Daimler Chrysler Ag

Daimler-benz Ag

Daimler Ag

Other

Norbert Wiesheu

Rainer Autenrieth

Wolfgang Weger

Detlef Zur Megede

Uwe Benz

Dietmar Heil

Gerhard Berger

Arnold Lamm

Andreas Docter

Jens Intorp

Patrick Mangold

Thomas Beisswenger

Thomas Poschmann

Andreas Kaupert

Thomas Soczka-Guth

Gert Hinsenkamp

Sven Schnetzler

Jochen Schaefer

Barbara Strobel

Christian Duelk

Wolfram Fleck

Bernhard Vogel

Jens M&uuml;ller

Robert Gerberich

Michael Denda

Josef Hanfling

Josef Haenfling

Heinz Steinke

Uli Roeltgen

Joerg Strauhs

A moisture exchange module includes a bundle of moisture-permeable hollow fiber membranes. It is provided with a feedline for supplying a gas stream that flows through the hollow fiber membranes in an inner flow. According to the present invention, a separating device for separating out liquid particles from the gas flow are provided in the region between the feedline and the bundle of hollow fiber membranes. The separating device may have the form of a groove and are arranged in such a way that the gas flow is guided in such a manner that the centrifugal force assists movement of the liquid particles towards the separating device. The moisture exchange module preferably forms part of a fuel cell system to humidify feed air for the fuel cell system.

Moisture exchange module having bundle of moisture permeable hollow fibre membranes

A moisture exchange module includes a bundle of moisture-permeable hollow fiber membranes through which a first gas stream can flow. The bundle of hollow fiber membranes is arranged in a housing, the housing being provided with line elements for supplying and discharging a second gas stream, which flows around the hollow fiber membranes. Between the bundle of hollow fiber membranes and the housing there is at least one flow space, which extends over at least approximately the entire length of that region of the bundle of hollow fiber membranes through which the first gas stream can flow. The at least one flow space surrounds only a small part of the circumference of the bundle of hollow fiber membranes, so that ultimately a moisture exchange operated in cross-current mode is formed. This can preferably be used for the humidification of feed air for fuel cell systems.

Moisture exchange module having a bundle of moisture-permeable hollow fibre membranes

A moisture exchange module has a bundle of moisture-permeable hollow fiber membranes and at least one line element for supplying a gas stream that flows through the hollow fibers in an inner flow. The at least one line element opens out into an inflow region, which is of at least approximately the same cross section as the bundle of hollow fiber membranes. According to the present invention, the at least one line element opens out into the inflow region at an angle of from 60&#xb0; to 120&#xb0; with respect to the longitudinal axis of the bundle of hollow fiber membranes without the longitudinal axes of the one line element and of the bundle of hollow fiber membranes intersecting one another. An annular diverter means for diverting the gas flow are provided between the cross section of the line elements through which gas can flow and the inflow region. The diverter means are arranged in such a way that an annular gap is formed, which annular gap is connected to the at least one line element and, on its side remote from the bundle of hollow fiber membranes, is connected to the inflow region.

A gas generation system includes a reservoir for a reactant, a compressor configured to pressurize the reactant in the reservoir using an operating medium delivered into the reservoir, a gas generation component fed with the reactant using a reactant feed line, and a metering element disposed in the reactant feed line between the reservoir and the gas generation component. In addition, a method for operating a gas generation system includes controlling the delivery of compressed operating medium so as to maintain a pressure in the reservoir at a level corresponding to a pressure of the reactant downstream of the reservoir and metering the reactant in a feed line between the reservoir and the gas generation component.

Gas generation system with pressurized reactant reservoirs

A method and a system for resistance seam welding of a foil and at least one foil support of a fuel cell system. During welding, the thin foil, together with the thicker foil support, is moved relative to the roller electrode while resting on a flat support element. In a suitable welding system, a counter-electrode is designed as a flat support element, such as a welding strip, that is displaceable relative to the roller electrode, the roller electrode being in rolling contact with the foil support, but not with the foil. Depending on whether one foil is to be welded to one or two foil frames, the support element may be designed having a high or a low specific electric resistance.

Method and system for resistance seam welding of a foil and at least one foil support of a fuel cell system

A membrane module for hydrogen separation includes a stack of flat membrane packs disposed adjacent one another so as not to exert a force on one another and a rotationally symmetrical pressure shell enclosing the stack of flat membrane packs. A feed space for a reformate gas is disposed between every two membrane packs in the stack. Each membrane pack has a pair of membrane assemblies and a support structure disposed therebetween and each membrane assembly includes a hydrogen-selective flat membrane supported by at least one membrane frame.

Membrane module for hydrogen separation

A reactor system for reacting a hydrocarbon or hydrocarbon derivative charging material comprises a catalyst-coated reaction chamber, to which a reaction educt stream can be fed through a reaction chamber inlet, and electric heating means. The reaction chamber inlet has a flat, electrically heatable, catalyst-coated, and reaction educt stream-permeable heater, which covers at least partially the inlet cross section of the reaction chamber inlet and through which the educts for reacting the charging material can be fed at least in a start operating phase of the reactor system. An electric heater may be provided in front of the reaction chamber inlet, for the purpose of heating at least one reaction educt in a start operating phase and there are means for point-by-point injection of at least one reaction educt, heated in the heater, into the reaction chamber.

