Patent ID: 6815107
Filing Date: 2004-11-09
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
A method of detecting a gas leak for a fuel cell having a solid polymer electrolyte membrane sandwiched between an anode and a cathode, comprising the steps of:maintaining a pressure of fuel gas which is supplied to an anode to be higher than a pressure of a gas which is supplied to a cathode by changing one of the pressure of the fuel gas supplied to the anode and the pressure of the gas supplied to the cathode in a pulsed manner; measuring an output voltage of the fuel cell in an activated over-potential region; and determining a gas leak exists when the output voltage is lower than a predetermined voltage value, wherein: the output voltage is measured in the activated over-potential region in a state in which pressure of the fuel gas which is supplied to the anode is maintained higher than pressure of the gas which is supplied to the cathode; and gas leak is determined to exist when the output voltage is lower than predetermined voltage value.