Patents by Inventor Tad Armstrong

Tad Armstrong 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: 20150147679
    Abstract: A method of making an interconnect for a solid oxide fuel cell stack includes providing a chromium alloy interconnect and providing a nickel mesh in contact with a fuel side of the interconnect. Formation of a chromium oxide layer is reduced or avoided in locations between the nickel mesh and the fuel side of the interconnect. A Cr—Ni alloy or a Cr—Fe—Ni alloy is located at least in the fuel side of the interconnect under the nickel mesh.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventors: Daniel DARGA, Tad ARMSTRONG, Vijay SRIVATSAN, Harald HERCHEN, Cheng-Yu LIN
  • Patent number: 8999601
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) includes a cathode electrode, an anode electrode, and a solid oxide electrolyte located between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode. The cathode electrode is a porous ceramic layer infiltrated with a cathode catalyst material, and the anode electrode is a porous ceramic layer infiltrated with an anode catalyst material, and the electrolyte is a ceramic layer having a lower porosity than the anode and the cathode electrodes. A ceramic reinforcing region may be located adjacent to the riser opening in the electrolyte.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Bloom Energy Corporation
    Inventors: Matthias Gottmann, Dien Nguyen, Emad El Batawi, Tad Armstrong, Gonghou Wang, Darren Hickey
  • Publication number: 20140213426
    Abstract: A seal composition includes a first alkaline earth metal oxide, a second alkaline earth metal oxide which is different from the first alkaline earth metal oxide, aluminum oxide, and silica in an amount such that molar percent of silica in the composition is at least five molar percent greater than two times a combined molar percent of the first alkaline earth metal oxide and the second alkaline earth metal oxide. The composition is substantially free of boron oxide and phosphorus oxide. The seal composition forms a glass ceramic seal which includes silica containing glass cores located in a crystalline matrix comprising barium aluminosilicate, and calcium aluminosilicate crystals located in the glass cores.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ananda H. Kumar, Dien Nguyen, Martin Janousek, Tad Armstrong
  • Publication number: 20140141344
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) electrolyte composition includes zirconia stabilized with scandia, and at least one of magnesia, zinc oxide, indium oxide, and gallium oxide, and optionally ceria in addition to the oxides above.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: Bloom Energy Corporation
    Inventors: David N. Miller, Cristian Savaniu, John TS Irvine, Tad Armstrong
  • Patent number: 8691474
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a fuel cell stack including a plurality of fuel cells including a cell anode electrode, a cell electrolyte, and a cell cathode electrode and separated by a plurality of conductive interconnects and at least one material located in a cell anode electrode of the plurality of fuel cells which provides a conductive path between adjacent interconnects when the cell anode electrode between the adjacent interconnects fails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Bloom Energy Corporation
    Inventors: Tad Armstrong, Deepak Bose, Matthias Gottmann
  • Patent number: 8691470
    Abstract: A seal composition includes a first alkaline earth metal oxide, a second alkaline earth metal oxide which is different from the first alkaline earth metal oxide, aluminum oxide, and silica in an amount such that molar percent of silica in the composition is at least five molar percent greater than two times a combined molar percent of the first alkaline earth metal oxide and the second alkaline earth metal oxide. The composition is substantially free of boron oxide and phosphorus oxide. The seal composition forms a glass ceramic seal which includes silica containing glass cores located in a crystalline matrix comprising barium aluminosilicate, and calcium aluminosilicate crystals located in the glass cores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Bloom Energy Corporation
    Inventors: Ananda H. Kumar, Dien Nguyen, Martin Janousek, Tad Armstrong
  • Patent number: 8663869
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stack includes a plurality of SOFCs, and a plurality of interconnects, each interconnect containing a conductive perovskite layer on an air side of the interconnect. The stack in internally manifolded for fuel and the conductive perovskite layer on each interconnect is not exposed in the fuel inlet riser. The SOFC electrolyte has a smaller roughness in regions adjacent to the fuel inlet and fuel outlet openings in the electrolyte than under the cathode or anode electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Bloom Energy Corporation
    Inventors: Martin Janousek, Tad Armstrong, Dien Nguyen, Ananda H. Kumar
  • Publication number: 20140057184
    Abstract: A fuel cell assembly includes a fuel cell stack including a plurality of fuel cells, an incoming oxidizing gas flow path configured to deliver an oxidizing gas to the plurality of fuel cells, and a chromium-getter material located in the incoming oxidizing flow path. A fuel cell includes an electrolyte, a cathode electrode on a first side of the electrolyte, an anode electrode on a second side of the electrolyte, and a chromium-getter material on the cathode electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2013
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: Bloom Energy Corporation
    Inventors: Manoj PILLAI, James WILSON, Tad ARMSTRONG, Chung-Dee PONG, James CHANG, Matthias GOTTMANN, Tulin AKIN
  • Publication number: 20140051010
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) includes a cathode electrode, a solid oxide electrolyte, and an anode electrode. The electrolyte and/or electrode composition includes zirconia stabilized with (i) scandia, (ii) ceria, and (iii) at least one of yttria and ytterbia. The composition does not experience a degradation of ionic conductivity of greater than 15% after 4000 hrs at a temperature of 850° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Publication date: February 20, 2014
    Applicant: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tad Armstrong, Emad El Batawi, Martin Janousek, Manoj Pillai
  • Patent number: 8623569
    Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a plurality of fuel cells, a plurality of interconnects, and a plurality of seal members, wherein the plurality of seal members comprises one or more first seal members and one or more additional seal members, where the one or more first seal members form a protective barrier between the reducing environment contained with the fuel cell stack and the remaining seal members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Bloom Energy Corporation
