Patents Examined by Olatunji Godo
  • Patent number: 11777125
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes at least one of plural electrochemical pump separators to separate carbon dioxide from a fuel exhaust stream or a combination of a gas separator and a fuel exhaust cooler located outside a hotbox.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: David Weingaertner, Matthias Gottmann, Jayakumar Krishnadass, Chockkalingam Karuppaiah, Arne Ballantine, Swaminathan Venkataraman, Martin Perry, John Fisher, Greg Young
  • Patent number: 11777118
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of controlling start/stop of a parallel fuel cell system, which, when controlling stop of a parallel fuel cell system in which two or more fuel cell systems are connected in parallel, considers operating state information of each fuel cell system, such as a current speed value of an air compressor and an opening degree of an air-exhaust-side air pressure valve of a fuel cell stack. Accordingly, the method can calculate a delay time for performing fuel cell system stop control for the two or more fuel cell systems, and sequentially perform the fuel cell system stop control for the two or more fuel cell systems based on the calculated delay time. Therefore, it is possible to minimize output delay of each fuel cell system and to achieve deterioration prevention and efficiency improvement of the fuel cell stack by fuel cell system start/stop control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sung Do Kim, Joo Yeon Kim, Min Su Kang, Chang Seok You
  • Patent number: 11769891
    Abstract: A fuel cell system (300) in which, at the time of starting up a first fuel cell set (109a) and a second fuel cell set (109b), one of a first air supply unit (102a) or a second air supply unit (102b) is driven and then the another air supply units is driven so that electric power of the another air supply units reaches a peak after an output voltage of the one of the fuel cell stacks reaches the first output value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinnosuke Sato, Akiji Ando, Joji Nakashima
  • Patent number: 11764374
    Abstract: A water electrolysis and electricity generating system is equipped with a water introduction flow path, an oxygen-containing gas flow path, an oxygen-containing gas introduction flow path, a first gas-liquid separator, and a dilution flow path. The oxygen-containing gas introduction flow path introduces the oxygen-containing gas that flows through the oxygen-containing gas flow path into the first supply flow path. The first gas-liquid separator separates into a gas and a liquid the gas-containing water that is guided from the first lead-out flow path connected to the first outlet port member. The dilution flow path guides the oxygen-containing gas that flows through the oxygen-containing gas flow path to the first gas-liquid separator as a diluting gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masahiro Mohri
  • Patent number: 11764376
    Abstract: An incorporated air supplying apparatus for a fuel cell stack and a method for controlling an air flow using the same are described. The apparatus includes an air supply part supplying air to a plurality of fuel cell stacks, a plurality of pipes configured to transmit the air supplied from the air supply part to each of the fuel cell stacks, a flowmeter and a valve installed at each pipe, and a controller controlling an opening degree of each of the valves, based on information on the measured flow. The controller controls the opening degree of the valve installed at each pipe, thus enabling the air flow for each pipe to be controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Min Su Hyeon
  • Patent number: 11764370
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling operation of a fuel cell system, includes determining whether there is a risk of flooding by confirming whether the fuel cell system satisfies a predetermined flooding risk condition, and performing air supercharging by supplying air at a flow rate increased compared to an air supply demand to fuel cells of the fuel cell system, when the controller confirms that the fuel cell system satisfies the flooding risk condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventor: Jun Yeol Paek
  • Patent number: 11764373
    Abstract: A stack ventilation system includes a supply line that supplies a supply gas to an air electrode of a fuel cell stack, a discharge line that discharges an exhaust gas released from the air electrode, and a stack supply line that branches off from a branching point of the supply line and that supplies the supply gas in the supply line to a stack enclosure in which the fuel cell stack is accommodated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Byeong Seung Lee, Kyoung Ku Ha
  • Patent number: 11752899
