Abstract: An apparatus for accommodating at least one component of a SOFC fuel cell system includes a thermally insulating inner box and an outer box that surrounds the inner box. The inner box includes a base, a cover, and side panels. The outer box bears against the base, the cover, and the side panels of the inner box and presses them together, and wherein the at least one component can be arranged in the interior of the inner box. The base, the cover, and the side panels are at least partly over-dimensioned so that the inner box can be assembled with a press-fit.

Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel cell stack comprising a base plate supporting fuel cells and a cap of an electrically insulating material, particularly of ceramics, for electrically insulating the fuel cells stacked on top of each other partially enveloping the fuel cells stacked on top of each other. According to the invention it is contemplated that a metal cap provided for guiding cathode gas envelops the cap including the fuel cells together with the base plate and that the metal cap is attached to the base plate in a sealed manner. The invention further relates to a method for producing a fuel cell stack.

Abstract: The Intention relates to a fuel cell system comprising a reformer with a burner unit for reacting fuel with oxidant in an exothermic oxidation reaction to form a product gas which downstream of the burner unit is mixable with additional fuel, the resulting gas mixture being reformable in the reformer into a reformate; a fuel cell stack for receiving a supply of the reformate; and an afterburner for receiving a supply of the substances reacted in the fuel cell stack, with a burner unit for reacting fuel with oxidant in an exothermic oxidation reaction. In accordance with the invention it is provided for the burner unit of the reformer is engineered identical to the burner unit of the afterburner. In addition, the invention relates to a motor vehicle comprising one such fuel cell system.

Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel cell system comprising an insulation means for thermally insulating a first portion from a second portion, the first portion during operation of the fuel cell system generally being at a higher temperature level than the second portion and the insulation means comprising at least one leadthrough portion interfacing the first portion and second portion through which at least one component of the fuel cell system is led during operation of the fuel cell system in thus coming into thermal contact with the first portion and the second portion. In accordance with the invention it is provided for that at least part of the component is made of a material featuring a lower thermal conductivity than that of adjacent parts resulting in an insulation part and that the insulation part is sited at least partly within the leadthrough portion.

Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel cells system (10) which comprises at least one heat-generating component (12 to 32) and at least one component (12, 14, 16) that uses process air. The invention is characterized in that ambient air (34) can be supplied to the heat-generating component, said air being heatable by the heat-generating component (12 to 32), and the air heated in said manner being supplied to the component (12, 14, 16) that uses process air. The invention also relates to a method for influencing the thermal balance of the fuel cell system according to the invention.

Abstract: The invention relates to a reformer for reacting fuel and oxidant into reformate, comprising a reforming zone (12) which can receive a supply of fuel, and from an upstream oxidation zone, a mixture of oxidant and at least partially oxidized fuel for catalytic reaction into the reformate. To boost the reforming efficiency it is proposed that the reforming zone (12) now comprises a first (32) and second (48) catalytic reaction zone in the streaming direction of the gas flow, each arranged separately from the other and interposed by a non-catalytic active homogenization zone (44) for homogenizing gas components emerging from the first reaction zone (32). The configuration in accordance with the invention now achieves that after first partial reforming the gas is homogenized to achieve a more efficient second partial reforming.

Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel cell stack comprising a base plate supporting fuel cells and a cap of an electrically insulating material, particularly of ceramics, for electrically insulating the fuel cells stacked on top of each other partially enveloping the fuel cells stacked on top of each other. According to the invention it is contemplated that a metal cap provided for guiding cathode gas envelops the cap including the fuel cells together with the base plate and that the metal cap is attached to the base plate in a sealed manner. The invention further relates to a method for producing a fuel cell stack.

Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel cell system (10) which comprises a reformer (12) having an oxidation zone (48) to which stored fuel can be supplied by means of a fuel supply device (50) for reaction with an oxidant; and an afterburner (36) having an oxidation zone (60) to which stored fuel can be supplied by means of a fuel supply device (62) for reaction with an oxidant. The invention is characterized in that the fuel supply device (50) of the reformer (12) and the fuel supply device (62) of the afterburner (36) are adapted to supply fuel in such a manner that the fuel supplied by the fuel supply device (50) of the reformer differs from the fuel supplied by the fuel supply device (62) of the afterburner (36) with respect to the type of fuel and/or its state of aggregation and/or the temperature at which it is supplied. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising said fuel cell system and to a method for operating said fuel cell system.

Abstract: The invention relates to a reformer (12) for a fuel cell system (10). Said reformer comprises an oxidation zone (48) to which stored fuel can be supplied by means of a primary fuel supply device (50; 62) for reaction with an oxidant; and a mixing zone (54), arranged downstream of the oxidation zone (48), to which stored fuel can be supplied by means of a secondary fuel supply device (56; 64) for mixing with substances originating from the oxidation zone (48). The invention is characterized in that the primary fuel supply device (50; 62) and the secondary fuel supply device (56; 64) are adapted to supply fuel in such a manner that the fuel supplied by the primary fuel supply device (50; 62) differs from the fuel supplied by the secondary fuel supply device (56; 64) with respect to the type of fuel and/or its state of aggregation and/or the pressure and/or the temperature at which it is supplied.

