator 30 of the fuel cell 10 forms an anode flow path 40 through which fuel gas flows on the anode surface, which is the surface of the MEA 20 on the anode diffusion layer 235 side, and the cathode separator 50 of the fuel cell 10 A cathode channel 60 for flowing an oxidizing gas is formed on the cathode surface which is the side surface. The anode separator 30 and the cathode separator 50 have sufficient conductivity for collecting electricity generated in the MEA 20, and have sufficient durability, heat resistance, and gas impermeability for flowing a reaction gas through the MEA 20. In this embodiment, the anode separator 30 and the cathode separator 50 are made of carbon resin. However, in other embodiments, the anode separator 30 and the cathode separator 50 may be made of stainless steel, titanium, a titanium alloy, or conductive ceramics. In this embodiment, the anode separator 30 and the cathode separator 50 are separately configured. However, in other embodiments, the anode separator 30 and the cathode separator 50 may be integrally configured.

  FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a detailed configuration of the anode separator 30. FIG. 2 illustrates the shape of the anode separator 30 as viewed from the MEA 20 side. In FIG. 2, the flow of the fuel gas is illustrated using white arrows. In the present embodiment, the shape of the anode separator 30 viewed from the MEA 20 side is a rectangle.

  The anode separator 30 includes an outer wall portion 310, holes 311 to 316, a protruding portion 320, a flow channel wall portion 330, a flow channel wall portion 350, and a protruding portion 370. The outer wall portion 310 and the flow path wall portions 330 and 350 of the anode separator 30 are portions that contact the anode electrode 230 side of the MEA 20.

  The anode separator 30 forms an anode channel 40 as a channel partitioned between each part of the anode separator 30 and the MEA 20. The anode channel 40 includes an anode supply unit 41, an anode meandering channel 43, an anode rear-stage channel 45, and an anode recovery unit 48. In FIG. 2, in order to facilitate the shape recognition of the anode flow path 40 formed by the anode separator 30, the outer wall portion 310, the protruding portion 320, the flow path wall portions 330 and 350, and the protruding portion 370 of the anode separator 30 are hatched. Was given.

  The holes 311 to 316 of the anode separator 30 form holes that penetrate the anode separator 30. The hole 311, the hole 312, and the hole 313 are sequentially provided along one short side of the rectangular anode separator 30, and the hole 314, the hole 315, and the hole 316 are the other of the rectangular anode separator 30. Are provided in order along the short side.

  In this embodiment, the hole 311 constitutes a part of a flow path for flowing fuel gas to be supplied to each of the plurality of cells 15 in the fuel cell 10, and the hole 316 is a plurality of cells in the fuel cell 10. 15 constitutes a part of the flow path through which the fuel gas recovered from each of the 15 flows. In the present embodiment, the hole portion 315 constitutes a part of a flow path for flowing an oxidizing gas to be supplied to each of the plurality of cells 15 in the fuel cell 10, and the hole portion 312 is a plurality of cells in the fuel cell 10. 15 constitutes a part of the flow path through which the oxidizing gas recovered from each of the 15 flows. In this embodiment, the hole 313 constitutes a part of a flow path for flowing cooling water to be supplied to each of the plurality of cells 15 in the fuel cell 10, and the hole 314 is a plurality of cells in the fuel cell 10. 15 constitutes a part of the flow path through which the cooling water recovered from each of the 15 flows.

  In the description of this embodiment, the direction from the hole 311 toward the hole 313 along the short side of the rectangular anode separator 30 is defined as the X-axis direction that is the first direction, and the long side of the rectangular anode separator 30 is defined as the long side. A direction from the hole portion 311 toward the hole portion 314 along the Y axis direction is defined as the second direction.

