Integrated fuel cell and engine combustor assembly

An engine assembly, the assembly comprising:

• an engine combustor having a combustion chamber with an outer diameter that extends along an annular axis;
• and
• a fuel cell stack extending around the outer diameter of the combustion chamber and around the annular axis such that the outer diameter of the combustion chamber is between the annular axis and the fuel cell stack along radial directions outwardly extending from the annular axis,
• wherein the fuel cell stack is positioned to receive discharged air from a compressor and fuel, the fuel cell stack configured to generate electric current using the discharged air and the fuel,
• wherein the fuel cell stack is positioned to radially direct partially oxidized fuel passing through the fuel cell stack into the combustion chamber of the combustor,
• wherein the combustor is configured to combust the partially oxidized fuel into one or more gaseous combustion products that drive a downstream turbine,
• wherein each of the fuel cells includes a cathode, an anode, and an electrolyte between the cathode and the anode in a direction that is parallel to the annular axis,
• wherein each of the fuel cells also includes at least a portion of a first bipolar plate that is spaced apart from the cathode and at least a portion of a second bipolar plate that is spaced apart from the anode, wherein the cathode is spaced apart from the first bipolar plate in a direction that is parallel to the annular axis by a cathode flow field through which the discharged air from the compressor radially flows toward the annular axis.