High power density fuel cell comprising an array of microchannels

A fuel cell, comprising:

• a porous electrolyte support structure defining an array of microchannels, the microchannels including fuel and oxidant microchannels;
• fuel electrodes formed along at least some of the microchannels;
• oxidant electrodes formed along other of the microchannels;
• a base coupled to the porous electrolyte structure, the base comprising a plurality of base gaps;
• and
• a plurality of walls, each wall having an internal surface and an outer surface,
• wherein the outer surfaces of the plurality of walls define the microchannels,
• wherein the internal surfaces of the plurality of walls define a plurality of internal gaps, each internal gap being positioned interior to the internal surfaces of the associated wall, and
• wherein each base gap provides an independent conduit configured to facilitate direct fluid communication with the porous electrolyte support structure.