Patents by Inventor Volker Formanski

Volker Formanski 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).

  • Patent number: 7597976
    Abstract: A fuel cell system employing a floating base load hybrid strategy for reducing fast voltage transients of a FCPM. A power request signal is applied to an average power calculation processor that calculates the average power requested over a predetermined previous period of time. A weighting function processor provides a weighting function based on the state of charge of an EESS. The power available from the FCPM and the EESS is applied to a power comparison processor. The available power is compared to the power request to provide a difference value between what is currently being provided and what is desired. The difference value is compared to power limit values of the EESS. The output value of this comparison is added to a filtered value to generate a signal for the change in the output power of the fuel cell stack based on the power request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Kilian, Volker Formanski, Jochen Schaffnit
  • Publication number: 20080133076
    Abstract: A propulsion system for a fuel cell hybrid vehicle that includes a fuel cell system and an EESS, where the propulsion system employs an algorithm for increasing system efficiency. A power limit value is defined as the maximum system efficiency times the charge/discharge efficiency of the EESS. If the vehicle operator requests a power greater than the power limit value, then the fuel cell system will preferably provide the power, and if the power request from the vehicle operator is less than the power limit value, then the EESS will preferably provide the power. The algorithm also considers changing operation conditions and parameters that impact the fuel cell system efficiency and the electric energy storage system efficiency, such as the state of charge of the EESS and regenerative braking.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2006
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Volker Formanski, Peter Kilian
  • Patent number: 7344787
    Abstract: A multi-stage compressor system that compresses air supplied to a cathode of a fuel cell system includes a first stage compressor that compresses inlet air to provide a first pressurized air stream at a first pressure. A second stage compressor includes a compression unit that compresses the first pressurized air stream to a second pressurized air stream at a second pressure. A drive unit drives the compression unit using expansion energy of an exhaust stream of the fuel cell. A first heat exchanger enables heat transfer between the second pressurized air stream and the exhaust stream to heat the exhaust stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Volker Formanski, Peter Kilian, Thomas Herbig, Marc Becker
  • Patent number: 7276308
    Abstract: A fuel cell system that employs a recuperative heat exchanger to provide additional cooling for the compressed charge air applied to the cathodes of the fuel cells in the fuel cell stack. The cathode exhaust gas is applied to the recuperative heat exchanger so that the cathode exhaust gas cools the charge air heated by the compressed air. A cathode exhaust gas expander is provided in combination with the recuperative heat exchanger that uses the energy in the heated cathode exhaust gas to power the charge air compressor. An anode exhaust gas combustor can be provided that burns residual hydrogen in the anode exhaust gas to further heat the cathode exhaust gas before it is applied to the expander.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Volker Formanski, Thomas Herbig, George R. Woody, John P. Salvador, Steven D. Burch, Uwe Hannesen
  • Patent number: 7258937
    Abstract: A method of regulating a relative humidity of a gas supplied to a cathode side of a fuel cell stack includes controlling a flow of feedback gas from the cathode side to a compressor to adjust the relative humidity of the gas. Injected water into the compressor is vaporized in the compressor to further adjust the relative humidity of the gas. The gas is discharged at a pressure that is sufficient for use in the fuel cell stack. Water is injected into the compressor. Vaporizing is achieved using heat generated through compression. A compression pressure of the compressor is adjusted based on a quantity of the water to vaporize the water therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Volker Formanski, Thomas Herbig
  • Publication number: 20070141416
    Abstract: A fuel cell system employing a floating base load hybrid strategy for reducing fast voltage transients of a FCPM. A power request signal is applied to an average power calculation processor that calculates the average power requested over a predetermined previous period of time. A weighting function processor provides a weighting function based on the state of charge of an EESS. The power available from the FCPM and the EESS is applied to a power comparison processor. The available power is compared to the power request to provide a difference value between what is currently being provided and what is desired. The difference value is compared to power limit values of the EESS. The output value of this comparison is added to a filtered value to generate a signal for the change in the output power of the fuel cell stack based on the power request.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventors: Peter Kilian, Volker Formanski, Jochen Schaffnit
