Abstract: A humidifier for humidifying a dry supply air stream via a humid exhaust air stream may include a housing, a membrane block with a plurality of membranes, and at least one baffle. The housing may include a supply air inlet, a supply air outlet, an exhaust air inlet, and/or an exhaust air outlet. The membranes may be impermeable to air and permeable to water vapor. The membranes may form a supply air path through which the supply air stream is flowable and an exhaust air path through which the exhaust air stream is flowable. The baffle may be arranged in the housing such that an air stream formed by the supply air stream and/or the exhaust air stream contacts the baffle. The baffle may be structured and arranged to provide homogenization of streaming through the membrane block in the supply air path and/or in the exhaust air path.

Abstract: A fuel cell system for a motor vehicle is disclosed. The fuel cell system includes an expansion engine having a high-pressure side and a low-pressure side for performing mechanical work. A plurality of fuel cells are stacked on top of one another, which communicate fluidically with the high-pressure side of the expansion engine via a gas path. A water separator is arranged in the gas path for separating water from the exhaust gas. A valve unit is arranged between the water separator and the high-pressure side of the expansion engine for adjusting an amount of exhaust gas to be supplied to the expansion engine. A bypass-gas path through which the exhaust gas can flow, which branches off from the gas path between the plurality of fuel cells and the water separator. A bypass-valve unit arranged in the bypass-gas path.

Abstract: A freeze protection method for a fuel cell system is disclosed. The fuel cell system includes an evaporative cooler device equipped for cooling a heat exchanger of a fuel cell device of the fuel cell system having a feed line, through which during the operation of the fuel cell system, water is pumped to a sprinkling device of the evaporative cooler device and by way of the sprinkling device, the water is applied onto the heat exchanger equipped for temperature-controlling a fuel cell stack of the fuel cell device. The method includes blowing out the evaporative cooler device as part of a deactivation method of the fuel cell system.

Abstract: In one embodiment a differential amplifier arrangement includes a first input configured to receive a first input signal, a second input configured to receive a second input signal, a first output configured to provide a first output signal, a second output configured to provide a second output signal, a common mode loop configured to regulate an output common mode of the differential amplifier arrangement depending on a difference between a common mode reference signal and an average of the first and the second output signal, and a differential mode loop configured to regulate a differential mode output of the differential amplifier arrangement depending on a difference between a difference between the first and the second input signal and a difference between the first and the second output signal. Therein the difference between the first and the second output signal is substantially constant.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method (5) for establishing the degradation of a humidifier (4) of a fuel cell system (1) having a fuel cell stack (2) and the humidifier (4). The fuel cell stack (2) comprises multiple fuel cells (3) with cathodes. In the method: a starting parameter of the fuel cell stack (2) is determined in a step A; based on the starting parameter, a humidification of the cathodes is evaluated in a step B; in the case that the humidification of the cathodes is too low, a control parameter is determined and a control variable correspondingly readjusted in a step C; a diagnostic parameter is determined in a step D and based on the diagnostic parameter, the degradation of the humidifier (4) established. The invention also relates to the fuel cell system (1) for carrying out the method (5).

Abstract: A control device for a fluid is described, having a housing, a first opening, a second opening, a channel running from the first to the second opening and a movable control element, which is pivotable between a closed position and an open position. The first opening of the control device forms an assembly opening, through which the control element can be installed in the housing.

Abstract: This disclosure pertains to a control device for the coolant flow in a cooling circuit of an internal combustion engine with the following characteristics: a housing with an inlet opening, an outlet opening and a movable control element for varying the flow-through cross section of the channel; an annular seal arrangement comprising a sealing frame and a sealing ring is seated between a sealing surface of the housing and a sealing surface of the control element. According to this disclosure, it is proposed that the sealing ring rests against a plane sealing surface of the housing in a sealing fashion and meets this plane sealing surface along a contact line that encloses a first surface area. Depending on the flow direction through the seal arrangement, the sealing ring features a surface section that has a defined circumference referred to the length of the contact line between the sealing ring and the housing.

Abstract: A control device for a fluid is described, having a housing, a first opening, a second opening, a channel running from the first to the second opening and a movable control element, which is pivotable between a closed position and an open position. According to this disclosure, it is provided that the first opening forms an assembly opening, through which the control element can be installed in the housing.

Abstract: This disclosure pertains to a control device for the coolant flow in a cooling circuit of an internal combustion engine with the following characteristics: a housing with an inlet opening, an outlet opening and a movable control element for varying the flow-through cross section of the channel; an annular seal arrangement comprising a sealing frame and a sealing ring is seated between a sealing surface of the housing and a sealing surface of the control element. According to this disclosure, it is proposed that the sealing ring rests against a plane sealing surface of the housing in a sealing fashion and meets this plane sealing surface along a contact line that encloses a first surface area. Depending on the flow direction through the seal arrangement, the sealing ring features a surface section that has a defined circumference referred to the length of the contact line between the sealing ring and the housing.

Abstract: A demodulator is provided for demodulating a phase-modulated data signal. The demodulator includes a phase frequency detector to output a voltage representing a phase difference between a received phase-modulated data signal and a reference clock signal. The voltage is input to first and second phase change detectors, which are provided to measure the phase difference of the phase-modulated data signal during first and second time periods, respectively.

Abstract: A demodulator is provided for demodulating a phase-modulated data signal. The demodulator includes a phase frequency detector to output a voltage representing a phase difference between a received phase-modulated data signal and a reference clock signal. The voltage is input to first and second phase change detectors, which are provided to measure the phase difference of the phase-modulated data signal during first and second time periods, respectively.

Abstract: A circuit having a first input and a second input configured to apply an alternating voltage, a first output and a second output configured to supply a rectified and regulated voltage, a rectifier bridge circuit having a current return circuit, a third transistor and a fourth transistor, and a controller configured to regulate the voltage between the first and the second output to a constant value. The current return circuit is connected to the first input, the second input and to the second output. The third transistor is configured as a series voltage regulator and is connected to the first input and the first output. The fourth transistor is configured as a series voltage regulator and is connected to the second input and the first output. The controller is coupled to a control input of the third transistor and to a control input of the fourth transistor. Further, a method for rectifying and regulating voltages of a circuit is provided. The circuit and the method can be used in a contactless chip card.

Abstract: A circuit having a first input and a second input configured to apply an alternating voltage, a first output and a second output configured to supply a rectified and regulated voltage, a rectifier bridge circuit having a current return circuit, a third transistor and a fourth transistor, and a controller configured to regulate the voltage between the first and the second output to a constant value. The current return circuit is connected to the first input, the second input and to the second output. The third transistor is configured as a series voltage regulator and is connected to the first input and the first output. The fourth transistor is configured as a series voltage regulator and is connected to the second input and the first output. The controller is coupled to a control input of the third transistor and to a control input of the fourth transistor. Further, a method for rectifying and regulating voltages of a circuit is provided. The circuit and the method can be used in a contactless chip card.