Patents by Inventor Anthony Ku

Anthony Ku 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: 12337709
    Abstract: A supply station and method are provided for charging an electric vehicle and filling a hydrogen-powered vehicle with hydrogen gas simultaneously or separately. The supply station includes a power supply unit, a storage battery system, an electricity-hydrogen conversion device, a hydrogen gas storage system, a hydrogen-electricity conversion device, a charger, and a hydrogen dispenser. The power supply unit and the hydrogen-electricity conversion device supply power to the storage battery system. The power supply unit and the storage battery system power the electricity-hydrogen conversion device. The electricity-hydrogen conversion device stores hydrogen gas in the hydrogen gas storage system. The hydrogen gas storage system provides hydrogen gas to the hydrogen-electricity conversion device. The charger charges an electric vehicle with electric power from the storage battery system. The hydrogen dispenser fills hydrogen gas into a hydrogen-powered vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Assignees: China Energy Investment Corporation Limited, National Institute of Clean-and-Low-Carbon Energy
    Inventors: Jeff Pickles, Anthony Ku, Xianming Jimmy Li, Surinder Singh, Jeff Allen
  • Patent number: 12145101
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system and method for CO2 capture. The system includes a fleet of CO2 producing assets comprising a fleet of assets having at least two individual assets that produce CO2 containing gas streams, and a set of modular CO2 capture units to capture the CO2 from the CO2 containing gas streams produced by the fleet of assets, wherein at least one of the individual assets is equipped with not less than two modular CO2 capture units, and at least one of the modular CO2 capture units is operated at more than one of the assets during the service life of the modular CO2 capture unit. The method for CO2 capture includes providing the fleet of assets and equipping them with a set of modular CO2 capture units. Advantage over current approaches is performance is optimized across a fleet of assets rather than at an individual site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignees: China Energy Investment Corporation Limited, National Institute of Clean-And-Low-Carbon Energy
    Inventors: Anthony Ku, Surinder Singh, Pingjiao Hao, Jeff Allen
  • Patent number: 12135112
    Abstract: A system and a method for liquefied fuel storage are provided. The system includes a first module including a first outer vessel wall and a cryotank, a second module including a second outer vessel wall and a submerged pump at partially inside the second outer vessel wall, and a third module including a third outer vessel wall. The first, the second, and the third outer vessel walls are connected to provide an enclosure as an outer vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Assignees: China Energy Investment Corporation Limited, National Institute of Clean-And-Low-Carbon Energy
    Inventors: Xianming Li, Anthony Ku
  • Patent number: 12087979
    Abstract: A system and a method are provided for producing electricity and/or chemicals. The system includes a gasifier, a controller, a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) power unit, and a chemical synthesis unit. The gasifier converts a fossil fuel, oxygen, and water into a syngas comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide. The controller is used to control distribution of the hydrogen into a first portion and a second portion. The solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) power unit receives the first portion of hydrogen and compressed air or oxygen, and generates electricity using the first portion of hydrogen. The chemical synthesis unit receives the second portion of hydrogen. The second portion of hydrogen is used for chemical synthesis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignees: CHINA ENERGY INVESTMENT CORPORATION LIMITED, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CLEAN-AND-LOW-CARBON ENERGY
    Inventors: Surinder Singh, Anthony Ku, John Lemmon, Wayne Qiang Xu
  • Patent number: 12031677
    Abstract: A system and a method with boil-off management for liquefied fuel storage are provided. The system includes a cryotank for storing a liquefied fuel, a pump for providing and compressing a first stream of the liquefied fuel, a heat exchanger for provide cooling duty to the first stream of the liquefied fuel, and an expansion valve for expanding the first stream of the liquefied fuel after the heat exchanger into a multiphase stream comprising a liquid phase and a gas phase. The multiphase stream has a temperature lower than an initial temperature of the first stream from the cryotank. The system further comprises a liquid-vapor splitter for separating the liquid phase and gas phase in the multiphase stream. The liquid phase is returned into the cryotank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignees: China Energy Investment Corporation Limited, National Institute of Clean-and-Low-Carbon Energy
    Inventors: Xianming Li, Anthony Ku, Jerad Allen Stager, Ashwin Ramteke
  • Publication number: 20230279995
