Patents Assigned to TVN Systems, Inc.
  • Methodology for supply of reactant fluids to and purging of product and inert fluids from cells of fuel cell stack
    Patent number: 6893766
    Abstract: A fuel cell system made up of a plurality of fuel cells. Each cell includes a fuel inlet, an oxidant inlet, a fuel side product outlet and an oxidant side product outlet. A common fuel supply line is provided for the fuel inlets. A common oxidant supply line is provided for the oxidant inlets. A common product purging mechanism is coupled to the outlets for purging the same of unused fuel, unused oxidant, fuel side product and oxidant side product. The product purging mechanism includes valving structure operable to selectively and independently open the outlets of a given cell. A method for operating such a fuel cell system includes supplying fuel to the fuel inlets from a common source of fuel and supplying an oxidant to the oxidant inlets from a common source of oxidant. The outlets of a given cell are selectively opened to purge fuel product and oxidant product from the given cell while the outlets of other cells are kept closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignee: TVN Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Trung Van Nguyen
  • Methodology and apparatus for supply of reactant fluids to and purging of product and inert fluids from cells of fuel cell stack
    Patent number: 6503651
    Abstract: A fuel cell system made up of a plurality of fuel cells. Each cell includes a fuel inlet, an oxidant inlet, a fuel side product outlet and an oxidant side product outlet. A common fuel supply line is provided for the fuel inlets. A common oxidant supply line is provided for the oxidant inlets. A common product purging mechanism is coupled to the outlets for purging the same of unused fuel, unused oxidant, fuel side product and oxidant side product. The product purging mechanism includes valving structure operable to selectively and independently open the outlets of a given cell. A method for operating such a fuel cell system includes supplying fuel to the fuel inlets from a common source of fuel and supplying an oxidant to the oxidant inlets from a common source of oxidant. The outlets of a given cell are selectively opened to purge fuel product and oxidant product from the given cell while the outlets of other cells are kept closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2003
    Assignee: TVN Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Trung Van Nguyen
  • Methodology for supply of reactant fluids to and purging of product and inert fluids from cells of fuel cell stack
    Publication number: 20020146603
    Abstract: A fuel cell system made up of a plurality of fuel cells. Each cell includes a fuel inlet, an oxidant inlet, a fuel side product outlet and an oxidant side product outlet. A common fuel supply line is provided for the fuel inlets. A common oxidant supply line is provided for the oxidant inlets. A common product purging mechanism is coupled to the outlets for purging the same of unused fuel, unused oxidant, fuel side product and oxidant side product. The product purging mechanism includes valving structure operable to selectively and independently open the outlets of a given cell. A method for operating such a fuel cell system includes supplying fuel to the fuel inlets from a common source of fuel and supplying an oxidant to the oxidant inlets from a common source of oxidant. The outlets of a given cell are selectively opened to purge fuel product and oxidant product from the given cell while the outlets of other cells are kept closed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Publication date: October 10, 2002
    Applicant: TVN Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Trung Van Nguyen