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).

  • Systems and methods for providing fuel cell power to a data center
    Patent number: 10203735
    Abstract: Systems and methods include a power module comprising at least one fuel cell generator for powering a load, and a bypass mechanism having a first, normally-open fast-acting switch that closes in 1-250 msec, and a second, normally-open switch in parallel with the first switch, the bypass mechanism being electrically connected between the load and a second power source, such as a grid source, where the first switch is configured to close in response to a fault event such that when the first switch is closed power to the load is provided from the second power source through the first switch, and the second switch closes after a predetermined time such that power to the load from the second source is provided through the second switch. Additional methods and systems include providing power to a plurality of loads using fuel cell power generators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Peter Gross, James Daniel Smith, Rajesh Gopinath, Arne Ballantine
  • Carbon dioxide separator, fuel cell system including same, and method of operating the fuel cell system
    Patent number: 10186724
    Abstract: A system and method in which a high temperature fuel cell stack exhaust stream is recycled back into the fuel inlet stream of the high temperature fuel cell stack. The recycled stream may be sent to a carbon dioxide separator that separates carbon dioxide from the fuel exhaust stream. The carbon dioxide separator may include a carbon dioxide separation membrane, an oxygen blocking membrane, and a water blocking membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignees: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION, OHIO STATE INNOVATION FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Michael Gasda, Arne Ballantine, Chockkalingam Karuppaiah, W. S. Winston Ho
  • Carbon dioxide separator membrane structure, method of manufacturing same, and carbon dioxide separator including same
    Patent number: 10173178
    Abstract: A carbon dioxide membrane structure, a method of making the same, and a carbon dioxide separator including the same. The membrane structure may include a carbon dioxide separation membrane containing PVA and a carrier, and a polysulfone-based support having an average pore size ranging from about 40 to about 90 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignees: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION, INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY MADRAS
    Inventors: Abhijit Deshpande, Susy Varughese, Rahul Shevate, Elamathi Swaminathan, Kadhiresan Ambalavanan, Shraddesh Malviya, Chockkalingam Karuppaiah, Arne Ballantine, Michael Gasda
  • Carbon dioxide shielded natural gas line and method of using thereof
    Patent number: 10173389
    Abstract: A natural gas line comprises a concentric pipe having an inner natural gas pipe and an outer carbon dioxide pipe surrounding the inner pipe. Carbon dioxide in the outer pipe comprises a shield which prevents or decreases natural gas leakage to the atmosphere. The carbon dioxide may be supplied from an exhaust of a fuel cell system, such as carbon dioxide separated from the fuel exhaust of a fuel cell system by a carbon dioxide separator. The natural gas may flow from a natural gas field to the fuel cell system via the inner pipe while the carbon dioxide may flow from the fuel cell system to the natural gas field via the outer pipe. The carbon dioxide may be sequestered in the empty space underground in natural gas field created by the extraction of the natural gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: KR Sridhar, Arne Ballantine
  • Fuel cell system with variable frequency drive for support equipment
    Patent number: 9972852
    Abstract: Various embodiments enable the operation of fuel cell system support equipment using variable frequency drives and power from fuel cells and/or grid power sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Arne Ballantine, Ranganathan Gurunathan, Chad Pearson, Rajesh Gopinath, Carl Cottuli, James Daniel Smith
  • SOFC SYSTEM AND METHOD WHICH MAINTAIN A REDUCING ANODE ENVIRONMENT
    Publication number: 20180131018
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell system and method including a hotbox containing a fuel cell stack, a fuel supply configured to provide a fuel to the fuel cell stack, and a hydrogen supply thermally integrated with the hotbox. The hydrogen supply is configured to produce hydrogen during or shortly after the SOFC system is shutdown using residual heat of the hot box, and to provide the hydrogen to the SOFC stack such that an anode reducing environment is maintained in the stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventors: Martin PERRY, Arne BALLANTINE, Michael GASDA, Chockkalingam KARUPPAIAH
  • Air cooled fuel cell system
    Patent number: 9961797
