PURPOSE: To prevent uneven wetting of a solid phase by a liquid phase comprising an electrolyte and uneven cell voltage caused by this uneven wetting by performing specific operation in starting of a fuel cell having a specified fuel cell stack.
CONSTITUTION: A fuel cell has a fuel cell stack constituted by stacking a plurality of unit cells 1 each formed by interposing an electrolyte layer 1c between a fuel electrode 1a using fuel gas containing hydrogen as an active material and an oxidizing agent electrode 1b using oxidizing agent gas containing oxygen as an active material. When the fuel cell starts operation, before each active material is supplied to the unit cell 1 to start electrochemical reaction, either one electrode of the oxidizing agent electrode 1b and the fuel electrode 1a is placed in an atmosphere of gas containing oxygen and the other electrode is placed in an atmosphere of inert gas (example: nitrogen).
SAKAI KATSUNORI
NAGAMORI YASUHIKO
UENO SANJI
