METHOD FOR DETECTING ELECTRICAL DEFECTS IN MEMBRANE ELECTRODE ASSEMBLIES

摘要

The present invention relates to a method and system for detecting imperfections in a membrane electrode assembly of an electrochemical fuel cell, and more particularly for detecting defects within a proton exchange membrane in a membrane electrode assembly, optionally sandwiched between conductive diffusion media layers, where a potential voltage is applied across the membrane and the presence of a defect and preferably the location of a defect is determined by monitoring variations in intensity level of infrared radiation emitted from a surface of the membrane electrode assembly. Another preferred embodiment includes sandwiching the membrane electrode assembly and conductive diffusion layers with at least one rigid solid that is transparent to infrared radiation.