Patent ID: 8492045

Claim:
A fuel cell system comprising: a. a plurality of fuel cell packets, each packet comprising at least one fuel inlet, at least one fuel outlet, a frame, and two multi-cell fuel cell devices, said fuel cell devices situated such that an anode side of one fuel cell device faces an anode side of another fuel cell device and said two fuel cell devices, in combination, at least partially form a fuel chamber connected to said fuel inlet and said fuel outlet; b. a plurality of heat exchange packets, each packet comprising at least one oxidant inlet, at least one oxidant outlet, and an internal oxidant chamber connected to said at least one oxidant inlet and the at least one oxidant outlet; said heat exchange packets being parallel to and interspersed between said fuel cell packets, such that the heat exchange packets face said fuel cell packets and form, at least in part, a plurality of cathode reaction chambers between said heat exchange packets and said fuel cell packets; c. a housing supporting and enclosing said fuel packets and said heat exchange packets; d. an oxidant inlet plenum operatively connected to oxidant inlets of the heat exchange packets; e. an oxidant exhaust plenum operatively connected to said cathode reaction chambers; f. an inlet fuel manifold connected to fuel inlets of the fuel cell packets; and g. an exhaust fuel manifold connected to the fuel outlets of the fuel cell packets.