Alternative path cooling of a high temperature fuel cell

A method for thermally managing a fuel cell provided on a vehicle, with an ambient environment surrounding the vehicle, the method comprising:

• directing oxygen to a reactant portion of the fuel cell from an oxygen source continuously closed from the ambient environment surrounding the vehicle;
• directing fuel to the reactant portion of the fuel cell from a fuel source continuously closed from the ambient environment surrounding the vehicle, wherein the oxygen and fuel chemically react within the reactant portion of the fuel cell to create a product and waste heat;
• directing a non-reactant airflow, from the ambient environment surrounding the vehicle through a compressor operative to pressurize the non-reactant airflow;
• directing an entire portion of the non-reactant airflow pressurized in the compressor to a non-reactant portion the fuel cell, wherein the non-reactant portion of the fuel cell is thermally coupled to, and isolated from direct fluid communication with, the reactant portion of the fuel cell, so that the non-reactant ambient coolant is completely isolated from the oxygen and fuel;
• transferring waste heat from the reactant portion of the fuel cell to the non-reactant airflow via the non-reactant portion of the fuel cell to create a waste heat airflow;
• directing the waste heat airflow out of the non-reactant portion of the fuel cell to a turbine to create mechanical energy;
• and
• utilizing the mechanical energy from the turbine to drive the compressor.