Abstract: The present invention relates to the catalytic conversion of hydrocarbons for generating a gas that is rich in hydrogen, to the use of said apparatus and to a process for generating hydrogen. The apparatus comprises a reforming catalyst (5), as well as a means (8) for supplying hydrocarbons to the catalyst. The reforming catalyst is arranged in an exhaust pipe (3) through which the exhaust gases of combustion processes are passed.

Abstract: A process for checking the operability of an exhaust gas purification catalyst for diesel engines, which has a light-off temperature and a degree of conversion rCO for carbon monoxide (CO), by direct measurement of the carbon monoxide concentration in combination with a temperature measurement. To evaluate the remaining catalytic activity of the catalyst the difference &Dgr;T between the current catalyst exit temperature TE of the exhaust gas and the light-off temperature TCO,50%,fresh of the fresh catalyst for carbon monoxide stored as a function of the speed and load &Dgr;T=TE−TCO,50%,fresh is determined and the degree of conversion rCO for carbon monoxide is ascertained.

Abstract: A process for producing electrical energy with the aid of a fuel cell, which includes the steps of reforming an organic fuel, removing carbon monoxide from the reformate, and reacting the hydrogen present in the reformate with oxygen, in a fuel cell, to thereby produce electrical energy. The carbon monoxide is removed from the reformate by treating the reformate in a bioreactor which contains a thermophilic microorganism strain which metabolizes carbon monoxide, under anaerobic conditions, to give carbon dioxide and hydrogen.

Abstract: A method for removing nitrogen oxides from a lean flue gas. The method is carried out by: a) treating the flue gas in an electrical gas discharge, b) passing the thus treated flue gas over a basic storage material to store the nitrogen oxides in the form of nitrates and release of the treated flue gas to the environment, and c) regeneration of the storage material after depletion of its storage capacity by removing the storage material from the flue gas stream and treating it was a reducing regenerative gas stream while forming ammonia.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the plasma-catalytic production of ammonia. A gas stream containing nitrogen and water vapor is passed through an electrical gas discharge in the discharge space of which is arranged a catalyst which contains a catalytically active component of at least one metal which can be titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium, tantalum, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, iron, ruthenium, osmium, cobalt, rhodium, iridium, nickel, palladium, platinum, manganese or copper on a support.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the selective catalytic reduction of the nitrogen oxides contained in a lean exhaust gas from internal combustion engines by reducing the nitrogen oxides by means of ammonia on a catalyst. The process is characterized in that, in addition to the lean exhaust gas, a rich gas stream is produced that is treated in an electrical gas discharge plasma in order to form the ammonia required for the reduction.

Abstract: A process for reducing the nitrogen oxides content of the exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine includes treating the exhaust gas in an electric gas discharge such that at least one of nitrogen dioxide or nitric acid are formed from nitrogen oxides in the exhaust gas; storing the nitrogen dioxides and/or the nitric acid in the form of nitrates on a nitrogen oxides storage material during phases when the engine operates with a greater than a stoichiometric air/fuel ratio (i.e., the storage phase); decomposing the nitrates to give nitrogen oxides during brief phases when the engine operates with a less than the stoichiometric air/fuel ratio (i.e., the desorption phase); and reducing the nitrogen oxides which are released from the storage material to nitrogen. The nitrogen oxides storage material may be located in an electric gas discharge zone, and the exhaust gas may be passed through the discharge and then over the storage material.

Abstract: A hot water heater has an inlet for liquid fuels, a plurality of inlets for resh air, an inlet for a fluid to be heated, at least two combustion stages traversed by the fuel-air mixture with catalytic combustion chambers surrounded at least partially by at least one fluid chamber filled with fluid and with an offgas heat exchanger for fluid to be heated. The heat exchanger is traversed by the offgas escaping from the combustion chambers. The first combustion stage has an evaporation chamber that has on its outside surface, at least a partial catalyst layer.