Abstract: A system for supplying an evaporated and/or superheated hydrocarbon or hydrocarbon/water mixture to at least two components of a gas generation system of a fuel cell system, in particular to at least two stages of a multi-stage reforming process. In one embodiment, the system contains at least two heat exchangers, each of which contains a media-side area and an area that serves to input thermal energy. Furthermore, each of the heat exchangers is connected to least one of the components of the gas generation system and the two heat exchangers are connected to each other. In an alternate embodiment, the system contains one heat exchanger, the media-side area of which is connected to a valve device, which distributes the evaporated and/or superheated mixture to at least two conduits, each of which leads to one of the two components of the gas generation system.

Abstract: A gas generation system for providing a gas flow to be supplied to a reformer includes an evaporator for evaporating the components contained in a gas flow, wherein the gas flow includes at least one carbon compound, such as hydrocarbon or alcohol, and water vapor. A normalizing stage is connected between the evaporator and the reformer for equalizing the temperature distribution in the gas flow to be supplied to the reformer. The temperature of the gas flow should be equalized to a temperature range below the maximum allowable reformer inlet temperature. In this way, temperature maxima caused by a load change are equalized, thereby significantly increasing the service life of the reformer catalyst.

Abstract: A device feeds educts to parallel spaces separated from one another by way of a distributor unit. Outlets of the distributor unit are assigned to the spaces, and evaporator structures for the evaporation of liquid media are provided in the spaces. Each outlet of the distributor unit project into a space. The boiling point of the medium in the distributor unit is maintained above the temperature of the medium in the distributor unit.

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 vaporizer, a fuel cell system including the vaporizer, and a method of vaporizing fuel in a fuel cell system are disclosed. The fuel cell system includes a fuel reservoir (24) for storing a liquid fuel and a fuel cell (10) for consuming a fuel and generating electricity therefrom. A fuel vaporizer (28) is interposed between the fuel reservoir (24) and the fuel cell (10) for receiving liquid fuel and vaporizing it and delivering it ultimately to the fuel cell (10). The fuel vaporizer (28) includes a heat exchanger which includes a hot fluid inlet (65), a hot fluid outlet (67) and a core (50) interconnecting the inlet (65) and the outlet (68). The core (50) has alternating fuel flow structures (68) and hot fluid structures (69) with the fuel flow structures (68,69) having an inlet (56) and an outlet (58).

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 combined component for afterburning anode exhaust gases from a fuel cell system and for vaporizing educts to be fed to the fuel cell system has an exhaust gas catalyzer for afterburning the anode exhaust gases, with a substantially cylindrical casing having an inlet and an outlet connection disposed coaxially to the long axis of the casing, one on a casing cover and the other on a casing bottom. A first gas-permeable inner tube is disposed coaxially to the long axis of the casing and fixedly joined at the gas inlet end to the casing cover, while a second gas-permeable outer tube which is also disposed coaxially with the long axis of the casing and has a radius rA greater than the radius rI of the inner tube but smaller than the radius rG of the casing. The latter is connected gas-tight to the casing cover at the inlet end. A bulk catalyst is disposed in the area between the inner and the outer tube for the catalytic oxidation of the anode exhaust gas.

Abstract: A device is used to evaporate and/or superheat a hydrocarbon or a hydrocarbon/water mixture for a gas generation system of a fuel cell installation. The hydrocarbon or the hydrocarbon/water mixture flows through a medium-side region of a heat exchanger, which is in thermally conductive communication with a heat-transfer-side region of the heat exchanger. A burner is arranged upstream of the heat-transfer-side region of the heat exchanger, as seen in the direction of flow. An exhaust gas from a combustion which takes place in the burner flows through the heat-transfer-side region of the heat exchanger.

Abstract: A vaporizer, a fuel cell system including the vaporizer, and a method of vaporizing fuel in a fuel cell system are disclosed. The fuel cell system includes a fuel reservoir (24) for storing a liquid fuel and a fuel cell (10) for consuming a fuel and generating electricity therefrom. A fuel vaporizer (28) is interposed between the fuel reservoir (24) and the fuel cell (10) for receiving liquid fuel and vaporizing it and delivering it ultimately to the fuel cell (10). The fuel vaporizer (28) includes a heat exchanger which includes a hot fluid inlet (65), a hot fluid outlet (67) and a core (50) interconnecting the inlet (65) and the outlet (68). The core (50) has alternating fuel flow structures (68) and hot fluid structures (69) with the fuel flow structures (68,69) having an inlet (56) and an outlet (58).

