Fuel cell design and control method to facilitate self heating through catalytic combustion of anode exhaust

A fuel cell system comprising;

• a first MEA and a second MEA;
• a bipolar plate positioned between the first and second MEAs so as to define an anode channel between the first MEA and the bipolar plate and a cathode channel between the second MEA and the bipolar plate, said anode channel receiving an anode input gas flow and said cathode channel receiving a cathode input gas flow;
• and
• at least one opening adjacent to an end of the bipolar plate, said at least one opening allowing an anode exhaust gas from the anode channel to flow into the cathode channel to be combined with the cathode input gas flow to provide an anode exhaust gas and cathode input gas mixture that combusts in the cathode channel.

A fuel cell stack comprising:

• a plurality of bipolar plates;
• a plurality of MEAs, said plurality of bipolar plates and MEAs being arranged in an alternating configuration within the fuel cell stack, said plurality of bipolar plates and MEAs defining a plurality of anode channels and cathode channels therebetween, said anode channels receiving an anode input gas flow and said cathode channels receiving a cathode input gas flow;
• and
• at least one opening that directs an anode exhaust gas flow from at least one anode channel into at least one cathode channel to provide an anode exhaust gas and cathode input gas mixture that combusts in the cathode channel.

A method for controlling the temperature of fuel cells in a fuel cell stack, said fuel cell stack including a plurality of anode channels and a plurality of cathode channels, said method comprising:

• flowing an anode input gas through the anode channels;
• flowing a cathode input gas through the cathode channels;
• flowing an anode exhaust gas from the anode channels to the cathode channels within the fuel cells to provide a combustible anode exhaust gas and cathode input gas mixture in the cathode channels;
• and
• combusting the anode exhaust gas and cathode input gas mixture in the cathode channels to heat the fuel cells.