Hydrogen Separator Patents (Class 429/411)
  • Patent number: 11876257
    Abstract: A fuel cell system and method for using a peak shaving gas, the system including: a fuel inlet configured to receive fuel from a fuel source; a catalytic partial oxidation (CPOx) reactor configured to at least partially oxidize the fuel during startup of the system; a blower configured to provide air to the CPOx reactor; a gas analyzer configured to determine a composition of fuel provided to the CPOx reactor from the fuel inlet; an oxidation catalyst configured to reduce an O2 content of fuel received from the CPOx reactor; a reforming catalyst configured to partially reform fuel received from the oxidation catalyst; and a stack of fuel cells configured to generate electricity using fuel received from the reforming catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: John Fisher, Jayakumar Krishnadass, David Weingaertner, Laxmikant Girwalkar, Shraddesh Malviya
  • Patent number: 11757114
    Abstract: A control unit estimates a discharged fuel gas amount, i.e., an amount of fuel gas discharged from the outlet of a cathode flow field, of a fuel exhaust gas introduced from a communication flow path to the inlet of the cathode flow field and then flowing through a cathode. The control unit calculates an oxygen-containing gas amount necessary for dilution at the time of discharge into the atmosphere, from the estimated discharged fuel gas amount, and sets a discharge amount of the air pump, based on the calculated oxygen-containing gas amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhide Inoue, Takuto Nakagawa, Manabu Iwaida, Kiyohide Hibino, Atsushi Kamachi, Akane Goto
  • Patent number: 11713734
    Abstract: A multi-function fuel delivery system and method of providing fuel delivery is provided that addresses space-related and cost related challenges as well as other challenges by combining a noise attenuating function, a hydrogen heating function, and a fuel supply rail capable of supplying hydrogen to multiple injectors within a single volume where a heat-transfer core utilizes an existing available internal volume of an attenuating volume or a fuel rail of a hydrogen supply manifold. A hydrogen fuel manifold, a hydrogen heat exchanger, and a fuel rail are housed in a single chamber such that a hydrogen fuel heating/cooling function, a hydrogen fuel noise/vibration attenuating function, providing the heat to the heat-transfer core, and providing the noise-attenuated H2 are performed in the single chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Jie Kou, Joseph Hahn, Christopher L. Koppen, Steven D. Burch, Kenneth Kurzawa
  • Patent number: 11688868
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell unit configured to generate an amount of electrical power for supply to a varying electrical load and a fuel cell controller configured to receive a first indication that the varying electrical load is at a local maximum within a predetermined period, and, in response, operate the fuel cell unit with an operational parameter having a first value such that the fuel cell unit produces a limited maximum amount of electrical power that is a predetermined percentage of a maximum rated power output of the fuel cell unit. The fuel cell controller is also configured to receive an indication that the varying electrical load has reduced, and, in response, operate the fuel cell unit with the operational parameter having a second value such that the fuel cell unit produces an amount of electrical power below the limited maximum amount of electrical power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: FUEL CELL ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: George P. Berntsen, Ramakrishnan Venkataraman, Mohammad Farooque
  • Patent number: 11624117
    Abstract: An electrochemical compressor, including a first end plate, a second end plate, a voltage supply connected to the first end plate and second end plate, a plurality of membranes, where each membrane of the plurality of membranes has a substantially same impedance, and where each membrane of the plurality of membranes has a different thickness in a stacking direction, and a plurality of conductive bipolar plates, where the bipolar plates of the plurality of bipolar plates are arranged in contact with, and alternating in the stacking direction with, the membranes of the plurality of membranes, and where the membranes of the plurality of membranes and the bipolar plates of the plurality of bipolar plates are electrically connected in series between the first end plate and second end plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: TEXTRON INNOVATIONS INC.
