Patents by Inventor Volker Drunert

Volker Drunert 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).

  • Fuel cell stack preheating
    Patent number: 7781117
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell and a controller that controls a hydrocarbon fuel supply to an anode side and a cathode side of the fuel cell. The controller controls an oxidant supply to the anode and cathode sides to exothermically react with the hydrocarbon fuel when a temperature of the fuel cell is below a threshold temperature. When the temperature is greater than the threshold temperature, the controller terminates supply of the hydrocarbon fuel and the oxidant to the anode side. The controller terminates supply of the hydrocarbon fuel to the cathode side, and supplies a hydrogen-containing feed to the anode side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventor: Volker Drunert
  • Fuel cell stack preheating
    Publication number: 20040197610
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell and a controller that controls a hydrocarbon fuel supply to an anode side and a cathode side of the fuel cell. The controller controls an oxidant supply to the anode and cathode sides to exothermically react with the hydrocarbon fuel when a temperature of the fuel cell is below a threshold temperature. When the temperature is greater than the threshold temperature, the controller terminates supply of the hydrocarbon fuel and the oxidant to the anode side. The controller terminates supply of the hydrocarbon fuel to the cathode side, and supplies a hydrogen-containing feed to the anode side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2003
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Inventor: Volker Drunert