  • Publication number: 20060240308
    Abstract: A fuel cell assembly having a flow distribution subassembly that comprises four sets of flow channels, the first set facing an anode for distribution of a fuel reactant to said anode, the second set facing a cathode for distribution of an oxidant to said cathode, the third set in flow communication with said second set and in heat transfer relation with at least one of said anode and said cathode, and the fourth set receiving a coolant different from said oxidant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2005
    Publication date: October 26, 2006
    Inventors: Volker Formanski, Peter Kilian, Thomas Herbig, Marc Becker, Peter Willimowski
  • Publication number: 20060110634
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for preventing or at least reducing condensation in a cathode exhaust conduit of a fuel cell is disclosed. The method includes introducing air into the fuel cell through an air intake conduit, removing an exhaust stream from the fuel cell through the cathode exhaust conduit and introducing excess air into the cathode exhaust conduit to prevent or reduce condensation of the exhaust stream in the cathode exhaust conduit. The apparatus includes an air intake conduit for introducing air into the fuel cell, a cathode exhaust conduit for distributing the exhaust stream from the fuel cell and an excess air diversion conduit providing fluid communication between the air intake conduit and the cathode exhaust conduit for diverting air from the air intake conduit and the cathode exhaust conduit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2004
    Publication date: May 25, 2006
    Inventors: Volker Formanski, Robert Schafer, Marc Becker, Dirk Wexel
  • Patent number: 6939631
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of operating a fuel cell system and a fuel cell system that can adjust the operating pressure of the fuel cell system to maximize efficiency. This present invention recognizes that under certain operating conditions appropriately matched operating pressures enable a substantially more efficient system operation. The method of the present invention and the fuel cell system of the present invention incorporate the recognition that a higher system efficiency can be achieved when the operating pressure produced by the air compressor is matched to the prevailing operating temperature of the fuel cell system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Volker Formanski, Martin Woehr, Thomas Herbig
  • Publication number: 20050095488
    Abstract: A multi-stage compressor system that compresses air supplied to a cathode of a fuel cell system includes a first stage compressor that compresses inlet air to provide a first pressurized air stream at a first pressure. A second stage compressor includes a compression unit that compresses the first pressurized air stream to a second pressurized air stream at a second pressure. A drive unit drives the compression unit using expansion energy of an exhaust stream of the fuel cell. A first heat exchanger enables heat transfer between the second pressurized air stream and the exhaust stream to heat the exhaust stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2003
    Publication date: May 5, 2005
    Inventors: Volker Formanski, Peter Kilian, Thomas Herbig, Marc Becker
  • Patent number: 6849352
    Abstract: A fuel cell system comprising a plurality of fuel cells, in particular in the form of low temperature fuel cells, which are assembled into a stack, the system having a cathode side with a cathode inlet and a cathode outlet, with oxygen or an oxygen containing gas, such as for example air, being capable of being supplied to the cathode inlet and also having an anode side which has an anode inlet and an anode outlet, with hydrogen or a hydrogen rich gas being capable of being supplied to the anode inlet and with a feedback loop being provided in order to return at least a part of the hydrogen containing exhaust gases which arise at the anode outlet back to the anode inlet, characterized by a line which leads from the anode side to the cathode side and is designed to supply anode exhaust gases to the cathode inlet which, after reaction of the hydrogen component with oxygen at the cathode side to form water, leave the fuel cell system with the cathode exhaust gases via the cathode outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Volker Formanski, Peter Willimowski, Bernhard Baaser
  • Publication number: 20050019640
    Abstract: A method of regulating a relative humidity of a gas supplied to a cathode side of a fuel cell stack includes controlling a flow of feedback gas from the cathode side to a compressor to adjust the relative humidity of the gas. Injected water into the compressor is vaporized in the compressor to further adjust the relative humidity of the gas. The gas is discharged at a pressure that is sufficient for use in the fuel cell stack. Water is injected into the compressor. Vaporizing is achieved using heat generated through compression. A compression pressure of the compressor is adjusted based on a quantity of the water to vaporize the water therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2003
