Variable pressure drop plate design

A fuel cell electrode includes a plate having a front surface and a back surface and also having a plurality of gas delivery holes and a plurality of gas exhaust holes formed through the plate. The front surface of the plate has a plurality of open gas distributions channels, a first portion of which is connected at one end to a first one of the plurality of gas delivery holes and at another end to a first one of the plurality of gas exhaust holes, a second portion of which is connected at one end to a second one of the plurality of gas delivery holes and at another end to a second one of the plurality of gas exhaust holes, and a third portion of which is connected at one end to said second one of the plurality of gas delivery holes and at another end to said first one of the plurality of gas exhaust holes.