Patent ID: 7713649

Claim:
A fuel cell stack located within a manifold housing, the fuel cell stack comprising: a plurality of plate shaped fuel cells which are internally manifolded on a fuel side and externally manifolded on an oxidizer side such that oxidizer is provided from a first side of the fuel cell stack for each of the plurality of plate shaped fuel cells through a respective inlet in the first side of the fuel cell stack, travels between a cathode electrode of each of the plurality of plate shaped fuel cells and an adjacent interconnect plate, and exits through a respective outlet on a second side of the stack, wherein the respective inlets and outlets are exposed to, and communicate with, the inside of the manifold housing; and at least one fuel manifold located between adjacent fuel cells; wherein the at least one manifold comprises: a plate shaped box comprising at least one fuel delivery opening in fluid communication with fuel cell fuel inlet riser openings and at least one fuel outlet opening in fluid communication with fuel cell fuel outlet riser openings; a fuel delivery port comprising a fuel inlet conduit adapted to provide a fuel inlet stream into the fuel manifold, and a fuel outlet port comprising a fuel outlet conduit adapted to remove a fuel outlet stream from the fuel manifold; and wherein the plate shaped box comprises a separate component from the fuel cells.