Patent ID: 6858337

Claim:
A method of operating a reversible fuel cell power plant ( 10 ) for generating electrical current from hydrogen containing reducing fluid and oxygen containing oxidant reactant streams, the reversible fuel cell power plant ( 10 ) including at least one fuel cell ( 12 ) having a first electrode ( 14 ) and a second electrode ( 16 ) secured to opposed surfaces of an electrolyte ( 18 ), having a first flow field ( 20 ) for directing a reactant stream to pass adjacent to the first electrode ( 14 ), and having a second flow field ( 22 ) for directing a reactant stream to flow adjacent to the second electrode ( 16 ) the method comprising the steps of: a. directing the reducing fluid fuel stream to flow into the first flow field ( 20 ) of the fuel cell ( 12 ), while simultaneously directing the oxygen containing oxidant stream to flow into the second flow field ( 22 ) of the fuel cell ( 12 ); and, b. then, directing the reducing fluid fuel stream to flow into the second flow field ( 22 ) of the fuel cell ( 12 ) while simultaneously directing the oxygen containing oxidant stream to flow into the first flow field ( 20 ) of the fuel cell ( 12 ).