Stamped bipolar plate for PEM fuel cell stack

A PEM fuel cell comprising:

• a bipolar plate having a plurality of lands formed therein to define a serpentine flow field on a first side of said bipolar plate and an interdigitated flow field on a second side of said bipolar plate, a plate margin having a first header aperture formed therethrough, a first port formed therethrough between said first header aperture and said serpentine flow field, a second header aperture formed therethrough, and a second port formed therethrough between said second header aperture and said interdigitated flow field;
• a first seal disposed on said first side of said bipolar plate and having a first passageway formed therein to define a first fluid communication path between said first header aperture and said first port and a second passageway formed therein to define a second fluid communication path between said second port and said serpentine flow field;
• a second seal disposed on said second side of said bipolar plate and having a third passageway formed therein to define a third fluid communication path from said second header aperture to said second port and a fourth passageway formed therein to define a fourth fluid communication path from said first port to said interdigitated flow field;
• a first membrane electrode assembly including a first proton exchange membrane having a first face and a second face opposite said first face, a first current collector engaging said first face, said first membrane electrode assembly being supported on said first seal such that said first current collector is in contact with said serpentine flow field;
• and
• a second membrane electrode assembly including a second proton exchange membrane having a second face and a second current collector engaging said second face, said second membrane electrode assembly being supported on said second seal such that said second current collector is in contact with said interdigitated flow field.

A PEM fuel cell comprising:

• a first bipolar plate assembly including:
• a first plate member having a plurality of lands formed therein to define a first serpentine flow field on a top side of said first plate member and a second interdigitated flow field on a bottom side of said first plate member, a plate margin having a first header aperture formed therethrough, a first port formed therethrough between said first header aperture and said serpentine flow field, a second header aperture formed therethrough, and a second port formed therethrough between said second header aperture and said interdigitated flow field;
• a first seal disposed on said top side of said first plate member and having a first passageway formed therein to define a first fluid communication path between said first header aperture and said first port and a second passageway formed therein to define a second fluid communication path between said second port and said first serpentine flow field;
• and
• a second seal disposed on said bottom side of said first plate member and having a third passageway formed therein to define a third fluid communication path from said second header to said second port and a fourth passageway formed therein to define a fourth fluid communication path from said first port to said first interdigitated flow field;
• a second bipolar plate assembly including:
• a second plate member having a plurality of lands formed therein to define a second serpentine flow field on a top side of said second plate member and a second interdigitated flow field on a bottom side of said second plate member, a second plate margin having a third header aperture formed therethrough, a third port formed therethrough between said third header aperture and said second serpentine flow field, a fourth header aperture formed therethrough, and a fourth port formed therethrough between said fourth header aperture and said second interdigitated flow field;
• a third seal disposed on said top side of said second plate member and having a fifth passageway formed therein to define a fifth fluid communication path between said third header aperture and said third port and a sixth passageway formed therein to define a sixth fluid communication path between said fourth port and said second serpentine flow field;
• and
• a fourth seal disposed on said bottom side of said second plate member and having a seventh passageway formed therein to define a seventh fluid communication path from said fourth header to said fourth port and a eighth passageway formed therein to define an eighth fluid communication path from said third port to said second interdigitated flow field;
• and
• a membrane electrode assembly including a proton exchange membrane having a first face and a second face opposite said first face, a first current collector engaging said first face, a second current collector engaging said second face, said membrane electrode assembly being supported between said second seal and said third seal such that said first current collector is in contact with said first interdigitated flow field and said second current collector is in contact with said second serpentine flow field.