Patents Assigned to Bloom Energy Corporation
  • Anode with remarkable stability under conditions of extreme fuel starvation
    Patent number: 9812714
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) includes a cathode electrode, a solid oxide electrolyte, and an anode electrode having a first region located adjacent to a fuel inlet and a second region located adjacent to a fuel outlet. The anode electrode includes a cermet having a nickel containing phase and a ceramic phase. The first region of the anode electrode contains a lower ratio of the nickel containing phase to the ceramic phase than the second region of the anode electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Emad El Batawi
  • Pre-reformer for selective reformation of higher hydrocarbons
    Patent number: 9799902
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided integrating an annular pre-reformer as part of an anode recuperator of a fuel cell system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: David Weingaertner, Vlad Kalika, Martin Perry
  • Phase stable doped zirconia electrolyte compositions with low degradation
    Patent number: 9799909
    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: July 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tad Armstrong, Emad El Batawi, Martin Janousek, Manoj Pillai
  • Inspection method for the effect of composition on the bond strength of a metallized alumina ceramic
    Patent number: 9786043
    Abstract: A method of inspecting a unit under test containing brazed dielectric to metal bond, includes providing at least one image of the bond and determining a characteristic of the bond based on at least one of a presence and size of a glassy phase in or adjacent to the bond.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael Petrucha, Jerome A. Mack
  • Flaw detection method and apparatus for fuel cell components
    Patent number: 9784625
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide systems and methods for detecting defects in components of a fuel cell. Embodiment methods and systems for detecting a defect in an interconnect for a fuel cell system include thermally exciting the interconnect using optical radiation and/or inductive stimulation, detecting a thermal response of the interconnect, and based on the thermal response, determining the presence or absence of a defect in the interconnect, such as a lateral or through crack in the interconnect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Stephen Couse, Tulin Akin
  • SOFC hot box components
    Patent number: 9780392
    Abstract: Various hot box fuel cell system components are provided, such as heat exchangers, steam generator and other components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Martin Perry, David Weingaertner, Nilanjana Basu, Michael Petrucha, William David Lyle, Navaneetha Krishnan, Matthias Gottmann
  • Overvoltage snubber for grid tie inverter
    Patent number: 9755501
    Abstract: An overvoltage snubber circuit configured to receive an alternating current (AC) overvoltage includes a first rectifier configured to convert the AC overvoltage to a direct current (DC) overvoltage, a chopper circuit electrically connected to the first rectifier and configured to break up the DC overvoltage and to output a variable DC voltage, and a resistor electrically connected to the chopper circuit and configured to dissipate energy of the variable DC voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Rajesh Gopinath, Arne Ballantine, Carl Cottuli
  • Fuel cell mechanical components
    Patent number: 9755263
    Abstract: A modular fuel cell system includes a metal base, a plurality of power modules arranged in a row on the base, a fuel processing module and a power conditioning module arranged on at least one end of the row on the base. Each of the plurality of power modules includes a separate cabinet comprising at least one fuel cell stack located in a hot box. The power modules are electrically and fluidly connected to the fuel processing and the power conditioning modules through the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: David Trevisan, Christian Daco, David Baugh
  • Fuel cell system components
    Patent number: 9722273
    Abstract: A fuel cell stack module includes a plurality of fuel cell stacks, a base supporting the plurality of fuel cell stacks, and a metal shell located over the base and the fuel cell stacks. The metal shell contains an integrated heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Martin Perry, Arne Ballantine
  • Electrical vehicle charging using fuel cell system
    Patent number: 9698598
    Abstract: A battery charging station receives power from two or more sources and supplies power to charge batteries of electric vehicles and devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Arne Ballatine, Chad Pearson, Ranganathan Gurunathan, Muralidhara Ramakrishna Shyamavadhani, Alberto Doronzo
  • Fuel cell package and method of packing and unpacking fuel cell components
    Patent number: 9688463
    Abstract: A package for transporting fuel cell components is provided. The package includes a carton and one or more boxes configured to be placed in the carton. The package also includes one or more boxes configured to be placed in the carton. The package also includes one or more top inserts configured to be inserted into the boxes, each top insert including a top portion and at least one side portion. The package also includes a plurality of interleaves configured to be placed alternately with the fuel cell components in a stack within each box, wherein each top insert is configured to be inserted into one of the boxes to substantially enclose the stack. The package further includes a plurality of springs, wherein each box includes at least one spring configured to be located at least one of a top end and a bottom end of the stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Philip Tuet, Jon Lai, Lester Lim
  • Fuel cell system with quick connect components
    Patent number: 9685673