    Abstract: A system and a method for dispensing a liquefied fuel (e.g., hydrogen) are provided. The system includes a cryotank for storing a liquefied fuel, a first liquid pump and a second liquid pump. The first pump has a first maximum flow rate and pumps a first stream of the liquefied fuel having a first pressure. The second pump has a second and lower maximum flow rate, and pumps a second stream of the liquefied fuel has a second and higher pressure. Each pump is connected with a heat exchanger to vaporize a stream of the liquefied fuel to provide a respective vaporized substream. Each pump is also connected with a mixer, which combines the respective vaporized substream and a respective second substream of the liquefied fuel to provide a respective gaseous fuel stream. The gaseous fuel streams can be separately or jointly dispensed to one or more vehicles through a piping manifold and at least one dispenser.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2022
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Applicants: China Energy Investment Corporation Limited, National Institute of Clean-and-Low-Carbon Energy
    Inventors: Xianming Li, Anthony Ku, Edward Youn, Ashwin Ramteke
  • Patent number: 11686434
    Abstract: A system and a method for dispensing a liquefied fuel (e.g., hydrogen) are provided. The system includes a cryotank for storing a liquefied fuel, a pump insertable into the cryotank, and a switching valve. The pump has a piston, an intake port, and an isolation valve configured to supply the liquefied fuel to the intake port. The switching valve is controlled to flow the vapor from the pump and the liquefied fuel contacting a backside of the piston to the intake port of the pump. At least one block valve is also connected with the cryotank and the pump. At least one of the switching valve, the at least one block valve, and the isolation valve can be controlled to operate the system in one of three working modes including a pressure increase mode, a pressure maintaining mode, and a pressure decrease mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignees: China Energy Investment Corporation Limited, National Institute of Clean-and-Low-Carbon Energy
    Inventors: Xianming Li, Anthony Ku, Edward Youn, Ashwin Ramteke
  • Patent number: 11649156
    Abstract: A system for dispensing a gaseous fuel from a liquefied fuel and a method for operating such a system are provided. The system includes a storage tank, a pressure sensor, a dispenser, a temperature sensor, and a vapor supply unit. The storage tank stores a liquefied fuel including phases of liquid and vapor. The pressure sensor is configured to measure a vapor pressure inside the storage tank. The dispenser is configured to receive the liquefied fuel and dispense the gaseous fuel to a receiving tank. The temperature sensor is configured to measure temperature of the dispenser. The system further includes a vapor supply unit fluidly coupled with the storage tank and configured to provide the vapor of the liquefied fuel from the storage tank into the dispenser or in thermally contact with at least one portion of the dispenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignees: China Energy Investment Corporation Limited, National Institute of Clean-and-Low-Carbon Energy
    Inventors: Jerad Allen Stager, Xianming Li, Anthony Ku
  • Patent number: 11608938
    Abstract: A system such as a hydrogen refueling station and a method are provided. The system includes a cryotank for storing a liquefied fuel having liquid and vapor phases, a pump for providing a first stream of the liquefied fuel in the liquid phase from the cryotank, a heat exchanger for converting at least a portion of the first stream to a gaseous fuel, a dispenser for dispensing at least a portion of the gaseous fuel to a receiving fuel tank, a refrigeration unit integrated with the heat exchanger, and a backup power unit. The refrigeration unit and the heat exchanger exchange heat with each other, and the refrigeration unit provides cooling capacity to a facility of environment where cooling is needed. The backup power unit generate electric power by using a second stream of the liquefied fuel in the vapor phase or in the liquid phase or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignees: China Energy Investment Corporation Limited, National Institute of Clean-and-Low-Carbon Energy
    Inventors: Anthony Ku, Xianming Li, Ashwin Ramteke, Jerad Allen Stager
  • Patent number: 11604087
    Abstract: Provided are a method and apparatus for calculating a volume of a compressed gas storage vessel, a computer, and a medium. According to the method, three test vessels with known volume and initial pressure are used to establish a pressure equilibrium with a compressed gas storage system, and pressure values in three equilibrium states are respectively detected. In this way, according to the three pressure values and the known volumes and initial pressures, a volume of the compressed gas storage system, a volume of a hose, and a pressure value of the compressed gas storage system in an initial state can be quickly and accurately calculated. By accurately obtaining the volume of the compressed gas storage system, the volume of the hose, and the pressure value of the compressed gas storage system in the initial state, a refueling rate can be increased as much as possible while ensuring safe refueling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignees: China Energy Investment Corporation Limited, National Institute of Clean-and-Low-Carbon Energy
