Patents by Inventor Robert Bencak

Robert Bencak 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: 20240120514
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for detecting a hydrogen leak in a fuel cell system including initiating a shutdown process of a fuel cell stack in the fuel cell system by a controller, measuring a volume of hydrogen in a reservoir, pulsing a volume of hydrogen into the reservoir or pulsing hydrogen directly into the fuel cell stack if the volume of hydrogen is insufficient to sustain a voltage discharge process during the shutdown process, making the fuel cell system enter a discharge state by the controller, wherein hydrogen and oxygen in the fuel cell stack are consumed in an electrochemical reaction to discharge voltage in the fuel cell stack, measuring a rate of the voltage discharge by the controller, and detecting the hydrogen leak based on the rate of the voltage discharge or via negative pressure measurements made at the anode inlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2023
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Inventors: Sonia SORBERA, Robert BENCAK, Prabhsimran MALHI, Luke FREGONESE
  • Patent number: 11855320
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for detecting a hydrogen leak in a fuel cell system including initiating a shutdown process of a fuel cell stack in the fuel cell system by a controller, measuring a volume of hydrogen in a reservoir, pulsing a volume of hydrogen into the reservoir or pulsing hydrogen directly into the fuel cell stack if the volume of hydrogen is insufficient to sustain a voltage discharge process during the shutdown process, making the fuel cell system enter a discharge state by the controller, wherein hydrogen and oxygen in the fuel cell stack are consumed in an electrochemical reaction to discharge voltage in the fuel cell stack, measuring a rate of the voltage discharge by the controller, and detecting the hydrogen leak based on the rate of the voltage discharge or via negative pressure measurements made at the anode inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: HYDROGENICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sonia Sorbera, Robert Bencak, Prabhsimran Malhi, Luke Fregonese
  • Publication number: 20230275244
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for detecting a hydrogen leak in a fuel cell system including initiating a shutdown process of a fuel cell stack in the fuel cell system by a controller, measuring a volume of hydrogen in a reservoir, pulsing a volume of hydrogen into the reservoir or pulsing hydrogen directly into the fuel cell stack if the volume of hydrogen is insufficient to sustain a voltage discharge process during the shutdown process, making the fuel cell system enter a discharge state by the controller, wherein hydrogen and oxygen in the fuel cell stack are consumed in an electrochemical reaction to discharge voltage in the fuel cell stack, measuring a rate of the voltage discharge by the controller, and detecting the hydrogen leak based on the rate of the voltage discharge or via negative pressure measurements made at the anode inlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2023
    Publication date: August 31, 2023
    Inventors: Sonia SORBERA, Robert BENCAK, Prabhsimran MALHI, Luke FREGONESE
  • Publication number: 20220393220
    Abstract: A venting system includes a housing and an air intake manifold. The housing receives a fuel cell stack, and the air intake manifold extends along the fuel cell stack. The air intake manifold directs a flow of air to the fuel cell stack, and is disposed adjacent to and in contact with the fuel cell stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2022
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Inventors: Bryn Epp, Andrew Hill, Nader Zaag, David Pubrat, Sonia Sorbera, Myen Krishnathas, Robert Bencak