Abstract: Rapid response to a fuel cell system of the type including a reformer (32) in response to a change in load is achieved in a system that includes a fuel tank (24), a water tank (20) and a source (42) of a fluid at an elevated temperature. A heat exchanger (28) is provided for vaporizing fuel and water and delivering the resulting vapor to the system reformer (32) and includes an inlet (64) and an outlet (66) for the fluid. It includes a plurality of fluid flow paths (100), (102), (104) extending between the inlet (64) and outlet (66) as well as a fuel inlet (56) and a fuel outlet (58) spaced therefrom. The fuel inlet (56) and outlet (58) are connected by a plurality of fuel flow paths (52) that are in heat exchange relation with the fluid flow paths (100), (102), (104) and the fuel water inlet (56) is located adjacent the upstream ends of the fluid flow paths (100), (102), (104).

Abstract: A chemical reactor for a fuel cell system includes a reaction chamber containing at least two reaction partial chambers arranged parallel to one another. The effective reaction chamber cross section on the input side is adjustable by opening or closing the reaction partial chambers. A first reaction partial chamber type is open when the system is started is warmed up more rapidly under comparable operating conditions than the second reaction partial chamber.

Abstract: A method for periodically reactivating copper-containing catalyst material includes applying an oxygen-containing gas stream to the catalyst material for reactivation purposes. When the reactor is in the warm operating state, the application of the oxygen-containing gas stream to the catalyst material is interrupted when the monitored temperature of the catalyst material exceeds a maximum level which is a predeterminable tolerance level above a predetermined operating temperature. In cold-start phases, initially a mixture of a fuel and an oxygen-containing gas stream is fed to the catalyst material, until the monitored temperature of the catalyst material exceeds a predeterminable switch-over level, after which only the oxygen-containing gas stream is supplied. To keep the reactor warm after operation has ended, the reactivation can be activated each time the temperature falls below a further threshold level.

Abstract: A system for the water vapor reforming of a hydrocarbon includes a modular reactor unit of the plate stack and/or tube bundle type that, in an integrated manner, contains an evaporator, a prereforming unit, a main reformer, a CO removal unit and a catalytic burner unit. The evaporator and the main reformer are in a thermal contact with the catalytic burner unit and, the prereforming unit is in a thermal contact with the CO removal unit.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes at least one fuel cell unit which is accommodated in a fuel cell enclosure. A cathode gas delivery line, cold-start gas delivery line, a cathode off-gas return line, anode off-gas return line may also be provided. According to the invention, the system is equipped with at least one Coanda flow amplifier in order to amplify the air stream for the purpose of ventilating the fuel cell enclosure, a cathode gas stream, a cold-start gas stream, a recirculated cathode off-gas stream or a recirculated anode off-gas stream. The may be equipped with a ventilating means for a housing outside the fuel cell enclosure. In the housing are components of the fuel cell system, said ventilating means including a Coanda flow amplifier.

Abstract: A lamina stack for a two-pass evaporator composed of laminae for converting two media mass streams from a liquid state into a gaseous state, comprises at least two laminae. Structures comprising recesses and raised regions on a first media lamina form a first media chamber perfused by one of the media mass streams. The structures on a second media lamina form a second media chamber perfused by the other one of the media mass streams. The at least two of the laminae can be supplied with thermal energy. Both media laminae have comparable structures, with at least a majority of the recesses in the one of the media laminae being disposed above or below the raised regions of the respective other media lamina.

Abstract: A process for operating a methanol reforming system in which, in the reforming reaction operation, methanol is reformed in a methanol reforming reactor using a methanol reforming catalyst. The reforming reaction operation is interrupted periodically for catalyst reactivation phases during which the methanol reforming catalyst whose catalytic activity decreases in the reforming reaction operation is treated in an activity-regenerating manner. The process may be used in fuel-cell-driven motor vehicles for generating hydrogen for the fuel cells from methanol carried along in the liquid state.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a catalyst body for generating hydrogen having at least one thin, large-surface catalyst layer, through which the reaction mixture can be passed includes steps of pressing a copper powder (particularly dendritic copper) to form a thin and highly compressed layer which forms a formed body, sintering, the formed body in a reducing atmosphere so that a net-type carrier structure made of copper is formed, and activating a surface layer of the formed body.

Abstract: A reformation reactor, especially suitable for the reformation of methanol, includes a reaction zone in which a reformation catalyst is located and to which a gas mixture to be reformed can be supplied. The reactor includes an evaporator body that adjoins the reaction zone in a flush manner. The evaporator body has a porous, heat-conducting structure for providing the gas mixture to be reformed by mixing and evaporating the gas mixture components supplied to it and for two-dimensionally distributed supply of the gas mixture thus prepared and into the reaction zone. A starting phase can be provided for the operation of the reactor, in which the evaporator body is wetted by a fuel liquid film and, following the addition of oxygen, a flammable mixture results in the reaction zone that is catalytically oxidized. The evaporator body can be heated to operating temperature by the resultant combustion heat, after which a switch can be made to continuous operation of the reformation reactor.

