Patent ID: 7063912

Claim:
A fuel cell assembly comprising: a manifold having a first fuel cell connecting zone having a first characteristic and at least a second fuel cell connecting zone having a second characteristic, the first characteristic being different from the second characteristic, each zone having coolant, fuel and air inlet and outlet ports, the manifold having a plurality of passages therein communicating with said ports; a first group of fuel cells coupled together to form a first fuel cell stack having a first electrical power capacity, the first stack being adapted to be operatively coupled to said first zone of the manifold and to the coolant, fuel and air inlet and outlet ports associated with said first zone; and at least a second group of fuel cells coupled together to form a second fuel cell stack having a second electrical power capacity which differs from the first electrical power capacity, the second stack being adapted to be coupled to said second zone of the manifold and to the coolant, fuel and air inlet and outlet ports associated with said second zone, the first zone characteristic being such that only a fuel cell stack having said first capacity can be coupled thereto, and the second zone characteristic being such that only a fuel cell stack having said second capacity can be coupled thereto, the first and second characteristics compising first and second different spacings of inlet or outlet ports.