Patents Assigned to Ballard Power System AG
  • Publication number: 20050242157
    Abstract: A reactor structure has a heat transfer layer stacking construction with a stack of heat-conductive plate elements which, alternating in the stacking direction, bound one catalyst-filled reactor layer and one tempering layer respectively, adjacent plate elements being connected in a fluid-tight manner on at least two closed side areas. The plate elements on the closed side areas are bent in a U-shape and are arranged with U-side flanks which rest against one another in the stack such that the reactor layers have a larger height than the tempering layers. In addition or as an alternative, heat-conductive corrugated ribs are inserted at least in the reactor layers which are higher than the tempering layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2005
    Publication date: November 3, 2005
    Applicant: BALLARD POWER SYSTEM AG
    Inventors: Uwe Benz, Horst Michels, Alois Tischler, Marc Weisser
  • Patent number: 6777909
    Abstract: In a device for generating electrical power with the fuel cell in a vehicle, a temporary power storage supplies power for a battery start, is charged when the fuel cell is operating, outputs power to connected loads of the fuel cell power system when there is an increased power demand, and absorbs power during braking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: Ballard Power System AG
    Inventors: Markus Aberle, Josef Sonntag
  • Patent number: 6588211
    Abstract: A motor vehicle has a drive combustion engine and a power supply system for supplying electric consuming devices on-board the motor vehicle. The power supply system includes a fuel cell system and a battery coupled to the fuel cell system. The energy and/or material currents of the drive combustion engine and the fuel cell system are coupled together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Ballard Power System AG
    Inventors: Peter Friebe, Uwe Griesmeier, Berthold Keppeler, Jürgen Ludwig
  • Patent number: 6588522
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a traction unit for delivering mechanical power from a combustion engine to a vehicle drive shaft and driving wheels, electric loads and a vehicle cooling loop for cooling vehicle components and/or said combustion engine. A fuel cell system, which supplies the electric loads with electric power, includes a fuel cell stack, an anode fuel input, a anode exhaust, a cathode fuel input, a cathode exhaust, and a fuel cell cooling loop for cooling the fuel cell stack via an input line which delivers a cooling medium into the fuel cell stack and an output line which removes the heated cooling medium from the fuel cell stack. A compression/expansion unit is provided between the output line of the fuel cell stack and the vehicle cooling loop. The expansion side of the compression/expansion unit in thermal contact with the heated cooling medium, which is at a first temperature level, so that heat is transferred from the heated cooling medium to the expansion side of the compression/expansion unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Ballard Power System AG
    Inventors: Rob Baumert, Craig Greenhill