Patent ID: 7419738

Claim:
A fuel cell arrangement comprising: a first electrode comprised of first and second directly adjacent and separate stacked plates held together by a common first seal element of polymer material, each of the first and second plates being provided with an opening and the common first seal element extending through the opening in each of the first and second plates; a second electrode comprised of third and fourth directly adjacent and separate stacked plates held together by a common second seal element of polymer material, each of the third and fourth plates being provided with an opening and the common second seal element extending through the opening in each of the third and fourth plates; a first catalyst plate and a second catalyst plate both positioned between the first electrode and the second electrode, the first catalyst plate directly contacting the second plate of the first electrode, and the second catalyst plate directly contacting the third plate of the second electrode; a first membrane positioned between the first catalyst plate and the second catalyst plate; a third electrode comprised of fifth and sixth directly adjacent and separate stacked plates held together by a common third seal element of polymer material, each of the fifth and sixth plates being provided with an opening and the common third seal element extending through the opening in each of the fifth and sixth plates; a third catalyst plate and a fourth catalyst plate positioned between the second electrode and the third electrode, the third catalyst plate directly contacting the fourth plate of the second electrode, and the fourth catalyst plate directly contacting the fifth plate of the third electrode; a second membrane positioned between the third catalyst plate and the fourth catalyst plate; and wherein there are no catalyst plates and no membranes positioned between: 1) the first and second plates of the first electrode; 2) the third and fourth plates of the second electrode; and 3) the fifth and sixth plates of the third electrode.