Patent ID: 7879503

Claim:
A fuel cell stack assembly comprising: a plurality of cells comprising a stack for generating electricity arranged in series from a wet end to a dry end, each of said cells comprising at least two separator plates defining an anode side and a cathode side and including gas diffusion media and a membrane electrode assembly between said separator plates, each of said cells further comprising an anode inlet on one of said separator plates for directing an anode feed stream to said anode side of said cell and a cathode inlet on the other of said separator plates for directing a cathode feed stream to said cathode side of said cell, said anode inlet in fluid communication with an anode inlet manifold and said cathode inlet in fluid communication with a cathode inlet manifold; and a bypass adjacent said wet end adapted to reduce the amount of water entering said electricity generating cells, wherein said bypass comprises at least one inoperative cell that does not generate power but conducts electricity.