METHOD FOR CONDITIONING AN ELECTROCHEMICAL CELL UNIT

Method for conditioning an electrochemical cell unit (53) before putting the electrochemical cell unit (53) into operation for converting electrochemical energy into electrical energy as a fuel cell unit (1) and/or for converting electrical energy into electrochemical energy as an electrolytic cell unit (49) having stacked electrochemical cells (52) and channels for conducting a fuel and/or an electrolyte and channels for conducting an oxidizing agent and/or an electrolyte being formed in the electrochemical cell unit (53), the method having the steps of: providing a conditioning fluid; and conducting the conditioning fluid through the channels (12) for fuel and/or electrolytes and/or conducting the conditioning fluid through the channels (13) for oxidizing agents and/or electrolytes, wherein, during at least 50% of the duration of the method for conditioning the electrochemical cell unit (53), hydrogen is conducted as the conditioning fluid through the channels (13) for oxidizing agents and/or electrolytes.