Patents by Inventor Arne Ballantine

Arne Ballantine 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).

  • Fuel cell mechanical components
    Patent number: 10840535
    Abstract: A modular fuel cell system includes a base, at least four power modules arranged in a row on the base, and a fuel processing module and power conditioning module arranged on at least one end of the row on the base. Each power module includes a separate cabinet which contains at least one fuel cell stack located in a hot box. The power modules are electrically and fluidly connected to the at least one fuel processing and power conditioning modules through the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Bloom Energy Corporation
    Inventors: Gilbert Richards, David Trevisan, Michael Lee, Jessica Mahler, Ross Parker, Alex Clarabut, Chad Pearson, Arne Ballantine, David Weingaertner, Jason Hixson, Fred Mitlitsky
  • System and method for impedance testing DC power sources
    Patent number: 10809308
    Abstract: A method includes selecting a test waveform to inject to a battery from a first DC converter, determining a first resulting ripple that will be generated in response to injecting the test waveform, determining at least one offset waveform to inject to at least one second DC power source from at least one second DC converter such that one or more second ripples will be provided that will cancel the first resulting ripple if the battery is charging, injecting the test waveform to the battery, injecting the at least one offset waveform to the at least one second DC power source, determining if the first resulting ripple has been cancelled, and determining if the battery is charging or discharging based on the step of determining if the first resulting ripple has been cancelled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Arne Ballantine, Ranganathan Gurunathan, Anilkumar Vishnuvarjula, Chockkalingam Karuppaiah
  • SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELL SYSTEM WITH HYDROGEN PUMPING CELL WITH CARBON MONOXIDE TOLERANT ANODES AND INTEGRATED SHIFT REACTOR
    Publication number: 20200328445
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes at least one of plural electrochemical pump separators to separate carbon dioxide from a fuel exhaust stream or a combination of a gas separator and a fuel exhaust cooler located outside a hotbox.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2020
    Publication date: October 15, 2020
    Inventors: David WEINGAERTNER, Matthias GOTTMANN, Jayakumar KRISHNADASS, Chockkalingam KARUPPAIAH, Arne BALLANTINE, Swaminathan VENKATARAMAMAN, Martin PERRY, John FISHER, Greg YOUNG
  • Fuel cell system for information technology loads
    Patent number: 10797514
    Abstract: A fuel cell system having a power module including at least one fuel cell segment, an input output module including at least one inverter, a rectifier, and an electric distribution module having at least a first electrical connector and a second electrical connector. The at least one fuel cell segment may be electrically connected to the at least one inverter and may be electrically connected to an information technology (IT) load via a split bus. The at least one inverter may be electrically connected to an alternating current (AC) source via the first electrical connector of the electric distribution module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Peter Gross, Carl Cottuli, Arne Ballantine
  • POWER TOWER FOR HEAT CAPTURE
    Publication number: 20200303761
    Abstract: A power generating system includes power modules disposed in vertically stacked levels, exhaust plenums that extend vertically through the levels of power modules and are configured to receive exhaust output from the power modules, and an exhaust conduit that extends horizontally across an uppermost level of the power modules and is fluidly connected to the exhaust plenums.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Inventors: Arne BALLANTINE, Jessica MAHLER, Carl COTTULI, Daniel BAYNES, Martin PERRY
  • SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELL SYSTEM WITH HYDROGEN PUMPING CELL WITH CARBON MONOXIDE TOLERANT ANODES AND INTEGRATED SHIFT REACTOR
    Publication number: 20200303758
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack, a fuel inlet conduit configured to provide a fuel to a fuel inlet of the fuel cell stack, an electrochemical pump separator containing an electrolyte, a cathode, and a carbon monoxide tolerant anode, a fuel exhaust conduit that operatively connects a fuel exhaust outlet of the fuel cell stack to an anode inlet of the electrochemical pump separator, and a product conduit which operatively connects a cathode outlet of the electrochemical pump separator to the fuel inlet conduit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Inventors: Chockkalingam KARUPPAIAH, Michael GASDA, Arne BALLANTINE, Martin PERRY, Andy TA, Kyle KEKELIS, Srikanth RANGANATHAN
  • Methods of advanced grid and microgrid support functionalities through hybrid fuel cell systems
    Patent number: 10756546
    Abstract: A method of controlling an inverter having a three phase output and a plurality of single phase loads connected to respective one of the three phases of the three phase output includes determining if a first phase of the three phase output has a heavier load than a second phase of the three phase output, and providing a higher output power from the inverter to the first phase than to the second phase if it is determined that the first phase has a heavier load than the second phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Prasad Pmsvvsv, Ranganathan Gurunathan, Swaminathan Venkataraman, Arne Ballantine, Deepak Balakrishnan
