Ballard Power Systems Ag

Xcellsis Gmbh

Nucellsys Gmbh

Basf Aktiengesellschaft

Daimler Chrysler Ag

Dbb Fuel Cell Engines Gmbh

Stefan Boneberg

Rainer Autenrieth

Dietmar Heil

Steffen Oliver Wieland

Martin Schuessler

Alois Tischler

Thomas Poschmann

Marc Weisser

Bruno Motzet

Stefan Brauchle

Klaus Harth

Detlef Zur Megede

Uwe Benz

Michael Jolyon Sprague

Barbara Strobel

Markus Hölzle

Matthias Wolfsteiner

Martin Sch&uuml;ssler

Martin Schüssler

Erik Theis

Thomas Stark

Michael Schonert

Martin Karl

Martin Schaefer

Dirk Georg

Andreas Christen

Hans-Frieder Walz

Ralf Heuser

Manfred Strohmaier

Bernd Monzel

Joachim Guertler

Martin Schuebler

Thomas Hoeger

Martin Sch&auml;fer

A fuel cell system, which may include a fuel processing subsystem for converting hydrocarbons into a hydrogen-rich gas, is designed so that at least some of the components of the fuel cell system are contained inside at least one housing. The housing contains a recombiner to convert hydrogen and oxygen into water. The housing may also contain a temperature sensor in the vicinity of the recombiner.

Fuel cell system with recombiner

A methanol reforming catalyst containing passivated copper and zinc oxide and/or alumina can be prepared by A reduction in the volume shrinkage and an increase in the mechanical hardness during operation of the methanol reforming catalyst are achieved by the preparation process.

Methanol reforming catalyst having a reduced volume shrinkage

A method is used to start up a fuel cell electrically in a fuel cell installation, especially a fuel cell for use in a motor vehicle, with a gas-generating system producing a hydrogen-containing gas flow. The gas flow from the gas-generating system and an oxygen-containing gas flow are brought together and combusted after the fuel cell. The fuel cell is started up electrically as a function of a temperature course existing in the region of combustion of the gas flows.

Method for electrically starting up a fuel cell

A method for operating a gas generation device, for example, for a fuel cell system, having at least two gas generation units through which a starting-material stream flows in series. The two gas generating units have a first and second rated power P, Pand a first and second predetermined operating temperature T, T, and the first gas generation unit has a lower thermal mass than the second gas generation unit. During a starting phase only the first gas generation unit is operated, with a power P&#x3e;P. After the end of the starting phase at least the second gas generation unit is operated.

Method for operating a gas generation device in a fuel cell system

A system for supplying an evaporated and/or superheated hydrocarbon or hydrocarbon/water mixture to at least two components of a gas generation system of a fuel cell system, in particular to at least two stages of a multi-stage reforming process. In one embodiment, the system contains at least two heat exchangers, each of which contains a media-side area and an area that serves to input thermal energy. Furthermore, each of the heat exchangers is connected to least one of the components of the gas generation system and the two heat exchangers are connected to each other. In an alternate embodiment, the system contains one heat exchanger, the media-side area of which is connected to a valve device, which distributes the evaporated and/or superheated mixture to at least two conduits, each of which leads to one of the two components of the gas generation system.

System to supply at least two components of a gas generation system

A method serves the purpose of introducing fuel and/or thermal energy into a gas stream flowing to a catalytic reactor. The gas stream flows in part through an exterior chamber and in part through an interior chamber, which is at least partially open in the flow direction and to which fuel is supplied. The partial streams are re-united after flowing through the two chambers and are fed to the catalytic reactor. In a starting phase of the still cold catalytic reactor, the fuel is burned in the interior chamber. During conventional normal operating modes of the warm catalytic reactor, the fuel is vaporized in the interior chamber. In a suitable device, the exterior chamber and the interior chamber are designed as two tube elements that are inserted into one another.

Method for introducing fuel and/or thermal energy into a gas stream

A gas generating system for a fuel cell system as well as to a method of operating same. In order to provide hydrogen-containing combustible gas as rapidly as possible and to reduce the exhaust gas emissions, for the start of the operation of the gas generating system, at least one catalytic burner is started and the generated heat is used for evaporating a combustion agent and/or water and for the heating-up of an additionally connected partial reforming unit or partial oxidation stage in order to generate a hydrogen-containing gas for the fuel cell unit by reforming or partial oxidation.

Gas generating system for a fuel cell system and method of operating a gas generating system

A device is used to evaporate and/or superheat a hydrocarbon or a hydrocarbon/water mixture for a gas generation system of a fuel cell installation. The hydrocarbon or the hydrocarbon/water mixture flows through a medium-side region of a heat exchanger, which is in thermally conductive communication with a heat-transfer-side region of the heat exchanger. A burner is arranged upstream of the heat-transfer-side region of the heat exchanger, as seen in the direction of flow. An exhaust gas from a combustion which takes place in the burner flows through the heat-transfer-side region of the heat exchanger.

Device for evaporating and/or overheating a hydrocarbon in a fuel cell

A fuel cell system includes a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell unit having a cooling circuit and an evaporator having at least one evaporation chamber for evaporation of a medium in the fuel cell system and at least one heat-transfer chamber which thermally communicates with the evaporation chamber. The heat-transfer chamber is a part of the cooling circuit of the fuel cell unit.

Fuel cell system having an evaporator

An arrangement for generating a hydrogen-containing gas from a hydrocarbon-containing medium includes a multi-stage reforming unit that is connected to a multi-stage carbon monoxide removal unit by a heat-conducting separating medium. The stages of the reforming unit, in an ascending order relative to the gas flow direction in the reforming unit, are in a thermal contact with stages of the carbon monoxide removal unit, in a descending order relative to the gas flow direction in the carbon monoxide removal unit.

Arrangement for generating a hydrogen-containing gas

In a fuel cell system having a fuel cell and a catalytic burner connected downstream thereof, an additional hydrogen-containing medium is fed to the catalytic burner.

Fuel cell system

A heat exchanger has a plurality of fluidically parallel first layers which define first heat exchanger ducts through which a first medium is capable of flowing, and in each case has a second layer between the two first layers. The respective second layer is in thermal contact with the two adjacent first layers and defines at least one second heat exchanger duct through which a second medium is capable of flowing in parallel. The respective second layer comprises two fluidically parallel layer plies. A controllable supply of the second medium to the one and/or the other layer ply in each case is provided. Such a heat exchanger can be used, in particular, as an evaporator with an integrated starting and main evaporator part, and particularly as an evaporator in a reforming plant of a fuel-cell vehicle.

Layered-type of heat exchanger and use thereof

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 system for generating hydrogen-rich gas has a reformer for catalytic water vapor reforming of a water vapor/fuel mixture by an input supply of thermal energy, and a CO oxidation stage for removing carbon monoxide from the hydrogen-rich gas while emitting heat, with the reformer and the CO oxidation stage being thermally coupled. An oxygen quantity fed to the CO oxidation stage is adjusted as a function of the gas temperature in or at the output of the reformer/oxidation stage. This can take place by an automatic (feedback) control, a combination of open loop control and automatic control or by an adaptive characteristic diagram.

Growing community of inventors

Beuren, Germany

Stefan Boneberg