  The outer wall portion 310 of the anode separator 30 surrounds the power generation region 25 corresponding to a portion where power generation is performed in the MEA 20 in a state of being in contact with the anode diffusion layer 235 of the MEA 20. In the anode separator 30, the power generation region 25 communicates with the hole 311 on the fuel gas supply side and the hole 316 on the fuel gas recovery side, and the holes 312 and 315 for the oxidizing gas, and the cooling Isolated from the holes 313, 316 for water. The power generation region 25 includes a first region 21 in which the anode meandering channel 43 is formed and a second region 22 in which the anode rear-stage channel 45 is formed. In the present embodiment, the power generation region 25 is rectangular, and the first region 21 and the second region 22 are partitioned along the X-axis direction. In the present embodiment, the area of the second region 22 is larger than the area of the first region 21.

  The anode supply part 41 of the anode flow path 40 is formed from the hole 311 of the anode separator 30 to the first region 21 of the power generation region 25. The anode supply unit 41 is a flow path that communicates between the hole 311 and the power generation region 25, and supplies fuel gas to the power generation region 25. In the present embodiment, the anode supply unit 41 is provided with a plurality of protrusions 320 protruding toward the MEA 20 in a state of being separated from each other in order to adjust the flow of the fuel gas.

  The anode recovery part 48 of the anode channel 40 is formed from the second region 22 of the power generation region 25 to the hole 316 of the anode separator 30. The anode collection unit 48 is a flow path that communicates between the power generation region 25 and the hole 316, and collects fuel gas from the power generation region 25. In this embodiment, the anode recovery part 48 is provided with a plurality of protrusions 370 protruding toward the MEA 20 in a state of being separated from each other in order to adjust the flow of the fuel gas.

  The flow path wall 330 of the anode separator 30 forms the anode meandering flow path 43 of the anode flow path 40 in a state of being in contact with the anode diffusion layer 235 of the MEA 20. The anode meandering channel 43 is a channel that meanders in a reciprocating manner along the X-axis direction in the first region 21 of the power generation region 25. The anode meandering channel 43 diffuses the fuel gas into the anode diffusion layer 235 of the MEA 20 while guiding the fuel gas supplied from the anode supply unit 41 of the anode channel 40 to the anode latter-stage channel 45. In the present embodiment, the width W1 of the anode meandering channel 43 along the X-axis direction is equal to the width of the power generation region 25 along the X-axis direction. In this embodiment, the meandering return by the anode meandering channel 43 is performed twice, but in other embodiments, it may be performed once or three times or more. In this example, the anode meandering channel 43 is a channel in which three channels run side by side. However, in other embodiments, it may be a single channel or two channels. There may be four or more flow paths.

  The flow path wall 350 of the anode separator 30 forms the anode rear flow path 45 of the anode flow path 40 in a state of being in contact with the anode diffusion layer 235 of the MEA 20. The anode rear-stage channel 45 is a closed channel formed in a comb-teeth shape extending in the Y-axis direction in the second region 22 of the power generation region 25 and being separated and meshed with each other. The anode rear-stage channel 45 diffuses the fuel gas into the anode diffusion layer 235 of the MEA 20 while guiding the fuel gas that has passed through the anode meandering channel 43 to the anode recovery unit 48. The anode rear-stage channel 45 includes a primary blocked channel 451 that is a comb-shaped channel communicating with the anode meandered channel 43 side, and a secondary blocked channel 455 that is a comb-shaped channel communicated with the anode recovery unit 48 side. Is provided. The fuel gas flowing through the primary closed channel 451 passes under the channel wall 350 through the anode diffusion layer 235 and moves to the secondary closed channel 455.

  FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing the detailed structure of the cathode separator 50. FIG. 3 shows the shape of the cathode separator 50 viewed from the MEA 20 side. In FIG. 3, the flow of the oxidizing gas is illustrated using white arrows. In the present embodiment, the shape of the cathode separator 50 viewed from the MEA 20 side is a rectangle like the anode separator 30.

  The cathode separator 50 includes an outer wall 510, holes 511 to 516, a protrusion 520, a flow path wall 550, and a protrusion 570. The outer wall portion 510 and the flow path wall portion 550 of the cathode separator 50 are portions that contact the cathode electrode 250 side of the MEA 20.

