Fluid flow plate for a fuel cell

A fluid flow plate for an electrochemical fuel cell assembly comprises a first plurality of fluid flow channels extending across an area of the flow plate to define a flow field of the fluid flow plate. An array of first fluid transfer points is disposed along an edge of the flow field for communicating fluid into or out of the fluid flow channels. A gallery has a first peripheral edge portion bounded by the array of first fluid transfer points and at least two second peripheral edge portions each bounded by an array of second fluid transfer points disposed along fluid access edges of the fluid flow plate. The at least two second peripheral edge portions are disposed at oblique angles to the first peripheral edge portion such that the total length of the any of second fluid transfer points is at least as long as, and preferably longer than, the length of the array of first fluid transfer points. Disposing the at least two second peripheral edge portions at oblique angles to the first peripheral edge portion enables the lengths of the second peripheral edge portions of each gallery to be increased compared to the length of the first fluid transfer points (i.e. width of the active flow field area) which optimizes fluid distribution into the channels of the flow plate.