Patent ID: 8268506

Claim:
A separator plate for use in a fuel cell stack with a substantially circular or oval main surface wherein a fluid flow path is defined by a plurality of channels extending substantially in parallel to each other and leading a fluid from a fluid supply port to a fluid discharge port, wherein adjacent channels merge such as to decrease the number of parallel channels from the supply port to the discharge port, thereby decreasing a cross sectional area of the flow path, wherein the width of the channels varies over the flow path, increasing from the supply port to the discharge port, and wherein the plurality of parallel channels comprises the following sections: a first section starting at the fluid supply port wherein the plurality of parallel channels extends in a curve along an outer contour of the main surface, a second section wherein the plurality of parallel channels extend at a certain distance to the outer contour in a curve being parallel to said outer contour, a C-shaped third section, a central horse-iron-shaped forth section extending around a centre of the main surface, the orientation of the C-shaped forth section being opposite the orientation of the C-shaped third section, a fifth section wherein the plurality of parallel channels is led back to the outer contour of the main surface, and a final section wherein the plurality of parallel channels extends in a curve along the outer contour of the main surface until it reaches the fluid discharge port.