Patents by Inventor Pinakin Patel

Pinakin Patel 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: 20220238898
    Abstract: A humidity transfer assembly includes a pressure vessel and a humidity transfer device disposed in the pressure vessel. The humidity transfer device includes an enclosure, a first inlet line fluidly coupled to the enclosure and configured to supply anode exhaust thereto, a first outlet line fluidly coupled to the enclosure and configured to output anode exhaust therefrom, and a second inlet line fluidly coupled to the enclosure and configured to supply feed gas thereto. The humidity transfer device is configured to transfer steam from anode exhaust to feed gas and to output feed gas into the pressure vessel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2022
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Inventors: Pinakin PATEL, Jonathan MALWITZ, Ludwig LIPP, Jesse ROY
  • Patent number: 11296340
    Abstract: A humidity transfer assembly includes a pressure vessel and a humidity transfer device disposed in the pressure vessel. The humidity transfer device includes an enclosure, a first inlet line fluidly coupled to the enclosure and configured to supply anode exhaust thereto, a first outlet line fluidly coupled to the enclosure and configured to output anode exhaust therefrom, and a second inlet line fluidly coupled to the enclosure and configured to supply feed gas thereto. The humidity transfer device is configured to transfer steam from anode exhaust to feed gas and to output feed gas into the pressure vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: FuelCell Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Pinakin Patel, Jonathan Malwitz, Ludwig Lipp, Jesse Roy
  • Patent number: 11264625
    Abstract: A cooling plate assembly includes an anode half-plate having an anode upper surface and an opposing anode lower surface, and a cathode half-plate having a cathode upper surface and an opposing cathode lower surface, the cathode lower surface configured to engage the anode upper surface. The assembly further includes a cooling tube disposed between and engaging the anode upper surface and the cathode lower surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: FuelCell Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Pinakin Patel, Jonathan Malwitz, Ray Kopp, Ludwig Lipp, Jesse Roy
  • Publication number: 20210091398
    Abstract: A high temperature electrolyzer assembly comprising at least one electrolyzer fuel cell including an anode and a cathode separated by an electrolyte matrix, and a power supply for applying a reverse voltage to the at least one electrolyzer fuel cell, wherein a gas feed comprising steam and one or more of CO2 and hydrocarbon fuel is fed to the anode of the at least one electrolyzer fuel cell, and wherein, when the power supply applies the reverse voltage to the at least one electrolyzer fuel cell, hydrogen-containing gas is generated by an electrolysis reaction in the anode of the at least one electrolyzer fuel cell and carbon dioxide is separated from the hydrogen-containing gas so that the at least one electrolyzer fuel cell outputs the hydrogen-containing gas and separately outputs an oxidant gas comprising carbon dioxide and oxygen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2020
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Inventors: Fred C. JAHNKE, Matthew LAMBRECH, Pinakin PATEL, Mohammad FAROOQUE, Chao-Yi YUH
  • Patent number: 10892507
    Abstract: A high temperature electrolyzer assembly comprising at least one electrolyzer fuel cell including an anode and a cathode separated by an electrolyte matrix, and a power supply for applying a reverse voltage to the at least one electrolyzer fuel cell, wherein a gas feed comprising steam and one or more of CO2 and hydrocarbon fuel is fed to the anode of the at least one electrolyzer fuel cell, and wherein, when the power supply applies the reverse voltage to the at least one electrolyzer fuel cell, hydrogen-containing gas is generated by an electrolysis reaction in the anode of the at least one electrolyzer fuel cell and carbon dioxide is separated from the hydrogen-containing gas so that the at least one electrolyzer fuel cell outputs the hydrogen-containing gas and separately outputs an oxidant gas comprising carbon dioxide and oxygen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: FuelCell Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Fred C. Jahnke, Matthew Lambrech, Pinakin Patel, Mohammad Farooque, Chao-Yi Yuh
  • Patent number: 10763523
    Abstract: A fuel cell system for generating electrical power and high level heat comprising at least one high temperature fuel cell stack having an anode side and a cathode side and adapted to generate electrical power, and a gas oxidizer/high level heat recovery assembly comprising an oxidizer adapted to oxidize one or more of exhaust output from the at least one high temperature fuel cell stack and a gas derived from the exhaust, and to generate high level heat, and a high level heat recovery system adapted to recover the high level heat generated in the oxidizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: FUELCELL ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Fred C. Jahnke, Matthew Lambrech, Pinakin Patel
  • Publication number: 20200083546
    Abstract: A cooling plate assembly includes an anode half-plate having an anode upper surface and an opposing anode lower surface, and a cathode half-plate having a cathode upper surface and an opposing cathode lower surface, the cathode lower surface configured to engage the anode upper surface. The assembly further includes a cooling tube disposed between and engaging the anode upper surface and the cathode lower surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Inventors: Pinakin PATEL, Jonathan MALWITZ, Ray KOPP, Ludwig LIPP, Jesse ROY
