Patents by Inventor Hartmut Finkbeiner

Hartmut Finkbeiner has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8678813
    Abstract: A stream of exhaust gases from the combustion of hydrocarbon-containing fuels with a variable temperature can be produced by dividing the exhaust gases into two separate part-streams, cooling one part-stream and then combining the two part-streams again. The temperature of the exhaust-gas stream which has been combined again can be set to between the temperature of the combustion of the hydrocarbon-containing fuels and the temperature of the cooled exhaust-gas part-stream by corresponding throttling of the two part-streams before they are brought together again. The exhaust-gas stream produced in this way is preferably used for the defined ageing of automotive exhaust catalysts. In this context, it is particularly advantageous that the change in the temperature of the exhaust-gas stream has no influence on its air/fuel ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Umicore AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Juergen Gieshoff, Hartmut Finkbeiner, Thomas Kreuzer
  • Patent number: 7700070
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the catalytic conversion of hydrocarbons for generating a gas that is rich in hydrogen, to the use of said apparatus and to a process for generating hydrogen. The apparatus comprises a reforming catalyst (5), as well as a means (8) for supplying hydrocarbons to the catalyst. The reforming catalyst is arranged in an exhaust pipe (3) through which the exhaust gases of combustion processes are passed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Umicore AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Hartmut Finkbeiner, Jürgen Gieshoff
  • Publication number: 20090126354
    Abstract: A stream of exhaust gases from the combustion of hydrocarbon-containing fuels with a variable temperature can be produced by dividing the exhaust gases into two separate part-streams, cooling one part-stream and then combining the two part-streams again. The temperature of the exhaust-gas stream which has been combined again can be set to between the temperature of the combustion of the hydrocarbon-containing fuels and the temperature of the cooled exhaust-gas part-stream by corresponding throttling of the two part-streams before they are brought together again. The exhaust-gas stream produced in this way is preferably used for the defined ageing of automotive exhaust catalysts. In this context, it is particularly advantageous that the change in the temperature of the exhaust-gas stream has no influence on its air/fuel ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2005
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Inventors: Juergen Gieshoff, Hartmut Finkbeiner, Thomas Kreuzer
  • Publication number: 20060254140
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the catalytic conversion of hydrocarbons for generating a gas that is rich in hydrogen, to the use of said apparatus and to a process for generating hydrogen. The apparatus comprises a reforming catalyst (5), as well as a means (8) for supplying hydrocarbons to the catalyst. The reforming catalyst is arranged in an exhaust pipe (3) through which the exhaust gases of combustion processes are passed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2004
    Publication date: November 16, 2006
    Applicant: UMICORE AG & CO. KG
    Inventors: Hartmut Finkbeiner, Jürgen Gieshoff
  • Publication number: 20060216202
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of determining activity and aging behavior of a catalyst. For this purpose, two independent substreams of combustion offgases are produced and mixed before coming into contact with the catalyst. The first substream of combustion offgases is preferably produced by burning a motor fuel and forms the major part of the combustion offgases. The second substream of combustion offgases is produced by means of a gas burner whose air ratio can be adjusted within a wide range. Mixing of this second substream of combustion offgases into the first substream enables the composition of the total stream to be set in a defined manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2004
    Publication date: September 28, 2006
    Applicant: Umicore AG &CO. KG
    Inventors: Jurgen Gieshoff, Hartmut Finkbeiner, Egbert Lox, Thomas Kreuzer
  • Publication number: 20020007595
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for autothermally reforming hydrocarbons. According to the invention, the fuel is fed to a reforming reactor via a feeding device. The resulting reformate is conveyed to the reforming starting materials in a heat exchanger in a reverse direction flow, in such a way that heat is exchanged, said starting materials being conveyed from the outside inwards. The fuel supplied by the feeding device is delivered directly to the reaction zone together with the starting material. Said reaction zone has a catalyst. The combustion and reforming or catalysis processes are then carried out simultaneously and in the same area in the reaction zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2001
    Publication date: January 24, 2002
    Inventors: Uli Maier-Roeltgen, Alexander Schuler, Hartmut Finkbeiner