Patents by Inventor Bowie Keefer

Bowie Keefer 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).

  • Publication number: 20080090113
    Abstract: Enhanced high temperature fuel cell systems, such as solid oxide fuel cell systems and molten carbonate fuel cell systems are disclosed. Embodiments of the disclosure include solid oxide and molten carbonate fuel cell systems incorporating gas separation apparati facilitating the recycle of hydrogen fuel from fuel cell anode exhaust for supply to the fuel cell anode inlet. Further embodiments of the disclosure include solid oxide and molten carbonate fuel cell systems incorporating inventive combinations of anode materials conducive to combination with enriched hydrogen fuel. Other embodiments of the disclosure include gas separation apparati for providing enriched oxygen feed to the cathode inlet of solid oxide and molten carbonate fuel cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2007
    Publication date: April 17, 2008
    Inventors: Bowie Keefer, Matthew Babicki, Mark Kirby
  • Publication number: 20070253872
    Abstract: A chemical reaction is performed with separation of the product(s) and reactant(s) by pressure swing adsorption (PSA), using an apparatus having a plurality of adsorbers cooperating with first and second valve assemblies in a PSA module. The PSA cycle is characterized by multiple intermediate pressure levels between higher and lower pressures of the PSA cycle. Gas flows enter or exit the PSA module at the intermediate pressure levels as well as the higher and lower pressure levels, entering from compressor stage(s) or exiting into exhauster or expander stages, under substantially steady conditions of flow and pressure. The PSA module comprises a rotor containing the adsorbers and rotating within a stator, with ported valve faces between the rotor and stator to control the timing of the flows entering or exiting the adsorbers in the rotor. The reaction may be performed within a portion of the rotor containing a catalyst.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventors: Bowie Keefer, Denis Connor
  • Publication number: 20060280993
    Abstract: Power plant systems and processes are described that enable recovery of at least a portion of the fuel storage energy associated with a storage system for supplying fuel to the power plant systems. A first embodiment of an energy-recovery power plant system includes at least one fuel storage container and at least one expander that can receive fuel from the fuel storage container at a first pressure and provide the fuel to the power plant at a second pressure that is lower than the first pressure. A second embodiment of an energy-recovery power plant system includes a first conduit fluidly coupling the fuel storage container and the power plant for delivering fuel from the fuel storage container to the power plant and at least one regenerative thermodynamic cycle engine thermally coupled to the first conduit such that heat may be exchanged between the fuel and a working fluid for the regenerative thermodynamic cycle engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2006
    Publication date: December 14, 2006
    Inventors: Bowie Keefer, Surajit Roy, Jean St.-Pierre, Amy Nelson, Shanna Knights
  • Publication number: 20060257708
    Abstract: An electrical generating system consists of a fuel cell, and an oxygen gas delivery. The fuel cell includes and anode channel having an anode gas inlet for receiving a supply of hydrogen gas, a cathode channel having a cathode gas inlet and a cathode gas outlet, and an electrolyte in communication with the anode and cathode channel for facilitating ion exchange between the anode and cathode channel. The oxygen gas delivery system is coupled to the cathode gas inlet and delivers oxygen gas to the cathode channel. The electrical current generating system also includes gas recirculation means couple to the cathode gas outlet for recirculating a portion of cathode exhaust gas exhausted from the cathode gas outlet to the cathode gas inlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2006
    Publication date: November 16, 2006
    Inventors: Bowie Keefer, Christopher McLean, Michael Brown
  • Publication number: 20060182680
    Abstract: A process and system for providing a hydrogen-containing gas stream to a fuel cell anode that includes providing a hydrogen-containing gas stream that includes carbon monoxide, introducing the hydrogen-containing gas stream into a pressure swing adsorption module that includes at least one carbon monoxide-selective adsorbent to produce a purified hydrogen-containing gas stream, and introducing the purified hydrogen-containing gas stream to the fuel cell anode. The pressure swing adsorption module can also include a second adsorbent and/or catalyst. Also disclosed is a fuel cell system coupled to an internal combustion engine and a fuel cell system that utilizes fuel cell waste heat for vaporizing a hydrocarbon/water mixture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2006
    Publication date: August 17, 2006
    Inventors: Bowie Keefer, James Sawada, Erik Johannes, Surajit Roy, Michael Brown
  • Publication number: 20060169142
    Abstract: Improved adsorbent sheet based parallel passage adsorbent structures for enhancing the kinetic selectivity of certain kinetic-controlled adsorption processes, such as PSA, TSA and PPSA processes, and combinations thereof, are provided. The enhancements in kinetic selectivity made possible through the implementation of the present inventive improved adsorbent structures may unexpectedly enable significant intensification of selected kinetic adsorption processes relative to attainable performance with conventional adsorbent materials in beaded or extruded form. Such process intensification enabled by the present inventive adsorbent structures may provide for increased adsorption cycle frequencies, and increased gas flow velocities within the adsorbent beds, which may increase the productivity and/or recovery of a kinetic adsorption system incorporating the inventive adsorbent structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2006
    Publication date: August 3, 2006
    Inventors: Edward Rode, Andre Boulet, Aaron Pelman, Matthew Babicki, Bowie Keefer, James Sawada, Soheil Alizadeh-Khiavi, Surajit Roy, Andrea Gibbs, Steven Kuznicki
  • Publication number: 20050183572
    Abstract: Gas separation by pressure swing adsorption (PSA) and vacuum pressure swing adsorption (VPSA), to obtain a purified product gas of the less strongly adsorbed fraction of the feed gas mixture, is performed with an apparatus having a plurality of adsorbers. The adsorbers cooperate with first and second valves in a rotary PSA module, with the PSA cycle characterized by multiple intermediate pressure levels between the higher and lower pressures of the PSA cycle. Gas flows enter or exit the PSA module at the intermediate pressure levels as well as the higher and lower pressure levels, under substantially steady conditions of flow and pressure. The PSA module may comprise a rotor containing laminated sheet adsorbers and rotating within a stator, with ported valve faces between the rotor and stator to control the timing of the flows entering or exiting the adsorbers in the rotor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2004
    Publication date: August 25, 2005
    Inventors: Bowie Keefer, Christopher McLean, Matthew Babicki
  • Publication number: 20050145111
    Abstract: A rotary module for implementing a high frequency pressure swing adsorption process comprises a stator and a rotor rotatably coupled to the stator. The stator includes a first stator valve surface, a second stator valve surface, a plurality of first function compartments opening into the first stator valve surface, and a plurality of second function compartments opening into the second stator valve surface. The rotor includes a first rotor valve surface in communication with the first stator valve surface, a second rotor valve surface in communication with the second stator valve surface, and a plurality of flow paths for receiving adsorbent material therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2003
    Publication date: July 7, 2005
    Inventors: Bowie Keefer, David Doman, Christopher McLean
  • Publication number: 20050106429
    Abstract: Enhanced high temperature fuel cell systems, such as solid oxide fuel cell systems and molten carbonate fuel cell systems are disclosed. Embodiments of the disclosure include solid oxide and molten carbonate fuel cell systems incorporating gas separation apparati facilitating the recycle of hydrogen fuel from fuel cell anode exhaust for supply to the fuel cell anode inlet, such systems capable of improved power densities and efficiencies of operation. Further embodiments of the disclosure include solid oxide and molten carbonate fuel cell systems incorporating inventive combinations of anode materials conducive to combination with enriched hydrogen fuel. Other embodiments of the disclosure include gas separation apparati for providing enriched oxygen feed to the cathode inlet of solid oxide and molten carbonate fuel cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2004
    Publication date: May 19, 2005
    Inventor: Bowie Keefer