Siemens Aktiengesellschaft

Siemens Energy Global Gmbh & Co. Kg

Ottmar Voitlein

Arno Mattejat

Josef Lersch

Detlev Coerlin

Walter Stühler

Dieter Illner

Walter Stuehler

Albert Hammerschmidt

Willi Bette

Armin Datz

Torsten Brandt

Igor Mehltretter

Silke Latzel

Franco Tardivo

Frank Bärnreuther

Hans-Jürgen Beie

Frank BÄRNREUTHER

Torsten Lochner

Thomas Mahnke

A humidification cell of a fuel cell apparatus includes a first outer plate and a second outer plate. A gas chamber, a humidification chamber and a water-permeable membrane separating the two chambers, are disposed between the first outer plate and the second outer plate, starting from the first outer plate. A first water-permeable support element that prevents fibers from detaching and also prevents medium flows from blocking narrow gas outlets, is disposed between the first outer plate and the membrane in such a way that the first support element is made of a filter material.

Humidification cell

A fuel cell assembly includes a fuel cell configuration having a solid electrolyte-based fuel cell with terminal contacts tapping an electrical voltage from the fuel cell configuration between which the fuel cell is disposed. An assembly has an electrically conductive component and another component disposed between a first terminal contact and the electrically conductive component on the side of the first terminal contact away from the fuel cell and has a lower electrical conductivity than that thereof. A supply duct transports a fluid medium connecting the first terminal contact to the electrically conductive component through the other component. The electrically conductive component is connected to the first terminal contact and/or a voltage supply adjusting an electrical potential on the electrically conductive component to an electrical potential on the first terminal contact. There is a maximum potential difference of 3 volts between the electrically conductive component and the first terminal contact.

Fuel cell assembly and method for operating a fuel cell assembly

Mechanical stresses of the membrane of a fuel cell can be reduced by virtue of the fact that the supply of feed gas to a gas chamber of the fuel cell takes places, initially, by means of a first pressure increasing speed and then by means of a second pressure increasing speed. The first pressure increasing speed is slower than the second pressure increasing speed. Pressure surges are prevented in the membrane due to the lower pressure increasing speed in the first phase of the gas supply, and as a result, the life span of the membrane is increased.

Method for supplying fuel gas to a gas chamber of a fuel cell and fuel cell

During the operation of a fuel-cell assembly, the latter is supplied with ambient air with the aid of a liquid ring pump. Any foreign matter that is contained in the air is taken up by the service fluid of the liquid ring pump. The charging of the service fluid with foreign matter is controlled. In particular, the service fluid is continuously conducted in an circuit via a purification device.

Method for operating a fuel cell system and fuel cell system

A defective operation of a valve () in a drainage line () of a fuel cell results in unintentionally permitting process gas to flow into the surrounding area of the fuel cells. In order to resolve this problem, the invention provides a method for monitoring the discharge of media out of a fuel cell and provides a fuel cell system, with which the gas and water stream flowing through the drainage line () is monitored () by means of a Venturi nozzle () that is connected to a differential pressure sensor (). The magnitude () and the temporal progression () of the differential pressure indicated by the differential pressure sensor () establishes the basis for controlling the valve () in the drainage line () and for shutting down () the fuel cell block () in the event that the valve () is defective.

Method for monitoring the discharge of media out of fuel cell, and a fuel cell system

A leak in the membrane of a fuel cell leads to an uncontrolled and heat-generating reaction which can destroy the fuel cell. A method for recognition of a leak in a fuel cell is disclosed which leads to an automatic closing down of the fuel cell without a safety device. The anode gas chamber of the fuel cell is treated with a first test gas and the cathode gas chamber of the fuel cell is treated with a second test gas. The cell voltage of the fuel cell measured and the change with time in the cell voltage is monitored. A gas with a hydrogen content of 0.1 to 20 vol. % is used as first test gas and a gas with an oxygen content of 0.1 to 30 vol. % is used as second test gas.

Method for recognition of a leak in a fuel cell

Growing community of inventors

Lonnerstadt, Germany

Ottmar Voitlein