    Inventor: Phalgun Madhusudan
  • Patent number: 11616249
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack, a fuel inlet conduit configured to provide a fuel to a fuel inlet of the fuel cell stack, an electrochemical pump separator containing an electrolyte, a cathode, and a carbon monoxide tolerant anode, a fuel exhaust conduit that operatively connects a fuel exhaust outlet of the fuel cell stack to an anode inlet of the electrochemical pump separator, and a product conduit which operatively connects a cathode outlet of the electrochemical pump separator to the fuel inlet conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chockkalingam Karuppaiah, Michael Gasda, Arne Ballantine, Martin Perry, Andy Ta, Kyle Kekelis, Srikanth Ranganathan
  • Patent number: 11433350
    Abstract: A carbon dioxide recovery system for collecting carbon dioxide from an exhaust gas generated in a facility including a combustion device includes: a first exhaust gas passage through which the exhaust gas containing carbon dioxide flows; a fuel cell including an anode, a cathode disposed on the first exhaust gas passage so that the exhaust gas from the first exhaust gas passage is supplied to the cathode, and an electrolyte transferring, from the cathode to the anode, a carbonate ion derived from carbon dioxide contained in the exhaust gas from the first exhaust gas passage; and a second exhaust gas passage diverging from the first exhaust gas passage upstream of the cathode so as to bypass the cathode. A part of the exhaust gas is introduced to the second exhaust gas passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Norihisa Matake, Kouji Horizoe, Hideyuki Uechi, Shigenori Suemori, Takuya Hirata, Yasutaka Aoki, Tatsuo Ishiguro
  • Patent number: 11383207
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to a polycrystalline membrane containing metal nitride particles represented by the general formula MNx (where M is a metal element in which the Fermi energy is in a position higher than ?4.4 eV vs L.V. and x is the range over which a rock salt-type structure can be assumed), in which the crystallite size determined by transmission electron microscopy is 10 nm or less, at least some of the crystallites have rock salt-type structure, and the crystallites exhibit (111) orientation but substantially do not exhibit (100) orientation. The present invention also pertains to a method for manufacturing a polycrystalline membrane, comprising forming, by sputtering, a polycrystalline membrane on a substrate having a temperature of less than 200° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: National University Corporation Hokkaido University
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Aoki, Chiharu Kura, Hiroki Habazaki
  • Patent number: 11380920
    Abstract: Provided is a cogeneration system that includes a plurality of fuel cell devices capable of supplying heat and power to a heat load and a power load and a control device connected to the fuel cell devices. The control device determines an operation mode on the basis of at least one of a heat demand value and a power demand value. The control device controls a power generation efficiency and a heat recovery efficiency by controlling the fuel cell devices on the basis of the operation mode determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinji Aikawa, Tsudoi Utamaru
  • Patent number: 11374246
    Abstract: An ammonia fuel cell system and an electric device are described. The ammonia fuel cell system includes an ammonia decomposition reaction device, a heating device, a hydrogen fuel cell, a DC/DC converter and an inverter connected successively, a battery pack and a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger of the system, can preheat ammonia gas by energy generated by ammonia decomposition, thereby recycling heat waste. The battery pack supports a quick response and stable output to quickly cope with the acceleration and deceleration of the electric device. This improves the stability of the system operation, and electric energy generated by the hydrogen fuel cell or electric energy in the battery pack can be transferred to the outside. The battery pack or the heating device can provide energy to the ammonia decomposition reaction device, so there is no need to supply outside energy to the ammonia decomposition reaction device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignees: FUZHOU UNIVERSITY, BEIJING SANJU ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION & NEW MATERIALS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yu Luo, Lilong Jiang, Chongqi Chen
  • Patent number: 11349135
    Abstract: A method of preparation and application for a glass ceramic sealing thin strip with high sealing performance, differing from using conventional glass ceramic packaging paste applied to the junction of the cell stack assembly and connecting plates. The glass ceramic sealing thin strip of present invention utilizes tape casting to produce a single layer or multi-layer stacking in accordance with the required thickness of the glass-ceramic sealing thin strip, and cutting the glass ceramic sealing thin strips from molds in accordance with the geometry of cell stacks with equal thickness of the glass ceramic sealing thin strip for SOFC cell stack assembly, aiming to overcome the setbacks of the conventional dispensing method with glass ceramic packaging paste that makes the thickness difficult to control, and to effectively improve sealing performance of the cell stack assembly and the power generation efficiency, and achieve commercial application with mass production.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: INSTITUTE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY RESEARCH, ATOMIC ENERGY COUNCIL, EXECUTIVE YUAN
