Patents by Inventor Hannes SCHOLZ

Hannes SCHOLZ has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20230089402
    Abstract: A method for production of a fuel cell includes: a) Preparing a plurality of catalyst pastes which differ from each other at least in regard to one parameter influencing the catalytic activity, b) Filling of at least two of the plurality of catalyst pastes into a first application means having a number of chambers corresponding to the number of catalyst pastes being filled, where only one of the catalyst pastes is filled into each of the chambers, c) Filling of at least two of the plurality of catalyst pastes into a second application means having a number of chambers corresponding to the number of catalyst pastes being filled, where only one of the catalyst pastes is filled into each of the chambers, d) Coating of a first side of a foil web of an electrolyte membrane which is moved past the first application means and the second application means by means of the first application means, e) Coating of a second side of the foil web by means of the second application means, f) Cutting of the resulting coated el
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Inventors: Gerold HÜBNER, Hannes SCHOLZ
  • Patent number: 11450865
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack formed from a plurality of cell units, which have gas diffusion layers, wherein the gas diffusion layer of at least one of the edge cell units has a heat transfer mechanism of reduced efficiency in comparison with the gas diffusion layer of a cell unit from the middle of the fuel cell stack. A motor vehicle may include such a fuel cell system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignees: VOLKSWAGEN AG, AUDI AG
    Inventors: Lasse Schmidt, Hannes Scholz, Sebastian Kirsch
  • Patent number: 11424466
    Abstract: A membrane electrode unit has a seal arranged on the edge region, wherein the seal in part penetrates into the edge region of the membrane electrode unit and in part fully covers the edge region outside the membrane electrode unit, which enables sealing of the gas chambers of a fuel cell and at the same time reliably interrupts a leakage path at the edge in membrane electrode units with flush cut. The membrane electrode unit is surrounded by a sealing frame which at least partially surrounds the edge region with the seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignees: AUDI AG, VOLKSWAGEN AG
    Inventors: Matthias Reckers, Hannes Scholz
  • Patent number: 11152627
    Abstract: The invention relates to a bipolar plate for a fuel cell, comprising an anode plate with anode gas channels and a cathode plate with cathode gas channels, said plates having an active region and supply regions and being arranged one over the other such that the gas channels form coolant channels. The aim of the invention is to improve such a bipolar plate such that the flow conditions of reactants and coolant in the bipolar plate are optimized. This is achieved in that the height and/or the width of the cathode gas channels increase(s) from a first side of the active region to a second side of the active region, and the height and/or the width of the anode gas channels decrease(s) from the first side of the active region to the second side of the active region, wherein the cross-sectional area and/or the hydraulic diameter of the cathode gas channels increases, and the cross-sectional area and/or the hydraulic diameter of the anode gas channels decreases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignees: AUDI AG, Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Tobias Lösche-Ter Horst, Hannes Scholz
  • Patent number: 11108059
    Abstract: A bipolar plate for a fuel cell having two profiled separator plates with channels for reaction gases and coolant, wherein the channels for a reaction gas or both reaction gases have a smaller width in an inlet region of the active region than in the remaining sub-region of the active region, wherein the width thereof continuously increases from the beginning to the end of the inlet region. Supports between the channels have a greater width than in the remaining sub-region of the active region, wherein the sum of the width of the channels and the width of the supports is constant, and the width of the channels and the supports is constant in the entire remaining sub-region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignees: VOLKSWAGEN AG, AUDI AG
    Inventor: Hannes Scholz
  • Publication number: 20210159527
    Abstract: A membrane electrode unit has a seal arranged on the edge region, wherein the seal in part penetrates into the edge region of the membrane electrode unit and in part fully covers the edge region outside the membrane electrode unit, which enables sealing of the gas chambers of a fuel cell and at the same time reliably interrupts a leakage path at the edge in membrane electrode units with flush cut. The membrane electrode unit is surrounded by a sealing frame which at least partially surrounds the edge region with the seal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Inventors: Matthias RECKERS, Hannes SCHOLZ
  • Patent number: 10938040
    Abstract: The invention relates to a bipolar plate (10) for a fuel cell stack. The bipolar plate (10) respectively has two profiled separator plates (12, 14) respectively having an active area (16) and two distribution areas (18, 20) for supplying and discharging reaction gases and coolant to or from the active area (16), wherein the separator plates (12, 14) are designed and arranged on top of each other such that the respective bipolar plate (10) has separate channels (28, 30, 32) for the reaction gases and the coolant, which channels connect ports (22, 24, 26) for reaction gases and coolant of both distribution areas (18, 20) to each other. In the mounted fuel cell stack, the channels (28, 30) for the reaction gases are respectively bordered by a surface of a separator plate (12, 14) and a surface of a gas diffusion layer (58).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignees: AUDI AG, VOLKSWAGEN AG
