Patents by Inventor Carl Cottuli

Carl Cottuli 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).

  • Publication number: 20240039291
    Abstract: A system for fuel cell based microgrid is provided. The system includes a plurality of fuel cell modules to generate DC power. The system includes a plurality of dual-mode inverters (DMIs) to convert the DC power into AC power. The system includes a plurality of DC switches to electrically connect or disconnect a fuel cell module from a DC bus. The DC bus is electrically coupled to the plurality of the DC switches. The plurality of DMIs includes a first set of DMIs, second set of DMIs, and a third set of DMIs. The first set is configured to electrically connect a first set of fuel cell modules with a grid. The second set of DMIs is configured to electrically connect a second set of fuel cell modules with a first load. The third set of DMIs is configured to electrically connect the DC bus with the first load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2023
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Inventors: Carl COTTULI, Prasad PMSVVSV, Ranganathan GURUNATHAN, Beau BAKER, Edwin PHO
  • Patent number: 11840320
    Abstract: A method of operating a vessel includes providing hydrogen or a fuel mixture containing hydrogen and a hydrocarbon fuel to a power generator disposed on the vessel, and providing power from the power generator to an electrical load of the vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Martin Perry, Carl Cottuli, Suminderpal Singh, K. R. Sridhar
  • Patent number: 11799316
    Abstract: A fuel cell system having a power module including at least one fuel cell segment, an input output module including at least one inverter, a rectifier, and an electric distribution module having at least a first electrical connector and a second electrical connector. The at least one fuel cell segment may be electrically connected to the at least one inverter and may be electrically connected to an information technology (IT) load via a split bus. The at least one inverter may be electrically connected to an alternating current (AC) source via the first electrical connector of the electric distribution module. The rectifier may be electrically connected to the AC source via the second electrical connector of the electric distribution module and may be electrically connected to the IT load via the split bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Peter Gross, Carl Cottuli, Arne Ballantine
  • Patent number: 11355955
    Abstract: A method of operating a power generation system, such as a fuel cell power generation system, includes providing a first electrical power up to a threshold amount of power to a load from at least one power module via a plurality of DC/DC converters and a DC power bus, determining whether electrical power from a utility is available, and providing a second electrical power from the at least one power module to a rectifier path via a plurality of DC/AC inverters in response to determining that the electrical power from the utility is available. The second electrical power includes electrical power generated by the at least one power module in excess of the threshold amount of electrical power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Carl Cottuli, Rajesh Gopinath
  • Publication number: 20220149633
    Abstract: A method of operating a power generator having a first electrical output electrically connected to a utility grid and a second electrical output electrically connected to a load includes detecting if the first electrical output of the power generator is electrically disconnected from the utility grid, and electrically connecting at least a neutral line of the first electrical output to ground in response to detecting that the first output is electrically disconnected from the utility grid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2022
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Inventors: Prasad PMSVVSV, Carl COTTULI, Beau BAKER
  • Patent number: 11309571
    Abstract: A power generating system includes power modules disposed in vertically stacked levels, exhaust plenums that extend vertically through the levels of power modules and are configured to receive exhaust output from the power modules, and an exhaust conduit that extends horizontally across an uppermost level of the power modules and is fluidly connected to the exhaust plenums.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Arne Ballantine, Jessica Mahler, Carl Cottuli, Daniel Baynes, Martin Perry
  • Publication number: 20220097817
    Abstract: A method of operating a vessel includes providing hydrogen or a fuel mixture containing hydrogen and a hydrocarbon fuel to a power generator disposed on the vessel, and providing power from the power generator to an electrical load of the vessel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventors: Martin PERRY, Carl COTTULI, Suminderpal SINGH, K.R. SRIDHAR
  • Patent number: 11271406
    Abstract: A method of operating a power generator having a first electrical output electrically connected to a utility grid and a second electrical output electrically connected to a load includes detecting if the first electrical output of the power generator is electrically disconnected from the utility grid, and electrically connecting at least a neutral line of the first electrical output to ground in response to detecting that the first output is electrically disconnected from the utility grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Prasad Pmsvvsv, Carl Cottuli, Beau Baker
  • Publication number: 20210349152
    Abstract: Various embodiments manage a fuel cell IT grid system to maintain fuel cell temperatures above a threshold temperature. The system may include power modules each including a fuel cell, DC/DC converters each connected to a power module, a DC power bus connected to the DC/DC, IT loads each connected to the DC power bus, a load balancing load connected to the DC power bus, and a control device connected to a first power module. The control device may determine whether a temperature of the first power module exceeds the temperature threshold, determine whether an electrical power output of the power modules exceeds an electrical power demand of the IT loads in response to the temperature exceeding the temperature threshold, and direct excess electrical power output to the load balancing load in response to the electrical power output exceeding the electrical power demand.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2021
    Publication date: November 11, 2021
    Inventor: Carl COTTULI
  • Patent number: 11128147
    Abstract: A system and method of provided power to one or more electrical loads of an electrical load module is provided. The electrical load module includes an alternating current (AC) power input port, a direct current (DC) power input port, a power distribution device, a first power supply device, a second power supply device, and a first electrical load component. The power distribution device is electrically coupled to the AC power input port via a first connector and the DC power input port via a second connection. The first electrical load component is coupled to the first power supply device and the second power supply device. The first power supply device and the second power supply device are configured to provide power to the first electrical load component and a feed from an alternative power source system is directly connected to the DC power input port of the electrical load module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Arne Ballantine, Ranganathan Gurunathan, Rajesh Gopinath, Carl Cottuli
  • Patent number: 11092652