    Inventors: Tai-Nan Lin, Szu-Han Wu, Yi-Jing Wu, Min-Fang Han, Wei-Xin Kao, Hong-Yi Kuo, Chun-Yen Yeh, Yung-Neng Cheng, Ruey-Yi Lee
  • Patent number: 11328875
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC) comprising a porous isolating substrate (30) having a first surface and a second surface, a first porous layer (14) comprising conducting particles printed on the first surface of the porous isolating substrate to form a conductive porous layer, a second porous layer (16) comprising conducting particles printed on the second surface of the porous isolating substrate to form a conductive porous layer, whereby the porous isolating substrate is disposed between the first and second porous layers, a third porous layer (18) comprising light absorbing dye molecules deposited on the first porous layer, and a charge transfer medium for transferring charges between the third and first porous layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Exeger Operations AB
    Inventors: Henrik Lindström, Giovanni Fili
  • Patent number: 11217800
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a target pressure value for the pressure in a fuel cell is set depending on a demand output value to the fuel cell. A turbine retains a set pressure line representing a relationship between an airflow rate supplied to the turbine and a pressure ratio corresponding to a ratio of a pressure upstream of the turbine and a pressure downstream of the turbine. A controller executes a first control when the target pressure value for the fuel cell is lower than the set pressure line and executes a second control when the target pressure value for the fuel cell is higher than the set pressure line. The controller controls an outlet valve so as not to be fully opened when a turbine bypass valve is fully closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI
    Inventors: Hidefumi Mori, Junya Suzuki, Kazuki Okazaki
  • Patent number: 11211625
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a first fuel cell having a first anode and a first cathode, wherein the first anode is configured to output a first anode exhaust gas. The system further includes a first oxidizer configured to receive the first anode exhaust gas and air from a first air supply, to react the first anode exhaust gas and the air in a preferential oxidation reaction, and to output an oxidized gas. The system further includes a second fuel cell configured to act as an electrochemical hydrogen separator. The second fuel cell includes a second anode configured to receive the oxidized gas from the first oxidizer and to output a second anode exhaust gas, and a second cathode configured to output a hydrogen stream. The system further includes a condenser configured to receive the second anode exhaust gas and to separate water and CO2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: FuelCell Energy, Inc.
    Inventor: Hossein Ghezel-Ayagh
  • Patent number: 11196060
    Abstract: This disclosure related to polymer electrolyte member fuel cells and components thereof, including fuel cell endplates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: NUVERA FUEL CELLS, LLC
    Inventors: Scott C. Blanchet, Benjamin Lunt
  • Patent number: 11152629
    Abstract: The fuel cell system comprises a fuel gas tank, a fuel cell configured to generate electricity with oxidizing gas and fuel gas supplied from the fuel gas tank, a current sensor configured to detect output current from the fuel cell, a voltage sensor configured to detect output voltage from the fuel cell, and a controller. The controller is configured to determine that fuel gas quality does not meet predetermined standard quality when the controller determines output from the fuel cell has decreased using current values detected by the current sensor and voltage values detected by the voltage sensor after filling operation of the fuel gas into the fuel gas tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ryosuke Oya
  • Patent number: 10916785
    Abstract: The present invention includes an apparatus and method for volumetric and gravimetric storage of reactants and waste comprising: one or more reactant or fuel storage bladders; and one or more waste storage bladders, wherein the reactant or fuel storage bladders and the waste storage bladders form a stack of bladders, and the stack of bladders are interleaved between the reactant or fuel storage bladders and the waste storage bladders, such that both a volumetric and a gravimetric balance is maintained as reactant or fuel are used and the waste bladder is filled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Lynntech, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Reeh, Jady Stevens, Tiffany Jefferson, Justin McIntire, Chris Hadley, John Zbranek, Jeffrey S. Parkey, Ashwin Kumar Balasubramanian, Jibi Varughese, Geoffrey D. Hitchens, Marc W. Penny
  • Patent number: 10913543
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing power to one or more loads on an aircraft are provided. A power system for an aircraft can include a first fuel cell configured to provide base power to one or more loads on the aircraft. The power system can further include a second fuel cell configured to provide peak power to the one or more loads on the aircraft. The peak power can be a power exceeding the base power. The power system can further include an energy storage device configured to provide transient power to the one or more loads on the aircraft. The transient power can be a power exceeding the peak power. The power system can further include a controller configured to control delivery of power from the first fuel cell, the second fuel cell, and the energy storage device to the one or more loads on the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: GE Aviation Systems Limited
