Patent ID: 8748053

Claim:
A fuel cell system comprising: a first split stack including a cathode input, a cathode output, an anode input and an anode output; a second split stack including a cathode input, a cathode output, an anode input and an anode output, wherein the cathode inputs for the first and second split stacks are coupled together and the cathode outputs from the first and second split stacks are coupled together; a first bleed valve coupled to the anode input of the first split stack; a second bleed valve coupled to the anode input of the second split stack; an orifice in fluid communication with the first and second bleed valves and the coupled cathode outputs of the first and second split stacks; and a pressure sensor coupled across the orifice, said pressure sensor providing a pressure measurement indicative of flow through the orifice so as to provide an indication of whether anode exhaust gas is flowing through the first and second bleed valves.