Abstract: The invention relates to a reformer for reacting fuel and oxidant to a gaseous reformate, comprising an oxidation zone, an evaporation zone and a zone for catalytic H2 generation, the oxidation zone being capable of receiving a supply of a gaseous mixture of fuel and oxidant for oxidation in generating an oxidant-containing exhaust gas, the evaporation zone being capable of receiving a supply of fuel and an evaporator gas for generating an evaporator gas mixture containing fuel, and the zone for catalytic H2 generation being capable of receiving a supply of an ignitable reforming gas mixture containing evaporated fuel and an oxidant-containing exhaust gas to generate the gaseous reformate.

Abstract: A burner device having a burner chamber (26) filled at least partially by a porous body (28), an evaporation zone (12) upstream of the burner chamber (26) for evaporating liquid fuel supplied via a fuel inlet line (16), an igniter (30) for igniting a combustion mixture of evaporated liquid fuel and combustion air supplied via a combustion air inlet line (18) to the evaporation zone (12) as well as an exhaust discharge (38) downstream of the combustion chamber (26). A mixing zone (20) is disposed between the evaporation zone (14) and the combustion chamber (26) in which fuel gas is introduced via a fuel gas inlet line (22, 24) and is mixed with the combustion air and/or the combustion mixture. The burner device can be used as an afterburner in a fuel cell stack.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for adjusting the temperature profile of a catalyst in a reformer. In accordance with the invention it is provided for that the fuel feed rates in various media feed zones are tweaked so that a wanted temperature profile results in the reforming zone of the reformer whilst maintaining the air ratio as applicable to the overall reforming process.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for regenerating a reformer fed with a mixture of fuel and an oxidant having a mean air number ?1 in continuous reformer operation, the air number being varied for the purpose of regenerating the reformer. In accordance with the invention it is provided for that regeneration occurs in a shutoff phase of the reformer in that the reformer is operated during several successive time intervals with an air number ?2 higher than in reformer operation (?2>?1). Again in accordance with the invention it may be provided for that regeneration occurs in a starting phase of the reformer in that the reformer is continually operated with an air number increased as compared to reformer operation ?2>?1 until a critical temperature threshold is attained. The invention relates furthermore to a system including a reformer and a controller for implementing a method in accordance with the invention.

Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel cell system comprising a reformer for generating a reformate from a fuel and an oxidising agent, a fuel cell for converting the reformate into a depleted reformate and electric energy, and a recirculation conduit for partly returning the depleted reformate to the reformer. In this connection the invention is advantageously characterised in that a delivery device is provided by means of which the fuel as well as the depleted reformate from the recirculation conduit are supplyable to the reformer. The invention further relates to a method for operating such a fuel cell system.

Abstract: The invention relates to a reformer for converting fuel and oxidising agent into a reformate, the reformer comprising an oxidising zone to which a mixture of fuel and oxidising agent is supplyable via a first fuel supply and a first oxidising agent supply and an injection and mixture formation zone disposed downstream of the oxidising zone to which further fuel is supplyable via a second fuel supply, a second oxidising agent supply being provided via which further oxidising agent is supplyable to the injection and mixture formation zone. According to the invention it is contemplated that the second oxidising agent supply is, relative to the second fuel supply, arranged so that it generates a barrier oxidising agent cushion in the area in front of the second fuel supply to prevent a heat transfer from the mixture from the oxidising zone to the second fuel supply. The invention further relates to a method for operating such a reformer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a media supply plate for a fuel cell stack comprising at least one anode gas terminal and at least one cathode gas terminal. According to the invention the media supply plate further comprises at least one anode waste gas terminal and at least one cathode waste gas terminal. The invention further relates to a fuel cell system using such a media supply plate as well as a method for producing such a fuel cell system.

Abstract: The invention relates to a housing for accommodating at least one fuel cell stack comprising a housing part formed so that it is capable of at least partly accommodating the fuel cell stack. According to the invention it is envisaged that clamping means are provided by which the fuel cell stack is restrainable via at least one orifice of the housing portion. The invention further relates to a system comprising such a housing and at least one fuel cell stack accommodated therein.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device comprising a thermally insulating receptacle and, arranged in the receptacle, at least one high-temperature fuel cell system component enclosed by at least one insulating layer of a first material, a clamping means acting on the insulating layer. In accordance with the invention it is provided for that the clamping means comprises, supported by a receptacle housing and acting on the insulating layer, one or more plate-shaped elements made of a second material which is elastically deformable at a contact pressure, at which the first material is not deformable.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for diagnosing a condition of a reformer (16) in a fuel cell system. In accordance with the invention it is provided for that diagnosing the condition of the reformer (16) is performed on the basis of one or more predefined characteristics correlating with an conversion degree.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of starting up a fuel cell system comprising a reformer (10) and a fuel cell stack (12), the reformer receiving during a first start-up phase a supply of oxygen and fuel with a first air ratio ?i characterizing the fuel/air ratio, the reformer receiving during a second start-up phase a supply of oxygen and fuel with a second air ratio ?2 characterizing the fuel/air ratio, the first fuel/air ratio ?1 being larger than the second air ratio ?2 (?1>?2) and the fuel cell stack receiving a supply of reformate (18) generated in the reformer during the first and the second start-up phase. In accordance with the invention it is provided for that the transition from the first start-up phase to the second start-up phase is monitored by sensing a voltage furnished by the fuel cell stack (12). The invention relates furthermore to a fuel cell system.