Patents by Inventor Douglas S. Schmidt

Douglas S. Schmidt 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).

  • Interconnection of bundled solid oxide fuel cells
    Patent number: 8628891
    Abstract: A system and method for electrically interconnecting a plurality of fuel cells to provide dense packing of the fuel cells. Each one of a plurality of fuel cells has a plurality of discrete electrical connection points along an outer surface. Electrical connections are made directly between the discrete electrical connection points of adjacent fuel cells so that the fuel cells can be packed more densely. Fuel cells have at least one outer electrode and at least one discrete interconnection to an inner electrode, wherein the outer electrode is one of a cathode and an anode and wherein the inner electrode is the other of the cathode and the anode. In tubular solid oxide fuel cells the discrete electrical connection points are spaced along the length of the fuel cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Acumentrics Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Brown, Norman F. Bessette, II, Anthony F. Litka, Douglas S. Schmidt
  • Plasma sprayed ceria-containing interlayer
    Patent number: 6984467
    Abstract: A plasma sprayed ceria-containing interlayer is provided. The interlayer has particular application in connection with a solid oxide fuel cell used within a power generation system. The fuel cell advantageously comprises an air electrode, a plasma sprayed interlayer disposed on at least a portion of the air electrode, a plasma sprayed electrolyte disposed on at least a portion of the interlayer, and a fuel electrode applied on at least a portion of the electrolyte.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas S. Schmidt, George R. Folser
  • Plasma sprayed ceria-containing interlayer
    Publication number: 20040058225
    Abstract: A plasma sprayed ceria-containing interlayer is provided. The interlayer has particular application in connection with a solid oxide fuel cell used within a power generation system. The fuel cell advantageously comprises an air electrode, a plasma sprayed interlayer disposed on at least a portion of the air electrode, a plasma sprayed electrolyte disposed on at least a portion of the interlayer, and a fuel electrode applied on at least a portion of the electrolyte.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2002
    Publication date: March 25, 2004
    Inventors: Douglas S. Schmidt, George R. Folser
  • Open end protection for solid oxide fuel cells
    Patent number: 6221522
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell (40) having a closed end (44) and an open end (42) operates in a fuel cell generator (10) where the fuel cell open end (42) of each fuel cell contains a sleeve (60, 64) fitted over the open end (42), where the sleeve (60, 64) extends beyond the open end (42) of the fuel cell (40) to prevent degradation of the interior air electrode of the fuel cell by fuel gas during operation of the generator (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation
    Inventors: Paolo R. Zafred, Jeffrey T. Dederer, Gregory W. Tomlins, James M. Toms, George R. Folser, Douglas S. Schmidt, Prabhakar Singh, Charles A. Hager