Patents Assigned to Bloom Energy Corporation
  • Coatings for metal interconnects to reduce SOFC degradation
    Patent number: 10431833
    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: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: James Wilson, Manoj Pillai, Tad Armstrong
  • Fuel cell ventilation systems
    Patent number: 10418654
    Abstract: A roof cap assembly for a fuel cell system includes a housing, and a cover assembly disposed on the housing and configured to move between a first position and a second position. The cover assembly includes a cover including a first opening and a second opening, and a door connected to the cover and configured to selectively open and close the second opening. When the cover assembly is in the first position, the door closes the second opening, such that the reaction exhaust and the cabinet exhaust are directed through the first opening. When the cover assembly is in the second position, the door opens the second opening, such that the cabinet exhaust is directed through first opening and the reaction exhaust is directed through the second opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: David Trevisan, Gilbert Richards, Arne Ballantine, Jessica Mahler, Ross Parker, Zachary Odenheimer
  • Doped scandia stabilized zirconia electrolyte compositions
    Patent number: 10381673
    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: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: David N. Miller, Cristian Savaniu, John T S Irvine, Tad Armstrong
  • Fuel cell system with variable auxiliary bus voltage and method of operating thereof
    Patent number: 10367215
    Abstract: A method of operating a fuel cell system which includes a plurality of fuel cells and a plurality of auxiliary components located in at least one cabinet, includes monitoring, by a control unit, a parameter of the fuel cell system, determining whether the parameter has violated a threshold, and varying an auxiliary bus voltage provided to the plurality of auxiliary components connected to a common auxiliary bus by a first amount in response to determining that the parameter has violated the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Prasad Pmsvvsv, Arne Ballantine, Rakesh Roy, Ranganathan Gurunathan
  • SOFC system and method which maintain a reducing anode environment
    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
  • Perimeter electrolyte reinforcement layer composition for solid oxide fuel cell electrolytes
    Patent number: 10347930
    Abstract: Solid oxide fuel cells and methods for fabricating solid oxide fuel cells include an electrolyte reinforcement (ERI) layer. An ink composition including a ceramic material and a sintering aid, such as a metal or metal oxide material, is applied to select portions of a solid oxide electrolyte and sintered to form an ERI layer. The ERI layer may improve the strength and durability of the electrolyte and may facilitate bonding to a high-temperature seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Emad El Batawi, Mina Touma, Michael Gasda, Vijay Palety
  • Systems and methods for suppressing chromium poisoning in fuel cells
    Patent number: 10340543
    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: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Bloom Energy Corporation
    Inventors: Manoj Pillai, James Wilson, Tad Armstrong, Chung-Dee Pong, James Chang, Matthias Gottmann, Tulin Akin
  • Methods and systems for detecting leaks in a fuel cell stack
    Patent number: 10333162
    Abstract: Systems and methods for testing a fuel cell stack include a vacuum source, a test head including at least one isolated vacuum plenum configured to be positioned in fluid communication with a first portion of the fuel cell stack, the isolated vacuum plenum in fluid communication with the vacuum source, and a detector in fluid communication with the at least one isolated vacuum plenum for detecting the presence of a particular constituent of a fluid provided in a second portion of the fuel cell stack, where the second portion of the fuel cell stack is separated from the first portion of the fuel cell stack by at least one of an electrolyte and a fuel cell seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jerome A. Mack, Jonathan Cerrona, John Fisher, James Wilson, Tad Armstrong, Harald Herchen
  • Sorbent bed assembly, fuel cell system including same, and systems and devices for loading and transporting same
    Patent number: 10333163
    Abstract: A sorbent bed assembly of a fuel cell system, including a first sorbent bed, a second sorbent bed and at least one third sorbent bed, the second sorbent bed disposed between the first sorbent bed and the at least one third sorbent bed, a cover plate on the plurality of sorbent beds and configured to connect the sorbent beds to one another, a fuel inlet connector on the cover plate and configured to receive a fuel, a manifold having a first fluid conduit configured to transport fuel between the first sorbent bed and at least one third sorbent bed, and a second fluid conduit configured to transport fuel between at least one third sorbent bed and the second sorbent bed, and a fuel outlet connector on the cover plate and configured to receive fuel that has passed through each of the sorbent beds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: David Trevisan, Arne Ballantine, Bruno Caulk, Ross Parker, Gilbert Richards, Robert M. Hintz, Emma Campbell, Craig Metcho
  • Fuel cell system with grid independent operation and DC microgrid capability
    Patent number: 10322637
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes grid independent operation with DC microgrid capability. This fuel cell system has a capability of operation with and without the grid, and with DC micro-grid capability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ramesh Srinivasan, Rajaram Swaminathan, Ranganathan Gurunathan, Arne Ballantine, James McElroy
  • Sorbent bed assembly and fuel cell system including same
    Patent number: 10320017
    Abstract: A sorbent bed assembly, a fuel cell system including the sorbent bed assembly, and methods of using the same. The sorbent bed assembly includes sorbent beds disposed in a stack, such that the sorbent beds extend lengthwise in a non-vertical direction, and conduits configured to fluidly connect the sorbent beds. One or more of the sorbent beds may also include a housing, a removable cartridge disposed in the housing and comprising a sorbent material configured to purify the fuel, and a support configured to prevent the fuel from bypassing the cartridge when the fuel flows through the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: David Trevisan, Abraham Bruno Caulk, Emma Campbell, Chad Pearson, Arne Ballantine, Jessica Mahler, Venkat Ramani, Gilbert Richards, Christian Daco