    Abstract: An air-cooled electronics module is disclosed. The air-cooled electronics module includes a housing and a heat exchanger disposed within the housing and separating the housing into a first portion and a second portion. The air-cooled electronics module also includes one or more electronic components disposed within the first portion, and one or more additional electronic components disposed within the second portion. The air-cooled electronics module further includes at least one fan configured to blow air into the second portion. The air in the first portion is substantially stagnant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ranganathan Gurunathan, Deepak Balakrishnan, Rajkannu Govindan, Navaneetha Krishnan, David Trevisan, Arne Ballantine, Jessica Mahler, Ross Parker, Zachary Odenheimer, Gilbert Richards
  • Methods and systems for detecting defects in a fuel cell stack
    Patent number: 9945815
    Abstract: A method for testing a fuel cell stack includes providing a fluid, such as an ammonia-containing fluid, in a first reactant flow path in a first portion of the fuel cell stack, detecting the presence of the fluid using a detector, such as an ammonia detector, positioned within or adjacent to a second portion of the fuel cell stack that is separated from the first portion of the fuel cell stack and determining the presence of a defect in the stack based on detecting the presence of the fluid. Further embodiments relate to testing a fuel cell stack using a microphone that detects an audio signal indicative of a stack defect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: James Wilson, Arne Ballantine, Matthias Gottmann, Tad Armstrong, Martin Perry, David Edmonston, Michael Lesher, Joshua Baime
  • Modular fuel cell system
    Patent number: 9947955
    Abstract: A fuel cell stack module includes a base, a cover dome removably positioned on the base, and a plurality of fuel cell stacks removably positioned on the base below the cover dome. A modular fuel cell system includes a plurality of the fuel cell stack modules, where each fuel cell stack module may be electrically disconnected, removed from the fuel cell system, repaired or serviced without stopping an operation of the other fuel cell stack modules in the fuel cell system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: K. R. Sridhar, Swaminathan Venkataraman, William David Lyle, Arne Ballantine
  • Structure and method for indicating undesirable constituents in a fuel cell system
    Patent number: 9859580
    Abstract: An optical detection system for detecting undesirable constituents in a fuel cell system includes a sensing material configured to change color in the presence of the undesirable constituents and at least one sensor configured to register the change in color of the sensing material. The sensor is coupled to a corresponding light source. The sensing material, the sensor and the light source are enclosed in a housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Arne Ballantine, David Trevisan, Venkat Ramani, Emma Campbell, Jessica Mahler, Michael Wright, Jeffrey W. Schrieber
  • FUEL CELL SYSTEM WITH VARIABLE AUXILIARY BUS VOLTAGE AND METHOD OF OPERATING THEREOF
    Publication number: 20170338502
    Abstract: A method of operating a fuel cell system which includes a plurality of fuel cells and a plurality of auxiliary components located in at least one cabinet, includes monitoring, by a control unit, a parameter of the fuel cell system, determining whether the parameter has violated a threshold, and varying an auxiliary bus voltage provided to the plurality of auxiliary components connected to a common auxiliary bus by a first amount in response to determining that the parameter has violated the threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Inventors: Prasad PMSVVSV, Arne BALLANTINE, Rakesh ROY, Ranganathan GURUNATHAN
  • SORBENT BED ASSEMBLY, FUEL CELL SYSTEM INCLUDING SAME, AND SYSTEMS AND DEVICES FOR LOADING AND TRANSPORTING SAME
    Publication number: 20170331133
    Abstract: A sorbent bed assembly of a fuel cell system, including a first sorbent bed, a second sorbent bed and at least one third sorbent bed, the second sorbent bed disposed between the first sorbent bed and the at least one third sorbent bed, a cover plate on the plurality of sorbent beds and configured to connect the sorbent beds to one another, a fuel inlet connector on the cover plate and configured to receive a fuel, a manifold having a first fluid conduit configured to transport fuel between the first sorbent bed and at least one third sorbent bed, and a second fluid conduit configured to transport fuel between at least one third sorbent bed and the second sorbent bed, and a fuel outlet connector on the cover plate and configured to receive fuel that has passed through each of the sorbent beds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventors: David TREVISAN, Arne BALLANTINE, Bruno CAULK, Ross PARKER, Gilbert RICHARDS, Robert M. HINTZ, Emma CAMPBELL, Craig METCHO
  • Overvoltage snubber for grid tie inverter
    Patent number: 9755501
    Abstract: An overvoltage snubber circuit configured to receive an alternating current (AC) overvoltage includes a first rectifier configured to convert the AC overvoltage to a direct current (DC) overvoltage, a chopper circuit electrically connected to the first rectifier and configured to break up the DC overvoltage and to output a variable DC voltage, and a resistor electrically connected to the chopper circuit and configured to dissipate energy of the variable DC voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Rajesh Gopinath, Arne Ballantine, Carl Cottuli
