The present invention is a fuel
cell power
plant that includes a fuel
cell having a
membrane electrode assembly (MEA), which is disposed between an
anode support plate and a
cathode support plate, and porous
water transport plates adjacent the
anode and
cathode support plates. The porous
water transport plates have interdigitated flow channels for the reactant gas streams to pass therethrough and conventional flow channels for a
coolant stream to pass therethrough. The fuel
cell power
plant also has means for creating a pressure differential between the reactant gas streams and the
coolant stream such that the pressure of the reactant gas streams is greater than the
coolant stream. Incorporating the interdigitated flow channels into the porous
water transport plates and operating the fuel cell at a pressure differential allows the coolant water to saturate the water transport plates thereby forcing the reactant gases into the
anode and
cathode support plate. This, in turn, increases the
mass transfer of such gases into the support plates, thereby increasing the
electrical performance of the fuel cell. Current densities of about 1.6 amps per
square meter are achieved with air stochiometries of not over 2.50.