Patent ID: 7374834

Claim:
An apparatus for generating electricity comprising: a generally planar, rectangular solid oxide fuel cell stack having a plurality of fuel cell units, each said fuel cell unit comprising an anode electrode, a cathode electrode and an electrolyte disposed there between, at least one bipolar separator plate disposed between said anode electrode of one said fuel cell unit and said cathode electrode of an adjacent said fuel cell unit, oxidant delivery means for delivering oxidant to said cathode electrode, fuel delivery means for delivering fuel to said anode electrode, anode exhaust gas removal means for removing anode exhaust gases from said solid oxide fuel cell stack, and cathode exhaust gas removal means for removing cathode exhaust gases from said solid oxide fuel cell stack, at least one of said oxidant delivery means and said fuel delivery means comprising an internal manifold; and said oxidant delivery means comprising at least one ducted gas flow panel disposed proximate said fuel cell stack and configured in combination with said fuel cell stack to maintain said fuel cell stack in an operational condition without supplemental heating of the oxidant after entering said at least one ducted gas flow panel.