Method for detecting a leak in an energy converter system

A method for detecting a leak in an energy converter system (1) containing gas, wherein a pressure regulator (3) is used for closed-loop control of a gas pressure in the energy converter system (1), the pressure regulator (3) including a gas metering valve (4) controlled by pulse width modulation, wherein the pulse width modulation has a clock (14), the method comprising the following steps:

• a. measuring an input pressure (10) of the pressure regulator (3) and measuring an output pressure (12) of the pressure regulator (3),
• b. measuring an output variable (16) of the energy converter system (1) and calculating a gas requirement in the energy converter system (1) based on the output variable (16) of the energy converter system (1),
• c. determining a first calculated flow (20) through the pressure regulator (3) based on the measured input pressure (10) of the pressure regulator (3), the measured output pressure (12) of the pressure regulator (3), and the clock,
• d. determining a second calculated flow (22) through the pressure regulator (3) based on of the gas requirement,
• e. comparing the first calculated flow (20) with the second calculated flow (22) by forming a first comparison value (24) from the first calculated flow (20) and the second calculated flow (22), and
• f. determining a first threshold (26) and producing a fault signal (32) when the magnitude of the first comparison value (24) is greater than the first threshold (26).