  • Publication number: 20200075976
    Abstract: A humidity transfer assembly includes a pressure vessel and a humidity transfer device disposed in the pressure vessel. The humidity transfer device includes an enclosure, a first inlet line fluidly coupled to the enclosure and configured to supply anode exhaust thereto, a first outlet line fluidly coupled to the enclosure and configured to output anode exhaust therefrom, and a second inlet line fluidly coupled to the enclosure and configured to supply feed gas thereto. The humidity transfer device is configured to transfer steam from anode exhaust to feed gas and to output feed gas into the pressure vessel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventors: Pinakin Patel, Jonathan Malwitz, Ludwig Lipp, Jesse Roy
  • Patent number: 10573907
    Abstract: A load-following fuel cell system for a grid system operating with a high penetration of intermittent renewable energy sources includes a baseload power generation module and a load-following power generation module. The baseload power generation module provides a baseload power to the grid system and includes a high-efficiency fuel cell system. The high-efficiency fuel cell system includes a topping module and a bottoming module. The topping module and the bottoming module are connected in series and the topping module provides an exhaust stream to the bottoming module. The load-following power generation module provides a load-following power to the grid system and includes an energy storage system that separates and stores hydrogen contained in the exhaust stream and a power generation system having one or more fuel cells. The power generation system receives the hydrogen from the energy storage system to provide the load-following power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: FUELCELL ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Fred Jahnke, Ramakrishnan Venkataraman, George Berntsen, Ludwig Lipp, Pinakin Patel
  • Patent number: 10541433
    Abstract: An energy storage system for an electrical grid running on a renewable energy source includes a baseload power module, a waste converter module, and a load-following power module. The baseload power module includes a first fuel cell system configured to provide a baseload power to the electrical grid. The waste converter module is configured to extract and store hydrogen from an exhaust stream produced by the first fuel cell system. The load-following power module includes a second fuel cell system configured to receive hydrogen from the waste converter module and convert the hydrogen to electrical energy to support the electrical grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: FUELCELL ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Pinakin Patel, Ludwig Lipp, Nicholas Pasquale
  • Publication number: 20180261857
    Abstract: A load-following fuel cell system for a grid system operating with a high penetration of intermittent renewable energy sources includes a baseload power generation module and a load-following power generation module. The baseload power generation module provides a baseload power to the grid system and includes a high-efficiency fuel cell system. The high-efficiency fuel cell system includes a topping module and a bottoming module. The topping module and the bottoming module are connected in series and the topping module provides an exhaust stream to the bottoming module. The load-following power generation module provides a load-following power to the grid system and includes an energy storage system that separates and stores hydrogen contained in the exhaust stream and a power generation system having one or more fuel cells. The power generation system receives the hydrogen from the energy storage system to provide the load-following power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2017
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Inventors: Fred JAHNKE, Ramakrishnan VENKATARAMAN, George BERNTSEN, Ludwig LIPP, Pinakin PATEL
  • Publication number: 20180254498
    Abstract: An energy storage system for an electrical grid running on a renewable energy source includes a baseload power module, a waste converter module, and a load-following power module. The baseload power module includes a first fuel cell system configured to provide a baseload power to the electrical grid. The waste converter module is configured to extract and store hydrogen from an exhaust stream produced by the first fuel cell system. The load-following power module includes a second fuel cell system configured to receive hydrogen from the waste converter module and convert the hydrogen to electrical energy to support the electrical grid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2017
    Publication date: September 6, 2018
    Inventors: Pinakin PATEL, Ludwig LIPP, Nicholas PASQUALE
  • Publication number: 20160351930
    Abstract: A high temperature electrolyzer assembly comprising at least one electrolyzer fuel cell including an anode and a cathode separated by an electrolyte matrix, and a power supply for applying a reverse voltage to the at least one electrolyzer fuel cell, wherein a gas feed comprising steam and one or more of CO2 and hydrocarbon fuel is fed to the anode of the at least one electrolyzer fuel cell, and wherein, when the power supply applies the reverse voltage to the at least one electrolyzer fuel cell, hydrogen-containing gas is generated by an electrolysis reaction in the anode of the at least one electrolyzer fuel cell and carbon dioxide is separated from the hydrogen-containing gas so that the at least one electrolyzer fuel cell outputs the hydrogen-containing gas and separately outputs an oxidant gas comprising carbon dioxide and oxygen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Inventors: Fred C. JAHNKE, Matthew LAMBRECH, Pinakin PATEL, Mohammad FAROOQUE, Chao-Yi YUH
