Patents Examined by Sean P Cullenn
  • Small volume, fuel cell inlet fuel gas distributor having low pressure drop
    Patent number: 8076039
    Abstract: In a fuel cell stack, an inlet fuel distributor (15, 31, 31a, 31b) comprises a plurality of fuel distributing passageways (17-23, 40-47, 64) of substantially equal length and equal flow cross section to uniformly distribute fuel cell inlet fuel from a fuel supply conduit (13, 14, 50) to a fuel inlet manifold (28). The conduits may be either channels (40-47; 64) formed within a plate (39) or tubes (17-23). The channels may have single exits (65) or double exits (52, 53) into the fuel inlet manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: UTC Power Corporation
    Inventors: John H. Whiton, Yu Wang, Carl A. Reiser, George S. Hirko, Jr.