Daimler Chrysler Ag

Xcellsis Gmbh

Daimler-benz Ag

Dbb Fuel Cell Engines Gesellschaft MIT Beschraenkter Haftung

Other

Basf Aktiengesellschaft

Ballard Power Systems Ag

Dbb Fuel Cell Engines Gmbh

Rainer Autenrieth

Dietmar Heil

Steffen Oliver Wieland

Detlef Zur Megede

Norbert Wiesheu

Stefan Boneberg

Andreas Christen

Thomas Poschmann

Andreas Docter

Martin Schuessler

Barbara Strobel

Otto Krumberger

Uwe Benz

Gerhard Konrad

Markus Walter

Karsten Ledwig

Michael Niehues

Arnold Lamm

Otto Kumberger

Wolfgang Weger

Stefan Brauchle

Robert Gerberich

Christian Duelk

Martin Schuebler

Heinz Steinke

Josef Haenfling

Josef Hanfling

A method for the autothermal reforming of a hydrocarbon, in particular of diesel, includes introducing a combustible mixture of the hydrocarbon to be reformed and an oxygen-containing medium into a first reaction zone of a reformer, A gas-phase reaction is ignited. After an operating temperature required for the autothermal reforming process is reached, water or a water-containing medium is introduced into the first reaction zone, and the water content is increased until the conditions for the reforming process of the hydrocarbon prevail. The reforming process then takes place predominantly in a second reaction zone.

Method for the autothermal reforming of a hydrocarbon

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

A fuel-cell system, in particular for a vehicle, has a device for supplying the operating agents for a fuel cell and an electrical energy accumulator. The energy accumulator is composed of a battery and of an intermediate charge store which has a lower internal resistance than the battery. A switch is provided in the electrical connection between the energy accumulator and the fuel cell.

Fuel cell system

A method for vaporizing and/or superheating a combustible/water mixture, wherein the combustible is especially methanol, for supplying a gas generation system () belonging to a fuel cell installation (). The waste-gas from the fuel cell and/or gas generation system is catalytically combusted together with a gas containing oxygen in order to produce the thermal energy required therefore. The combustible is added in a dosed manner to the volume flow from the gas containing oxygen and the waste gases of the fuel cell and/or gas generator system in the direction of flow prior to catalytic combustion.

Device for vaporizing and/or superheating a combustible

A reformation reactor that can be used especially for steam reformation of methanol for generating hydrogen in motor vehicles operated by fuel cells. A gas stream to be reformed is conducted through a reaction chamber into which a charge of a catalyst material is added. A catalyst supply container connected with the reaction chamber is so arranged that the catalyst material is automatically added from the supply container to the reaction chamber.

Reformation reactor with catalyst charging

A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell unit having an anode side and a cathode side, anode-side feeding and outflow lines for the supply of fuel and removal of anode-side exhaust, and cathode-side feeding and outflow lines for the supply of oxygen and removal of cathode-side exhaust. The fuel cell system also includes means for electrically switching the fuel cell unit on and off depending on the available quantity of fuel.

Fuel cell system and method for operating the fuel cell system

A flame colorant additive for methanol for the operation of a fuel cell system includes at least one of (1) NaCl; (2) an organic compound of an element of the first principal group or of the second principal group of the periodic table of elements; and/or (3) an organic compound of an element of the third secondary group or of the ninth secondary group of the periodic table of elements.

Flame colorant additive for methanol for the operation of a fuel cell system

A system for the water vapor reforming of a hydrocarbon includes a modular reactor unit of the plate stack and/or tube bundle type that, in an integrated manner, contains an evaporator, a prereforming unit, a main reformer, a CO removal unit and a catalytic burner unit. The evaporator and the main reformer are in a thermal contact with the catalytic burner unit and, the prereforming unit is in a thermal contact with the CO removal unit.

System for the water vapor reforming of a hydrocarbon

A process for operating a methanol reforming system in which, in the reforming reaction operation, methanol is reformed in a methanol reforming reactor using a methanol reforming catalyst. The reforming reaction operation is interrupted periodically for catalyst reactivation phases during which the methanol reforming catalyst whose catalytic activity decreases in the reforming reaction operation is treated in an activity-regenerating manner. The process may be used in fuel-cell-driven motor vehicles for generating hydrogen for the fuel cells from methanol carried along in the liquid state.

Process for operating a methanol reforming system

A fuel cell system has at least one fuel cell and a hydrogen generating arrangement for feeding the fuel cell anode with a hydrogen-containing product gas from a conversion reaction of a hydrocarbon starting substance or hydrocarbon derivative with of water fed supplied by way of a water feeding system. Water recovery devices are provided for condensing water out of the process gas supplied by the hydrogen generating arrangement, and/or out of the cathode waste gas carried away from the fuel cell cathode, and returning the condensed-out water into the water feeding system.

Fuel cell system with an assigned hydrogen generating arrangement

A process for pretreating a catalyst material for catalysing a chemical reaction in a reactor, in particular for a reforming catalyst material for catalysing a methanol reforming reaction to obtain hydrogen, includes (1) subjecting the catalyst material to a hydrogen-containing gas mixture in a forming step, and (2) subsequently subjecting the catalyst material to an oxygen-containing gas mixture in a deactivating step.

Method for pretreating a catalyst material

A method and apparatus for applying pressure to at least one reactant for delivery from a storage tank to a gas generating system has at least one pump. An operating medium for applying pressure to the reactants is delivered from the pump to the storage tank via a pipe system. The operating medium itself may also be delivered to a reaction chamber as a reactant of the gas generating system.

Process and apparatus for applying pressure to a reactant

The invention relates to a process for operating a system for the water vapor reforming of a hydrocarbon. The system includes a reactor which is suitable for POX operation as well as for a reforming operation, an evaporator, a hydrogen separating stage, and a catalytic burner device. A first part of the catalytic burner device is in thermal contact with the reforming reactor, and a second part of the burner device is in thermal contact with the evaporator. An air/hydrocarbon intermediate feeding pipe for the reactor and a pressure maintaining valve are provided for changing the reactor between the POX operation and the reforming operation. According to the process, during cold start of the system, a heating operation is carried out during which the reactor is first used in the POX operation at a lower pressure and subsequently is used for the reforming operation and simultaneously the pressure is increased to the normal operating pressure. The invention is particularly useful for the water vapor reforming of methanol for obtaining hydrogen for a fuel-cell-operated motor vehicle.

Process for operating a water vapor reforming system, a reforming system operable thereby and a fuel cell system operating process

A method for the treatment of a methanol reforming catalyst includes pre-aging the catalyst by baking it out in a dry atmosphere in order thereby to complete its inherent initial loss of volume before the start of the methanol reforming reaction. The method may be used for methanol reforming reactors in fuel-cell-operated motor vehicles.

Method for the treatment of a methanol reforming catalyst

The invention relates to a process for operating a system for the water vapor reforming of a hydrocarbon, having an evaporator, a reforming reactor, a membrane module connected behind, and a catalytic burner device. According to the invention, a first part of the catalytic burner device is in thermal contact with the reforming reactor, and a second part of the burner device is in thermal contact with the evaporator. According to the process, a heating operation is carried out during the cold start of the system, in which, in a first operating phase, at least the evaporator and the reforming reactor are heated by the catalytic burner device, and in a second operating phase, a hydrocarbon/water vapor mixture is prepared in the evaporator at a water/hydrocarbon ratio which is higher than in the normal operation and is fed to the reactor, the substance mixture emerging from the reactor being fed by way of the membrane module to the catalytic burner device.

Growing community of inventors

Grossbottwar, Germany

Rainer Autenrieth