Abstract: A method for generating electrical energy by a fuel cell system operated with a reformate gas is provided. According to this method, a fuel cell system is provided. The fuel cell system has a first reactor and a second reactor. A gas separation unit is also provided. A portion of a first fuel gas is fed to the gas separation unit. A target gas including N2 or CO2 is separated by the gas separation unit. The separated target gas is fed into a protective housing of the fuel cell system. An H2-enriched tail gas formed in the gas separation unit is fed as a second fuel gas for operation of the fuel cell.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for inertizing an oxygen-containing first gas present in a protective housing (4) surrounding a fuel cell (1), wherein a prescribed amount of a hydrogen-containing second gas is introduced into the protective housing (4) and at least part of the oxygen present in the first gas is reduced by cold combustion.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of generating electrical energy by means of a fuel cell system operated with reformate gas, having the following steps: providing a fuel cell system having a first reactor (R1) for conversion of a fuel (B) to a first fuel gas (BG1) and a second reactor (R2) connected downstream of the first reactor (R1), comprising a fuel cell surrounded by a protective housing (5) for generation of electrical energy with formation of a cathode offgas (KA) and an anode offgas (AA), providing a gas separation unit (1) with which at least one of the gases CO2, N2 and/or a partial gas mixture comprising CO2 and N2 is separable from the first fuel gas (BG1) or a further gas mixture formed therefrom, feeding at least a portion of the first fuel gas (BG1) or of the further gas mixture formed therefrom to the gas separation unit (1), separating the gases N2 or CO2 or the partial gas mixture from the first fuel gas (BG1) or the further gas mixture, feeding the gases N2 or CO2 separated or the partial

Abstract: The invention relates in particular to an energy unit (1) for producing an operating material on board a vehicle, comprising a fuel cell unit (2) with at least one fuel cell (3) and a mobile storage unit (5), which is formed separately from the fuel cell unit (2), with a store (6) for storing at least one energy source necessary for operation of the fuel cell unit (2). The mobile storage unit (5) and the fuel cell unit (2) can be coupled with one another, wherein, in the state coupled to one another, at least one first terminal (7) of the mobile storage unit (5) is connected to a corresponding second terminal (8) of the fuel cell unit (2) in such a way that at least the at least one energy source can be supplied from the store (6) to the fuel cell (3).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for inertizing an oxygen-containing first gas present in a protective housing (4) surrounding a fuel cell (1), wherein a prescribed amount of a hydrogen-containing second gas is introduced into the protective housing (4) and at least part of the oxygen present in the first gas is reduced by cold combustion.

Abstract: The invention relates in particular to an energy unit (1) for producing an operating material on board a vehicle, comprising a fuel cell unit (2) with at least one fuel cell (3) and a mobile storage unit (5), which is formed separately from the fuel cell unit (2), with a store (6) for storing at least one energy source necessary for operation of the fuel cell unit (2). The mobile storage unit (5) and the fuel cell unit (2) can be coupled with one another, wherein, in the state coupled to one another, at least one first terminal (7) of the mobile storage unit (5) is connected to a corresponding second terminal (8) of the fuel cell unit (2) in such a way that at least the at least one energy source can be supplied from the store (6) to the fuel cell (3).

Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement for heating a portion of the cabin floor in an aircraft cabin, wherein the cabin floor has an upper side which can be walked on and a lower side opposite the upper side, comprising a fuel cell and, connected or connectable thereto, a removal device with which a fluid heated by waste heat of the fuel cell is removed from the fuel cell and supplied to a cavity which is adjacent to the lower side of the cabin floor or is located in the cabin floor, and therefore the portion of the cabin floor is heated.

Abstract: The present invention relates, in particular, to a process for generating energy, which comprises the following steps: provision or production of a propylene glycol/water mixture having a propylene glycol content of from 30% by volume to 94% by volume; production of hydrogen from the propylene glycol/water mixture, in particular by means of reforming; and conversion of the hydrogen into energy, in particular electric and/or heat energy, in particular by means of a converter by oxidation of the hydrogen, in particular in an electrochemical element, in particular a fuel cell.

