Patent ID: 6872480

Claim:
A method for operating a solid oxide fuel cell battery, in which an integrity state of the battery is determined by means of measurement of operating parameters and programmed evaluation of the measurement data and the battery is controlled for the purpose of reliable operation in such a maimer that the maximum electrical output power is subjected to a limitation which is dependent on the integrity state or an interruption of the operation is initiated, with the integrity state being characterizable by at least two parameters c j , d j , so that from a relationship which contains the parameters an internal electrical resistance (R i ) of the battery can be calculated and a statement on the quality of the battery can be derived wherein the battery comprises a chamber in which reaction eases are burned after passage through the fuel cells; and wherein at least one sensor is used in this chamber in order to monitor the presence of a flame, with a measurement signal being produced in the sensor as a result of physical properties of the flame.