Patent ID: 6673480
Filing Date: 2004-01-06
Classification: H01M,Y02E

Abstract:
In an electrochemical fuel cell stack comprising a plurality of fuel cells, each of said fuel cells comprising an anode comprising an anode electrocatalyst, a cathode comprising a cathode electrocatalyst, and an ion exchange membrane interposed between said anode and said cathode, the improvement comprising:at least one of said plurality of fuel cells being a sensor cell having at least one structural dissimilarity with respect to the remaining fuel cells of said plurality, wherein during operation of said stack, said structural dissimilarity induces at least one of an electrical and thermal process in said sensor cell which is not simultaneously induced in said remaining fuel cells under substantially the same operating conditions; and wherein during operation of said stack, said sensor cell and at least one of said remaining cells are connected to a comparator for comparing said electrical or thermal response of said sensor cell with that of said at least one of said remaining cells.