Abstract: In order to relieve the power supply system of commercial aircraft of one absolutely essential load, specifically a galley with heating and cooling appliances, the appliances are provided with at least one autonomous power supply device which can be handled without any problems and is installed in a galley trolley (1) of standardized dimensions, preferably with a fuel cell (2) together with its fuel tanks (3, 4) and voltage converters (5) in order to be replaced at the same time by catering lifting loaders in the course of galley supply and disposal. Instead of or in addition thereto, an autonomous, mobile power supply unit such as this can also be installed in one of the standardized baggage or cargo containers for accommodation in the cargo bay of the aircraft, and then in particular also to feed electrical heating and cooling appliances in other containers.

Abstract: A pressure equalizing system (16) having two variable volume elements which interact with one another via a separating medium which can be deformed or can be moved as a function of the pressure difference, with a constant total volume, is positioned upstream of a fuel cell (11) in order to feed the fuel cell (11) with its raw-material gases (H, O). A pressure equalizing container (19) can be provided for this purpose, which is subdivided into two chambers (17H, 17O) by a separating wall (18) which can be deformed or can be moved as a function of the pressure difference; alternatively, two chambers (17H, 17O) are connected to one another by an equalizing channel (21) with a solid or liquid separating medium which can be moved therein as a function of the pressure difference.

Abstract: A fail-safe electrical power supply system (11), in particular in an aircraft, does not require any hardware, control-engineering or wiring complexity for an emergency power supply, which need be started up only when required, if, on the output side, the normal supply has parallel-connected supply modules (13) such as rechargeable batteries or, in particular, fuel cells, which are each loaded as far as possible at the optimum operating point or efficiency, but in any case below their maximum load capacity. If there are a sufficient number of modules (13), on the basis of this power difference, the spare power and energy which are kept available are sufficient to continuously satisfy the power demand of the connected loads, provided that only at least one module (13) remains serviceable. A module (13) which has not failed is then admittedly operated at lower efficiency but still in the permissible low range, ensuring that the operating supply to the loads is maintained without interruption.

Abstract: Where the underground electrical power supply in an airport apron area is not sufficiently powerful for temporarily parked aircraft, or even does not exist at all, a conventional diesel-powered electrodynamic generator is, inventively replaced by a mobile generator (1) having an electrochemical cell (3) as the source of the electrical power for a temporary external feed into the on-board power supply system. The cell (3) may be a rechargeable lithium battery; however, it is preferably a fuel cell (3) with all the additional devices for its autonomous operation is located in a self-propelled or towed trolley (2).

Abstract: In order to relieve the power supply system of commercial aircraft of one absolutely essential load, specifically a galley with heating and cooling appliances, the appliances are provided with at least one autonomous power supply device which can be handled without any problems and is installed in a galley trolley (1) of standardized dimensions, preferably with a fuel cell (2) together with its fuel tanks (3, 4) and voltage converters (5) in order to be replaced at the same time by catering lifting loaders in the course of galley supply and disposal. Instead of or in addition thereto, an autonomous, mobile power supply unit such as this can also be installed in one of the standardized baggage or cargo containers for accommodation in the cargo bay of the aircraft, and then in particular also to feed electrical heating and cooling appliances in other containers.

Abstract: For operation on board a commercial aircraft (11) or motor vehicle, a fuel cell (12) together with its educt fittings (13H, 13O) is operated in the air cushion (14) of a pressure-tight enclosing housing (15) in order to prevent hydrogen (H) possibly still issuing from leaks (16) against that increased pressure to form at the environmentally-explosive oxyhydrogen gas, but to be able also to feed it, heated to promote reaction by the waste heat of the cell (12) itself, to the cell (12), together with operating air (17) taken from the air cushion (14).

Abstract: A pressure equalizing system (16) having two variable volume elements which interact with one another via a separating medium which can be deformed or can be moved as a function of the pressure difference, with a constant total volume, is positioned upstream of a fuel cell (11) in order to feed the fuel cell (11) with its raw-material gases (H, O). A pressure equalizing container (19) can be provided for this purpose, which is subdivided into two chambers (17H, 17O) by a separating wall (18) which can be deformed or can be moved as a function of the pressure difference; alternatively, two chambers (17H, 17O) are connected to one another by an equalizing channel (21) with a solid or liquid separating medium which can be moved therein as a function of the pressure difference.