Seal structure for fuel cell

A seal structure for a fuel cell in which a plurality of cells are stacked, each cell including an electrolyte, a fuel electrode, an air electrode and a support member,

• wherein the support member includes a support portion configured to support an electric power generation portion of the cell and a seal portion that is located outside the electric power generation portion and configured to seal between cells adjacent to each other,
• wherein the seal structure comprises
• an outer-side wall portion and an inner-side wall portion that are located between adjacent seal portions, the outer-side wall portion being located on a side of an outer circumference of one of the seal portions, and the inner-side wall portion being located on another of the seal portions on a side closer to the electric power generation portion than the outer-side wall portion;
• an elastic member that is provided between the outer-side wall portion and the inner-side wall portion, and configured to press both the outer-side wall portion and the inner-side wall portion in opposing directions;
• and
• a seal member that is provided between at least one of the outer-side wall portion and the elastic member, or the inner-side wall portion and the elastic member,
• wherein the elastic member is comprised of a plate material, and includes an outer plate portion configured to press the outer-side wall portion, an inner plate portion configured to press the inner-side wall portion, and a curved portion configured to connect the outer plate portion and the inner plate portion, and
• wherein an opened portion formed on an opposite side to the curved portion in the elastic member is located on a same side in a stacking direction of the cells as a side of a butting portion where support members are butted with each other.

A fuel cell comprising:

• a plurality of cells stacked therein, each cell including an electrolyte, a fuel electrode, an air electrode and a support member,
• wherein the support member of each of the cells includes a support portion configured to support an electric power generation portion of a respective cell and a seal portion that is located outside the electric power generation portion and configured to seal between adjacent cells, the seal portion having an outer-side wall portion protruding from a first surface thereof and an inner-side wall portion protruding from a second surface thereof opposite to the first surface, the inner-side wall portion being located closer to the electric power generation portion than the outer-side wall portion,
• wherein an elastic member is provided between the outer-side wall portion of a first cell and the inner-side wall portion of a second cell adjacent to the first cell, the elastic member being configured to press both the outer-side wall portion of the first cell and the inner-side wall portion of the second cell in opposing directions, and
• wherein a seal member is provided between at least one of the outer-side wall portion of the first cell and the elastic member, or the inner-side wall portion of the second cell and the elastic member.