INTERNAL COOLANT DEGASSING FOR FUEL CELL STACK

A fuel cell stack may have internal features for removing gas bubbles collected from within the circulating coolant. These features typically include a coolant degassing fluid port provided in an end plate of the stack and which is fluidly connected internally to a coolant fluid manifold within the stack. Because the gas bubbles rise within the coolant, this coolant degassing fluid port is conventionally provided in the stack's upper end plate, along with other fluid ports required in the stack. In certain applications however, the other fluid ports may preferably be provided in the stack's lower end plate. For such applications, the present invention provides a design for removal of such gas bubbles which comprises an internal coolant degassing manifold that is fluidly connected to either an internal coolant inlet or outlet manifold as well as to the coolant degassing fluid port which is also desirably provided in the lower end plate along with the other fluid ports.