    Publication date: January 27, 2005
    Inventors: Volker Formanski, Thomas Herbig
  • Publication number: 20040151958
    Abstract: A fuel cell system that employs a recuperative heat exchanger to provide additional cooling for the compressed charge air applied to the cathodes of the fuel cells in the fuel cell stack. The cathode exhaust gas is applied to the recuperative heat exchanger so that the cathode exhaust gas cools the charge air heated by the compressed air. A cathode exhaust gas expander is provided in combination with the recuperative heat exchanger that uses the energy in the heated cathode exhaust gas to power the charge air compressor. An anode exhaust gas combustor can be provided that burns residual hydrogen in the anode exhaust gas to further heat the cathode exhaust gas before it is applied to the expander.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2003
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Inventors: Volker Formanski, Thomas Herbig, George R. Woody, John P. Salvador, Steven D. Burch, Uwe Hannesen
  • Publication number: 20040151959
    Abstract: A fuel cell system that employs a recuperative heat exchanger to provide additional cooling for the compressed charge air applied to the cathodes of the fuel cells in the fuel cell stack. The cathode exhaust gas is applied to the recuperative heat exchanger so that the cathode exhaust gas cools the charge air heated by the compressed air. A cathode exhaust gas expander is provided in combination with the recuperative heat exchanger that uses the energy in the heated cathode exhaust gas to power the charge air compressor. An anode exhaust gas combustor can be provided that burns residual hydrogen in the anode exhaust gas to further heat the cathode exhaust gas before it is applied to the expander.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2003
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Inventors: Volker Formanski, Thomas Herbig, George R. Woody, John P. Salvador, Steven D. Burch, Uwe Hannesen
  • Publication number: 20030072980
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of operating a fuel cell system and a fuel cell system that can adjust the operating pressure of the fuel cell system to maximize efficiency. This present invention recognizes that under certain operating conditions appropriately matched operating pressures enable a substantially more efficient system operation. The method of the present invention and the fuel cell system of the present invention incorporate the recognition that a higher system efficiency can be achieved when the operating pressure produced by the air compressor is matched to the prevailing operating temperature of the fuel cell system. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply wit the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that is will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 CFR 1.72(b).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Publication date: April 17, 2003
    Inventors: Volker Formanski, Martin Woehr, Thomas Herbig
  • Publication number: 20020142200
    Abstract: A fuel cell system comprising a plurality of fuel cells, in particular in the form of low temperature fuel cells, which are assembled into a stack, the system having a cathode side with a cathode inlet and a cathode outlet, with oxygen or an oxygen containing gas, such as for example air, being capable of being supplied to the cathode inlet and also having an anode side which has an anode inlet and an anode outlet, with hydrogen or a hydrogen rich gas being capable of being supplied to the anode inlet and with a feedback loop being provided in order to return at least a part of the hydrogen containing exhaust gases which arise at the anode outlet back to the anode inlet, characterized by a line which leads from the anode side to the cathode side and is designed to supply anode exhaust gases to the cathode inlet which, after reaction of the hydrogen component with oxygen at the cathode side to form water, leave the fuel cell system with the cathode exhaust gases via the cathode outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2002
    Publication date: October 3, 2002
    Inventors: Volker Formanski, Peter Willimowski, Bernhard Baaser
  • Publication number: 20020088345
    Abstract: An apparatus for the separation of hydrogen from a gas mixture comprising hydrogen and at least one further gas, wherein hollow structures with a wall consisting of a membrane permeable for hydrogen are disposed in a diffusion chamber, the mixture can be led into and through the diffusion chamber, the hydrogen which diffuses through the membrane into the hollow structures can be led out of the hollow structures and the gas mixture depleted with respect to its hydrogen content can be led out of the diffusion chamber is characterized in that the hollow structures comprise crossed tubes which open at least at their one end into a collecting chamber which leads away the hydrogen. Through this arrangement of the hollow structures, turbulence arises in the diffusion chamber which improves the efficiency of the separation process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2001
    Publication date: July 11, 2002
    Inventor: Volker Formanski