Patents by Inventor Cristiano Balestrino

Cristiano Balestrino 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: 9666885
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell system (10) comprises a solid oxide fuel cell stack (12) and a gas turbine engine (14). The solid oxide fuel cell stack (12) comprises a plurality of solid oxide fuel cells (16). The gas turbine engine (14) comprises a compressor (24) and a turbine (26). The compressor (24) supplies oxidant to the cathodes (22) of the fuel cells (16) via an oxidant ejector (60) and the oxidant ejector (60) supplies a portion of the unused oxidant from the cathodes (22) of the fuel cells (16) back to the cathodes (22) of the fuel cells (16) with the oxidant from the compressor (24). The fuel cell system (10) further comprises an additional compressor (64), an additional turbine (66), a cooler (70) and a recuperator (72). The compressor (24) supplies oxidant via the cooler (70) to the additional compressor (64) and the additional compressor (64) supplies oxidant to the oxidant ejector (60) via the recuperator (72).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: LG Fuel Cell Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Michele Bozzolo, Cristiano Balestrino
  • Patent number: 9570766
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell system (10) comprises a solid oxide fuel cell stack (12) and a gas turbine engine (14). The solid oxide fuel cell stack (12) comprises a plurality of solid oxide fuel cells (16). The gas turbine engine (14) comprises a compressor (24) and a turbine (26). The compressor (24) supplies oxidant to the cathodes (22) of the fuel cells (16) via an oxidant ejector (60) and the oxidant ejector (60) supplies a portion of the unused oxidant from the cathodes (22) of the fuel cells (16) back to the cathodes (22) of the fuel cells (16) with the oxidant from the compressor (24). The fuel cell system (10) further comprises an additional compressor (64), an electric motor (66) arranged to drive the additional compressor (64), a cooler (70) and a recuperator (72). The compressor (24) supplies oxidant via the cooler (70) to the additional compressor (64) and the additional compressor (64) supplies oxidant to the oxidant ejector (60) via the recuperator (72).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: LG Fuel Cell Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Michele Bozzolo, Cristiano Balestrino
  • Patent number: 8840764
    Abstract: An electrolysis apparatus comprises an electrolysis cell to electrolyze a first fluid to generate a product fluid. The electrolysis apparatus also comprises a fuel cell to electrolyze an electrolytic fluid and to heat a second fluid. The electrolysis apparatus also includes a fluid transfer arrangement to transfer the heated second fluid from the fuel cell to the electrolysis cell to provide heat to drive the electrolysis of the first fluid in the electrolysis cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: LG Fuel Cell Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Cristiano Balestrino, Gerard D. Agnew, Michele Bozzolo
  • Publication number: 20140242483
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell system (10) comprises a solid oxide fuel cell stack (12) and a gas turbine engine (14). The solid oxide fuel cell stack (12) comprises a plurality of solid oxide fuel cells (16). The gas turbine engine (14) comprises a compressor (24) and a turbine (26). The compressor (24) supplies oxidant to the cathodes(22) of the fuel cells (16) via an oxidant ejector (60) and the oxidant ejector (60) supplies a portion of the unused oxidant from the cathodes (22) of the fuel cells (16) back to the cathodes (22) of the fuel cells (16) with the oxidant from the compressor (24). The fuel cell system (10) further comprises an additional compressor (64), an additional turbine (66), a cooler (70) and a recuperator (72). The compressor(24) supplies oxidant via the cooler (70) to the additional compressor(64) and the additional compressor(64) supplies oxidant to the oxidant ejector (60) via the recuperator (72).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: LG FUEL CELL SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Michele Bozzolo, Cristiano Balestrino
  • Publication number: 20140216036
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell system (10) comprises a solid oxide fuel cell stack (12) and a gas turbine engine (14). The solid oxide fuel cell stack (12) comprises a plurality of solid oxide fuel cells (16). The gas turbine engine (14) comprises a compressor (24) and a turbine (26). The compressor (24) supplies oxidant to the cathodes (22) of the fuel cells (16) via an oxidant ejector (60) and the oxidant ejector (60) supplies a portion of the unused oxidant from the cathodes (22) of the fuel cells (16) back to the cathodes (22) of the fuel cells (16) with the oxidant from the compressor (24). The fuel cell system (10) further comprises an additional compressor (64), an electric motor (66) arranged to drive the additional compressor (64), a cooler (70) and a recuperator (72). The compressor (24) supplies oxidant via the cooler (70) to the additional compressor (64) and the additional compressor (64) supplies oxidant to the oxidant ejector (60) via the recuperator (72).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: LG FUEL CELL SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Michele Bozzolo, Cristiano Balestrino
  • Patent number: 8048276
    Abstract: Solid oxide stacks used as fuel cells generate electricity from hydrogen or other sources. By an electrolysis process such standard fuel cells can be operated in order to create hydrogen or other electro chemical by-products. Unfortunately stacks generally operate at relatively high temperatures which will be difficult to sustain purely on economic grounds. In such circumstances less efficient operation can be achieved at lower temperatures where the air-specific resistance is higher by balancing with the electrical power input in order to cause the disassociation required. In such circumstances by provision of an incident heat source, whether that be through a heat exchanger heating the compressed air flow, or recycling of a proportion of exhaust from the stack, or combustion of a product from stack disassociation the result will be a sustaining electrolysis operation reducing the amount of expensive electrical supply required to achieve dissociation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Cristiano Balestrino, Gerard D. Agnew, Michele Bozzolo
  • Publication number: 20080314741
    Abstract: An electrolysis apparatus comprises an electrolysis cell to electrolyze a first fluid to generate a product fluid. The electrolysis apparatus also comprises a fuel cell to electrolyze an electrolytic fluid and to heat a second fluid. The electrolysis apparatus also includes a fluid transfer arrangement to transfer the heated second fluid from the fuel cell to the electrolysis cell to provide heat to drive the electrolysis of the first fluid in the electrolysis cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Inventors: Cristiano Balestrino, Gerard D. Agnew, Michele Bozzolo
  • Publication number: 20080289955
    Abstract: Solid oxide stacks used as fuel cells generate electricity from hydrogen or other sources. By an electrolysis process such standard fuel cells can be operated in order to create hydrogen or other electro chemical by-products. Unfortunately stacks generally operate at relatively high temperatures which will be difficult to sustain purely on economic grounds. In such circumstances less efficient operation can be achieved at lower temperatures where the air-specific resistance is higher by balancing with the electrical power input in order to cause the disassociation required. In such circumstances by provision of an incident heat source, whether that be through a heat exchanger heating the compressed air flow, or recycling of a proportion of exhaust from the stack, or combustion of a product from stack disassociation the result will be a sustaining electrolysis operation reducing the amount of expensive electrical supply required to achieve dissociation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2008
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Inventors: Cristiano Balestrino, Gerard D. Agnew, Michele Bozzolo