Patents by Inventor K. R. Sridhar

K. R. Sridhar 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: 7878280
    Abstract: A hydrogen fueled vehicle includes a vehicle body, a hydrocarbon fuel tank, and a low pressure hydrogen gas storage vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Bloom Energy Corporation
    Inventors: K. R. Sridhar, James F. McElroy
  • Publication number: 20110011362
    Abstract: A hydrogen fueled vehicle includes a vehicle body, a hydrocarbon fuel tank, and a low pressure hydrogen gas storage vessel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Applicant: Bloom Energy Corporation
    Inventors: K.R Sridhar, James F. McElroy
  • Publication number: 20100266923
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a plurality of fuel cells, a plurality of interconnects, and a hydrogen separation device, wherein the hydrogen separation device separates hydrogen from the fuel cell stack anode exhaust. The separated hydrogen is then reintroduced into the fuel cell stack to optimize overall system efficiency. Monitoring of the performance of the hydrogen separation device gives an indication as to the fuel cell system performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2010
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Inventors: James F. MCELROY, Arne Ballantine, K.R. Sridhar, Matthias Gottmann
  • Patent number: 7785744
    Abstract: A water purification system includes a fuel cell stack, a steam generator, and a water purification unit. The fuel cell stack is adapted to provide heat to the steam generator and the steam generator is adapted to provide steam to the water purification unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Bloom Energy Corporation
    Inventors: K.R. Sridhar, Swaminathan Venkataraman
  • Patent number: 7781112
    Abstract: An electrochemical system includes a reversible fuel cell system which generates electrical energy and reactant product from fuel and oxidizer in a fuel cell mode and which generates the fuel and oxidant from the reactant product and the electrical energy in an electrolysis mode. The system also includes a reactant product delivery device which is adapted to supply the reactant product to the reversible fuel cell system operating in the electrolysis mode, in addition to or instead of the reactant product generated by the reversible fuel cell system in the fuel cell mode, and a fuel removal device which is adapted to remove the fuel generated by the reversible fuel cell system operating in the electrolysis mode from the electrochemical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Bloom Energy Corporation
    Inventors: K. R. Sridhar, Matthias Gottmann
  • Publication number: 20100129693
    Abstract: A method of making a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) includes providing a solid oxide electrolyte and depositing at least one electrode on the electrolyte by PVD, such as sputtering. A method of making an interconnect for a fuel cell stack includes providing an electrically conductive interconnect, and depositing a layer on the interconnect by PVD, such as depositing a LSM barrier layer by sputtering. The SOFC and the interconnect may be located in the same fuel cell stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2009
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Inventors: Dien Nguyen, Tad Armstrong, Emad El Bataw, Avinash Verma, Ravi Oswal, K.R. Sridhar, Ujwal Deshpande
  • Patent number: 7700210
    Abstract: A method of operating a high temperature fuel cell system containing a plurality of fuel cell stacks includes operating one or more of the plurality of fuel cell stacks at a first output power while operating another one or more of the plurality of the fuel cell stacks at a second output power different from the first output power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Bloom Energy Corporation
    Inventors: K. R. Sridhar, Ian Russell, Matthias Gottmann
  • Publication number: 20100081018
    Abstract: A method of operating a high temperature fuel cell system containing a plurality of fuel cell stacks includes operating one or more of the plurality of fuel cell stacks at a first output power while operating another one or more of the plurality of the fuel cell stacks at a second output power different from the first output power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2009
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Inventors: K.R. Sridhar, Ian Russell, Matthias Gottmann
  • Publication number: 20090269626
    Abstract: A method of operating a fuel cell electrochemical system includes receiving at least one of a cost of electricity and a cost of fuel and adjusting at least one of an operating efficiency and throughput of the fuel cell based on the at least one of the received cost of electricity and the received cost of fuel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2009
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Inventors: Fred Mitlitsky, K.R. Sridhar, Matthias Gottmann, Swaminathan Venkataraman
  • Publication number: 20090246596
    Abstract: A method for charging electric vehicles includes receiving information regarding an electric vehicle. At least a portion of the information is received through a vehicle interface configured to place a battery of the electric vehicle into electrical communication with a fuel cell system. A charge is delivered from the fuel cell system to the battery of the electric vehicle through the vehicle interface without use of a direct current to alternating current (DC/AC) converter. The charge is delivered based at least in part on the information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Inventors: K.R. Sridhar, Stuart Aaron, Arne Ballantine, Peter Light, Scott Reynolds, Ramesh Srinivasan, Ranganathan Gurunathan
  • Patent number: 7575822
    Abstract: A method of operating a fuel cell electrochemical system includes receiving at least one of a cost of electricity and a cost of fuel and adjusting at least one of an operating efficiency and throughput of the fuel cell based on the at least one of the received cost of electricity and the received cost of fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Bloom Energy Corporation
