Patents Assigned to Ballard Power System AG
  • Publication number: 20050287049
    Abstract: A method and a device is provided for NO reduction in motor vehicle exhaust by reduction on a catalyst. The hydrogen required for the NO reduction is produced directly on-board the motor vehicle by water vapor reformation and/or by partial oxidation of hydrocarbons, for example, methanol, diesel fuel, or gasoline on a catalyst. The device includes an adjustable heater for the catalyst for water vapor reformation or for partial oxidation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2005
    Publication date: December 29, 2005
    Applicant: Ballard Power Systems AG
    Inventor: Uwe Benz
  • Publication number: 20050267225
    Abstract: A device having a plurality of chambers for carrying out a solid-catalyzed reaction includes a common evaporation unit for evaporating liquid starting materials. The evaporation unit is in thermally conductive contact with a plurality of chambers. An area of the evaporation unit in which the evaporation substantially takes place is at least partially surrounded by the plurality of chambers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2005
    Publication date: December 1, 2005
    Applicant: BALLARD POWER SYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Andreas Ebert, Oskar Lamla, Martin Schussler, Tomas Stefanovski
  • Patent number: 6969493
    Abstract: A process for generating a high-hydrogen, low-carbon monoxide gas comprises generating a product gas in a gas generating device. The product gas contains hydrogen and carbon monoxide that are generated from catalytic water vapor reforming of a water/fuel mixture and/or from partial oxidation of an oxygen/fuel mixture. In a gas purification stage, the carbon monoxide fraction in the product gas is reduced by selective CO oxidation on an oxidation catalyst. During a starting phase, oxygen is admixed to the supplied fuel and the flow direction is reversed such that the flow first takes place through the gas purification stage and only then through the gas generating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems AG
    Inventors: Martin Schuessler, Barbara Strobel, Detlef zur Megede
  • 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: 6953561
    Abstract: A device for selective oxidation of a substance stream comprises a selectively active catalyst. For improving the cold-starting characteristics, the device also has an oxidation catalyst that possesses high activity at low temperatures. The selectively active catalyst is applied as a coating onto one or more surfaces of interior walls of the device. A layer of oxidation catalyst is provided in at least the inlet region where the substance stream enters the device, between the layer of selectively active catalyst and the interior walls of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems AG
    Inventor: Matthias Wolfsteiner
  • Patent number: 6953100
    Abstract: Regulation of energy supplied to an electric motor from an energy supply system including a fuel cell and an energy storage buffer such as a battery, improves the dynamic response of the motor by adding current from the energy storage buffer to the current from the fuel cell during acceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems AG
    Inventors: Markus Aberle, Joachim Blum, Mathias Boehmisch, Thomas Schetter
  • Patent number: 6949229
    Abstract: A device having a plurality of chambers for carrying out a solid-catalyzed reaction includes a common evaporation unit for evaporating liquid starting materials. The evaporation unit is in thermally conductive contact with a plurality of chambers. An area of the evaporation unit in which the evaporation substantially takes place is at least partially surrounded by the plurality of chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems AG
    Inventors: Andreas Ebert, Oskar Lamla, Martin Schüssler, Tomas Stefanovski
  • Patent number: 6942938
    Abstract: A system is used for cooling a fuel cell arrangement, particularly a fuel cell arrangement with a gas generating system in a motor vehicle. A coolant circuit for the system is connected to a cooler, a coolant delivery device, a fuel cell and at least another component to be cooled. The coolant circuit has at least two valve devices which are each assigned to the fuel cell and the at least another component to be cooled. By means of the valve devices, a flow rate of the coolant through the fuel cell or the another component to be cooled can be influenced as a function of the temperature in the region associated with the fuel cell or the another component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems AG
    Inventors: Monika Derflinger, Isabel Haas, Hans-Frieder Walz
  • Publication number: 20050187101
    Abstract: A device for the catalytic generation of hydrogen from hydrocarbons includes a catalytic converter having feed and distribution channels for starting materials and discharge and collection manifolds for products. The feed and distribution channels and the discharge and collection manifolds are formed from a plurality of identically structured channels. Inlet channels for supplying and distributing starting materials and outlet channels for collecting and discharging products are defined by, in each case, inversely arranged closed and open channel ends. The inlet and outlet channels extend substantially across the entire catalytic converter and are provided in an alternately intermeshing arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2005
    Publication date: August 25, 2005
    Applicant: Ballard Power Systems AG
    Inventors: Joanna Bass, Roland Cwik, Tomas Stefanovski
  • Patent number: 6932949
    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: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems AG
    Inventors: Uwe Benz, Horst Michels, Alois Tischler, Marc Weisser
  • Patent number: 6932948
    Abstract: A device for the catalytic generation of hydrogen from hydrocarbons includes a catalytic converter having feed and distribution channels for starting materials and discharge and collection manifolds for products. The feed and distribution channels and the discharge and collection manifolds are formed from a plurality of identically structured channels. Inlet channels for supplying and distributing starting materials and outlet channels for collecting and discharging products are defined by, in each case, inversely arranged closed and open channel ends. The inlet and outlet channels extend substantially across the entire catalytic converter and are provided in an alternately intermeshing arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems AG
