Patents by Inventor Alan S. Feitelberg

Alan S. Feitelberg has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7416799
    Abstract: An oxidizer that is usable with a fuel cell includes a catalyst, an inlet to communicate an oxidant flow, an injection tube to communicate an anode exhaust flow, a mixing tube and a divergent nozzle. The injection tube communicates the anode exhaust flow from the fuel cell into the oxidizer to produce a combined flow in which the anode exhaust flow is oriented in substantially the same direction as the oxidant flow and surrounded by the oxidant flow. The mixing tube is connected to the inlet to receive the combined flow and mix the oxidant flow and the anode exhaust flow mix together to produce a mixed flow. A cross-sectional flow area of the mixing tube is sized to prevent flashback. The divergent nozzle communicates the mixed flow to the catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Plug Power Inc.
    Inventors: Ching-Jen Tang, Alan S. Feitelberg
  • Publication number: 20080152969
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack, and a reactor to oxidize excess fuel exhausted from the fuel cell stack. A sensor associated with the reactor provides an output indication, and a controller detects a fuel-rich condition of the reactor based on the output indication from the sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Inventors: Vishnu L. Poonamallee, Zhi Zhou, Parshant Dhand, Alan S. Feitelberg
  • Patent number: 6951108
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine combustor can downstream of a pre-mixer has a pre-mixer flowpath therein and circumferentially spaced apart swirling vanes disposed across the pre-mixer flowpath. A primary fuel injector is positioned for injecting fuel into the pre-mixer flowpath. A combustion chamber surrounded by an annular combustor liner disposed in supply flow communication with the pre-mixer. An annular trapped dual vortex cavity located at an upstream end of the combustor liner is defined between an annular aft wall, an annular forward wall, and a circular radially outer wall formed therebetween. A cavity opening at a radially inner end of the cavity is spaced apart from the radially outer wall. Air injection first holes are disposed through the forward wall and air injection second holes are disposed through the aft wall. Fuel injection holes are disposed through at least one of the forward and aft walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Louis Burrus, Narendra Digamber Joshi, Joel Meier Haynes, Alan S. Feitelberg
  • Publication number: 20040103663
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine combustor can downstream of a pre-mixer has a pre-mixer flowpath therein and circumferentially spaced apart swirling vanes disposed across the pre-mixer flowpath. A primary fuel injector is positioned for injecting fuel into the pre-mixer flowpath. A combustion chamber surrounded by an annular combustor liner disposed in supply flow communication with the pre-mixer. An annular trapped dual vortex cavity located at an upstream end of the combustor liner is defined between an annular aft wall, an annular forward wall, and a circular radially outer wall formed therebetween. A cavity opening at a radially inner end of the cavity is spaced apart from the radially outer wall. Air injection first holes are disposed through the forward wall and air injection second holes are disposed through the aft wall. Fuel injection holes are disposed through at least one of the forward and aft walls.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2002
    Publication date: June 3, 2004
    Inventors: Joel Meier Haynes, Alan S. Feitelberg, David Louis Burrus, Narendra Digamber Joshi
  • Patent number: 6735949
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine combustor can downstream of a pre-mixer has a pre-mixer flowpath therein and circumferentially spaced apart swirling vanes disposed across the pre-mixer flowpath. A primary fuel injector is positioned for injecting fuel into the pre-mixer flowpath. A combustion chamber surrounded by an annular combustor liner disposed in supply flow communication with the pre-mixer. An annular trapped dual vortex cavity located at an upstream end of the combustor liner is defined between an annular aft wall, an annular forward wall, and a circular radially outer wall formed therebetween. A cavity opening at a radially inner end of the cavity is spaced apart from the radially outer wall. Air injection first holes are disposed through the forward wall and air injection second holes are disposed through the aft wall. Fuel injection holes are disposed through at least one of the forward and aft walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Joel Meier Haynes, Alan S. Feitelberg, David Louis Burrus, Narendra Digamber Joshi
  • Patent number: 6632257
    Abstract: The addition of a magnesium compound to an ash bearing fuel results in a reduction in the formation of deposits in the turbine and extending the interval between turbine washes when burning the ash bearing fuel in a turbine compared to burning the ash bearing fuel in a turbine without the addition of a magnesium compound. The additive is desirably effective with ash bearing fuel having less than 0.5 ppm vanadium by weight, less than 1 ppm sodium and potassium combined by weight, and greater than about 25 ppm ash by weight or greater than 2 ppm calcium by weight. The additive is blended with the ash bearing fuel to give a mass ratio of magnesium to ash of between about 0.5 to 1 and about 3 to 1, and desirably about 1 to 1 on a mass basis after mixing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Alan S. Feitelberg, Vinod Kumar Pareek, Alan Whitehead
