Abstract: A method for removing soot particles from an exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine, especially of a diesel engine, includes feeding the exhaust gas through a collecting element through which the exhaust gas can pass freely but which is provided with a plurality of deflections and/or zones of swirl and calming or stabilization. At least a proportion of the particles are held or swirled around in the collecting element until there is a sufficient probability of reaction with nitrogen dioxide and a majority of the collected particles have been removed. A collecting element has flow channels through which the exhaust gas can pass freely. However, the flow channels are configured in such a way as to form deflections or zones of swirl and calming or stabilization. A system having the collecting element is also provided.

Abstract: A method for removing soot particles from an exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine, especially of a diesel engine, includes feeding the exhaust gas through a collecting element through which the exhaust gas can pass freely but which is provided with a plurality of deflections and/or zones of swirl and calming or stabilization. At least a proportion of the particles are held or swirled around in the collecting element until there is a sufficient probability of reaction with nitrogen dioxide and a majority of the collected particles have been removed. A collecting element has flow channels through which the exhaust gas can pass freely. However, the flow channels are configured in such a way as to form deflections or zones of swirl and calming or stabilization. A system having the collecting element is also provided.

Abstract: A method for removing soot particles from an exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine, especially of a diesel engine, includes feeding the exhaust gas through a collecting element through which the exhaust gas can pass freely but which is provided with a plurality of deflections and/or zones of swirl and calming or stabilization. At least a proportion of the particles are held or swirled around in the collecting element until there is a sufficient probability of reaction with nitrogen dioxide and a majority of the collected particles have been removed. A collecting element has flow channels through which the exhaust gas can pass freely. However, the flow channels are configured in such a way as to form deflections or zones of swirl and calming or stabilization. A system having the collecting element is also provided.

Abstract: A method for removing soot particles from an exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine, especially of a diesel engine, includes feeding the exhaust gas through a collecting element through which the exhaust gas can pass freely but which is provided with a plurality of deflections and/or zones of swirl and calming or stabilization. At least a proportion of the particles are held or swirled around in the collecting element until there is a sufficient probability of reaction with nitrogen dioxide and a majority of the collected particles have been removed. A collecting element has flow channels through which the exhaust gas can pass freely. However, the flow channels are configured in such a way as to form deflections or zones of swirl and calming or stabilization. A system having the collecting element is also provided.

Abstract: A method for removing soot particles from an exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine, especially of a diesel engine, includes feeding the exhaust gas through a collecting element through which the exhaust gas can pass freely but which is provided with a plurality of deflections and/or zones of swirl and calming or stabilization. At least a proportion of the particles are held or swirled around in the collecting element until there is a sufficient probability of reaction with nitrogen dioxide and a majority of the collected particles have been removed. A collecting element has flow channels through which the exhaust gas can pass freely. However, the flow channels are configured in such a way as to form deflections or zones of swirl and calming or stabilization. A system having the collecting element is also provided.

Abstract: A particle trap, which may be installed in a pipe, e.g. in an exhaust tract of a motor vehicle, is provided for the agglomeration and oxidation of particles in a fluid flow and includes a multiplicity of substantially rectilinear and mutually parallel flow passages having passage walls with structures. The structures generate swirling, calming and/or dead zones in the fluid flow but keep the particle trap open to the fluid flow. Therefore, the particle trap is an open system in which particles can be kept or precipitated out of a fluid by turbulences in the flow and can be held until they undergo oxidation. Assemblies and exhaust tracts having the particle trap are also provided.

Abstract: A PEM fuel cell with a heating element, a method for operating the PEM fuel cell system, and a PEM fuel cell system includes the heating element having an integrated thermosensor that, substantially, can prevent the temperature of the cell/system from dropping below the freezing point of the electrolyte.

Abstract: A fuel cell system is used for on-board power supply in a motor vehicle that is powered by an internal combustion engine. The blower fan that is used to cool the radiator of the engine also cools the fuel cell module and/or it provides the air feed for operating the fuel cell module.

Abstract: A fuel cell system is operated by a supply of fuel and air. The air provides the oxygen required for the operation of the fuel cells in the form of an oxidant. The invention aims to prevent the fuel cell module from damage that might be caused when the motor vehicle is operated in different environments with possibly high pollution levels. To this end, the air is purified before it is supplied to the fuel cell system by way of an air purification device that is associated with the fuel cell module.

