Patent ID: 7993932

Claim:
A leak detection system for a flowing electrolyte battery having a housing and a plurality of stacked cells within the housing, and a common electrolytic fluid circulating between the respective interiors of the stacked cells and a common electrolyte reservoir, the system comprising: a stack leak containment member within the housing, the stack leak containment member disposed underneath of and surrounding at least a portion of the plurality of stacked cells, the stack leak containment member collecting electrolytic fluid leaking from the plurality of stacked cells; and a sensor disposed in a space between the interior of the stack leak containment member and exterior to the stacked cells, the sensor detecting the presence of uncirculated electrolytic fluid in the space when the uncirculated electrolytic fluid contacts the sensor; the sensor having: at least one switch comprising a first plate and a second plate, wherein uncirculated fluid within the stack leak containment member forms an electric current path between the first and second plates, and a controller associated with the switch, the controller capable of sensing presence or absence of the current path; wherein: the plurality of stacked cells includes at least. two distinct assemblies of cell stacks, each of the at least two distinct assemblies of cell stacks is at least partially surrounded by a respective leak containment member, and each leak containment member includes a respective sensor for detecting a presence of an uncirculated electrolytic fluid.