    Inventors: Edward Youn, Xianming Li, Pingjiao Hao, Anthony Ku, Jerad Allen Stager
  • Publication number: 20230073960
    Abstract: A system and a method for liquefied fuel storage are provided. The system includes a first module including a first outer vessel wall and a cryotank, a second module including a second outer vessel wall and a submerged pump at partially inside the second outer vessel wall, and a third module including a third outer vessel wall. The first, the second, and the third outer vessel walls are connected to provide an enclosure as an outer vessel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2022
    Publication date: March 9, 2023
    Applicants: China Energy Investment Corporation Limited, National Institute of Clean-and-Low-Carbon Energy
    Inventors: Xianming Li, Anthony Ku
  • Publication number: 20230015757
    Abstract: A system and a method with boil-off management for liquefied fuel storage are provided. The system includes a cryotank for storing a liquefied fuel, a pump for providing and compressing a first stream of the liquefied fuel, a heat exchanger for provide cooling duty to the first stream of the liquefied fuel, and an expansion valve for expanding the first stream of the liquefied fuel after the heat exchanger into a multiphase stream comprising a liquid phase and a gas phase. The multiphase stream has a temperature lower than an initial temperature of the first stream from the cryotank. The system further comprises a liquid-vapor splitter for separating the liquid phase and gas phase in the multiphase stream. The liquid phase is returned into the cryotank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Applicants: China Energy Investment Corporation Limited, National Institute of Clean-and-Low-Carbon Energy
    Inventors: Xianming Li, Anthony Ku, Jerad Allen Stager, Ashwin Ramteke
  • Publication number: 20230009993
    Abstract: A system such as a hydrogen refueling station and a method are provided. The system includes a cryotank for storing a liquefied fuel having liquid and vapor phases, a pump for providing a first stream of the liquefied fuel in the liquid phase from the cryotank, a heat exchanger for converting at least a portion of the first stream to a gaseous fuel, a dispenser for dispensing at least a portion of the gaseous fuel to a receiving fuel tank, a refrigeration unit integrated with the heat exchanger, and a backup power unit. The refrigeration unit and the heat exchanger exchange heat with each other, and the refrigeration unit provides cooling capacity to a facility of environment where cooling is needed. The backup power unit generate electric power by using a second stream of the liquefied fuel in the vapor phase or in the liquid phase or both.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Applicants: China Energy Investment Corporation Limited, National Institute of Clean-and-Low-Carbon Energy
    Inventors: Anthony Ku, Xianming Li, Ashwin Ramteke, Jerad Allen Stager
  • Publication number: 20220376278
    Abstract: A system and a method are provided for producing electricity and/or chemicals. The system includes a gasifier, a controller, a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) power unit, and a chemical synthesis unit. The gasifier converts a fossil fuel, oxygen, and water into a syngas comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide. The controller is used to control distribution of the hydrogen into a first portion and a second portion. The solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) power unit receives the first portion of hydrogen and compressed air or oxygen, and generates electricity using the first portion of hydrogen. The chemical synthesis unit receives the second portion of hydrogen. The second portion of hydrogen is used for chemical synthesis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2021
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Applicants: China Energy Investment Corporation Limited, National Institute of Clean-and-Low-Carbon Energy
    Inventors: Surinder Singh, Anthony Ku, John Lemmon, Wayne Qiang Xu
  • Patent number: 11479520
    Abstract: A system and a method are provided for producing aromatics. Such a system includes a cracker unit configured to convert a light alkane into an olefin-containing hydrocarbon comprising at least one alkene, and an aromatization unit. The light alkane is selected from the group consisting of methane, ethane, propane, butane, and a combination thereof. The cracker unit is configured to at least partially feed the olefin-containing hydrocarbon into the aromatization unit. Such an olefin-containing hydrocarbon comprises at least 40 wt. % of the at least one alkene. The aromatization unit is used to convert the olefin-containing hydrocarbon therein into a product stream, which includes an aromatic hydrocarbon selected from the group consisting of benzene, toluene, xylenes, and a combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignees: China Energy Investment Corporation Limited, National Institute of Clean-and-Low-Carbon Energy
    Inventors: Joshua Miles, Hui Wang, Junjun Shan, Jihong Cheng, Anthony Ku, Lisa Nguyen
  • Patent number: 11391415