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMPEDANCE TESTING DC POWER SOURCES
    Publication number: 20200209318
    Abstract: A method includes selecting a test waveform to inject to a battery from a first DC converter, determining a first resulting ripple that will be generated in response to injecting the test waveform, determining at least one offset waveform to inject to at least one second DC power source from at least one second DC converter such that one or more second ripples will be provided that will cancel the first resulting ripple if the battery is charging, injecting the test waveform to the battery, injecting the at least one offset waveform to the at least one second DC power source, determining if the first resulting ripple has been cancelled, and determining if the battery is charging or discharging based on the step of determining if the first resulting ripple has been cancelled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Arne BALLANTINE, Ranganathan GURUNATHAN, Anilkumar VISHNUVARJULA, Chockkalingam KARUPPAIAH
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMPEDANCE TESTING DC POWER SOURCES
    Publication number: 20200209317
    Abstract: A method includes selecting a test waveform to inject from a first DC converter to at least one first DC power source other than a fuel cell, determining a first resulting ripple that will be generated in response to injecting the test waveform onto the battery, determining at least one offset waveform to inject from at least one second DC converter to at least one second DC power source to generate one or more second ripples which cancel the first resulting ripple, injecting the test waveform from the first DC converter to the at least one first DC power source, injecting the at least one offset waveform from the at least one second DC converter to the at least one second DC power source, and determining a characteristic of the first DC power source based at least in part on the impedance response of the first DC power source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Arne BALLANTINE, Ranganathan GURUNATHAN, Anilkumar VISHNUVARJULA, Chockkalingam KARUPPAIAH
  • FUEL CELL SYSTEM INCLUDING EXHAUST HEAT RECOVERY COMPONENTS
    Publication number: 20200212459
    Abstract: A fuel cell system including power modules including fuel cells, and an exhaust flue connected to the power modules. The exhaust flue includes an outer duct configured to receive relatively cool cabinet exhaust from the power modules, and an inner duct disposed inside of the outer duct and configured to receive relatively hot reaction exhaust from the power modules.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Arne BALLANTINE, Jessica MAHLER, Swaminathan VENKATARAMAN, Martin PERRY, David WEINGAERTNER, Samuel JUDAY, Christian DACO
  • FUEL CELL STACK INCLUDING WITNESS MARKS AND INSPECTION METHOD THEREOF
    Publication number: 20200176805
    Abstract: A fuel cell stack and inspection method, the fuel cell stack including fuel cells disposed in a stack and interconnects disposed between the fuel cells. Each fuel cell includes an electrolyte, an anode disposed on a first side of the electrolyte, a cathode disposed on an opposing second side of an electrolyte, and a witness mark disposed on the first side of the electrolyte. Each interconnect includes first ribs disposed on air side of the interconnect and at least partially defining oxidant channels, and second ribs disposed on an opposing fuel side of the interconnect and at least partially defining fuel channels. The witness mark of each fuel cell is visible from outside of the stack when the cathode directly faces the air side of an adjacent interconnect.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Inventors: Raphael Quiazon, Arne Ballantine
  • Intergrated fuel cell and energy storage systems and method of operating thereof
    Patent number: 10666058
    Abstract: An electrical power system, including a fuel cell system having a plurality of fuel cell segments and an energy storage system electrically coupled to the fuel cell system. The energy storage system including a plurality of energy storage system technologies, an energy storage system direct current (DC) bus configured to electrically connect the plurality of energy storage system technologies to the fuel cell system, and an energy storage system technologies management system configured manage impedance of the energy storage system and electric coupling of the energy storage system and the fuel cell system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Arne Ballantine, Peter Gross, Ranganathan Gurunathan, Prasad Pmsvvsv, Carl Cottuli
  • FUEL CELL SYSTEM CONTAINING HUMIDITY SENSOR AND METHOD OF OPERATING THEREOF
    Publication number: 20200161671
    Abstract: Various systems and methods disclosed herein may include a fuel cell system that may dynamically respond to changes in steam concentration in the fuel cell system. The fuel cell system may include a fuel cell stack that produces an anode exhaust stream, an anode recycle blower that receives the anode exhaust stream and outputs an anode recycle stream, and a humidity sensor configured to measure the steam concentration of the anode recycle stream. The fuel cell system may also include a master controller configured to receive steam concentration measurement from the humidity sensor and control the operation of the anode recycle blower and/or other components based on the steam concentration measurement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: Arne Ballantine, Jayakumar Krishnadass, David Weingaertner, Andrew James Hall, Venkat V. Ramani
