Patents by Inventor Willi Bette

Willi Bette 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: 7935446
    Abstract: During the operation of a fuel-cell assembly, the latter is supplied with ambient air with the aid of a liquid ring pump. Any foreign matter that is contained in the air is taken up by the service fluid of the liquid ring pump. The charging of the service fluid with foreign matter is controlled. In particular, the service fluid is continuously conducted in an circuit via a purification device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Willi Bette, Detlev Coerlin, Walter Stühler, Ottmar Voitlein
  • Patent number: 7553566
    Abstract: A fuel cell module includes a number of series-connected fuel cells which collectively form a fuel cell stack in such a way that the magnetic field or stray field that is generated during the operation of the fuel cell module and that is detectable in an outer area is kept particularly small. To this end, the invention provides that a number of shielding lines that are connected to a first pole flange of the fuel cell stack are provided, these shielding lines being guided on the outer area of the fuel cell stack, as far as a contact area to a second pole flange of the fuel cell stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Willi Bette, Josef Lersch, Arno Mattejat, Karl Strasser
  • Patent number: 7482073
    Abstract: A fuel cell installation includes a cascaded fuel cell block, for essentially waste gas-free operation. An installation of this type presents the problem that the cascaded fuel cell block is complex to produce and therefore expensive. To solve this problem, the fuel cell installation has several steps which are arranged in a cascade, each of the steps comprising one or more non-cascaded similar fuel cell blocks. A fuel cell installation construction including modular similar fuel cell blocks is economical and simple to produce in series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Willi Bette, Detlev Coerlin, Herbert Stenger
  • Publication number: 20080145718
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel cell system comprising a fuel cell stack whereon the reaction gas can be guided to the gas inlet slide and which comprises at least one flush valve, which is arranged on the gas outlet side, on a flush cell. A control device, which controls the actuation of the flush valve according to the voltage of the flush cell, is provided. The voltage tap is carried out in the region of the gas outlet towards the flush valve, in particular on a bipolar plate. Significantly sensitive and precise control is obtained by means of the lower voltage tap compared to a higher voltage tap and voltage dips are actively prevented in the flush cell, which enables the total risk of corrosion the maintained at a minimum for the bipolar metal plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2005
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Inventors: Willi Bette, Detlev Coerlin, Walter Stuhler
  • Patent number: 7348085
    Abstract: A leak in a fuel cell module can allow hydrogen and/or oxygen to escape from the fuel cell module, thereby creating a high risk of fire or explosion. This problem is addressed by providing a fuel cell installation with a fuel cell module that is enclosed in a gas-tight pressure container. Filling the pressure container with a protective gas ensures that if the fuel cell module does leak, no operating gas can escape from the module, with protective gas entering the module instead. A leak therefore no longer poses a risk. The leak can also be identified and located by a voltage drop in the cells affected by the leak.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Willi Bette, Josef Lersch, Arno Mattejat, Karl Strasser
  • Publication number: 20070281188
    Abstract: During the operation of a fuel-cell assembly, the latter is supplied with ambient air with the aid of a liquid ring pump. Any foreign matter that is contained in the air is taken up by the service fluid of the liquid ring pump. The charging of the service fluid with foreign matter is controlled. In particular, the service fluid is continuously conducted in an circuit via a purification device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2005
    Publication date: December 6, 2007
    Inventors: Willi Bette, Coerlin Detlev, Walter Stuhler, Ottmar Voitlein
  • Patent number: 6841277
    Abstract: A method for operating a fuel cell plant and a fuel cell plant are provided. The thermal efficiency of a fuel cell plant results from the useful heat which is generated per quantity of fuel. Heat which is radiated from the fuel cell plant into the environment is lost and cannot be utilized. The method minimizes the radiation of heat from the fuel cell plant. Air for operation of the fuel cells is passed into a housing which surrounds heat-radiating components of the fuel cell plant. The air flows around the components, absorbs the heat which is radiated and delivers it to the fuel cell block, where the heat is emitted to cooling water that cools the fuel cell block and transfers the heat to water of a heating-water circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Willi Bette, Christian Merkel
  • Publication number: 20040101737
