| 摘要 |
A polymer electrolyte fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly including a polymer electrolyte membrane and a pair of catalyst electrodes sandwiching the polymer electrolyte membrane; a pair of separators sandwiching the membrane electrode assembly, the separators each including linear reaction gas channels defined by linear channel ribs, a reaction gas supply manifold hole, and a reaction gas discharge manifold hole; and an inlet gas distribution section for connecting the reaction gas supply manifold hole and the reaction gas channels, wherein the inlet gas distribution section includes n (where n is an integer of 2 or more) distribution ribs for partitioning the inlet gas distribution section into a plurality of spaces, the distribution ribs each having a longitudinal axis perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the linear reaction gas channels, the distribution ribs each having two or more slits provided therein, the slits being in parallel to the longitudinal axis of the linear reaction channels, when, among the distribution ribs, the distribution rib positioned closest to the reaction gas supply manifold hole is considered as a first distribution rib and the distribution rib positioned closest to the reaction gas channels as an nth distribution rib, and when, among the spaces, the space positioned between the first distribution rib and the reaction gas supply manifold hole is considered as a diffusion space, and an average of sectional areas of the diffusion space, the sectional areas taken along the longitudinal axis of the reaction gas channel and along the normal to the separator's surface, is larger than a sectional area of any of the slits of the first distribution rib, the sectional area taken along the longitudinal axis of the distribution rib and along the normal to the separator's surface. |