  The cathode separator 50 forms a cathode channel 60 as a channel partitioned between each part of the cathode separator 50 and the MEA 20. The cathode channel 60 includes a cathode supply unit 61, a cathode blocking channel 65, and a cathode recovery unit 68. In FIG. 3, the outer wall 510 and the channel wall 550 are hatched to facilitate the shape recognition of the cathode channel 60 formed by the cathode separator 50.

  The holes 511 to 516 of the cathode separator 50 form holes that penetrate the cathode separator 50. The hole portion 511, the hole portion 512, and the hole portion 513 are provided in order along one short side of the rectangular cathode separator 50, and the hole portion 514, the hole portion 515, and the hole portion 516 are provided on the other side of the rectangular cathode separator 50. Are provided in order along the short side.

  In the present embodiment, the hole 511 constitutes a part of a flow path for supplying fuel gas to be supplied to each of the plurality of cells 15 in the fuel cell 10, and the hole 516 is a plurality of cells in the fuel cell 10. 15 constitutes a part of the flow path through which the fuel gas recovered from each of the 15 flows. In the present embodiment, the hole 515 constitutes a part of a flow path for flowing an oxidizing gas to be supplied to each of the plurality of cells 15 in the fuel cell 10, and the hole 512 is a plurality of cells in the fuel cell 10. 15 constitutes a part of the flow path through which the oxidizing gas recovered from each of the 15 flows. In this embodiment, the hole 513 constitutes a part of a flow path for flowing cooling water to be supplied to each of the plurality of cells 15 in the fuel cell 10, and the hole 514 is a plurality of cells in the fuel cell 10. 15 constitutes a part of the flow path through which the cooling water recovered from each of the 15 flows.

  The X-axis direction defined in the description of the anode separator 30 corresponds to the direction from the hole 511 toward the hole 513 along the short side of the rectangular cathode separator 50. The Y-axis direction defined in the description of the anode separator 30 corresponds to the direction from the hole 511 toward the hole 514 along the long side of the rectangular cathode separator 50.

  The outer wall portion 510 of the cathode separator 50 surrounds the power generation region 25 in a state of being in contact with the cathode diffusion layer 255 of the MEA 20. In the cathode separator 50, the power generation region 25 communicates with a hole 515 on the oxidizing gas supply side and a hole 512 on the oxidizing gas recovery side, holes 511 and 514 for fuel gas, and cooling Separated from the holes 513 and 516 for water.

  The cathode supply portion 61 of the cathode channel 60 is formed from the hole 515 of the cathode separator 50 to the second region 22 of the power generation region 25. The cathode supply unit 61 is a flow path that communicates between the hole 515 and the power generation region 25, and supplies an oxidizing gas to the power generation region 25. In this embodiment, the cathode supply unit 61 has a plurality of protrusions 520 protruding toward the MEA 20 in a state of being separated from each other in order to adjust the flow of the oxidizing gas.

  The cathode recovery part 68 of the cathode channel 60 is formed from the first region 21 of the power generation region 25 to the hole 512 of the cathode separator 50. The cathode recovery unit 68 is a flow path that communicates between the power generation region 25 and the hole 512 and recovers the oxidizing gas from the power generation region 25. In the present embodiment, the cathode recovery unit 68 has a plurality of protrusions 570 protruding toward the MEA 20 in a state of being separated from each other in order to adjust the flow of the oxidizing gas.