Abstract: The invention relates to a gas sensor (S) that comprises at least one gas-sensitive region (2) that is applied to a substrate (1), said substrate (1) being provided with at least one diffusion-open section.

Abstract: A fuel cell system is used for on-board power supply in a motor vehicle that is powered by an internal combustion engine. The blower fan that is used to cool the radiator of the engine also cools the fuel cell module and/or it provides the air feed for operating the fuel cell module.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack has a heating device for preheating the feed air with a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger, at least in one dimension of the flat area arrangement, has the same size as the fuel cell stack. This makes it possible for heat exchanger and fuel cell stack to be arranged one behind the other in a simple way and advantageously enables them to be accommodated in a common housing.

Abstract: A particle trap, such as in a honeycomb body, for separating particles out of an exhaust gas flow, includes a flow channel. An exhaust gas flow which includes particles flows through the flow channel. Internals, such as projections, humps, protuberances or the like are situated on one side of the flow channel. An opposite region of a channel wall is completely or partially porous. When a flow of exhaust gas which includes particles flows through the particle trap, the particles are diverted toward the porous channel wall, to which they adhere. They can then be removed again by regeneration. The particle trap and an associated process for separating particles out of an exhaust gas flow, are particularly advantageous when used in the exhaust system of an internal-combustion engine, in particular a diesel engine, specifically and advantageously in combination with a soot filter.

Abstract: A smooth operation with different boundary conditions is required in order for fuel cell systems to be practically used in motor vehicles. To this end, the operating temperature of the fuel cell unit is equalized under varying load conditions. This is effected by a latent heat storage that is located upstream from the fuel cell unit in the vehicle, that is, the latent heat storage device extracts energy from or supplies energy to the fuel cell module as needed.

Abstract: A motor vehicle has an electric motor drive and an on-board power supply. Conventional on-board power supply systems can be operated with fuel cell modules. Here, the motor vehicle further comprises an air conditioning system providing cooling air that has an air conditioning compressor supplied by the electric systems of the vehicle. The electric systems can be either the hybrid drive of the motor vehicle or a separate electric motor driven by a fuel cell module already mounted in the vehicle. High-temperature PEM fuel cells are especially suitable for this purpose.

Abstract: Fuel cell units are suitable for continuous energy supply to electrical consumers. Particularly for the application in motor vehicles the above can either be the drive for an electric motor and/or also the supply of other electrical users. Here, a fuel cell module only delivers the electrical energy to a rechargeable battery and not directly to the user. The fuel cell module can thus be permanently held at the optimal operating point thereof. The fuel cell module preferably comprises HT-PEM fuel cells, which in contrast to PEM fuel cells work at a higher temperature, in particular in the range 120 C.° to 200 C.°.

Abstract: A fuel cell unit for a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, has at least one fuel cell module and/or fuel cell stack. The fuel cell module is mechanically decoupled from the vehicle with damping elements and it is mounted between the floor and an underbody of the vehicle. The fuel cell module may advantageously be a flat stack with PEM fuel cells or HT-PEM cells.

Abstract: A fuel cell system has at least one fuel cell module operating according to the HT-PEM principle. The novel installation renders harmless at least the excess hydrogen gas that accumulates on the hydrogen side of the individual fuel cell unit, by connecting an exhaust gas catalytic converter. Environmental pollution by hydrogen is thus prevented. The catalytic converter may also be enabled to purify carbon monoxide and/or hydrocarbons from the exhaust gas.

Abstract: HT-PEM fuel cells that are constantly operated at high temperatures are less sensitive to CO contamination than PEM fuel cells that are operated at normal temperatures. It is nevertheless advantageous to regenerate possible CO contamination caused by the starting of the fuel cell. To achieve this, the HT-PEM fuel cell is operated in pulse mode for a predetermined period during the warm-up phase or at operating temperature. This permits the regeneration of the electrodes of the fuel cells, which have CO deposits. To carry out a regeneration method of a control and/or regulation device in a fuel-cell system having at least one fuel cell module that consists of a stack of HT-PEM fuel cells, with a control and/or regulation device for process management allocated thereto, the system is provided with a pulse device, which activates a pulse-mode operation for the fuel-cell stack, in dependence on at least one of several predeterminable parameters.

Abstract: An HT-PEM fuel cell installation is cascaded and the fuel cells are driven in cascade operation. This enables the outlet emissions to be influenced advantageously and undesirable emissions can be reduced to a minimum.