    Inventors: Michael David Bailey, Colin John Halsey
  • Patent number: 10897055
    Abstract: A hydrogen generation system for generating hydrogen and electrical power includes a power supply, a reformer-electrolyzer-purifier (REP) assembly including at least one fuel cell including an anode and a cathode separated by an electrolyte matrix, at least one low temperature fuel cell, and a hydrogen storage. The at least one fuel cell is configured to receive a reverse voltage supplied by the power supply and generate hydrogen-containing gas in the anode of the at least one fuel cell. The at least one low temperature fuel cell is configured to receive the hydrogen-containing gas output from the REP assembly. The at least one low temperature fuel cell is configured to selectably operate in a power generation mode in which the hydrogen-containing gas is used to generate electrical power and a power storage mode in which the hydrogen-containing gas is pressurized and stored in the hydrogen storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: FuelCell Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Fred C. Jahnke, Matthew Lambrech
  • Patent number: 10886546
    Abstract: The invention relates to a flushing arrangement for flushing (purging) a fuel cell unit on its anode side and/or an electrolysis unit on its cathode side. The flushing arrangement has a flushing channel with a first and a second flushing channel section, which can be fluidically connected to one another via a purge valve of the flushing arrangement, and with a buffer store which is fluidically connected to the flushing channel and downstream of the purge valve, and which has a storage chamber that is provided for intermediate storage of a fluid mass to be flushed in a pulse-type manner with a flush mass flow from the fuel cell unit and/or from the electrolysis unit, so that this fluid mass can be discharged with a discharge mass flow, which is smaller than the flush mass flow, out of an outflow element fluidically connected to the second flushing channel section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Inventors: Andreas Hierl, Dirk Radue, Gunnar Schneider, Uwe Benz, Kevin Schroder, Zeyad Abul-Ella
  • Patent number: 10886545
    Abstract: A fuel cell module includes: a housing; a cell stack; a reformer; and an oxygen-containing gas supply section. The cell stack comprises fuel cells which are arranged along a predetermined arrangement direction, and is housed in the housing. The reformer is disposed above the cell stack in the housing. The oxygen-containing gas supply section is disposed along the predetermined arrangement direction of the fuel cells so as to face the cell stack and the reformer, and has a gas flow channel through which an oxygen-containing gas to be supplied to the fuel cell flows downwardly. Moreover, in the oxygen-containing gas supply section, the gas flow channel has a first region and a second region which is greater than the first region in flow channel width in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which an oxygen-containing gas flows, and the predetermined arrangement direction of the fuel cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventors: Masanori Suehiro, Eizo Matsui, Tomoyuki Oda
  • Patent number: 10814992
    Abstract: A power source for an aircraft including a solid oxide fuel cell and a proton exchange membrane fuel cell along with a solid oxide fuel cell multi-power source. At least one battery is electrically coupled to the solid oxide fuel cell, the proton exchange membrane fuel cell, and an aircraft distribution network to supply electricity to the aircraft and also for becoming recharged by the solid oxide fuel cell and the proton exchange membrane fuel cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: GE Aviation Systems Limited
    Inventors: Colin John Halsey, Michael David Bailey
  • Patent number: 10811712
    Abstract: A hydrogen supply system includes an electrochemical hydrogen pump which includes: an electrolyte membrane; an anode provided on a first surface of the electrolyte membrane; a cathode provided on a second surface of the electrolyte membrane opposite to the first surface; and a current adjuster adjusting a current amount flowing between the anode and the cathode, and which performs a hydrogen supply operation by allowing a current to flow between the anode and the cathode using the current adjuster so as to boost the pressure of hydrogen which is supplied to an anode side at a cathode side and to supply the pressure-boosted hydrogen to a hydrogen demander; and a dew point adjuster adjusting a dew point of a mixed gas in which a hydrogen-containing gas which is discharged from the anode side and a hydrogen-containing gas which is supplied from an outside are mixed together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Osamu Sakai, Kunihiro Ukai, Hidenobu Wakita
  • Patent number: 10714776
