Interconnect for a fuel cell stack and method of operating the stack

An interconnect for a fuel cell system, comprising:

• a plate portion, comprising:
• a first end and a second end opposite the first end in a first direction;
• and
• a third end and a fourth end opposite the third end in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
• at least one fuel inlet opening and at least one fuel outlet opening in the plate portion;
• and
• a plurality of fuel channels connecting the at least one fuel inlet opening to the at least one fuel outlet opening,
• wherein:
• the interconnect comprises a first lateral half and a second lateral half separated by an imaginary plane which is normal to the first direction and which bisects the interconnect midway along the first direction;
• the first lateral half is located closer to a first component than to a second component of the fuel cell system when the interconnect is located in a fuel cell stack located in the fuel cell system;
• the second lateral half is located closer to the second component than to the first component of the fuel cell system when the interconnect is located in the fuel cell stack located in the fuel cell system;
• more than 50% of a total fuel inlet opening area is located in the second lateral half of the interconnect;
• and
• the first component operates at a lower temperature than the second component during operation of the fuel cell system.