    Inventor: Hannes Scholz
  • Patent number: 10847812
    Abstract: The invention relates to a separator plate, a membrane electrode assembly and a fuel cell stack, which are designed for higher voltages. It is provided that in the active region at least one of the cell components contains at least one insulating element which permanently enables different electrical potentials in a cell plane (orthogonal to the stacking direction).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignees: VOLKSWAGEN AG, AUDI AG
    Inventors: Hannes Scholz, Matthias Reckers, Lutz Lackenmacher
  • Publication number: 20200350603
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack formed from a plurality of cell units, which have gas diffusion layers, wherein the gas diffusion layer of at least one of the edge cell units has a heat transfer mechanism of reduced efficiency in comparison with the gas diffusion layer of a cell unit from the middle of the fuel cell stack. A motor vehicle may include such a fuel cell system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2018
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Inventors: Lasse SCHMIDT, Hannes SCHOLZ, Sebastian KIRSCH
  • Patent number: 10665871
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel cell stack having bipolar plates (10), each of which has two separator plates (12, 14) with an active region (16) and two distribution regions (18, 20) with main gas ports (22, 24) as well as a coolant main port (26), wherein the separator plates (12, 14) are formed and arranged one over the other in such a way that the respective bipolar plate (10) has separate channels (28, 30, 32) for the reaction gases and the coolant that connect the main gas port (22, 24) for the reaction gases and the coolant main port (26) of the two distribution region (18, 20) to each other. It is provided that the channels (28) for a reaction gas have an impermeable first dividing plate (38) in an inlet area (40) of the active area (16) that separates the channels (28) into two volume areas (58, 60), and in that a second main gas port (23) is provided adjacent to the first main gas port (22) in a distribution region (18) in order to supply the reaction gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignees: VOLKSWAGEN AG, AUDI AG
    Inventors: Hannes Scholz, Jan-Philipp Brinkmeier, Daniel Grundei, Christian Lucas, Christian Schlitzberger
  • Patent number: 10615429
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel cell stack (1), comprising: —bipolar plates (10), each having an active region (13a), wherein a surface of the bipolar plate is formed non-profiled at least in the active region (13a), —a membrane electrode assembly (20), arranged between two bipolar plates (10), and—a gas distribution layer (30) arranged between the membrane electrode assembly (20) and at least one of the bipolar plates (10), wherein the gas distribution layer (30) comprises a porous flow body (31). It is provided that the gas distribution layer (30) includes recesses (32) in the active region (13a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignees: VOLKSWAGEN AG, AUDI AG
    Inventor: Hannes Scholz
  • Patent number: 10483563
    Abstract: A cathode supply (30) for a fuel cell (10) of a fuel cell unit (1) for a fuel cell system is provided, the cathode supply (30) including a cathode supply path (31) and a cathode exhaust gas path (32) and at least two fluid pumping devices (33, 133) for pumping a cathode operating medium (5) for the fuel cell (10) are fluido-mechanically coupled into the cathode supply path (31), at least one first fluid pumping device (133) of the at least two fluid pumping devices (33, 133) being drivable only on the basis of an enthalpy in a cathode exhaust gas (6) of the fuel cell (10). A fuel cell unit for a vehicle, in particular, an electric vehicle, a fuel cell system for a vehicle, in particular, an electric vehicle, or a vehicle in particular an electric vehicle, the fuel cell unit, the fuel cell system, or the vehicle including a cathode supply (30) is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignees: Volkswagen AG, Audi AG
    Inventors: Daniel Grundei, Christian Schlitzberger, Christian Lucas, Hannes Scholz, Jan-Philipp Brinkmeier
  • Publication number: 20190229347
    Abstract: A bipolar plate for a fuel cell having two profiled separator plates with channels for reaction gases and coolant, wherein the channels for a reaction gas or both reaction gases have a smaller width in an inlet region of the active region than in the remaining sub-region of the active region, wherein the width thereof continuously increases from the beginning to the end of the inlet region. Supports between the channels have a greater width than in the remaining sub-region of the active region, wherein the sum of the width of the channels and the width of the supports is constant, and the width of the channels and the supports is constant in the entire remaining sub-region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Publication date: July 25, 2019
    Inventor: Hannes SCHOLZ
  • Publication number: 20190131636
    Abstract: The invention relates to a bipolar plate for a fuel cell, comprising an anode plate with anode gas channels and a cathode plate with cathode gas channels, said plates having an active region and supply regions and being arranged one over the other such that the gas channels form coolant channels. The aim of the invention is to improve such a bipolar plate such that the flow conditions of reactants and coolant in the bipolar plate are optimized. This is achieved in that the height and/or the width of the cathode gas channels increase(s) from a first side of the active region to a second side of the active region, and the height and/or the width of the anode gas channels decrease(s) from the first side of the active region to the second side of the active region, wherein the cross-sectional area and/or the hydraulic diameter of the cathode gas channels increases, and the cross-sectional area and/or the hydraulic diameter of the anode gas channels decreases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Applicants: AUDI AG, Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Tobias LÖSCHE-TER HORST, Hannes SCHOLZ
