Solid electrolyte fuel cell

Claim 1

A solid electrolyte fuel cell comprising: a plurality of flat unit cells stacked with metal bipolar plates as gas barriers interposed between the adjacent unit cells; a pair of inlets for introducing an oxidizing gas, the inlets being disposed in a direction opposite to each other; another pair of inlets for introducing a fuel gas, the inlets being disposed in a direction opposite to each other; a pair of outlets for discharging the fuel gas, the outlets being disposed in a direction opposite to each other; and another pair of outlets for discharging the oxidizing gas, the outlets being disposed in a direction opposite to each other; wherein each unit cell includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a solid electrolyte disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, the first electrode being supplied with a fuel gas and the second electrode being supplied with an oxidizing gas so as to generate electricity; wherein the fuel gas and the oxidizing gas flow with the solid electrolyte interposing therebetween; wherein the metal bipolar plate is a polygon having 4(n+1) sides, wherein n denotes a natural number starting from 1; wherein the fuel gas is introduced through the pair of inlets for introducing the fuel gas and discharged through the pair of outlets for discharging the fuel gas, and the directions in which the fuel gas is introduced are perpendicular to the directions in which the fuel gas is discharged; wherein the oxidizing gas is introduced through the pair of inlets for introducing the oxidizing gas and discharged through the pair of outlets for discharging the oxidizing gas, and the directions in which the oxidizing gas is introduced are perpendicular to the directions in which the oxidizing gas is discharged; and wherein the directions in which the oxidizing gas is introduced and discharged are different from the directions in which the fuel gas is introduced and discharged.