Plate member for a cell stack

A method of forming an open cathode fuel cell stack comprising:

• providing a plurality of plate members, wherein a plate member comprises
• a corrugated channel sheet with opposing first and second side edges and opposing first and second end edges, the corrugated channel sheet comprising peaks and troughs extending from the first side edge to the second side edge, the troughs and the peaks form flow channels with openings at the first and second side edges, wherein the corrugated channel sheet comprises a corrugated channel sheet height H,
• first and second alignment parts, wherein the first and second alignment parts each comprises
• a main body having a through hole,
• extensions on sides of the main body, wherein an extension includes an alignment hole,
• an alignment part thickness T which is slightly lesser than the corrugated channel sheet height H, and
• wherein the main body includes an end engagement edge and the extensions include side engagement edges,
• wherein the first alignment part is disposed at the first end edge of the corrugated channel sheet and the second alignment part is disposed at the second end edge of the corrugated channel sheet, wherein the end engagement edge and the side engagement edges of the first and second alignment parts enable a tight fit of first and second end edge portions of the corrugated channel sheet to the first and second alignment parts;
• assembling the plurality of plate members into a stack, wherein assembling includes providing alignment posts through which the alignments holes of the plurality of plate members are passed through and applying a compressive force on the stack of plate members;
• and
• wherein the first and second alignment parts of the plurality of plate members constrain the thickness of the plurality of plate members during assembly of the stack to avoid damaging the corrugated channel sheets of the plurality of plate members.

A method of forming a plate member for an open cathode fuel cell stack comprising:

• providing a corrugated channel sheet with opposing first and second side edges and opposing first and second end edges, the corrugated channel sheet comprising peaks and troughs extending from the first side edge to the second side edge, the troughs and the peaks form flow channels with openings at the first and second side edges;
• providing first and second alignment parts, wherein the first and second alignment parts each comprises
• a main body having a through hole,
• extensions on sides of the main body, wherein an extension includes an alignment hole,
• wherein the main body includes an end engagement edge and the extensions include side engagement edges;
• mating the end engagement edge of the first alignment part to the first end edge of the corrugated channel sheet;
• and
• mating the end engagement edge of the second alignment part to the second end edge of the corrugated channel sheet.