Patent ID: 7691509

Claim:
A fuel cell system comprising: a reformer adapted to generate hydrogen from a fuel containing hydrogen; at least one electricity generator adapted to generate electric energy through an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen; a fuel supply unit adapted to supply the fuel to the reformer; and an oxygen supply unit adapted to supply oxygen to the reformer and the electricity generator, wherein the reformer includes a plurality of plates stacked together as a stack, the stack having at least one serpentine passage comprising a plurality of flow lines, adjacent flow lines of the plurality of flow lines being connected at their ends, the at least one serpentine passage being adapted to allow a material selected from the group consisting of the fuel and a gas to flow therethrough, wherein the plurality of plates comprises: a first plate comprising an outer surface having a serpentine channel formed therein, and a catalyst in the serpentine channel; and a second plate adjacent the first plate and comprising a surface including a passage portion corresponding to a portion of the outer surface of the first plate having the serpentine channel formed therein and a non-passage portion corresponding to a remaining portion of the outer surface of the first plate, the second plate comprising the catalyst on the passage portion of the surface, wherein the non-passage portion of the surface of the second plate contacts the outer surface of the first plate, and both the passage portion and the non-passage portion of the surface of the second plate are substantially parallel to the outer surface of the first plate, wherein a first serpentine passage of the at least one serpentine passage is defined by at least one inner surface of the serpentine channel of the first plate and the passage portion of the surface of the second plate, and wherein the catalyst is on the entire at least one inner surface of the serpentine channel and on the entire surface of the second plate.