Patent ID: 7759013

Claim:
A fuel delivery apparatus for a direct liquid feed fuel cell, comprising: a plate stack having at least one double-sided plate positioned between opposing end plates; wherein the double-sided plate consists essentially of microchannels disposed on both surfaces, and each end plate consists essentially of microchannels disposed on their respective inner surfaces, wherein the plate stack comprises: an inlet port for liquid fuel formed in the double-sided plate; the plurality of microchannels having upper ends and lower ends to deliver liquid fuel from the lower ends to the upper ends due to capillary force, the lower ends of which are connected to the inlet port; and an outlet port for fuel vaporized in the microchannels, the outlet port connected to the upper ends of the microchannels, and an external heater located proximate the upper ends of the microchannels to vaporize liquid fuel proximate an interface between the outlet port and the upper ends of the microchannels.