    Inventors: Joanna Bass, Roland Cwik, Tomas Stefanovski
  • Patent number: 6932282
    Abstract: Apparatus for supplying water to a plurality of individually controllable water injectors, has a pump adapted to provide water under pressure to the water injectors. Each water injector has associated therewith a respective controllable solenoid valve to control the amount of water supplied to the water injector, in dependence upon a pulse modulated control signal supplied to the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems AG
    Inventors: Gregory Herd, Michael Schroepel
  • Patent number: 6926987
    Abstract: A fuel cell system and associated method allows for continuous operation of the fuel cell system with fuel recirculation, without the necessity for periodic purging. A portion of the anode exhaust is not recirculated but is continuously bled from the anode exhaust line. Preferably, less than 5% by volume of the anode exhaust is allowed to bleed continuously from the anode exhaust. The bleed line may be connected to a catalytic reactor which combusts the unused fuel. The cathode exhaust may be used as the oxidant for the catalytic reactor. The flow of exhaust to the catalytic reactor may be controlled to ensure that the concentration of hydrogen in the catalytic reactor is no higher than 50% of the lower limit of inflammability for hydrogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems AG
    Inventors: Janusz Blaszczyk, Wolfram Fleck
  • Patent number: 6926978
    Abstract: A fuel cell installation containing a gas generation system, for the production of a hydrogen-containing gas, and a fuel cell system, which comprises a fuel cell, a compressor, an expander that is coupled with the compressor and a burner, the exhaust gases of which are directed to the expander. The gas generation system and the fuel cell system are designed as independent modules with respect to the supply of energy and process streams. Energy storage and energy conversion devices are arranged between the expander and the compressor in the fuel cell system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems AG
    Inventor: Klaus Graage
  • Publication number: 20050126158
    Abstract: In a system and method for the reduction of nitrogen oxides in the exhaust of an internal combustion engine, the exhaust line of the internal combustion engine contains a DeNOx catalytic converter, in which the nitrogen oxides are reduced by means of hydrogen that is produced on-board the vehicle. The DeNOx catalytic converter is incorporated into a temperature-controlled heat exchanger, allowing the DeNOx catalytic converter to be operated within a desired temperature range, thereby improving the level of conversion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2002
    Publication date: June 16, 2005
    Applicant: Ballard Power Systems AG
    Inventors: Uwe Benz, Berthold Keppeler, Andre Martin, Peter Schuerstedt, Detlef zur Megede
  • Patent number: 6887609
    Abstract: A fuel cell system and method of operation in which the fuel cell system has a fuel cell unit with anode and cathode, a media flow path for supplying substantially pure hydrogen to the anode, a media flow path for the cathode, an anode exhaust-gas flow path and a cathode exhaust-gas flow path. A fan for supplying air to the cathode is provided in the flow path of the cathode, and a catalytic burner is arranged in the cathode exhaust-gas flow path. The anode exhaust-gas flow path opens into the catalytic burner and/or into the cathode exhaust-gas flow path upstream of the catalytic burner. The combined, catalytically converted fuel cell exhaust-gas flow is passed into an expansion machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems AG
    Inventor: Lars Kaufmann
  • Patent number: 6884532
    Abstract: A fuel cell system having a fuel cell unit and a means for detecting hydrogen leaks in the fuel cell system. The fuel cell system comprises components which operate at an elevated temperature and are accommodated in a gas generation system box. The gas generation system box is connected to a suction line of a pump, which has a gas sensor arranged therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems AG
    Inventor: Bernd Monzel
  • Patent number: 6885298
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack with single fuel cells stacked together in a fuel cell housing and a detection system for fire or elevated temperatures. The detection system may include a monitoring system; a sensor unit that detects fire or elevated temperatures inside said fuel cell housing; and a voltage or current source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems AG
    Inventors: Ted Everson, Adrian Corless, Edward Mufford
  • Patent number: 6879164
    Abstract: A method and device for insulation monitoring of an electrically insulated DC network by measuring of the insulation resistance using galvanic isolation between a measuring resistor which is connected to ground, and a measuring pulse generator, and a measurement-data acquisition device, which eliminates some of the effect that noise in the DC network would otherwise have on the measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems AG
    Inventors: Gerald Kollenda, Hubert Urban
  • Patent number: 6864688
    Abstract: Insulation monitoring of an electrical network such as a DC network which is electrically insulated with respect to the ground of a device, includes at least two insulation monitoring devices that monitor different network sections, which can be isolated by one or more switches. Non-contacting switches are used to alternatingly connect and isolate respective measuring resistors of the monitoring devices to, and from, ground, as a result of which the insulation monitoring devices can not negatively affect each other's measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems AG
    Inventors: Klaus Beutelschiess, Karl-Heinz Landenberger