JPS57130380A - Fuel cell - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make equalized amounts of gas to be supplied to the unit cells of a fuel cell by making the distance between a layer-built cell and the wall of the manifold of the fuel cell to be narrower as they become distant from a pipe used for supplying gas into the manifold. CONSTITUTION:A layer-built cell 1 is formed by stacking unit cells. The end surface of the layer-built cell 1 is provided with a manifold 2 used for supplying fuel or air. A pipe 5, which is used for supplying gas and extends from outside a tank 6, is connected to a part of the manifold 2 so as to make a fuel cell to be operated by supplying gas. The layer-built cell 1 is constituted by stacking unit cells, each of which consists of electrode base plates coated with a catalyst and an electrolyte interposed between the base plates, with separators provided with grooves interposed between the unit cells, and gas is supplied into the grooves of the separators. Here, as the manifold 2 becomes distant from the gas supply hole of the pipe 5 connected to the manifold 2, the distance between the cell 1 and the wall of the manifold 2 is made narrower so that a tapered shape is formed between the cell 1 and the manifold 2. As a result, the amount of gas supplied to the unit cells is equalized.