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a battery, a fuel cell configured to generate power in accordance with a load, an inverter configured to convert power output from the fuel cell into alternating-current power and supply the alternating-current power to a motor, and a converter configured to control voltage between the inverter and the fuel cell using power output from the battery. The fuel cell system includes a voltage control unit configured to control the converter such that the voltage between the inverter and the fuel cell does not fall below a voltage lower limit of the inverter, and a lower limit voltage control unit configured to, when power required by the motor increases, cause the voltage between the inverter and the fuel cell to fall below the voltage lower limit of the inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsunori Kumada, Hidetaka Nishimura, Hiroshi Takeda
  • Patent number: 10693166
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell that generates electric power using fuel gas and oxidant gas, a fuel gas supply path through which the fuel gas is supplied to an anode inlet of the fuel cell, a recycle gas path through which anode off-gas discharged from an anode outlet of the fuel cell returns to the fuel gas supply path, and a pressure booster arranged in the recycle gas path, and the pressure booster is arranged above a confluence portion where the fuel gas supply path and the recycle gas path meet each other when gravity acts downward from above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takehiko Ise, Akinori Yukimasa, Junji Morita, Miki Abe, Yoshito Usuki
  • Patent number: 10581101
    Abstract: A solid-state hydrogen storage device includes a first storage for storing a reversible solid-state hydrogen storage material, a reactor disposed in the first storage to enable a hydrolysis reaction of a non-reversible solid-state hydrogen storage material to be performed therein, and a fuel cell stack, wherein the non-reversible solid-state hydrogen storage material is stored in the reactor, and wherein the non-reversible solid-state hydrogen storage material releases heat when the hydrolysis is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Sangbaek Park, Tae Won Lim, Dong Hoon Nam
  • Patent number: 10573906
    Abstract: A fuel cell device includes: a reformer that generates a reformed gas; a fuel cell; a combustor that combusts off-gas of the reformed gas and air for power generation, and generates a combustion exhaust gas; a first air heat exchanger that has a combustion exhaust gas path and a first air supply path, and that performs heat exchange between the combustion exhaust gas and the air for power generation; a fuel cell storage which stores the fuel cell; a second air heat exchanger that has a second air supply path that supplies the air for power generation to the fuel cell, and that performs heat exchange between the off-gas of the air for power generation and the air for power generation; and a housing that stores members. The first air supply path and the second air supply path are disposed to cover whole members stored in the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Nakata, Kunihiro Ukai, Masakazu Aoki
  • 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
  • Patent number: 10494256
    Abstract: A burner combustion chamber (3), a reformer catalyst (4) to which burner combustion gas is fed, and a heat exchange part (13a) for heating the air fed to the burner (7) are provided. When the temperature of the reformer catalyst (4) exceeds the allowable catalyst temperature (TX) or when it is predicted the temperature of the reformer catalyst (4) will exceed the allowable catalyst temperature (TX), the air circulation route for guiding air to the burner (7) is switched from a high temperature air circulation route (13) for guiding air heated by the heat exchange part (13a) to the burner (7) to a low temperature air circulation route (14) for guiding air not flowing within the heat exchange part (13a) and lower in temperature than the air heated at the heat exchange part (13a) to the burner (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinichi Takeshima, Hiromasa Nishioka, Kiyoshi Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 10483575
    Abstract: The invention is based on a fuel cell device which is provided to be operated with a natural gas, having a fuel cell unit (12) and an anode gas processor (14) arranged upstream of the fuel cell unit (12), which anode gas processor is provided to prepare the natural gas for use in the fuel cell unit (12) and which comprises a desulfurization unit (18), which is provided to desulfurize the natural gas, an oxidation unit (20), which is provided to perform partial oxidation, and a reformer unit (22), which is provided to produce at least one fuel gas. It is proposed that the fuel cell device comprise a recirculation unit (16), which is provided to supply at least a proportion of an anode waste gas from the fuel cell unit (12) to the fuel cell device (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Maxime Carre
  • Patent number: 10465305
    Abstract: A system for producing at least one of hydrogen or carbon monoxide includes at least one fuel cell, including an anode and a cathode separated by an electrolyte matrix. The at least one fuel cell further includes a power supply for applying a reverse voltage to the at least one fuel cell to operate the fuel cell in reverse as an electrolyzer. The anode is configured to receive a partially-reformed fuel and output a gas comprising hydrogen. The cathode is configured to output a gas comprising carbon dioxide and oxygen. The system further includes at least one oxidizer configured to receive the carbon dioxide and oxygen from the cathode and fuel from a fuel supply, the at least one oxidizer configured to output a partially-oxidized fuel comprising carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: FUELCELL ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Fred C. Jahnke, Matthew Lambrech