Reactor system with electric heating means

An exhaust-gas purification installation for purifying exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine includes an exhaust-gas catalytic converter which is arranged in an exhaust pipe of the internal combustion engine and a catalytic fuel reformer for generating a hydrogen-containing reformer gas which can be fed to the exhaust pipe on an entry side of the exhaust-gas catalytic converter. It is possible for a hydrocarbon-containing fuel, which can be used to operate the internal combustion engine, to be fed to the fuel reformer in order to generate the reformer gas. An exhaust-gas heater can heat the exhaust-gas part-stream which is fed to the fuel reformer. In a method according to the invention, an exhaust-gas part-stream which is removed from the exhaust pipe is heated and fed to the fuel reformer.

Exhaust-gas purification installation and exhaust-gas purification method for purifying an exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine

The invention relates to an autothermic reforming reactor, comprising an endothermic reaction zone, in which the reforming reaction takes place; an exothermic reaction zone, in which the energy is released which is required for the reforming reaction; a quench zone connected downstream of the reaction zones for the rapid cooling of the reactor gas volume flow. According to the invention, the endothermic reaction zone and the quench zone are separated by a gas permeable heat shield (HS), whereby the heat shield (HS) comprises thermal insulation (IS) for thermally insulating the endothermic reaction zone and quench zone, in addition to a thermal radiator (STR) which faces the endothermic reaction zone and radiates the thermal energy which has been absorbed from the reactor gas volume flow.

Autothermic reforming reactor

Fuel cell system comprising at least one fuel cell which includes an anode compartment and a cathode compartment which are separated from one another by a proton-conducting membrane, further comprising a cathode feeder for delivering oxygen-containing gas to the cathode compartment, an anode feeder for delivering a liquid coolant/fuel mixture to the anode compartment, the anode compartment being disposed in an anode circuit which comprises a gas separator and a pump, and cooling of the coolant/fuel mixture circulating in the anode circuit is effected by the fuel cell which is designed for operation involving water break-through from the anode compartment into the cathode compartment. The evaporation cooling thus achieved in the fuel cell results in cooling of the coolant/fuel mixture at a steady-state operating temperature which is established in the fuel cell as a function of the membrane properties and the speed of the pump, thus obviating the need for any additional cooler in the anode circuit itself.

Liquid fuel cell system

A heat exchanger system for a device for autothermal reforming of a hydrocarbon having a reaction zone fed with at least two fluids which react with one another, the reaction zone being at a higher temperature level than an environment of the device and at least one of the fluids being heated by the reaction products effluent from the reaction zone. The heat exchanger system includes tubes for transporting the effluent reaction products, at least one section of the tubes being arranged essentially parallel to a center axis of the reaction zone and led through the flow path of the fluid to be heated. At least sections of the flow path are curved helically or spirally around the center axis so that the fluid to be heated impinges on and passes around the tubes containing the effluent reaction products essentially perpendicularly. The flow path of the fluid to be heated is laid out with respect to the center axis of the tube arrangement in such a manner that the fluid to be heated is conveyed from outside to inside and/or from inside to outside at least once.

Heat exchanger system

Fuel cell system has an anode chamber and a cathode chamber separated from one another by a proton-conducting membrane. A cathode supply line supplies gas containing oxygen to the cathode chamber, and an anode supply line supplies a liquid coolant/fuel mixture to the anode chamber. The anode chamber is located in an anode circuit that includes a gas separator and a pump, and with a cooler and a water separator being located in the separated gas flow from the gas separator in the flow direction. According to the invention, the anode circuit has an operating pressure of at least 2.5 bars. The cooler is also cooled by a medium at ambient temperature.

Fuel cell system

In a method and apparatus for selective catalytic oxidation of carbon monoxide, the gas mixture and an additionally added oxidizing gas are conducted through a reactor containing the catalyst. Oxidizing gas is added at several points along the mixed gas flow path with a controlled or regulated through flow volume. The mixed gas stream is cooled passively by static mixing structures located in the inlet area of the CO-oxidation reactor. By controlling exothermal CO oxidation along the reactor path, a very variable process guidance is provided, that can be adjusted to individual situations.

Method for selective catalytic oxidation of carbon monoxide

A reforming reactor, particularly for the water vapor reforming of methanol, with three serially arranged reactor steps, each of which is charged with a catalyst pellet fill. According to the invention, the center reactor step is maintained at a temperature which is suitable for the reforming reaction, while the two other reactor steps remain unheated. The present invention may be used as a reforming reactor for the water vapor reforming of methanol for the purpose of producing hydrogen in a fuel-cell operated motor vehicle.

Three-step reforming reactor especially for mobile fuel cell

A process for operating a system for water vapor reforming of methanol includes a mixture preparation step for preparing a water vapor/methanol mixture from water and methanol, which mixture is subsequently introduced into a reforming reactor in a quantity which depends on the load condition of the system. According to the invention, the water vapor/methanol mixture ratio of the water vapor/methanol mixture introduced into the reforming reactor is maintained at a predeterminable desired value unaffected by short-term load changing operations, to avoid undesirable short-term increases of the CO-concentration in the reformate.

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Guenzburg, Germany

Norbert Wiesheu