    Abstract: A high efficiency hydrogen fuel system for an aircraft at high altitude which utilizes compressors to compress air to a sufficiently high pressure for the fuel cell. Liquid hydrogen is compressed and then utilized in heat exchangers to cool the compressed air, maintaining the air at a temperature low enough for the fuel cell. The hydrogen is also used to cool the fuel cell as it is also depressurized prior to its entry in the fuel cell cycle. A water condensation system allows for water removal from the airstream to reduce impacts to the atmosphere. The hydrogen fuel system may be used with VTOL aircraft, which may allow them to fly at higher elevations. The hydrogen fuel system may be used with other subsonic and supersonic aircraft, such as with asymmetric wing aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Joby Aero, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregor Veble Mikic, JoeBen Bevirt, Robert Gulliver Lynn, Alex Stoll
  • Patent number: 11742499
    Abstract: To provide a fuel cell system configured to reduce false cross leak judgment. A fuel cell system wherein the controller preliminarily stores a first data group indicating a relationship between the flow rate of the oxidant gas, the opening degree of the bypass valve, and the hydrogen concentration of the oxidant off-gas; and wherein before the controller determines whether or not a cross leak has occurred, the controller varies the hydrogen concentration threshold used for determining whether or not a cross leak has occurred, by comparing the flow rate of the oxidant gas measured by the oxidant gas flow rate sensor and the opening degree of the bypass valve with the first data group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masaaki Matsusue
  • Patent number: 11728497
    Abstract: A rebalancing reactor for a redox flow battery system may include a plurality of reactor vessels arranged in stages, each vessel of the plurality of reactor vessels housing a catalyst bed. In one example, the rebalancing reactor is fluidly coupled to an electrolyte storage tank and configured to flow electrolyte through the plurality of reactor vessels, enabling a chemical rebalancing of electrolyte in the redox flow battery cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: ESS TECH, INC.
    Inventors: Yang Song, Craig E. Evans, Timothy J. McDonald, Kenneth Fisher, Sean Kissick
  • Patent number: 11728469
    Abstract: A lithium-ion secondary battery including a lithium-containing complex phosphate as a positive electrode active material is provided. Furthermore, a positive electrode active material with high diffusion rate of lithium ions is provided to provide a lithium-ion secondary battery with high output. A positive electrode active material of a lithium-ion secondary battery includes a first plate-like component and a second plate-like component, a third prismatic component between the first component and the second component, and a space between the first component and the second component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Teppei Oguni, Takuya Miwa
  • Patent number: 11718410
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for a hydrogen-powered hybrid electric powertrain and the associated hydro-electro-aero-thermal management system (HEATMS).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Universal Hydrogen Co.
    Inventors: John-Paul Clarke, J. Mark Cousin, Loris Gliner, Hao Chen Yu, Gregory Loboda, Brian German
  • Patent number: 11715838
    Abstract: Aspects of methods and systems to reduce degradation of a fuel cell (110) during start-up and shut-down cycles are disclosed. An anode exhaust stream (201?) is periodically directed via fluid communication through an oxygen capture media (86). After shut-down of the fuel cell and before or during start-up said media (86) removes oxygen in the anode exhaust stream. Periodically, heating the oxygen capture media (86) is employed to purge the oxygen collected and regenerate the media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Inventors: Max Armstrong Brown, Pratap Rama, Vincent Gardner
  • Patent number: 11712968
    Abstract: A battery pack enclosure, a battery module, and a method are provided to detect damage to in a crash event. The battery pack enclosure may include a plurality of battery modules, wherein each battery modules includes a plurality of adjacent battery cells. The battery pack enclosure may also include a sensor and an electronic control unit electronically connected to the sensor, the electronic control unit configured to monitor the sensor to detect damage to the battery pack enclosure. The sensor may comprise a mesh of resistive wires, and the electronic control unit monitors the overall resistance of the mesh resistive wires. The overall resistance of the mesh resistive wires can be used to determine whether there is damage to the battery pack enclosure. If damage is detected, the damage can further be located, and an alert sent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: NIO Technology (Anhui) Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Parth Sanjiv Gyani
  • Patent number: 11715841