  • Patent number: 10461348
    Abstract: A fuel cell system and a method of controlling the same are provided. The fuel cell system includes a supplying pipe that supplies hydrogen and air to a stack and a gas concentration sensor that senses hydrogen and air impurities supplied to the supplying pipe. A supplying valve is disposed in the supplying pipe to adjust the hydrogen and air supply and a discharging pipe discharges the hydrogen and the air from the stack. A discharging valve is disposed in the discharging pipe to adjust the discharging of the hydrogen and the air. A controller operates with the gas concentration sensor to detect introduction of the impurities. Exhaust valves are disposed at the front and rear end of the stack to remove a polluted fuel when the impurities are introduced. When performance deteriorates due to the impurities, a cause of deterioration is determined, and stack performance is recovered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Se Joon Im, Jun Yeol Paek
  • Patent number: 10386084
    Abstract: An ionic liquid desiccant system utilizes an ionic liquid desiccant to draw moisture from a working fluid, such as air that flow into an enclosure, such as a home. The desiccant may be mixed with the working fluid or a separator that allows moisture transport therethrough may be configured between the ionic liquid desiccant and the working fluid. The ionic liquid desiccant system may be part of an air conditioning system and may remove the moisture from air that is cooled by flowing over an evaporator or heat exchanger coupled with the evaporator. The ionic liquid desiccant may be pumped from a desiccant chamber to a regenerator chamber to remove absorbed moisture. A dual-purpose chamber may act as a desiccant chamber and as a regenerator chamber. A refrigeration system may have an electrochemical compressor and may utilize metal hydride heat exchangers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Xergy LTD
    Inventors: Bamdad Bahar, William Parmelee, Luyu Jin, Omar Abdelaziz Ahmed Abdelaziz
  • Patent number: 10361442
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell system and method including a hotbox containing a fuel cell stack, a fuel supply configured to provide a fuel to the fuel cell stack, and a hydrogen supply thermally integrated with the hotbox. The hydrogen supply is configured to produce hydrogen during or shortly after the SOFC system is shutdown using residual heat of the hot box, and to provide the hydrogen to the SOFC stack such that an anode reducing environment is maintained in the stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Martin Perry, Arne Ballantine, Michael Gasda, Chockkalingam Karuppaiah
  • Patent number: 10322932
    Abstract: A hydrogen generator and methods of generating hydrogen are described in which a hydride is hydrolyzed in a reaction chamber in an exothermic reaction by the addition of liquid water to be vaporized in the reaction chamber, and/or the added water is controlled in relation to the hydrogen generated according to a value x defined by equations, which, for a divalent metal, reads: MH2+xH2O?(2?x)MO+(x?1)M(OH)2+2H2, wherein M symbolizing the divalent metal and x is preferred in the interval of 1.2 to 1.3. The equation as well as the values of x depend on the sort of hydride, i.e. whether a 1-, 2-, 3- or 4-valent hydride is applied. The hydrogen generator has a reaction chamber and an operably coupled water storage vessel acting also as condenser for recycled water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: HES Energy Systems Pte. Ltd.
    Inventor: Zhijun Gu
  • Patent number: 10277025
    Abstract: A safety apparatus uses a fuel cell and a high voltage battery as a power source, and includes: a first voltage sensor that measures a voltage of a positive side of a voltage bus; a second voltage sensor that measures a voltage of a negative side of the voltage bus; and a controller that determines an electrical insulation between the positive side of the voltage bus and the electrical chassis based on the voltage of the positive side of the voltage bus and determines an electrical insulation between the negative side of the voltage bus and the electrical chassis based on the voltage of the negative side of the voltage bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: JuHan Kim, Young Bum Kum, Yong Sun Park, Soon Il Jeon, Nam Woo Lee, Sae Hoon Kim
  • Patent number: 10273589
    Abstract: An electrodes/electrolyte assembly—MEA, electrochemical membrane reactor—is described and a method for the direct amination of hydrocarbons, namely for the direct amination of benzene to aniline, and a method for the preparation of said electrodes/electrolyte assembly. The presented Solution allows the increase of conversion of said amination to above 60%, even at low temperatures, i.e., between 200° C. and 450° C.; preferably between 300° C. and 400° C. The electrodes/electrolyte assembly for direct amination of hydrocarbons comprises: an anode (1), electrons and protons conductor, that includes a composite porous matrix, comprised by a ceramic fraction and a catalyst for said amination at temperatures lower than 450° C.; a porous cathode (3), electrons and protons conductor, and electrocatalyst; an electrolyte (2), protons or ions conductor and electrically insulating, located between the anode (1) and the cathode (3), made of a composite ceramic impermeable to reagents and products of said amination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: CUF—QUIMICOS INDUSTRIAIS S.A.
