Patent ID: 6864004

Claim:
A stack of direct methanol fuel cells, comprising: (a) at least one direct methanol fuel cell with a circular footprint, (b) a cathode manifold within said circular footprint, (c) an anode manifold within said circular footprint, (d) tie-bolt penetrations and tie-bolts within said circular footprint and spaced evenly around the circumference of said circular footprint stack, (e) said at least one direct methanol fuel cell comprising: (1) a first graphite-based material plate with a cathode active area defined by first serpentine channels connecting a cathode manifold inlet with a cathode manifold outlet, (2) a second graphite-based material plate with an anode active area defined by second serpentine channels connecting an anode manifold inlet with an anode manifold outlet, said first serpentine channels orthogonal to said second serpentine channels, and (3) an active region between said cathode active area and said anode active area, where said active region comprises in the following order: a cathode gasket, a cathode gas diffusion layer, a catalyzed polymer electrolyte membrane, a polyester film mask, an anode gasket, an anode microporous film layer, and an anode diffusion layer.