Patent ID: 7179557

Claim:
A fuel cell power plant ( 60 ) for generating electrical current from reducing fluid fuel and oxygen containing oxidant reactant streams, comprising: a. at least one fuel cell ( 10 , 62 ) having an electrolyte ( 12 ) secured between an anode catalyst ( 14 ) and a cathode catalyst ( 16 ), a wetproofed anode support means ( 20 ) secured in direct fluid communication with the anode catalyst ( 14 ) for passing the fuel reactant stream adjacent the anode catalyst ( 14 ), and a cathode support means ( 24 ) secured in direct fluid communication with the cathode catalyst ( 16 ) for passing the oxidant reactant stream adjacent the cathode catalyst ( 16 ); b. a porous anode cooler plate ( 26 ) defining a plurality of fuel channels ( 28 A, 28 B, 28 C, 28 D) on a first surface ( 30 ) and a plurality of coolant channels ( 32 A, 32 B, 32 C, 32 D) on an opposed second surface ( 34 ) of the cooler plate ( 26 ), the plate being secured adjacent the anode support means ( 20 ) so that the fuel channels ( 28 A, 28 B, 28 C, 28 D) are adjacent the anode support means ( 20 ); c. a direct antifreeze solution passing through the coolant channels ( 32 A, 32 B, 32 C, 32 D) for cooling the fuel cell ( 10 ); d. a separator plate ( 36 ) secured adjacent the coolant channels ( 32 A, 32 B, 32 C, 32 D) of the anode cooler plate ( 26 ) for prohibiting movement of the direct antifreeze solution through the separator plate ( 36 ), said separator plate ( 36 ) being impervious to fluid coolant or reactant; e. a porous cathode water management plate ( 38 ) defining a plurality of oxidant channels ( 40 A, 40 B, 40 C, 40 D) on a first surface ( 42 ) and a plurality of water management channels ( 44 A, 44 B, 44 C, 44 D) on an opposed second surface ( 46 ) of the water management plate ( 38 ), the water management plate ( 38 ) being secured adjacent the cathode support means ( 24 ) so that the oxidant channels ( 40 A, 40 B, 40 C, 40 D) are adjacent the cathode support means ( 24 ) and so that fuel cell ( 10 ) water flows through the cathode support means ( 24 ) and into and through pores and the water management channels ( 44 A, 44 B, 44 C, 44 D) of the plate ( 38 ), the water management channels ( 44 A, 44 B, 44 C, 44 D) being in fluid communication with a fuel cell water discharge ( 126 ) for discharging water out of the fuel cell ( 10 ); and, f. pressure control means for maintaining a positive pressure differential between the fuel stream passing through the fuel channels ( 28 A, 28 B, 28 C, 28 D) and the direct antifreeze solution passing through the coolant channels ( 32 A, 32 B, 32 C, 32 D) of the anode cooler plate, and between the oxidant stream passing through the oxidant channels ( 40 A, 40 B, 40 C, 40 D) and the product water passing through the pores of the water management plate ( 38 ).