Abstract: The invention relates to a system for supplying at least two components of a gas producing system of a fuel cell installation, especially the stages of a multi-stage reformation process, with an evaporated and/or superheated hydrocarbon or a hydrocarbon/water mixture. The inventive system comprises at least two heat exchangers that have one zone for the media and one zone for the supply of thermal energy each. The heat exchangers are associated with one of the components each, the zone used for the supply of thermal energy to the at least two heat exchangers being connected in tandem. Alternatively, the inventive system comprises a heat exchanger and downstream of the media zone thereof a valve device which supplies the evaporated and/or superheated volume flow to at least one respective section of pipes that leads to one of the at least two components, respectively.

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 heat exchanger has a plurality of fluidically parallel first layers which define first heat exchanger ducts through which a first medium is capable of flowing, and in each case has a second layer between the two first layers. The respective second layer is in thermal contact with the two adjacent first layers and defines at least one second heat exchanger duct through which a second medium is capable of flowing in parallel. The respective second layer comprises two fluidically parallel layer plies. A controllable supply of the second medium to the one and/or the other layer ply in each case is provided. Such a heat exchanger can be used, in particular, as an evaporator with an integrated starting and main evaporator part, and particularly as an evaporator in a reforming plant of a fuel-cell vehicle.

Abstract: A gas generation system for providing a gas flow to be supplied to a reformer includes an evaporator for evaporating the components contained in a gas flow, wherein the gas flow includes at least one carbon compound, such as hydrocarbon or alcohol, and water vapor. A normalizing stage is connected between the evaporator and the reformer for equalizing the temperature distribution in the gas flow to be supplied to the reformer. The temperature of the gas flow should be equalized to a temperature range below the maximum allowable reformer inlet temperature. In this way, temperature maxima caused by a load change are equalized, thereby significantly increasing the service life of the reformer catalyst.

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 device feeds educts to parallel spaces separated from one another by way of a distributor unit. Outlets of the distributor unit are assigned to the spaces, and evaporator structures for the evaporation of liquid media are provided in the spaces. Each outlet of the distributor unit project into a space. The boiling point of the medium in the distributor unit is maintained above the temperature of the medium in the distributor unit.

Abstract: A fuel cell system (and a method for operating it) includes at least one fuel cell with an anode space and a cathode space, a first medium supply line for supplying a first medium to the anode space, a first medium outlet line for removing an outgoing anode stream from the anode space, a second medium supply line for supplying a second medium to the cathode space, a second medium outlet line for removing an outgoing cathode stream from the cathode space, and a heater device which is arranged downstream of the at least one fuel cell and is acted on by outgoing fuel cell stream. A starting material is evaporated in an evaporator.

Abstract: A heat exchanger has a plurality of fluidically parallel first layers which define first heat exchanger ducts through which a first medium is capable of flowing, and in each case has a second layer between the two first layers. The respective second layer is in thermal contact with the two adjacent first layers and defines at least one second heat exchanger duct through which a second medium is capable of flowing in parallel. The respective second layer comprises two fluidically parallel layer plies. A controllable supply of the second medium to the one and/or the other layer ply in each case is provided. Such a heat exchanger can be used, in particular, as an evaporator with an integrated starting and main evaporator part, and particularly as an evaporator in a reforming plant of a fuel-cell vehicle.

Abstract: A heat exchanger has a stack of thermally conductive plate elements, each having a wave-shaped cross sectional profile. The plate elements are connected in a fluid-tight manner along abutting wave profile regions to form first and second channel structures which are separated from each other in a fluid-tight manner. The wave profiles of the plate elements comprise at least two types of waves of different width: a first type of wave defines the channels of the first channel structure, and a second type of wave defines the channels of the second channel structure. The channels of the first channel structure have a larger passage cross section than the channels of the second channel structure.

Abstract: A device for evaporating and/or superheating a medium, in particular a hydrocarbon or a hydrocarbon/water mixture for a gas generation system of a fuel-cell plant, includes a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger has, in its media-side region, at least one pair of films and in each case an inlet orifice and an outlet orifice which are connected in each case to a media space between the two films of the at least one pair of films. The media-side region is in thermally conductive contact with a region located on the heat transfer medium side. The media space is formed between the two films by depressions introduced on the medium-facing side of at least one of the films. The surface, facing away from the medium, in each case of at least one of the films of the at least one pair of films is provided with heat conducting ribs, the height of the heat conducting ribs being greater than the depth of the depressions.