    Abstract: Various embodiments manage a fuel cell IT grid system to maintain fuel cell temperatures above a threshold temperature. The system may include power modules each including a fuel cell, DC/DC converters each connected to a power module, a DC power bus connected to the DC/DC, IT loads each connected to the DC power bus, a load balancing load connected to the DC power bus, and a control device connected to a first power module. The control device may determine whether a temperature of the first power module exceeds the temperature threshold, determine whether an electrical power output of the power modules exceeds an electrical power demand of the IT loads in response to the temperature exceeding the temperature threshold, and direct excess electrical power output to the load balancing load in response to the electrical power output exceeding the electrical power demand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Carl Cottuli
  • Patent number: 11043688
    Abstract: A power module system includes a plurality of vertically stacked power modules. The plurality of vertically stacked power modules include at least two vertical stacks. A shared exhaust plenum is located between the at least two vertical stacks of power modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Arne Ballantine, Jessica Mahler, Ross Parker, Gilbert Richards, Barry Sharpe, Sean Dunn, Santi Lara, John O'Toole, David Trevisan, Carl Cottuli, David Weingaertner, Daniel Baynes
  • Publication number: 20200389043
    Abstract: A fuel cell system having a power module including at least one fuel cell segment, an input output module including at least one inverter, a rectifier, and an electric distribution module having at least a first electrical connector and a second electrical connector. The at least one fuel cell segment may be electrically connected to the at least one inverter and may be electrically connected to an information technology (IT) load via a split bus. The at least one inverter may be electrically connected to an alternating current (AC) source via the first electrical connector of the electric distribution module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2020
    Publication date: December 10, 2020
    Inventors: Peter Gross, Carl Cottuli, Arne Ballantine
  • Patent number: 10797514
    Abstract: A fuel cell system having a power module including at least one fuel cell segment, an input output module including at least one inverter, a rectifier, and an electric distribution module having at least a first electrical connector and a second electrical connector. The at least one fuel cell segment may be electrically connected to the at least one inverter and may be electrically connected to an information technology (IT) load via a split bus. The at least one inverter may be electrically connected to an alternating current (AC) source via the first electrical connector of the electric distribution module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Peter Gross, Carl Cottuli, Arne Ballantine
  • Publication number: 20200303761
    Abstract: A power generating system includes power modules disposed in vertically stacked levels, exhaust plenums that extend vertically through the levels of power modules and are configured to receive exhaust output from the power modules, and an exhaust conduit that extends horizontally across an uppermost level of the power modules and is fluidly connected to the exhaust plenums.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Inventors: Arne BALLANTINE, Jessica MAHLER, Carl COTTULI, Daniel BAYNES, Martin PERRY
  • Publication number: 20200266658
    Abstract: A method of operating a power generation system, such as a fuel cell power generation system, includes providing a first electrical power up to a threshold amount of power to a load from at least one power module via a plurality of DC/DC converters and a DC power bus, determining whether electrical power from a utility is available, and providing a second electrical power from the at least one power module to a rectifier path via a plurality of DC/AC inverters in response to determining that the electrical power from the utility is available. The second electrical power includes electrical power generated by the at least one power module in excess of the threshold amount of electrical power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: Carl COTTULI, Rajesh GOPINATH
  • Patent number: 10666058
    Abstract: An electrical power system, including a fuel cell system having a plurality of fuel cell segments and an energy storage system electrically coupled to the fuel cell system. The energy storage system including a plurality of energy storage system technologies, an energy storage system direct current (DC) bus configured to electrically connect the plurality of energy storage system technologies to the fuel cell system, and an energy storage system technologies management system configured manage impedance of the energy storage system and electric coupling of the energy storage system and the fuel cell system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Arne Ballantine, Peter Gross, Ranganathan Gurunathan, Prasad Pmsvvsv, Carl Cottuli
  • Publication number: 20190312441
    Abstract: A system and method of provided power to one or more electrical loads of an electrical load module is provided. The electrical load module includes an alternating current (AC) power input port, a direct current (DC) power input port, a power distribution device, a first power supply device, a second power supply device, and a first electrical load component. The power distribution device is electrically coupled to the AC power input port via a first connector and the DC power input port via a second connection. The first electrical load component is coupled to the first power supply device and the second power supply device. The first power supply device and the second power supply device are configured to provide power to the first electrical load component and a feed from an alternative power source system is directly connected to the DC power input port of the electrical load module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2018
    Publication date: October 10, 2019
    Inventors: Arne BALLANTINE, Ranganathan GURUNATHAN, Rajesh GOPINATH, Carl COTTULI
  • Publication number: 20190229535
    Abstract: A method of operating a power generator having a first electrical output electrically connected to a utility grid and a second electrical output electrically connected to a load includes detecting if the first electrical output of the power generator is electrically disconnected from the utility grid, and electrically connecting at least a neutral line of the first electrical output to ground in response to detecting that the first output is electrically disconnected from the utility grid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Publication date: July 25, 2019
    Inventors: Prasad PMSVVSV, Carl COTTULI, Beau BAKER
  • Publication number: 20190204391
    Abstract: Various embodiments manage a fuel cell IT grid system to maintain fuel cell temperatures above a threshold temperature. The system may include power modules each including a fuel cell, DC/DC converters each connected to a power module, a DC power bus connected to the DC/DC, IT loads each connected to the DC power bus, a load balancing load connected to the DC power bus, and a control device connected to a first power module. The control device may determine whether a temperature of the first power module exceeds the temperature threshold, determine whether an electrical power output of the power modules exceeds an electrical power demand of the IT loads in response to the temperature exceeding the temperature threshold, and direct excess electrical power output to the load balancing load in response to the electrical power output exceeding the electrical power demand.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2019
    Publication date: July 4, 2019
    Inventor: Carl COTTULI