  The channel wall portion 550 of the cathode separator 50 forms a cathode blocking channel 65 of the cathode channel 60 in a state of being in contact with the cathode diffusion layer 255 of the MEA 20. The cathode closed channel 65 is a closed channel formed in a comb-like shape extending along the Y-axis direction from the second region 22 of the power generation region 25 to the first region 21 and meshing with each other. The cathode blocking channel 65 diffuses the oxidizing gas into the cathode diffusion layer 255 of the MEA 20 while guiding the fuel gas from the cathode supply unit 61 to the cathode recovery unit 68. The cathode blocking channel 65 includes a primary blocking channel 651 that is a comb-shaped channel communicating with the cathode supply unit 61 side, and a secondary blocking channel 655 that is a comb-shaped channel communicating with the cathode recovery unit 68 side. Prepare. The oxidizing gas flowing through the primary closed channel 651 passes under the channel wall portion 550 through the cathode diffusion layer 255 and moves to the secondary closed channel 655. The closed region 654 whose front end is closed in the primary closed channel 651 is located in the first region 21 of the power generation region 25.

  In the present embodiment, the width W2 of the cathode closing channel 65 along the X-axis direction is equal to the width of the power generation region 25 along the X-axis direction. That is, the width W1 of the anode meandering channel 43 along the X-axis direction is equal to the width W2 of the cathode blocking channel 65 along the X-axis direction. In another embodiment, the width W1 of the anode meandering channel 43 may be larger or smaller than the width W2 of the cathode closing channel 65.

  FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing moisture transmission characteristics in the MEA 20. FIG. 4 illustrates the moisture permeation characteristics of the MEA 20 with the cathode-side humidification amount set on the horizontal axis and the anode-side water permeation amount set on the vertical axis. The cathode-side humidification amount set on the horizontal axis indicates the humidification amount of the oxidizing gas supplied to the cathode electrode 250 of the MEA 20. The anode side water permeation amount set on the vertical axis indicates the amount of water that permeates from the cathode electrode 250 of the MEA 20 to the anode electrode 230 and humidifies the fuel gas. In the evaluation test of FIG. 4, an MEA 20 having a film thickness of 20 micrometers is prepared, a non-humidified fuel gas is flowed in a state where the flow rate of the oxidizing gas is fixed at 1 liter / min, the humidification amount on the cathode side and the flow rate of the fuel gas And the anode side water permeability was measured. As shown in FIG. 4, it can be seen that the anode-side water permeability increases as the cathode-side humidification amount and the flow rate of the fuel gas increase.

  FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing a change in the humidity of the fuel gas in the anode channel 40. FIG. 5 illustrates the humidity change of the fuel gas in the anode flow path 40 with the position of the anode flow path 40 set on the horizontal axis and the relative humidity of the fuel gas set on the vertical axis. The position S1 set on the horizontal axis in FIG. 5 is a position corresponding to the end portion on the first region 21 side in the power generation region 25, and the position S2 is between the first region 21 and the second region 22 in the power generation region 25. The position corresponding to the boundary, and the position S3 is a position corresponding to the end of the power generation region 25 on the second region 22 side.

  The fuel gas flowing through the anode flow path 40 is humidified by the generated water accompanying power generation while flowing in the order of position S1, position S2, and position S3. The fuel gas flows through the anode meandering channel 43 of the anode channel 40 between the position S1 and the position S2, and flows through the anode downstream channel 45 of the anode channel 40 between the position S2 and the position S3. Between the position S1 and the position S2 corresponds to the first area 21 of the power generation area 25, and between the position S2 and the position S3 corresponds to the second area 22 of the power generation area 25.

  As shown in FIG. 5, in the anode meandering channel 43 between the position S <b> 1 and the position S <b> 2 (the first region 21 of the power generation region 25), a comb-like channel extending in the Y-axis direction (the one-dot chain line in FIG. 5). ), The amount of water removed from the MEA 20 by the fuel gas increases, and the humidity of the fuel gas also increases. Since the blocking region 654 of the primary blocking channel 651 in the cathode channel 60 is located in the first region 21 of the power generation region 25, the moisture remaining in the blocking region 654 is from the cathode electrode 250 side of the MEA 20 to the anode electrode 230 side. And is removed by the fuel gas flowing through the anode meandering channel 43.

