Reforming unit for fuel cell stack

Apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of fuel cells arranged in a stack;
• a reforming unit for use in reforming hydrocarbon fuel to produce hydrogen fuel gas for said fuel cells, said reforming unit being disposed in said stack between first and second fuel cells and comprising:
• a housing having an inlet for receiving hydrocarbon fuel and an outlet for outputting said hydrogen fuel gas, said housing also having a first surface facing said first fuel cell and a second surface facing said second fuel cell;
• said first fuel cell including:
• opposing first and second anode side rails situated on the side of said first surface of said housing;
• said second fuel cell including:
• first and second cathode side rails situated on the side of said second surface of said housing;
• and said reforming unit further including:
• a plate having opposing first and second surfaces for integrating said reforming unit with said first and second fuel cells, the second surface of the housing abutting the first surface of said plate and said anode side rails abutting opposite edges of the second surface of said housing, opposite first ends of said plate extending outwardly of the plane of said plate to the extent of the height of said housing and the associated abutting anode side rails and then inwardly in overlapping relationship to such associated anode side rails, the cathode side rails abutting the edges of the second surface of said plate, opposite second ends of said plate extending outwardly of the plane of said plate in the opposite direction to said first ends to the extent of the height of the associated cathode side rails and then inwardly in overlapping relationship to such associated cathode side rails.