    Abstract: A direct fueling station and a method of refueling are provided. The station includes an insulated tank for storing a liquefied fuel, a pump, at least a heat exchanger, a control unit, a dispenser including a flow meter, a flow control device, and at least one sensor for testing pressure and/or temperature. The heat exchanger converts liquefied fuel from pump into a gaseous fuel, which is added into an onboard fuel tank in a vehicle. The control unit includes one or more programs used to coordinate with the pump, the flow meter, the flow control device, and/or the sensor(s) so as to control a refueling method. A peak electrical power requirement is less than that determined by the product of a rated volumetric flow rate of the pump and a rated pumping pressure adequate for a fill pressure of the vehicle. A computer implemented system having the program(s) is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignees: China Energy Investment Corporation Limited, National Institute of Clean-and-Low-Carbon Energy
    Inventors: Xianming Li, Anthony Ku, Kenneth William Kratschmar, Jerad Allen Stager, Edward Youn
  • Publication number: 20220205591
    Abstract: A direct fueling station and a method of refueling are provided. The station includes an insulated tank for storing a liquefied fuel, a pump, at least a heat exchanger, a control unit, a dispenser including a flow meter, a flow control device, and at least one sensor for testing pressure and/or temperature. The heat exchanger converts liquefied fuel from pump into a gaseous fuel, which is added into an onboard fuel tank in a vehicle. The control unit includes one or more programs used to coordinate with the pump, the flow meter, the flow control device, and/or the sensor(s) so as to control a refueling method. A peak electrical power requirement is less than that determined by the product of a rated volumetric flow rate of the pump and a rated pumping pressure adequate for a fill pressure of the vehicle. A computer implemented system having the program(s) is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Applicants: China Energy Investment Corporation Limited, National Institute of Clean-and-Low-Carbon Energy
    Inventors: Xianming Li, Anthony Ku, Kenneth William Kratschmar, Jerad Allen Stager, Edward Youn
  • Publication number: 20220204337
    Abstract: A system for dispensing a gaseous fuel from a liquefied fuel and a method for operating such a system are provided. The system includes a storage tank, a pressure sensor, a dispenser, a temperature sensor, and a vapor supply unit. The storage tank stores a liquefied fuel including phases of liquid and vapor. The pressure sensor is configured to measure a vapor pressure inside the storage tank. The dispenser is configured to receive the liquefied fuel and dispense the gaseous fuel to a receiving tank. The temperature sensor is configured to measure temperature of the dispenser. The system further includes a vapor supply unit fluidly coupled with the storage tank and configured to provide the vapor of the liquefied fuel from the storage tank into the dispenser or in thermally contact with at least one portion of the dispenser.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Applicants: China Energy Investment Corporation Limited, National Institute of Clean-and-Low-Carbon Energy
    Inventors: Jerad Allen Stager, Xianming Li, Anthony Ku
  • Publication number: 20220088534
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system and method for CO2 capture. The system includes a fleet of CO2 producing assets comprising a fleet of assets having at least two individual assets that produce CO2 containing gas streams, and a set of modular CO2 capture units to capture the CO2 from the CO2 containing gas streams produced by the fleet of assets, wherein at least one of the individual assets is equipped with not less than two modular CO2 capture units, and at least one of the modular CO2 capture units is operated at more than one of the assets during the service life of the modular CO2 capture unit. The method for CO2 capture includes providing the fleet of assets and equipping them with a set of modular CO2 capture units. Advantage over current approaches is performance is optimized across a fleet of assets rather than at an individual site.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2019
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Applicants: China Energy Investment Corporation Limited, National Institute of Clean-and-Low-Carbon Energy
    Inventors: Anthony KU, Surinder SINGH, Pingjiao HAO, Jeff ALLEN
  • Publication number: 20220090952
    Abstract: Provided are a method and apparatus for calculating a volume of a compressed gas storage vessel, a computer, and a medium. According to the method, three test vessels with known volume and initial pressure are used to establish a pressure equilibrium with a compressed gas storage system, and pressure values in three equilibrium states are respectively detected. In this way, according to the three pressure values and the known volumes and initial pressures, a volume of the compressed gas storage system, a volume of a hose, and a pressure value of the compressed gas storage system in an initial state can be quickly and accurately calculated. By accurately obtaining the volume of the compressed gas storage system, the volume of the hose, and the pressure value of the compressed gas storage system in the initial state, a refueling rate can be increased as much as possible while ensuring safe refueling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Inventors: Edward Youn, Xianming Li, Pingjiao Hao, Anthony Ku, Jerad Allen Stager