The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 10, 2002
Filed:
Dec. 23, 1998
Shanna D. Knights, Vancouver, CA;
David P. Wilkinson, Vancouver, CA;
Ruediger Nebelsiek, Stuttgart, DE;
Jürgen Stumper, Vancouver, CA;
Ballard Power Systems Inc., Burnaby, CA;
Abstract
A method detects fluid leaks within a fuel cell assembly. The method comprises (a) introducing a first supply fluid to a first fluid passage within the fuel cell assembly, wherein the first supply fluid comprises a tracer; (b) introducing a second supply fluid to a second fluid passage within the fuel cell assembly, wherein in the absence of a leak in the first fluid passage, the second fluid passage is fluidly isolated from the first fluid passage; and (c) monitoring a second fluid exhaust stream exiting from the second fluid passage and detecting when a concentration of the tracer is present within the second fluid exhaust stream.