Integrated plate and cell sealing

A bipolar plate assembly comprising:

• a first frame member including a first side and a second side, the first side having a first side protuberance and a first side recess;
• a second frame member including a first side and a second side, the second side having a second side recess and a second side protuberance;
• a bipolar plate including an anode plate and a cathode plate, a portion of the cathode plate disposed between the first frame member and the second frame member;
• a membrane electrode assembly including a proton exchange membrane disposed between an anode catalyst layer and a cathode catalyst layer, the membrane electrode assembly disposed adjacent one of the anode plate and the cathode plate of the bipolar plate, a portion of the proton exchange membrane disposed between the first frame member and the second frame member,
• wherein the first side protuberance of the first frame member contacts and deforms the portion of the proton exchange membrane, which contacts and deforms the portion of the cathode plate into the second side recess of the second frame member, thereby forming a seal therebetween,
• wherein the second side protuberance of the second frame member contacts and deforms the portion of the cathode plate, which contacts and deforms the portion of the proton exchange membrane into the first side recess of the first frame member, thereby forming the another seal therebetween, and
• wherein the first frame member includes a fluid channel fluidly coupling an fluid header and an fluid flow field positioned between one of the anode plate and the cathode plate and one of the anode catalyst layer and the cathode catalyst layer, wherein the cathode plate includes an aperture between the seal and the another seal that cooperates with the cathode channel in fluidly coupling the cathode header and the cathode flow field.