Patents by Inventor Erik P. Johannes

Erik P. Johannes 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: 7674539
    Abstract: A process and system for providing a hydrogen-containing gas stream to a fuel cell anode that includes providing a hydrogen-containing gas stream that includes carbon monoxide, introducing the hydrogen-containing gas stream into a pressure swing adsorption module that includes at least one carbon monoxide-selective adsorbent to produce a purified hydrogen-containing gas stream, and introducing the purified hydrogen-containing gas stream to the fuel cell anode. The pressure swing adsorption module can also include a second adsorbent and/or catalyst. Also disclosed is a fuel cell system coupled to an internal combustion engine and a fuel cell system that utilizes fuel cell waste heat for vaporizing a hydrocarbon/water mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Xebec Adsorption Inc.
    Inventors: Bowie G. Keefer, James A. Sawada, Erik P. Johannes, Surajit Roy, Michael J. Brown
  • Patent number: 7041272
    Abstract: A process and system for providing a hydrogen-containing gas stream to a fuel cell anode that includes providing a hydrogen-containing gas stream that includes carbon monoxide, introducing the hydrogen-containing gas stream into a pressure swing adsorption module that includes at least one carbon monoxide-selective adsorbent to produce a purified hydrogen-containing gas stream, and introducing the purified hydrogen-containing gas stream to the fuel cell anode. The pressure swing adsorption module can also include a second adsorbent and/or catalyst. Also disclosed is a fuel cell system coupled to an internal combustion engine and a fuel cell system that utilizes fuel cell waste heat for vaporizing a hydrocarbon/water mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: QuestAir Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Bowie G. Keefer, James A. Sawada, Erik P. Johannes, Surajit Roy, Michael J. Brown
  • Publication number: 20020098394
    Abstract: A process and system for providing a hydrogen-containing gas stream to a fuel cell anode that includes providing a hydrogen-containing gas stream that includes carbon monoxide, introducing the hydrogen-containing gas stream into a pressure swing adsorption module that includes at least one carbon monoxide-selective adsorbent to produce a purified hydrogen-containing gas stream, and introducing the purified hydrogen-containing gas stream to the fuel cell anode. The pressure swing adsorption module can also include a second adsorbent and/or catalyst. Also disclosed is a fuel cell system coupled to an internal combustion engine and a fuel cell system that utilizes fuel cell waste heat for vaporizing a hydrocarbon/water mixture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2001
    Publication date: July 25, 2002
    Inventors: Bowie G. Keefer, James A. Sawada, Erik P. Johannes, Surajit Roy, Michael J. Brown
  • Patent number: 6096448
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for operating an electrochemical fuel cell with periodic momentary fuel starvation at the anode. It is believed that such momentary periodic fuel starvation conditions cause the anode potential to increase, resulting in the oxidation and removal of electrocatalyst poisons from the anode electrocatalyst and improved fuel cell performance. In a preferred method, while successive localized portions of the fuel cell anode are momentarily periodically fuel starved, the remainder of the fuel cell anode remains electrochemically active and saturated with fuel such that the fuel cell is continually available to generate power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems Inc.
    Inventors: David P. Wilkinson, Clarence Y. F. Chow, Derek E. Allan, deceased, by Patricia Joanne Allan, administrator, Erik P. Johannes, Joy A. Roberts, Jean St-Pierre, Cindy J. Longley, John K. K. Chan