    Abstract: A fuel cell module includes a number of series-connected fuel cells which collectively form a fuel cell stack in such a way that the magnetic field or stray field that is generated during the operation of the fuel cell module and that is detectable in an outer area is kept particularly small. To this end, the invention provides that a number of shielding lines that are connected to a first pole flange of the fuel cell stack are provided, these shielding lines being guided on the outer area of the fuel cell stack, as far as a contact area to a second pole flange of the fuel cell stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2003
    Publication date: May 27, 2004
    Inventors: Willi Bette, Josef Lersch, Arno Mattejat, Karl Strasser
  • Publication number: 20040096714
    Abstract: A leak in a fuel cell module can allow hydrogen and/or oxygen to escape from the fuel cell module, thereby creating a high risk of fire or explosion. This problem is addressed by providing a fuel cell installation with a fuel cell module that is enclosed in a gas-tight pressure container. Filling the pressure container with a protective gas ensures that if the fuel cell module does leak, no operating gas can escape from the module, with protective gas entering the module instead. A leak therefore no longer poses a risk. The leak can also be identified and located by a voltage drop in the cells affected by the leak.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2003
    Publication date: May 20, 2004
    Inventors: Willi Bette, Josef Lersch, Arno Mattejat, Karl Strasser
  • Publication number: 20040091754
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a fuel cell arrangement and to a fuel cell arrangement for carrying out the method. A fuel cell arrangement (1) comprising a number of fuel cells that are located in a protective housing (4) is to be operated with a high degree of operating reliability and a particularly long service life. To this end, at least a proportion of the gas that is located in the inner area (6) enclosed by the protective housing (4) is guided out of the inner area (6) and replaced with fresh gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2003
    Publication date: May 13, 2004
    Inventors: Willi Bette, Arno Mattejat, Walter Stuhler
  • Publication number: 20040023097
    Abstract: A fuel cell installation includes a cascaded fuel cell block, for essentially waste gas-free operation. An installation of this type presents the problem that the cascaded fuel cell block is complex to produce and therefore expensive. To solve this problem, the fuel cell installation has several steps which are arranged in a cascade, each of the steps comprising one or more non-cascaded similar fuel cell blocks. A fuel cell installation construction including modular similar fuel cell blocks is economical and simple to produce in series.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2003
    Publication date: February 5, 2004
    Inventors: Willi Bette, Detlev Coerlin, Herbert Stenger
  • Publication number: 20030175572
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel cell arrangement (1) comprising a plurality of fuel cells arranged in a protective housing (4). The inventive arrangement is embodied in such a way that it has a long service life and is highly reliable. According to the invention, the inner area (6) enclosed by the housing (4) is connected on the gas side to a closed recirculation circuit (8). A plurality of gas purifying elements are connected advantageously to the recirculation circuit (8) and used to remove water-containing components or components which would otherwise be harmful for built-in elements inside the protective housing (4) from the gas flow (G) which is conducted inside the recirculation circuit (8).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2003
    Publication date: September 18, 2003
    Inventors: Willi Bette, Arno Mattejat
  • Publication number: 20020037444
    Abstract: A method for operating a fuel cell plant and a fuel cell plant are provided. The thermal efficiency of a fuel cell plant results from the useful heat which is generated per quantity of fuel. Heat which is radiated from the fuel cell plant into the environment is lost and cannot be utilized. The method minimizes the radiation of heat from the fuel cell plant. Air for operation of the fuel cells is passed into a housing which surrounds heat-radiating components of the fuel cell plant. The air flows around the components, absorbs the heat which is radiated and delivers it to the fuel cell block, where the heat is emitted to cooling water that cools the fuel cell block and transfers the heat to water of a heating-water circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2001
    Publication date: March 28, 2002
    Inventors: Willi Bette, Christian Merkel
  • Patent number: 6156447
    Abstract: A method for identifying a gas leak between anode and cathode gas areas of a PEM fuel cell includes detecting a cell voltage. The anode and cathode gas areas are purged with nitrogen in a first time period. The cathode gas area is filled with oxygen and the anode gas area is filled with hydrogen in a second time period. A drop in the cell voltage below a limit value as a function of time is then measured and evaluated. The method ensures reliable identification of the gas leak. A fuel cell system operating according to the method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Willi Bette, Josef Lersch
  • Patent number: 6068942
