Fuel cell apparatus having fuel cell stack and controller, and method of manufacturing same

A fuel cell apparatus comprising:

• a fuel cell stack of a plurality of fuel cells electrically connected in series with each other;
• control means for controlling the fuel cell stack by using a part of electric power generated by the fuel cell stack;
• an oxidizer channel for supplying an oxidant to the plurality of fuel cells;
• and
• a fuel channel for supplying fuel to the plurality of fuel cells,
• wherein the control means is electrically connected in parallel with at least one of the plurality of fuel cells placed at the upstream side of the oxidizer channel.

A fuel cell apparatus comprising:

• a fuel cell stack of a plurality of fuel cells electrically connected in series with each other;
• control means for controlling the fuel cell stack by using a part of electric power generated by the fuel cell stack;
• an oxidizer channel for supplying an oxidant to the plurality of fuel cells;
• and
• a fuel channel for supplying fuel to the plurality of fuel cells,
• wherein the control means is electrically connected in parallel with at least one of the plurality of fuel cells placed at the upstream side of the fuel channel.

A fuel cell apparatus comprising:

• a fuel cell stack of a plurality of fuel cells electrically connected in series with each other;
• and
• a controller constructed to control the fuel cell stack by using a part of electric power generated by the fuel cell stack,
• wherein the controller is electrically connected in parallel with at least one of the plurality of fuel cells, and
• wherein short-circuit current of the at least one of the plurality of fuel cells is larger than that of at least one of the plurality of fuel cells not being electrically connected in parallel with the controller.

A fuel cell apparatus comprising:

• a fuel cell stack of a plurality of fuel cells electrically connected in series with each other;
• a controller constructed to control the fuel cell stack by using a part of electric power generated by the fuel cell stack;
• an oxidizer channel for supplying an oxidant to the plurality of fuel cells;
• and
• a fuel channel for supplying fuel to the plurality of fuel cells,
• wherein the controller is electrically connected in parallel with at least one of the plurality of fuel cells placed at the upstream side of the oxidizer channel.

A fuel cell apparatus comprising:

• a fuel cell stack of a plurality of fuel cells electrically connected in series with each other;
• a controller constructed to control the fuel cell stack by using a part of electric power generated by the fuel cell stack;
• an oxidizer channel for supplying an oxidant to the plurality of fuel cells;
• and
• a fuel channel for supplying fuel to the plurality of fuel cells,
• wherein the controller is electrically connected in parallel with at least one of the plurality of fuel cells placed at the upstream side of the fuel channel.

A method of manufacturing a fuel cell apparatus, said method comprising the steps of:

• preparing a fuel cell stack by electrically connecting a plurality of fuel cells in series with each other;
• and
• electrically connecting a controller with at least one of the plurality of fuel cells in parallel, with the controller being constructed to control the fuel cell stack by using a part of electric power generated by the fuel cell stack,
• wherein short-circuit current of the at least one of the plurality of fuel cells is larger than that of at least one of the plurality of fuel cells not being electrically connected in parallel with the controller.

A method of manufacturing a fuel cell apparatus comprising a fuel cell stack of a plurality of fuel cells electrically connected in series to each other and a controller configured to control the fuel cell stack by using a part of electric power generated by the fuel cell stack, said method comprising the steps of:

• forming a first flow plate comprising an oxidizer channel for supplying an oxidant to the plurality of fuel cells;
• forming a second flow plate comprising a fuel channel for supplying fuel to the plurality of fuel cells;
• preparing an electrode assembly by forming a plurality of oxidizer electrodes on one face of an electrolyte membrane and by forming a plurality of fuel electrodes on the other face of the electrolyte membrane;
• interposing the electrode assembly between the first and second flow plates;
• and
• electrically connecting the controller in parallel with at least one of the plurality of fuel cells placed at the upstream side of the oxidizer channel.

A method of manufacturing a fuel cell apparatus comprising a fuel cell stack of a plurality of fuel cells electrically connected in series to each other and a controller configured to control the fuel cell stack by using a part of electric power generated by the fuel cell stack, said method comprising the steps of:

• forming a first flow plate comprising an oxidizer channel for supplying an oxidant to the plurality of fuel cells;
• forming a second flow plate comprising a fuel channel for supplying fuel to the plurality of fuel cells;
• preparing an electrode assembly by forming a plurality of oxidizer electrodes on one face of an electrolyte membrane and by forming a plurality of fuel electrodes on the other face of the electrolyte membrane;
• interposing the electrode assembly between the first and second flow plates;
• and
• electrically connecting the controller in parallel with at least one of the plurality of fuel cells placed at the upstream side of the fuel channel.