    Inventors: Fred Mitlitsky, K. R. Sridhar, Matthias Gottman, Swaminathan Venkataraman
  • Patent number: 7572530
    Abstract: A solid oxide regenerative fuel cell system is used to supply power in a fuel cell mode and to generate metabolic oxygen and a hydrocarbon fuel reserve in an electrolysis mode. The system may also be used as a secondary power source or for energy peak shaving applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Bloom Energy Corporation
    Inventors: Matthias Gottmann, James Frederick McElroy, Fred Mitlitsky, K. R. Sridhar
  • Patent number: 7482078
    Abstract: A high temperature electrochemical system, such as a solid oxide fuel cell system, generates hydrogen and optionally electricity in a fuel cell mode. At least a part of the generated hydrogen is separated and stored or provided to a hydrogen using device. A solid oxide regenerative fuel cell system stores carbon dioxide in a fuel cell mode. The system generates a methane fuel in an electrolysis mode from the stored carbon dioxide and water by using a Sabatier subsystem. Alternatively, the system generates a hydrogen fuel in an electrolysis mode from water alone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Bloom Energy Corporation
    Inventors: K. R. Sridhar, James F. McElroy, John E. Finn, Fred Mitlitsky, Matthias Gottmann
  • Publication number: 20080318092
    Abstract: A high temperature electrochemical system, such as a solid oxide fuel cell system, generates hydrogen and optionally electricity in a fuel cell mode. At least a part of the generated hydrogen is separated and stored or provided to a hydrogen using device. A solid oxide regenerative fuel cell system stores carbon dioxide in a fuel cell mode. The system generates a methane fuel in an electrolysis mode from the stored carbon dioxide and water by using a Sabatier subsystem. Alternatively, the system generates a hydrogen fuel in an electrolysis mode from water alone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Inventors: K.R. Sridhar, James F. McElroy, John E. Finn, Fred Mitlitsky, Matthias Gottmann
  • Publication number: 20080124592
    Abstract: An electrochemical system includes a reversible fuel cell system which generates electrical energy and reactant product from fuel and oxidizer in a fuel cell mode and which generates the fuel and oxidant from the reactant product and the electrical energy in an electrolysis mode. The system also includes a reactant product delivery device which is adapted to supply the reactant product to the reversible fuel cell system operating in the electrolysis mode, in addition to or instead of the reactant product generated by the reversible fuel cell system in the fuel cell mode, and a fuel removal device which is adapted to remove the fuel generated by the reversible fuel cell system operating in the electrolysis mode from the electrochemical system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Publication date: May 29, 2008
    Inventors: K.R. Sridhar, Matthias Gottmann
  • Patent number: 7364810
    Abstract: An electrochemical system includes a reversible fuel cell system which generates electrical energy and reactant product from fuel and oxidizer in a fuel cell mode and which generates the fuel and oxidant from the reactant product and the electrical energy in an electrolysis mode. The system also includes a reactant product delivery device which is adapted to supply the reactant product to the reversible fuel cell system operating in the electrolysis mode, in addition to or instead of the reactant product generated by the reversible fuel cell system in the fuel cell mode, and a fuel removal device which is adapted to remove the fuel generated by the reversible fuel cell system operating in the electrolysis mode from the electrochemical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Bloom Energy Corporation
    Inventors: K. R. Sridhar, Matthias Gottmann
  • Publication number: 20070196702
    Abstract: A hydrogen fueled vehicle includes a vehicle body, a hydrocarbon fuel tank, and a low pressure hydrogen gas storage vessel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2007
    Publication date: August 23, 2007
    Inventors: K.R. Sridhar, James McElroy
  • Patent number: 7255956
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell includes a cathode, a solid ceramic electrolyte, and an anode comprising a cermet containing an environment tolerant catalyst, such as a fuel starvation and/or a sulfur tolerant catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Bloom Energy Corporation
    Inventors: James F. McElroy, K. R. Sridhar
  • Publication number: 20070158500
    Abstract: An aircraft contains a plurality of solid oxide fuel cells located in different portions of the aircraft. A method of operating the plurality of solid oxide fuel cells includes providing power from each of the plurality of solid oxide fuel cells to at least one of a plurality of power consuming components located in a same portion of the aircraft as the solid oxide fuel cell. Another method of operating at least one solid oxide fuel cell located in an aircraft includes providing ambient air and power to the solid oxide fuel cell without providing fuel to the solid oxide fuel cell to generate oxygen for the aircraft cabin when the aircraft is in flight. Another method of operating at least one solid oxide fuel cell located in a passenger aircraft includes providing water from the solid oxide fuel cell to the aircraft cabin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2006
    Publication date: July 12, 2007
    Inventors: K.R. Sridhar, James McElroy
  • Publication number: 20070037031
    Abstract: An interconnect and gas separator for a solid oxide fuel cell includes a cermet material comprising a first conductive phase and a second ceramic phase or a multi-component ceramic material including a first ceramic ionically conductive and electrically non-conductive component and a second ceramic electrically conductive component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2006
    Publication date: February 15, 2007
    Inventors: Mark Cassidy, K.R. Sridhar, Dien Nguyen, Patrick Munoz