Hydrogen leak detector and method for detecting hydrogen leaks

A hydrogen leak detector for detecting leaks in a hydrogen gas conducting component, comprising

• a hydrogen gas detector adapted to measure a concentration of hydrogen gas in a gas in a gas conduction path,
• wherein the hydrogen gas detector comprises:
• a first gas sensor that is selective for hydrogen and adapted to react to hydrogen concentrations in a first range below a first threshold, and
• a second gas sensor that is sensitive to hydrogen, non-selective for hydrogen, and sensitive to at least one secondary gas different from hydrogen, and adapted to react to hydrogen concentrations in a second range above the first threshold,
• wherein the hydrogen leak detector is adapted to calibrate the second gas sensor for low concentrations of hydrogen present in an ambient atmosphere of the hydrogen gas detector, regardless of whether the hydrogen originates from a leak in the hydrogen gas conducting component under test, by measuring a hydrogen concentration in a measured gas taken from the ambient atmosphere with the first gas sensor and with the second gas sensor, and by assigning a measurement signal of the second gas sensor for the measured gas to correspond to a concentration that does not originate from a leak in the hydrogen gas conducting component under test, if the measurement signal of the first gas sensor of the measured gas indicates a hydrogen concentration below a predetermined value, and
• wherein the hydrogen leak detector can indicate a presence of a hydrogen leak in the hydrogen gas conducting component under test when the second gas sensor indicates a hydrogen concentration above a second threshold.