  • FUEL CELL SYSTEM FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY LOADS
    Publication number: 20170250568
    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: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Publication date: August 31, 2017
    Inventors: Peter GROSS, Carl COTTULI, Arne BALLANTINE
  • Fuel cell system components
    Patent number: 9722273
    Abstract: A fuel cell stack module includes a plurality of fuel cell stacks, a base supporting the plurality of fuel cell stacks, and a metal shell located over the base and the fuel cell stacks. The metal shell contains an integrated heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Martin Perry, Arne Ballantine
  • FUEL CELL SYSTEM FOR CHARGING AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE
    Publication number: 20170203659
    Abstract: A method for charging electric vehicles includes receiving information regarding an electric vehicle. At least a portion of the information is received through a vehicle interface configured to place a battery of the electric vehicle into electrical communication with a fuel cell system. A charge is delivered from the fuel cell system to the battery of the electric vehicle through the vehicle interface without use of a direct current to alternating current (DC/AC) converter. The charge is delivered based at least in part on the information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Publication date: July 20, 2017
    Inventors: K.R. Sridhar, Stuart Aaron, Arne Ballantine, Peter Light, Scott Reynolds, Ramesh Srinivasan, Ranganathan Gurunathan
  • Fuel cell system with quick connect components
    Patent number: 9685673
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to a fuel cell system. In an embodiment, the fuel cell system includes advanced leak test capabilities. In another embodiment, the fuel cell system includes a system to bypass one or more separation units while permitting the fuel cell system to continue to produce electricity. In another embodiment, the fuel cell system includes an alignment system that permits ease of alignment when a fuel cell module is installed proximate a fuel processing module. In another embodiment, the fuel cell system includes a system of supplying auxiliary fuel from a mobile auxiliary fuel supply. In an embodiment, one or more or all of these embodiments may be practiced together in combination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Arne Ballantine, Kirsten Burpee, Brent Cheldelin
  • CARBON DIOXIDE SHIELDED NATURAL GAS LINE AND METHOD OF USING THEREOF
    Publication number: 20170167639
    Abstract: A natural gas line comprises a concentric pipe having an inner natural gas pipe and an outer carbon dioxide pipe surrounding the inner pipe. Carbon dioxide in the outer pipe comprises a shield which prevents or decreases natural gas leakage to the atmosphere. The carbon dioxide may be supplied from an exhaust of a fuel cell system, such as carbon dioxide separated from the fuel exhaust of a fuel cell system by a carbon dioxide separator. The natural gas may flow from a natural gas field to the fuel cell system via the inner pipe while the carbon dioxide may flow from the fuel cell system to the natural gas field via the outer pipe. The carbon dioxide may be sequestered in the empty space underground in natural gas field created by the extraction of the natural gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Publication date: June 15, 2017
    Inventors: KR SRIDHAR, Arne BALLANTINE
  • Serialization of fuel cell components
    Patent number: 9678501
    Abstract: Systems and methods for fuel cell stack part serialization and tracking. In an embodiment, a barcode may be applied to a fuel cell stack part which may identify the fuel cell stack part. In an embodiment, the barcode may be applied as ink on a green fuel cell stack part prior to sintering. In an embodiment, a portion of a fuel cell stack part may be imaged and pattern recognition techniques may be utilized to identify the fuel cell stack part based on the unique features of fuel cell stack part. In an embodiment, portion of a fuel cell stack part may be measured to generate one or more series of unique volume/area values and one or more series of unique volume/area values may be utilized to identify the fuel cell stack part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Stephen Couse, Tulin Akin, Matthias Gottmann, Harald Herchen, Arne Ballantine
  • Derivation of control parameters of fuel cell systems for flexible fuel operation
    Patent number: 9673464
    Abstract: A method of operating a fuel cell system includes characterizing the fuel or fuels being provided into the fuel cell system, characterizing the oxidizing gas or gases being provided into the fuel cell system, and calculating at least one of the steam:carbon ratio, fuel utilization and oxidizing gas utilization based on the step of characterization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: David Weingaertner, Arne Ballantine, Swaminathan Venkataraman