    Inventors: Adelio Miguel Magalhaes Mendes, Alejandro Franca Gomes Ribeiro, Margarida Dias Catarino, Ana Sofia Pimentel Felix, Mario Jorge De Oliveira Pinho
  • Patent number: 10224560
    Abstract: A fuel cell system according to the present invention includes a cell stack, a combustion part, a reformed water carburetor, a gas mixer, and a reformer. The cell stack is a cell stack that is configured by stacking fuel cells and generates electric power by using hydrogen-containing gas and oxygen-containing gas. The combustion part burns the hydrogen-containing gas and the oxygen-containing gas that have not been consumed in the cell stack. A reformed water carburetor is communicated with the combustion part via an exhaust gas passage and generates steam. The gas mixer, placed on the top of the combustion part. The reformer, placed on the top of the combustion part in contact with the gas mixer, is a reformer, generates the hydrogen-containing gas by reforming the mixed gas, and supplies the hydrogen-containing gas to the cell stack via the hydrogen gas passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: TOSHIBA FUEL CELL POWER SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takeshi Matsuno
  • Patent number: 10177390
    Abstract: In a method for controlling a fuel cell system, a shutoff valve is opened to supply a fuel gas from a storage container to a fuel cell after a fuel cell system shutdown instruction is sent to the fuel cell system so that the fuel cell generates and discharges electricity. The storage container is supplied to the fuel gas supplied from a fuel supply source provided outside the fuel cell system in response to a filling instruction to supply the fuel gas to the storage container. A data signal indicating a state of the storage container is transmitted to the fuel supply source. The shutoff valve is closed and the storage container is supplied to the fuel gas supplied from the fuel supply source if the filling instruction is output while opening the shutoff valve after the fuel cell system shutdown instruction is sent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Go Kikuchi, Chihiro Wake, Yuji Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 10096840
    Abstract: A method of operating a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system which contains a plurality of SOFCs having cermet anode electrodes includes operating the SOFC system above 760° C. to generate electricity and intentionally oxidizing the cermet anode electrodes at a temperature of at least 760° C. when the SOFC system stops operating to generate electricity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Swaminathan Venkataraman, Emad El Batawi, Matthias Gottmann, Tad Armstrong, Manoj Pillai, Padiadpu Shankara Anantha, Vijay Radhakrishnan, Mohamed Sharif, Pradhiba Mohan, Rakesh Kandiboina
  • Patent number: 10050297
    Abstract: A method and system for storing and/or discharging electrical energy that has a cost, which method includes steps of: (a) providing a flow battery system comprising at least one flow battery cell and a controller; (b) operating the flow battery cell at a power density having a first value; and (c) changing the power density at which the flow battery cell is operated from the first value to a second value as a function of the cost of the electrical energy, wherein the power density is changed using the controller, and wherein the second value is different than the first value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Arun Pandy, Michael L. Perry
  • Patent number: 9979038
    Abstract: System and method for energy storage and recovery is described. More particularly, system and method using tungsten based materials to electrochemically store and recover energy is described. In certain embodiments, the system includes a reversible solid oxide electrochemical cell (RSOEC) having a porous cathode, a porous anode, and an electrolyte capable of transporting oxygen ion. The system further includes a reactor comprising tungsten, tungsten oxide, or combinations thereof. To store the energy, the RSOEC is capable of receiving electricity to electrolyze H2O to generate H2 and O2 and the reactor is operably connected to the RSOEC to receive the generated H2 and convert tungsten oxide to tungsten thereby storing electrical energy. To recover the energy, reactor is capable of receiving H2O to convert tungsten to tungsten oxide and generate H2 and the RSOEC is operably connected to the reactor to receive the generated H2 and generate electrical energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Trustees of Boston University
    Inventors: Uday B. Pal, Srikanth Gopalan
  • Patent number: 9920711
    Abstract: A natural gas fueling system supplies methane gas to an engine and includes a filter assembly. The filter assembly includes a gas inlet configured to receive inlet gas and a methane permeable filter configured to separate methane gas and first contaminant gases from the inlet gas. The natural gas fueling system also includes a reformer apparatus configured to convert the first contaminant gases into a reformed gas stream including methane gas. The reformed gas is supplied to the gas inlet and is recirculated through the filter assembly to extract the methane gas from the reformed gas stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: CUMMINS INC.