  • Modular pad for a fuel cell system
    Patent number: 10651496
    Abstract: A pad for a fuel cell system includes a base having an upper surface, a separator disposed on the upper surface of the base, frames disposed on the separator and configured to support modules of the fuel cell system, and plumbing disposed between the upper surface of the base and the frames, and connected to the fuel cell modules. The separator is configured to space apart the frames and the upper surface of the base. The base may include modular sections that may be arranged in a linear configuration, a rectangular configuration, an orthogonal configuration, or a stepped configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: David Trevisan, Arne Ballantine, Jessica Mahler, Ross Parker, Christian Daco, Gilbert Richards
  • FUEL CELL SYSTEM INCLUDING SULFUR OXIDATION SUBSYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME
    Publication number: 20200099076
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a first fuel conduit configured to receive fuel from a fuel source, a reactor fluidly connected to the first fuel conduit and configured to selectively oxidize sulfur species in fuel received from the first fuel conduit, and fuel cells configured to generate power using fuel containing oxidized sulfur species received from the reactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Publication date: March 26, 2020
    Inventors: David WEINGAERTNER, Emad EL BATAWI, Chockkalingam KARUPPAIAH, Arne BALLANTINE
  • Fuel cell system with grid independent operation and DC microgrid capability
    Patent number: 10596919
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes grid independent operation with DC microgrid capability. This fuel cell system has a capability of operation with and without the grid, and with DC micro-grid capability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Bloom Energy Corporation
    Inventors: Ramesh Srinivasan, Rajaram Swaminathan, Ranganathan Gurunathan, Arne Ballantine, James McElroy
  • Advanced uninterruptable power module controller and method of operating same
    Patent number: 10601226
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for parallel operation of multiple power sources including one fuel cell power source. The apparatus includes a droop controller master communicatively connected to the multiple power sources and configured to measure a load demand for the multiple power sources, a first droop controller slave communicatively connected to the droop controller master and to a first fuel cell power source, the first droop controller configured to calculate a first droop profile for the first fuel cell power source, a second droop controller slave communicatively connected to the droop controller master and to a second power source, and a first inverter, electrically connected to the first fuel cell power source and communicatively connected to the first droop controller slave, and configured to output power according to a first droop profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ranganathan Gurunathan, Arne Ballantine, Prasad Pmsvvsv, Vishal Anand Gopalakrishnan, Saravanakumar Narayanasamy, Badrinarayanan Thiruvengadaswamy
  • POWER SOURCE COMMUNICATION WITH DOWNSTREAM DEVICE BY CHANGING OUTPUT VOLTAGE ON A POWER BUS
    Publication number: 20200076200
    Abstract: A power generation system includes a power source that is configured to communicate with at least one of a downstream load or a downstream device by changing a voltage on a power bus between the power source and the at least one of the downstream load or the downstream device, while power source provides power on the power bus to the at least one of the downstream load or the downstream device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventors: Arne BALLANTINE, Prasad PMSVVSV, Rajesh GOPINATH, Ranganathan GURUNATHAN, Robert HARRIS, Marshall WORTH, Chaitanya MANDELA, Vishal Anand GOPALAKRISHNAN
  • Fuel cell system containing humidity sensor and method of operating thereof
    Patent number: 10581090
    Abstract: Various systems and methods disclosed herein may include a fuel cell system that may dynamically respond to changes in steam concentration in the fuel cell system. The fuel cell system may include a fuel cell stack that produces an anode exhaust stream, an anode recycle blower that receives the anode exhaust stream and outputs an anode recycle stream, and a humidity sensor configured to measure the steam concentration of the anode recycle stream. The fuel cell system may also include a master controller configured to receive steam concentration measurement from the humidity sensor and control the operation of the anode recycle blower and/or other components based on the steam concentration measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Arne Ballantine, Jayakumar Krishnadass, David Weingaertner, Andrew James Hall, Venkat V. Ramani
  • FUEL CELL STACK GROUNDING THROUGH AN IMPEDANCE CREATING ELEMENT
    Publication number: 20200020964
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a plurality of fuel cell segments, each segment having a plurality of fuel cells. The segments include a positive terminal having a positive voltage with respect to ground and a negative terminal. The fuel cell system also includes at least one component electrically connecting the negative terminal to ground, the at least one component configured to decrease a surge current through the segments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2019
    Publication date: January 16, 2020
    Inventors: Prasad PMSVVSV, Arne BALLANTINE, Adil A. ASHARY, David EDMONSTON, Michael PETRUCHA, Tad ARMSTRONG, Matthias GOTTMANN