  • Publication number: 20190067720
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a membrane electrode assembly (10) for a fuel cell, comprising the following steps in the order given: provide two gas diffusion layers (13) that each have a catalytically coated surface; apply an ionomer dispersion (15a) onto the coated surface of at least one of the gas diffusion electrodes (13), arrange the gas diffusion layers (13) on each other such that the coated surfaces face each other, and a layer stack (18) comprising a gas diffusion layer (13)-catalytic coating (14)-ionomer coating (15)-catalytic coating (14)-gas diffusion layer (13) arises, and arrange a peripheral seal (17) around the layer stack (18), wherein the seal (17) has a height that at least corresponds to the height of the layer stack (18). Furthermore, the invention relates to a membrane electrode assembly (10) that is or can be produced by means of the method according to the invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2016
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Inventor: Hannes SCHOLZ
  • Publication number: 20180331374
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel cell stack having bipolar plates (10), each of which has two separator plates (12, 14) with an active region (16) and two distribution regions (18, 20) with main gas ports (22, 24) as well as a coolant main port (26), wherein the separator plates (12, 14) are formed and arranged one over the other in such a way that the respective bipolar plate (10) has separate channels (28, 30, 32) for the reaction gases and the coolant that connect the main gas port (22, 24) for the reaction gases and the coolant main port (26) of the two distribution region (18, 20) to each other. It is provided that the channels (28) for a reaction gas have an impermeable first dividing plate (38) in an inlet area (40) of the active area (16) that separates the channels (28) into two volume areas (58, 60), and in that a second main gas port (23) is provided adjacent to the first main gas port (22) in a distribution region (18) in order to supply the reaction gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventors: Hannes SCHOLZ, Jan-Philipp BRINKMEIER, Daniel GRUNDEI, Christian LUCAS, Christian SCHLITZBERGER
  • Publication number: 20180248204
    Abstract: The invention relates to a bipolar plate (10) for a fuel cell stack. The bipolar plate (10) respectively has two profiled separator plates (12, 14) respectively having an active area (16) and two distribution areas (18, 20) for supplying and discharging reaction gases and coolant to or from the active area (16), wherein the separator plates (12, 14) are designed and arranged on top of each other such that the respective bipolar plate (10) has separate channels (28, 30, 32) for the reaction gases and the coolant, which channels connect ports (22, 24, 26) for reaction gases and coolant of both distribution areas (18, 20) to each other. In the mounted fuel cell stack, the channels (28, 30) for the reaction gases are respectively bordered by a surface of a separator plate (12, 14) and a surface of a gas diffusion layer (58).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Publication date: August 30, 2018
    Inventor: Hannes SCHOLZ
  • Publication number: 20180212258
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel cell stack (1), comprising:—bipolar plates (10), each having an active region (13a), wherein a surface of the bipolar plate is formed non-profiled at least in the active region (13a),—a membrane electrode assembly (20), arranged between two bipolar plates (10), and—a gas distribution layer (30) arranged between the membrane electrode assembly (20) and at least one of the bipolar plates (10), wherein the gas distribution layer (30) comprises a porous flow body (31). It is provided that the gas distribution layer (30) includes recesses (32) in the active region (13a).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Inventor: Hannes SCHOLZ
  • Publication number: 20180183075
    Abstract: The invention relates to a separator plate, a membrane electrode assembly and a fuel cell stack, which are designed for higher voltages. It is provided that in the active region at least one of the cell components contains at least one insulating element which permanently enables different electrical potentials in a cell plane (orthogonal to the stacking direction).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Inventors: Hannes Scholz, Matthias Reckers, Lutz Lackenmacher
  • Patent number: 9911992
    Abstract: A membrane electrode assembly and fuel cell having such assembly. The membrane electrode assembly has a polymer electrolyte membrane, two catalytic electrodes in contact with the polymer electrolyte membrane on both sides, namely an anode and a cathode, and two gas diffusion layers directly or indirectly adjoining the electrodes, namely an anode-side gas diffusion layer and a cathode-side gas diffusion layer. At least one of the gas diffusion layers may optionally feature a microporous layer facing the polymer electrolyte membrane. The sequence of layers is anode-side gas diffusion layer, anode-side microporous layer, anode, polymer electrolyte membrane, cathode, cathode-side microporous layer, cathode-side gas diffusion layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Gerold Hubner, Hannes Scholz