  • SOFC cathode compositions with improved resistance to SOFC degradation
    Patent number: 10249883
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) includes a solid oxide electrolyte with a zirconia-based ceramic, an anode electrode, and a cathode electrode that includes a ceria-based ceramic component and an electrically conductive component. Another SOFC includes a solid oxide electrolyte containing a zirconia-based ceramic, an anode electrode, and a cathode electrode that includes an electrically conductive component and an ionically conductive component, in which the ionically conductive component includes a zirconia-based ceramic containing scandia and at least one of ceria, ytterbia and yttria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Andres Leming, Emad El Batawi, Michael Gasda, Tad Armstrong, James Wilson
  • Fuel cell stack column including stress-relief components
    Patent number: 10211478
    Abstract: A fuel cell column includes termination plates, fuel cell stacks disposed between the termination plates, and fuel manifolds disposed between the fuel cell stacks. The fuel cell stacks include fuel cells, interconnects disposed between the fuel cells, and end plates disposed on opposing ends of the fuel cell stacks. At least one of the termination plates and/or the fuel manifold may include first and second separate pieces separated by an expansion zone. The fuel cell stack may also include one or more buffer layers and/or seals configured to reduce CTE differences of components of the fuel cell stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tad Armstrong, Michael Lesher, Christopher Lee
  • Fuel cell stack assembly and method of operating the same
    Patent number: 10211479
    Abstract: A fuel cell stack assembly and method of operating the same are provided. The assembly includes a fuel cell stack column and side baffles disposed on opposing sides of the column. The side baffles and the fuel cell stack may have substantially the same coefficient of thermal expansion at room temperature. The side baffles may have a laminate structure in which one or more channels are formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: David Edmonston, Martin Perry, James Wilson, Ramesha Guntanur, Paturi Balaji Narasimha Prasad
  • Systems and methods for providing fuel cell power to a data center
    Patent number: 10203735
    Abstract: Systems and methods include a power module comprising at least one fuel cell generator for powering a load, and a bypass mechanism having a first, normally-open fast-acting switch that closes in 1-250 msec, and a second, normally-open switch in parallel with the first switch, the bypass mechanism being electrically connected between the load and a second power source, such as a grid source, where the first switch is configured to close in response to a fault event such that when the first switch is closed power to the load is provided from the second power source through the first switch, and the second switch closes after a predetermined time such that power to the load from the second source is provided through the second switch. Additional methods and systems include providing power to a plurality of loads using fuel cell power generators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Peter Gross, James Daniel Smith, Rajesh Gopinath, Arne Ballantine
  • Carbon dioxide separator, fuel cell system including same, and method of operating the fuel cell system
    Patent number: 10186724
    Abstract: A system and method in which a high temperature fuel cell stack exhaust stream is recycled back into the fuel inlet stream of the high temperature fuel cell stack. The recycled stream may be sent to a carbon dioxide separator that separates carbon dioxide from the fuel exhaust stream. The carbon dioxide separator may include a carbon dioxide separation membrane, an oxygen blocking membrane, and a water blocking membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignees: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION, OHIO STATE INNOVATION FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Michael Gasda, Arne Ballantine, Chockkalingam Karuppaiah, W. S. Winston Ho
  • Carbon dioxide shielded natural gas line and method of using thereof
    Patent number: 10173389
    Abstract: A natural gas line comprises a concentric pipe having an inner natural gas pipe and an outer carbon dioxide pipe surrounding the inner pipe. Carbon dioxide in the outer pipe comprises a shield which prevents or decreases natural gas leakage to the atmosphere. The carbon dioxide may be supplied from an exhaust of a fuel cell system, such as carbon dioxide separated from the fuel exhaust of a fuel cell system by a carbon dioxide separator. The natural gas may flow from a natural gas field to the fuel cell system via the inner pipe while the carbon dioxide may flow from the fuel cell system to the natural gas field via the outer pipe. The carbon dioxide may be sequestered in the empty space underground in natural gas field created by the extraction of the natural gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: KR Sridhar, Arne Ballantine
  • Carbon dioxide separator membrane structure, method of manufacturing same, and carbon dioxide separator including same
    Patent number: 10173178
    Abstract: A carbon dioxide membrane structure, a method of making the same, and a carbon dioxide separator including the same. The membrane structure may include a carbon dioxide separation membrane containing PVA and a carrier, and a polysulfone-based support having an average pore size ranging from about 40 to about 90 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignees: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION, INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY MADRAS
    Inventors: Abhijit Deshpande, Susy Varughese, Rahul Shevate, Elamathi Swaminathan, Kadhiresan Ambalavanan, Shraddesh Malviya, Chockkalingam Karuppaiah, Arne Ballantine, Michael Gasda
  • High temperature air purge of solid oxide fuel cell anode electrodes
    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
  • Seal compositions, methods, and structures for planar solid oxide fuel cells
    Patent number: 10087103
    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 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 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ananda H. Kumar, Dien Nguyen, Martin Janousek, Tad Armstrong