Patent ID: 7807313

Claim:
A fuel cell package for providing electrical energy, the fuel cell package comprising: a fuel processor that includes a reformer configured to receive a fuel source, configured to output hydrogen, and including a catalyst that facilitates the production of hydrogen from the fuel source, a heater configured to generate heat for transfer to the reformer; a fuel cell configured to generate electrical energy using hydrogen output by the fuel processor; and an interconnect disposed at least partially sandwiched between the fuel cell and the fuel processor and including a set of conduits that each communicate a liquid or gas between the fuel processor and the fuel cell, wherein the interconnect serves as passive insulation for conductive heat transfer between the fuel cell and the fuel processor; wherein the fuel cell contains a top plate having a port, at least one flat portion and at least one protrusion; wherein the interconnect contains a side having a port, at least one flat portion, and at least one recessed area; wherein the side of the interconnect is connected to the fuel cell by virtue of the port of the side of the interconnect aligning with the port of the top plate, and with the at least one protrusion of the top plate aligning with the at least one recessed area of the side of the interconnect, wherein the at least one protrusion of the top plate is connected to the at least one recessed area of the side interconnect by virtue of a gasket, wherein the at least one flat portion of the top plate is separated from the at least one flat portion of the side of the interconnect by a gap; and wherein the side of the interconnect further contains at least one heightened portion and the top plate of the fuel cell contains at least one recessed area, and wherein the at least one heightened portion of the side of the interconnect is separated from the at least one recessed area of the top plate of the fuel cell by a gap.