    Abstract: A process for operating a PEM fuel cell installation includes providing at least one PEM fuel cell module having an inlet valve for hydrogen H.sub.2 and an inlet valve for oxygen O.sub.2. In order to switch off the PEM fuel cell module, the oxygen O.sub.2 inlet valve is closed in a first step, and the hydrogen H.sub.2 inlet valve is closed in a second step when a predetermined oxygen O.sub.2 partial pressure at a cathode part of the PEM fuel cell module is reached. Reliable operation of the PEM fuel cell installation is guaranteed by this measure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2000
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Karl Strasser, Willi Bette, Regina Hornung
  • Patent number: 5397655
    Abstract: In a method for adjusting the removal of inert gas from a fuel cell block having a number of fuel cells, a progressive rise in a proportion of inert gas results in a cathode-side or anode-side gas mixture flowing through the fuel cells. An inert-gas-rich gas mixture is drained out as a function of a voltage drop, and the voltage drop is measured between at least two immediately adjacent fuel cells. A fuel cell block includes a number of adjacent fuel cells having electrodes and gas chambers. At least one bipolar plate contacts the electrodes of adjacent fuel cells over a large area. Two spaced-apart contacts are disposed between at least two of the adjacent fuel cells on the at least one bipolar plate. A control element for a gas mixture leaving one of the gas chambers and having a high proportion of inert gas, is adjusted by a voltage drop picked up at the contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1995
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Willi Bette, Josef Lersch, Arno Mattejat, Karl Strasser
  • Patent number: 5142547
    Abstract: Preionization is important for the generation of a homogeneous glow discharge in the gas space of a laser chamber between laser electrodes. TE type excimer lasers operate especially with X-ray preionization, for which high voltage pulses are needed. According to the present invention, the voltage pulses are obtained by means of an auxiliary circuit that includes a branch which is connected in parallel with a high voltage switch or with the laser discharge gap and which incorporates a saturable magnetic inductance and the primary winding of a high voltage pulse transformer connected in series therewith. The high voltage triggering pulses for the preionization element, which is an X-ray tube in particular, are generated in the secondary winding of the transformer. If the branch is connected in parallel with the high voltage switch it also has a series capacitor. If it is in parallel with the laser discharge gap then the branch has a shunt capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1992
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Hans-Jurgen Cirkel, Willi Bette
  • Patent number: 5138622
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for generating high-power, high-voltage pulses for a laser having laser electrodes with an electrode path includes at least one charge unit. A pulse-generating network has an input side connected to the at least one charge unit and an output side connected to the laser electrodes. The pulse-generating network has a first branch and a second branch connected parallel to one another and connected to the laser electrodes. The first branch has a first charge capacitor with a relatively high capacitance and a magnetic switch in the form of a saturatable inductor connected in series with the first charge capacitor. The second branch has a second charge capacitor with a relatively low capacitance. A trigger branch is connected parallel to the electrode path. The trigger branch has at least one high-voltage switch and an in-series inductance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1992
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Dirk Friede, Willi Bette
  • Patent number: 5138627
    Abstract: A preinoization device, in particular for X-ray preionization in discharge-pumped gas lasers, especially excimer lasers, is connected to a pulse generating network of an excitation circuit for gas lasers. A high voltage pulse transformer has a primary winding connected between a storage capacitor and a high-voltage switch in the pulse generating network. The pulse transformer emits preionizing pulses on the secondary side that lead to the firing of the laser glow discharge for a preionizing device, in particular an X-ray tube. The pulse transformer is constructed for this purpose as a saturable magnetic inductor with at least one secondary winding. If the high voltage switch is closed, when the pulse transformer is unsaturated its primary winding has its maximum inductance, so that there will be a secondary side voltage pulse at this time because of the law of induction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1992
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Dirk Friede, Willi Bette
  • Patent number: RE38156
    Abstract: A process for operating a PEM fuel cell installation includes providing at least one PEM fuel cell module having an inlet valve for hydrogen H2 and an inlet valve for oxygen O2. In order to switch off the PEM fuel cell module, the oxygen O2 inlet valve is closed in a first step, and the hydrogen H2 inlet valve is closed in a second step when a predetermined oxygen O2 partial pressure at a cathode part of the PEM fuel cell module is reached. Reliable operation of the PEM fuel cell installation is guaranteed by this measure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Karl Strasser, Willi Bette, Regina Hornung