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to a fuel cell system. In an embodiment, the fuel cell system includes advanced leak test capabilities. In another embodiment, the fuel cell system includes a system to bypass one or more separation units while permitting the fuel cell system to continue to produce electricity. In another embodiment, the fuel cell system includes an alignment system that permits ease of alignment when a fuel cell module is installed proximate a fuel processing module. In another embodiment, the fuel cell system includes a system of supplying auxiliary fuel from a mobile auxiliary fuel supply. In an embodiment, one or more or all of these embodiments may be practiced together in combination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Arne Ballantine, Kirsten Burpee, Brent Cheldelin
  • Integrated fuel line to support CPOX and SMR reactions in SOFC systems
    Patent number: 9680175
    Abstract: A fuel cell system comprises at least one fuel cell stack, a CPOX reactor, and a conduit for providing a fuel stream to the at least one fuel cell stack through the CPOX reactor during both a start up and a steady state modes of operation of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Swaminathan Venkataraman, David Weingaertner, Vlad Kalika
  • Serialization of fuel cell components
    Patent number: 9678501
    Abstract: Systems and methods for fuel cell stack part serialization and tracking. In an embodiment, a barcode may be applied to a fuel cell stack part which may identify the fuel cell stack part. In an embodiment, the barcode may be applied as ink on a green fuel cell stack part prior to sintering. In an embodiment, a portion of a fuel cell stack part may be imaged and pattern recognition techniques may be utilized to identify the fuel cell stack part based on the unique features of fuel cell stack part. In an embodiment, portion of a fuel cell stack part may be measured to generate one or more series of unique volume/area values and one or more series of unique volume/area values may be utilized to identify the fuel cell stack part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Stephen Couse, Tulin Akin, Matthias Gottmann, Harald Herchen, Arne Ballantine
  • Derivation of control parameters of fuel cell systems for flexible fuel operation
    Patent number: 9673464
    Abstract: A method of operating a fuel cell system includes characterizing the fuel or fuels being provided into the fuel cell system, characterizing the oxidizing gas or gases being provided into the fuel cell system, and calculating at least one of the steam:carbon ratio, fuel utilization and oxidizing gas utilization based on the step of characterization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: David Weingaertner, Arne Ballantine, Swaminathan Venkataraman
  • Interconnect and end plate design for fuel cell stack
    Patent number: 9673457
    Abstract: Various embodiments include interconnects and/or end plates having features for reducing stress in a fuel cell stack. In embodiments, an interconnect/end plate may have a window seal area that is recessed relative to the flow field to indirectly reduce stress induced by an interface seal. Other features may include a thicker protective coating and/or larger uncoated area of an end plate, providing a recessed portion on an end plate for an interface seal, and/or recessing the fuel hole region of an interconnect relative to the flow field to reduce stress on the fuel cell. Further embodiments include providing intermittent seal support to minimize asymmetric seal loading and/or a non-circular seal configuration to reduce stress around the fuel hole of a fuel cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Vijay Srivatsan, Michael Groesch, Daniel Darga, Matthias Gottmann, Ram Ramanan, Paturi Balaji Narasimha Prasad, Ramesha Guntanur, Ananda Sundararajan, Sachin Parhar
  • Iron coated chromium powder and SOFC IC made therefrom
    Patent number: 9660274
    Abstract: A component, such as a SOFC interconnect, and methods of making the component are provided using various chromium powders, including powder particles with a chromium core covered with an iron shell, a pre-alloyed Cr—Fe powder or a chromium powder produced by hydrogen reduction with hydrogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Martin Janousek, Shivanand I. Majagi
  • Measurement device for measuring voltages along a linear array of voltage sources
    Patent number: 9647283
    Abstract: A measurement device for measuring voltages along a linear array of voltage sources, such as a fuel cell stack, includes at least one movable contact or non-contact voltage probe that measures a voltage of an array element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: John Matthew Fisher, Ian Russell, Chad Pearson, Robert Hintz, Nathan Ben Erlin, David Edmonston, Stephen Couse, Michael Dubuk
  • Parallel control of multiple uninterruptable power modules (“UPMs”)
    Patent number: 9639130
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices of the various embodiments enable parallel control of multiple uninterruptable power modules (“UPMs”) connecting multiple power sources to a bus in parallel. A UPM may be comprised of at least one controller coupled to at least one inverter, and the UPM may be configured to convert the DC voltage output from a DC source to an AC voltage, such as an AC voltage suitable for output to an AC bus. A UPM may receive a power sharing command and control its at least one inverter based at least in part on the received power sharing command to output a voltage to a bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ranganathan Gurunathan, Arne Ballantine, Prasad Pmsvvsv, Carl Cottuli, Saravanakumar Narayanasamy, Badri Narayanan, Deepak Balakrishnan
  • Duplex coating for SOFC interconnect
    Patent number: 9634335
    Abstract: A coated interconnect for a solid oxide fuel cell including an interconnect substrate comprising iron and chromium and a first metal oxide coating formed over an air side of the interconnect substrate. The first metal oxide coating is formed from powder particles, wherein substantially all the powder particles have a particle size less than 22 microns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Adil A. Ashary