  According to the fuel cell 10 described above, the flow rate of the fuel gas flowing on the anode electrode 230 is larger in the anode meandering channel 43 than in the anode latter-stage channel 45, and thus the anode meandering channel 43 is provided. The amount of water discharged by the fuel gas from the first region 21 can be increased, and the fuel gas can be humidified.

  Further, in the fuel cell 10 in which the comb-shaped flow path is applied to the cathode flow path 60 through which the oxidizing gas flows from the side facing the fuel gas, the water staying in the closed region 654 of the primary closed flow path 651 in the cathode closed flow path 65 Can be discharged by the fuel gas flowing through the anode meandering flow path 43, so that the power generation performance of the fuel cell 10 can be improved.

  Further, since the width W 1 of the anode meandering channel 43 is equal to the width W 2 of the cathode closing channel 65, the moisture staying in the blocking region 654 in the cathode closing channel 65 is effected by the fuel gas flowing through the anode meandering channel 43. Can be discharged.

B. Other embodiments:
Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and can of course be implemented in various forms without departing from the spirit of the present invention. is there. For example, the anode downstream channel 45 of the anode channel 40 is not limited to the comb-shaped channel, and may be another closed channel or a through channel. Further, the cathode closing channel 65 of the cathode channel 60 is not limited to the comb-like channel, and may be another blocking channel or a through channel.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Fuel cell 15 ... Cell 20 ... Membrane electrode assembly (MEA)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 21 ... 1st area | region 22 ... 2nd area | region 25 ... Electric power generation area 30 ... Anode separator 40 ... Anode flow path 41 ... Anode supply part 43 ... Anode meandering flow path 45 ... Anode latter stage flow path 48 ... Anode collection | recovery part 50 ... Cathode separator 60 ... Cathode flow channel 61 ... Cathode supply unit 65 ... Cathode blockage channel 68 ... Cathode recovery unit 210 ... Electrolyte membrane 230 ... Anode electrode 231 ... Anode catalyst layer 235 ... Anode diffusion layer 250 ... Cathode electrode 251 ... Cathode catalyst layer 255 ... Cathode Diffusion layer 310 ... Outer wall part 311 to 316 ... Hole part 320 ... Projection part 330 ... Channel wall part 350 ... Channel wall part 370 ... Projection part 451 ... Primary blockage channel 455 ... Secondary blockage channel 510 ... Outer wall part 511 ˜516 ... Hole 520 ... Protrusion 550 ... Flow path wall 570 ... Protrusion 651 ... Primary blockage Channel 654 ... Blocking region 655 ... Secondary blocking channel

Claims (4)

A fuel cell,
A membrane electrode assembly in which electrode layers are bonded to both surfaces of the electrolyte membrane;
An anode flow path for flowing fuel gas on the anode surface of the membrane electrode assembly,
The anode channel is
An anode supply unit for supplying the fuel gas to the anode surface;
An anode meandering channel that reciprocates along the first direction on the anode surface and guides the fuel gas supplied from the anode supply unit;
A fuel cell comprising: an anode rear-stage channel that extends along a second direction intersecting the first direction on the anode surface, and that guides fuel gas through the anode meandering channel. The fuel cell according to claim 1,
Furthermore, a cathode channel for flowing an oxidizing gas on the cathode surface of the membrane electrode assembly is provided,
The cathode channel is
A cathode supply section for supplying the oxidizing gas to a region of the cathode surface corresponding to the anode downstream flow path side of the anode surface;
Corresponding to the area of the anode surface extending from the anode rear-stage flow path to the anode meandering flow path, it extends along the second direction on the cathode surface, and is formed in a comb-teeth shape that meshes with each other separately. And a cathode blockage channel for guiding the oxidizing gas supplied from the cathode supply unit.   3. The fuel cell according to claim 2, wherein a width of the anode meandering channel along the first direction is equal to a width of the cathode blocking channel along the first direction.   The fuel cell according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the anode rear-stage flow path is a closed flow path formed in a comb-teeth shape that is separated and meshed with each other.

Images