Abstract: A reactor unit in a system for the production of hydrogen-rich gas from a liquid raw fuel includes (1) a reaction chamber for a reaction medium and which contains a catalyst material; and (2) two tempering chambers separated from one another. The two tempering chambers are associated with different areas of the reaction chamber, so that within the reaction chamber two reaction zones are formed, which can be held at different temperature levels.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus produce current values dependent on the position of the accelerator pedal controlling the power of one or more electric drives for moving a mobile device that is energised by a fuel cell. The time required by the drive or drives to respond to a change in the desired current value produced as a function of the position of the accelerator pedal is kept as small as possible by producing a current value—convertible into a desired torque value—which is held continuously at a value sufficient to ensure that the output voltage of the fuel cell just avoids undershooting a critical limit.

Abstract: A fuel cell vehicle comprises an electric drive system and a fuel cell system for providing electric energy for the drive system. According to the invention, the electric drive system is set up for regenerating braking energy, and devices are provided for the direct utilization of the regenerated braking energy in at least one energy-consuming component of the fuel cell system. This direct braking energy utilization in the fuel cell system increases the degree of energy utilization without the requirement of a separate intermediate energy storage device for the intermediate storing of regenerated braking energy.

Abstract: Plate heat exchanger has heat transfer plates which exhibit a patterning and are stacked one above the other. Primary sided flow channels for a first heat exchanger medium to be evaporated, and secondary sided channels for a second heat exchanger heat carrier medium are formed between the plates. The primary sided and/or the secondary sided flow channels are formed between two adjacent heat transfer plates, whose patterning meshes at least partially, while maintaining a minimum spacing.

Abstract: A method for operating a system for the steam reforming of a hydrocarbon or hydrocarbon derivative starting substance includes, during the cold-starting of the system, at least part of a reforming reactor is used as a multi-function reactor unit. A fuel and an oxygen-containing gas is delivered to the reforming reactor as a catalytic burner unit in a first operating phase. In a subsequent second operating phase, the reforming reactor is a partial oxidation unit for the starting substance. Water may be added shortly before the second operating phase commences. Alternatively, or in addition thereto, the fuel flow rate may be increased with a rising temperature in the first operating phase or a substoichiometric oxygen flow rate may be set as early as in the first operating phase.

Abstract: A device for utilizing heat generated by a catalytic reaction has a first area for heating (vaporizing) at least one starting material which is to be reacted, particularly a reaction mixture. A second area is provided for at least partially carrying out the catalytic reaction or for further reaction of reaction products formed during the catalytic reaction and/or for at least partial cooling of reaction products formed during the catalytic reaction. The first area and the second area are in thermally conductive communication.

Abstract: A process for pretreating a catalyst material for catalysing a chemical reaction in a reactor, in particular for a reforming catalyst material for catalysing a methanol reforming reaction to obtain hydrogen, includes (1) subjecting the catalyst material to a hydrogen-containing gas mixture in a forming step, and (2) subsequently subjecting the catalyst material to an oxygen-containing gas mixture in a deactivating step.

Abstract: A membrane module for selective gas separation includes one or more separation units stacked one on the other, and at least one of interposed frame plates or stack-end frame plates. Each separation unit includes a support plate with a separation gas receiving structure and at least one corresponding gas separating membrane. The frame plates having a gas mixture flow chamber structure. Each separating unit and the frame plates contain (1) gas-mixture connecting channel structures in a first and a second side area formed by overlapping openings in the plates and extending in a stacking direction, which are in fluid connection with the gas mixture flow chamber structures; and (2) separation gas connection channel structures in a third and fourth side area, which are in fluid connection with the separation gas receiving structure or structures.

Abstract: A system for generating hydrogen-rich gas has a reformer for catalytic water vapor reforming of a water vapor/fuel mixture by an input supply of thermal energy, and a CO oxidation stage for removing carbon monoxide from the hydrogen-rich gas while emitting heat, with the reformer and the CO oxidation stage being thermally coupled. An oxygen quantity fed to the CO oxidation stage is adjusted as a function of the gas temperature in or at the output of the reformer/oxidation stage. This can take place by an automatic (feedback) control, a combination of open loop control and automatic control or by an adaptive characteristic diagram.

Abstract: An energy supply unit on board on aircraft comprises a fuel cell (1) as an energy converter for generating electrical energy to power various aircraft electrical systems.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for operating a system for the water vapor reforming of a hydrocarbon. The system includes a reactor which is suitable for POX operation as well as for a reforming operation, an evaporator, a hydrogen separating stage, and a catalytic burner device. A first part of the catalytic burner device is in thermal contact with the reforming reactor, and a second part of the burner device is in thermal contact with the evaporator. An air/hydrocarbon intermediate feeding pipe for the reactor and a pressure maintaining valve are provided for changing the reactor between the POX operation and the reforming operation. According to the process, during cold start of the system, a heating operation is carried out during which the reactor is first used in the POX operation at a lower pressure and subsequently is used for the reforming operation and simultaneously the pressure is increased to the normal operating pressure.