    Inventors: Corey W. Trobaugh, Randy E. Berg, Daniel A Norrick, Brian K. Wagner
  • Patent number: 9876245
    Abstract: A gas separator has an adsorbent, a circulation-passage constituting member, a circulator, an adsorption facilitator, and a desorption facilitator. The adsorbent adsorbs or desorbs carbon dioxide, and the adsorbent is made of a liquid. The circulation-passage constituting member therein has a space that defines a circulation passage in which the adsorbent flows. The circulator circulates the adsorbent in the space. The adsorption facilitator facilitates an adsorption of carbon dioxide to the adsorbent filling the space. The desorption facilitator facilitates a desorption of carbon dioxide from the adsorbent filling the space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kan Kitagawa, Nobuyoshi Sakakibara, Kenichirou Kami, Hidehiko Hiramatsu
  • Patent number: 9843056
    Abstract: A fuel cell system supplies anode gas and cathode gas to a fuel cell and causes the fuel cell to generate electric power in accordance with a load. The fuel cell system includes a container reserved impurities discharged from the fuel cell. The fuel cell system includes a pressure control unit that makes a pressure of the anode gas higher when a current of the fuel cell is high than when the current of the fuel cell is low. The fuel cell system includes an estimation unit that varies the current of the fuel cell, and estimates a current-voltage characteristic of the fuel cell on the basis of a current value and a voltage value obtained when the current of the fuel cell has been varied. The fuel cell system includes a restriction unit that, while the estimation unit is estimating the current-voltage characteristic, restricts a reduction in the pressure of the anode gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Hoshi
  • Patent number: 9731268
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a plasma dry reforming apparatus for producing synthetic gas, main components of which are hydrogen and carbon monoxide, by reforming methane and carbon dioxide injected in plasma, the apparatus comprising: a plasma reformer 100, 200 which produces carbon dioxide plasma by making carbon dioxide supplied therein into plasma, ignites plasma flame by supplying hydrocarbon to the produced dioxide plasma, and produces synthetic gas by supplying methane to the plasma flame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: KOREA BASIC SCIENCE INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Yong Cheol Hong, Se Min Chun, Seong Yun Cho
  • Patent number: 9684314
    Abstract: A system includes a vessel configured to couple with a gas source for drawing gas into the vessel. The vessel is also configured to receive liquid. The system includes an overflow port in fluid communication with the environment external to the vessel. The overflow port is configured to separate gas within the vessel from the external environment. The system also includes an overflow conduit having an end within the overflow port so that when gas pressure within the vessel increases, liquid is received by the overflow conduit. Another system includes a tank defining an air space for receiving gas generated during the biodegradation of biomass feedstock. The second system also includes an exhaust port, a first evaporator, a first condenser, an expansion valve, and a compressor. The second system also includes a heat exchanger, a second evaporator, and a second condenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: NUTECH VENTURES
    Inventors: Haorong Li, Yanshun Yu, Daihong Yu
  • Patent number: 9640827
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for operating a fuel cell system having a fuel cell stack to which a fuel is supplied on the anode side and an oxidizing agent is supplied on the cathode side, wherein at least during one phase of the operation of the fuel cell system, urea is supplied to the fuel cell stack as a fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: ElringKlinger AG
    Inventors: Thomas Kiefer, André Weber
  • Patent number: 9624801
    Abstract: A mitigating system to remove contaminants from an exhaust gas and generate electrical power utilizes a first and second particle acquisition tower (PAT) unit, a first and second carbon dioxide precipitator (CAP) unit, a clean air turbine (CAT) unit, and a first and second gravity enhance separator (AGES) unit. The first PAT unit receives and purify the exhaust gas as the first AGES unit is in fluid communication with the first PAT unit. The exhaust gas is then respectively discharge and purified through the first CAP unit, the CAT unit, the second PAT unit as the second AGES unit is in fluid communication with the second PAT unit. Then the exhaust gas is discharged and purified through the second CAP unit and released into atmosphere as clean exhaust gas. Additionally, the exhaust gas is able to produce electricity as the exhaust gas bypasses within the CAT unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: AETHERIS RENEWABLE ENERGY, LLC
    Inventor: Buddy Ray Paul
  • Patent number: 9520607
    Abstract: In various aspects, systems and methods are provided for operating a molten carbonate fuel cell assembly at increased power density. This can be accomplished in part by performing an effective amount of an endothermic reaction within the fuel cell stack in an integrated manner. This can allow for increased power density while still maintaining a desired temperature differential within the fuel cell assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: EXXONMOBIL RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY
    Inventors: Paul J. Berlowitz, Timothy Andrew Barckholtz, Anita S. Lee