  • Publication number: 20160149233
    Abstract: A fuel cell system for generating electrical power and high level heat comprising at least one high temperature fuel cell stack having an anode side and a cathode side and adapted to generate electrical power, and a gas oxidizer/high level heat recovery assembly comprising an oxidizer adapted to oxidize one or more of exhaust output from the at least one high temperature fuel cell stack and a gas derived from the exhaust, and to generate high level heat, and a high level heat recovery system adapted to recover the high level heat generated in the oxidizer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2014
    Publication date: May 26, 2016
    Inventors: Fred C. JAHNKE, Matthew LAMBRECH, Pinakin PATEL
  • Patent number: 8053035
    Abstract: An assembly and associated method of manufacture are provided in which electrostatic deposition is used to directly apply and/or apply without solvents an electrode to one of an ion-conducting member, a member adapted to hold an ion-conducting member and a gas diffusion layer of the assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: FuelCell Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Lambrech, Pinakin Patel
  • Publication number: 20110111313
    Abstract: A method of using a catalyst body able to support gas flow therethrough and having a catalyst for promoting a catalytic reaction of a component of a first gas and being able to be regenerated by a second gas, comprising: providing at least the first gas and the second gas; and repeatedly moving successive parts of the catalyst body into communication with the first gas and then into communication with the second gas; wherein: the part of the catalyst body in communication with the first gas causes the component of the first gas to be reacted as the first gas passes though and exits the part of the catalyst body; and the part of the catalyst body in communication with the second gas has the catalyst of that part regenerated as the second gas passes through and exits the part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2011
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Applicant: FuelCell Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: SAI P. KATIKANENI, PINAKIN PATEL
  • Patent number: 7879500
    Abstract: An oxidizer assembly provided with a housing having a plurality of inlets each for receiving a different gas and a plurality of outlets each corresponding to a different one of the inlets and outputting gas resulting from the gas received from its corresponding inlet. A catalyst assembly able to support gas flow therethrough is disposed within the housing and includes a catalyst able to oxidize carbon monoxide gas and to be regenerated. The catalyst assembly is further adapted to be movable such that successive parts of the assembly are able to be brought repeatedly in communication with a first inlet and its corresponding first outlet and then a second inlet and its corresponding second outlet of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: FuelCell Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Sai P. Katikaneni, Pinakin Patel
  • Publication number: 20110008700
    Abstract: A fuel cell module including a fuel cell stack which includes a cathode compartment having cathode conduit extending from an inlet thereof. The cathode conduit conveys a fluid to at least one cathode positioned in the cathode compartment. An anode compartment having a fuel inlet conduit extending from an inlet of the anode compartment, supplies fuel to at least one anode positioned in the anode compartment. An anode exhaust conduit extends from an outlet of the anode compartment, for conveying an anode exhaust fluid. The fuel cell stack is positioned in an enclosure which as has a passage extending therethrough. At least a portion of the passage is in fluid communication with the anode exhaust conduit. The fuel cell module includes a diverter device having at least a portion thereof positioned in the passage and/or the anode exhaust conduit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2009
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: FUELCELL ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Pinakin Patel, Fred Jahnke, Matt Lambrech
  • Patent number: 7754393
    Abstract: A fuel cell assembly having a plurality of fuel cells arranged in a stack. An end plate assembly abuts the fuel cell at an end of said stack. The end plate assembly has an inlet area adapted to receive an exhaust gas from the stack, an outlet area and a passage connecting the inlet area and outlet area and adapted to carry the exhaust gas received at the inlet area from the inlet area to the outlet area. A further end plate assembly abuts the fuel cell at a further opposing end of the stack. The further end plate assembly has a further inlet area adapted to receive a further exhaust gas from the stack, a further outlet area and a further passage connecting the further inlet area and further outlet area and adapted to carry the further exhaust gas received at the further inlet area from the further inlet area to the further outlet area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: FuelCell Energy, Inc.
    Inventor: Pinakin Patel
  • Publication number: 20090111002
    Abstract: An assembly and associated method of manufacture are provided in which electrostatic deposition is used to directly apply and/or apply without solvents an electrode to one of an ion-conducting member, a member adapted to hold an ion-conducting member and a gas diffusion layer of the assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2007
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Inventors: Matthew Lambrech, Pinakin Patel