Daimler-Benz Ag

Daimler Ag

Xcellsis Gmbh

Daimler Chrysler Ag

Ballard Power Systems Corporation

Gerald Hornburg

Wolfram Fleck

Uwe Benz

Karl-Ernst Noreikat

Thomas Klaiber

Helmut Lorenz

Josef Sonntag

Andreas Gaulhofer

Henry H Voss

Stephen A Campbell

Arnold Lamm

Jean St-Pierre

Eric G Pow

Clarence Y Chow

Nicholas J Fletcher

Peter Urban

Michael P Sexsmith

Cosimo Mazzotta

Simon Steinhuebl

Matthias Jesse

Boguslav M Wozniczka

Werner Englert

Werner Tillmetz

Monika Derflinger

A fuel cell systemhas at least one fuel cell stack, which comprises a plurality of plate-shaped fuel cells. A retaining deviceis provided for installing the fuel cell stack in a vehicle. When the fuel cell stackis installed in the vehicle, the plate-shaped fuel cellsare arranged inclined relative to the vertical

Fuel cell system and vehicle having fuel cell system

A fuel cell system for a vehicle includes a burner for producing a heat flow by combustion of a fuel gas which reacts with an oxidant. A heating heat exchanger provided to heat a vehicle passenger compartment is arranged in a coolant circuit of the fuel cell system, and is externally heated, at least at times, by the burner.

Fuel cell system for a vehicle

A vehicle drive system comprises an electrical drive motor and a fuel cell system providing the electrical power. According to the invention, the drive motor and the fuel cell are integrated into a unit and firmly joined together. The fuel cell system may comprise two fuel cells or fuel cell stacks, which are arranged relative to each other so as to form a 'V'. Peripheral units for operation of the fuel cell may be arranged in an interior of the V.

Device for driving a fuel cell vehicle

A fuel supply system for a fuel cell stack includes a cathode gas supply line for supplying an oxidant to the cathode input of the fuel cell stack and an anode gas supply line for supplying fuel to the anode input of the fuel cell stack. An anode gas recirculation line recirculates partially used anode gas from the anode output to the anode input while a purge line may be connected for conducting away the partially used anode gas, as a purge gas from the anode gas recirculation line into the cathode gas supply line. The supply system also includes a conditioning arrangement disposed upstream of the cathode input. The conditioning arrangement is designed to a) mix a partial flow of the oxidant with the purge gas in a mixing station, b) compress accelerate, and/or heat the partial flow or the mixed flow, and c) conduct the mixed flow into the cathode gas supply line.

Method and apparatus for supplying input gases to a fuel cell stack

A fuel cell vehicle comprises an electric drive system and a fuel cell system for providing electric energy for the drive system. According to the invention, the electric drive system is set up for regenerating braking energy, and devices are provided for the direct utilization of the regenerated braking energy in at least one energy-consuming component of the fuel cell system. This direct braking energy utilization in the fuel cell system increases the degree of energy utilization without the requirement of a separate intermediate energy storage device for the intermediate storing of regenerated braking energy.

Fuel cell vehicle

A proton exchange membrane fuel cell system includes a proton exchange membrane fuel cell; a first compressor for compressing the process air supplied to the fuel cell; a first expander coupled with compressor for driving the first compressor; and a catalytic burner as the heat source. The cathode offgas from the fuel cell is fed to the catalytic burner as an air supply and the expander is operated by the exhaust air from the catalytic burner. A portion of the gas from the burner is expanded in a second expander, which is coupled to a second compressor which further compresses the air from the first compressor.

Proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell system and process of operating same

A fuel cell system has an anode space and a cathode space which are separated from one another by a proton-conducting membrane, and an oxygen-containing gas flows through the cathode space. According to the invention, it is suggested to admit to the anode space a liquid fuel/coolant mixture, preferably a methanol/water mixture. By means of this combination of the fuel circulation and the coolant circulation, the system can be manufactured in a more compact and lower-cost manner.

Fuel cell system

An apparatus and method for starting a vehicle which is driven by an electric drive unit supplied with electrical energy from a fuel cell. A compressor is arranged in the feed line of the fuel cell for the oxidant mass flow and is driven by an electric motor supplied with voltage from the fuel cell itself. For the purpose of starting the fuel cell, a starter motor is provided for driving the compressor which is fed from a 12 V starter battery. In addition, a safety interrogation is initiated before starting the vehicle. The fuel cell is not run up to a prescribed no-load power with the aid of the starter motor until successful termination of the safety interrogation. The drive unit is then released after this no-load power has been reached.

Apparatus and method for starting a fuel cell vehicle

A method and an apparatus are provided for controlling the power of an electric drive unit in a vehicle. The drive unit is supplied with electrical energy by a fuel cell in the vehicle. On the basis of a power request which is determined from the accelerator pedal position, the air flow rate required to provide the set power from the fuel cell is calculated and set by controlling rotational speed of a compressor arranged in the air intake line to the fuel cell. To prevent the fuel cell from producing more electrical power than the drive unit can absorb, the drive unit acts limits the power request by emitting appropriate error messages. The set value for the power is fed to the drive unit and can be corrected such that the drive unit never demands more power than the amount of power instantaneously produced by the fuel cell to prevent fuel cell collapse.

Method and device for vehicle fuel cell dynamic power control

A process and an apparatus control output of an air-breathing fuel cell system which consists of an air supply line, a fuel cell, an air exhaust line, and a separate gas supply system for hydrogen gas. To control the fuel cell output, an adjustable rotary speed compressor is located in the air supply line and a variable absorption capacity expander is located in the air exhaust line. The compressor, the expander, and an additional electric motor are positioned on a common shaft. The expander converts the pressure energy contained in the exhaust air into mechanical energy and delivers that energy via the common shaft to the compressor. The air volume flow is controlled by the compressor rotary speed and adjusted to a preset value. A preset working pressure is established in the fuel cell system by adjusting the absorption capacity of the expander.

Process for supplying air to a fuel cell system

A fuel cell assembly within an electrochemical fuel cell stack has a cooling jacket disposed adjacent the cathode layer. The cooling layer comprises a coolant stream inlet, a coolant stream outlet, and at least one channel for directing a coolant stream from the coolant stream inlet to the coolant stream outlet. The coolant stream channels extend such that the coolest region of the cooling layer substantially coincides with the region of the adjacent cathode layer having the highest concentration of oxygen (and also the lowest water content), and the warmest region of the cooling layer substantially coincides with the region of the adjacent cathode layer having the lowest concentration of oxygen (and also the highest water content).

Growing community of inventors

Elchingen, Germany

Gerald Hornburg