BIPOLAR PLATES AND REGENERATIVE FUEL CELL STACKS INCLUDING SAME

A frame (420) for a bipolar plate, said frame comprising: a frame main body formed of an insulation material, said frame main body having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; said frame main body having an aperture therethrough; and connection channels (306, 307) that are formed in the frame main body to connect to reaction flow channels in the bipolar plate; wherein the bipolar plate comprises: a plate main body formed of an electrically conductive material, said plate main body having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, each surface having reaction flow channels through which fluids pass; manifolds formed on the plate main body in the form of an inlet (310) to introduce a fluid to the reaction flow channels and an outlet (330) to discharge the fluid from the reaction flow channels; connection channels that are formed on the plate main body to connect the reaction flow channels and the manifolds, wherein said connection channels have a length from the reaction flow channels to the manifolds sufficient to form an internal ionic solution resistor that reduces a shunt current; said reaction flow channels on the first surface having a plurality of ribs therebetween forming an interdigitate flow field pattern, and said reaction flow channels on the second surface having a plurality of ribs therebetween forming an interdigitate flow field pattern or a flow field pattern different from an interdigitate flow field pattern. 10 15 20 31 32 25 20 15 10 p :0 9 9 2 9 2 t llI t : 51 31 :1 9 :9 9 1 3 2 29 13 309 c 369 2 3% 2 39