    Inventors: Matthias Gottmann, Stephen Couse, Tad Armstrong, Emad El Batawi, Martin Janousek, Ananda H. Kumar
  • Patent number: 8617763
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) includes a cathode electrode, a solid oxide electrolyte, and an anode electrode having a first portion and a second portion, such that the first portion is located between the electrolyte and the second portion. The anode electrode comprises a cermet comprising a nickel containing phase and a ceramic phase. The first portion of the anode electrode contains a lower porosity and a lower ratio of the nickel containing phase to the ceramic phase than the second portion of the anode electrode. The nickel containing phase in the second portion of the anode electrode comprises nickel and at least one other metal which has a lower electrocatalytic activity than nickel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Bloom Energy Corporation
    Inventors: Tad Armstrong, Emad El Batawi, Eric Petersen
  • Patent number: 8580456
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) includes a cathode electrode, a solid oxide electrolyte, and an anode electrode. The electrolyte and/or electrode composition includes zirconia stabilized with (i) scandia, (ii) ceria, and (iii) at least one of yttria and ytterbia. The composition does not experience a degradation of ionic conductivity of greater than 15% after 4000 hrs at a temperature of 850° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Bloom Energy Corporation
    Inventors: Tad Armstrong, Emad El Batawi, Martin Janousek, Manoj Pillai
  • Publication number: 20130230792
    Abstract: A method of coating an interconnect for a solid oxide fuel cell includes providing an interconnect including Cr and Fe, and coating an air side of the interconnect with a manganese cobalt oxide spinel coating using a plasma spray process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: Bloom Energy Corporation
    Inventors: James Wilson, Manoj Pillai, Tad Armstrong
  • Publication number: 20130230644
    Abstract: Various methods of treating a chromium iron interconnect for a solid oxide fuel cell stack and coating the interconnect with a ceramic layer are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tad Armstrong, James Wilson, Harald Herchen, Daniel Darga, Manoj Pillai
  • Publication number: 20120024461
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) includes a cathode electrode, an anode electrode, and a solid oxide electrolyte located between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode. The cathode electrode is a porous ceramic layer infiltrated with a cathode catalyst material, and the anode electrode is a porous ceramic layer infiltrated with an anode catalyst material, and the electrolyte is a ceramic layer having a lower porosity than the anode and the cathode electrodes. A ceramic reinforcing region may be located adjacent to the riser opening in the electrolyte.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: Bloom Energy Corporation
    Inventors: Matthias Gottmann, Dien Nguyen, Emad El Batawi, Tad Armstrong, Gonghou Wang, Darren Hickey, Stephen Couse
  • Publication number: 20120028162
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) includes a cathode electrode, an anode electrode, and a solid oxide electrolyte located between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode. The cathode electrode is a porous ceramic layer infiltrated with a cathode catalyst material, and the anode electrode is a porous ceramic layer infiltrated with an anode catalyst material, and the electrolyte is a ceramic layer having a lower porosity than the anode and the cathode electrodes. A ceramic reinforcing region may be located adjacent to the riser opening in the electrolyte.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: Bloom Energy Corporation
    Inventors: Matthias Gottmann, Dien Nguyen, Emad El Batawi, Tad Armstrong, Gonghou Wang, Darren Hickey, Stephen Couse
  • Publication number: 20110183233
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) includes a cathode electrode, a solid oxide electrolyte, and an anode electrode. The electrolyte and/or electrode composition includes zirconia stabilized with (i) scandia, (ii) ceria, and (iii) at least one of yttria and ytterbia. The composition does not experience a degradation of ionic conductivity of greater than 15% after 4000 hrs at a temperature of 850° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Applicant: Bloom Energy Corporation
    Inventors: Tad Armstrong, Emad El Batawi, Martin Janousek, Manoj Pillai
  • Patent number: 7968245
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) includes a cathode electrode, a solid oxide electrolyte, and an anode electrode. The anode electrode includes a first portion made of a first anode material and a second portion made of a second anode material. The first anode material is a higher performance, lower oxidation resistant material than the second anode material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Bloom Energy Corporation
    Inventors: Matthias Gottmann, Tad Armstrong
  • Publication number: 20110039183
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) includes a cathode electrode, a solid oxide electrolyte, and an anode electrode having a first portion and a second portion, such that the first portion is located between the electrolyte and the second portion. The anode electrode comprises a cermet comprising a nickel containing phase and a ceramic phase. The first portion of the anode electrode contains a lower porosity and a lower ratio of the nickel containing phase to the ceramic phase than the second portion of the anode electrode. The nickel containing phase in the second portion of the anode electrode comprises nickel and at least one other metal which has a lower electrocatalytic activity than nickel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Publication date: February 17, 2011
    Applicant: Bloom Energy Corporation
    Inventors: Tad Armstrong, Emad El Batawi, Eric Petersen
  • Publication number: 20100239937
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stack includes a plurality of SOFCs, and a plurality of interconnects, each interconnect containing a conductive perovskite layer on an air side of the interconnect. The stack in internally manifolded for fuel and the conductive perovskite layer on each interconnect is not exposed in the fuel inlet riser. The SOFC electrolyte has a smaller roughness in regions adjacent to the fuel inlet and fuel outlet openings in the electrolyte than under the cathode or anode electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Inventors: Martin Janousek, Tad Armstrong, Dien Nguyen, Ananda H. Kumar