Patent ID: 7282281
Filing Date: 2007-10-16
Classification: G01M,H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A method for detecting a leak in a fuel cell, comprising: flushing a constant supply of a first test gas in and out of an anode gas space of the fuel cell and a constant supply of a second test gas in and out of a cathode gas space of the fuel cell, the first test gas being a gas with a hydrogen content from 0.1 to 20% by volume and the second test gas being a gas with an oxygen content from 0.1 to 30% by volume; measuring a cell voltage of the fuel cell during the flushing of at least one of the anode gas space and the cathode gas space, while the fuel cell is in operation; and monitoring a temporal profile of the cell voltage, wherein the hydrogen content of the first test gas added to the oxygen content of the second test gas amounts to no more than 35% by volume, and further wherein no ignitable gas mixture is formed when the leak or irregularities occur in the fuel cell.