  • Patent number: 6432368
    Abstract: The ammonia content of fuel gas in an IGCC power generation system is reduced through ammonia decomposition, thereby reducing the NOx emissions from the plant. The power generation system includes a gasifier, a gas turbine and at least one catalytic reactor arranged between the gasifier and the gas turbine. The catalytic reactor may be either a three stage or two stage device. The three stage reactor includes a first catalyst which promotes water-gas-shift, a second catalyst which promotes CO methanation, and a third catalyst which promotes ammonia decomposition. The two stage reactor includes a first catalyst which promotes water-gas-shift and CO methanation and a second catalyst which promotes ammonia decomposition. The plural catalytic stages may be disposed in a single vessel or successively disposed in individual vessels, and the catalysts may be in a pelletized form or coated on honeycomb structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Alan S. Feitelberg, Raul Eduardo Ayala, Stephen Lan-Sun Hung, David Joseph Najewicz
  • Patent number: 6192689
    Abstract: An optimized combustor cooperating with a compressor in driving a gas turbine comprises a cylindrical outer combustor wall having an upstream fuel entry region and a downstream turbine entry region. An array of mixing holes are disposed about the periphery of the outer combustor wall adjacent to the fuel entry region so as to lower Nox production therein. An array of dilution holes are medially disposed within the outer combustor wall to provide an entry for dilution air to the combustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Alan S. Feitelberg, Kevin Michael Elward, Robert Lee Hillis, Milton Bradford Hilt, John Francis Love, Roointon Erach Pavri, Richard Benjamin Schiefer, Richard Arthur Symonds
  • Patent number: 6016669
    Abstract: An apparatus for applying heat to a rotatable workpiece is disclosed. A rotating lathe is provided for mounting a workpiece, for example a quartz tube, thereto so as to enable rotation of the workpiece. At least one translatable burner is coupled to a fuel source and an oxygen source for producing a flame. The burner is directed such that flame impinges upon the workpiece mounted on the rotating lathe. A first pulse control valve is coupled to and positioned between the translatable burner and the fuel source. A second pulse control valve is coupled to and positioned between the translatable burners and the oxygen course. The first and second pulse control valves are pulsed at a predetermined frequency to prevent the formation of a steady thermal boundary layer about the workpiece to improve the rate of heat transfer between the flame and the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2000
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sanjay Marc Correa, Alan S. Feitelberg
  • Patent number: 5996351
    Abstract: A combustor cooperating with a compressor in driving a gas turbine includes a cylindrical outer combustor casing. A combustion liner, having an upstream rich section, a quench section and a downstream lean section, is disposed within the outer combustor casing defining a combustion chamber having at least a core quench region and an outer quench region. A first plurality of quench holes are disposed within the liner at the quench section having a first diameter to provide cooling jet penetration to the core region of the quench section of the combustion chamber. A second plurality of quench holes are disposed within the liner at the quench section having a second diameter to provide cooling jet penetration to the outer region of the quench section of the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Alan S. Feitelberg, Mark Christopher Schmidt, Steven George Goebel
  • Patent number: 5912198
    Abstract: The ammonia content of fuel gas in an IGCC power generation system is reduced through ammonia decomposition, thereby reducing the NO.sub.x emissions from the plant. The power generation system includes a gasifier, a gas turbine and at least one catalytic reactor arranged between the gasifier and the gas turbine. The catalytic reactor may be either a three stage or two stage device. The three stage reactor includes a first catalyst which promotes water-gas-shift, a second catalyst which promotes CO methanation, and a third catalyst which promotes ammonia decomposition. The two stage reactor includes a first catalyst which promotes water-gas-shift and CO methanation and a second catalyst which promotes ammonia decomposition. The plural catalytic stages may be disposed in a single vessel or successively disposed in individual vessels, and the catalysts may be in a pelletized form or coated on honeycomb structures. Alternatively, fluidized bed reactors may be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1999
    Assignee: Geneal Electric Company
    Inventors: Alan S. Feitelberg, Raul Eduardo Ayala, Stephen Lan-Sun Hung, David Joseph Najewicz