Patent ID: 7303832

Claim:
An electrochemical fuel cell stack comprising at least one fuel cell assembly, wherein said fuel cell assembly comprises: A. An anode separator comprising at least one fuel inlet and at least one means for fuel distribution from said fuel inlet to the anode; B. A cathode separator comprising at least one oxidant inlet and at least one means for oxidant distribution from said oxidant inlet to the cathode; C. A heat transfer separator interposed between said anode and cathode separators comprising at least one heat transfer fluid inlet, at least one means for heat transfer fluid distribution from said heat transfer fluid inlet to a heat transfer zone within the heat transfer separator, at least one heat transfer fluid outlet and at least one means for beat transfer fluid distribution from said heat transfer zone to said heat transfer fluid outlet; and D. A membrane electrode assembly comprising a proton exchange membrane interposed between said anode and said cathode, said membrane electrode assembly interposed between said anode separator and said cathode separator; wherein said anode, catnode, and heat transfer separators each comprise a specific series of electrically conductive compression gaskets possessing inter-related fluid distribution channel and manifold features that, once said separators are consolidated, compose said fluid manifolding and means of distribution.