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes fuel cell modules connected in parallel and each including fuel cell stacks connected in series. A tester includes: an output power acquirer that acquires an output power value for each fuel cell stack; a deterioration estimator that estimates a degree of future deterioration for each fuel cell stack; and a future output power estimator that estimates, for each fuel cell stack, a future output power value, which is a value of power that is likely to be outputted after a specific period of time has passed, based on the degree of future deterioration estimated by the deterioration estimator. The fuel cell stack combining method includes determining combinations of the fuel cell stacks based on differences in the output power value between the fuel cell stacks and differences in the future output power value between the fuel cell stacks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Naoki Yamano
  • Patent number: 11710836
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell having an anode and a cathode configured to output cathode exhaust. The fuel cell is configured to generate waste heat. The fuel cell system further includes a reformer configured to partially reform a feed gas using the waste heat and output a hydrogen-containing stream. The fuel cell system further includes a reformer-electrolyzer-purifier (“REP”) having an REP anode configured to receive a first portion of the hydrogen-containing stream and an REP cathode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: FuelCell Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Fred C. Jahnke, Matthew Lambrech
  • Patent number: 11710870
    Abstract: An electrical power control system includes a first fuel cell system and a second fuel cell system, and a waste electricity unit connected in series with a switch unit. The waste electricity unit and the switch unit are connected in parallel with each of the fuel cell systems. At a time when at least one power supply system is started, a control unit selectively executes a charging control and a waste electricity control, based on at least one of temperature information and electrical storage information. The charging control suppresses a rise in voltage by supplying the electrical power of the power supply system to the power storage device. The waste electricity control suppresses a rise in voltage by supplying the electrical power of the power supply system to the waste electricity unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Iguchi
  • Patent number: 11710842
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for a fuel cell may comprise preparing an electrode sheet including at least an electrolyte membrane; arranging a joining material constituted of a thermoplastic resin in a frame shape on the electrolyte membrane; arranging a support frame having an opening on the joining material arranged on the electrolyte membrane; performing a first laser irradiation process in which the support frame is irradiated with a laser beam such that a first portion of the joining material between the support frame and the electrolyte membrane melts and the electrolyte membrane and the support frame are welded to each other; and performing a second laser irradiation process in which a second portion of the joining material that is positioned inside the opening of the support frame is irradiated with a laser beam such that the second portion of the joining material melts and is welded to the electrolyte membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 11705559
    Abstract: To provide a fuel cell system configured to achieve both rapid cooling of a fuel cell at high temperatures and rapid heating of the fuel cell at the time of system start-up. In the fuel cell system, by controlling a three-way valve, a controller switches to any one of the following circulation systems: radiator circulation in which a refrigerant flows to a radiator through a first flow path, and third flow path circulation in which the refrigerant bypasses the radiator and flows to a second flow path through a third flow path; when the temperature of the refrigerant is equal to or less than a low temperature threshold, the controller switches from the radiator circulation to the third flow path circulation and closes a first valve; and when the temperature of the refrigerant becomes equal to or more than a high temperature threshold, the controller opens the first valve and circulate the refrigerant to flow through the reserve tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiromichi Sato
  • Patent number: 11699801
    Abstract: A cell for water electrolysis/fuel cell power generation which includes a flow path configured to supply or discharge water in a first direction substantially perpendicular to a stacking direction of the cell; an oxygen-containing gas flow path configured to discharge or supply an oxygen-containing gas in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the stacking direction of the cell; and a hydrogen-containing gas flow path configured to discharge or supply the hydrogen-containing gas in a third direction substantially perpendicular to the stacking direction of the cell. Each of the oxygen-side electrode layer and the hydrogen-side electrode layer is an electrode layer having water repellency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Inventors: Yoshitsugu Sone, Hiroshige Matsumoto, Yuki Terayama, Takamasa Haji, Riichi Sasamori, Motohiko Sato