Patents by Inventor Franklin C. Mrazek

Franklin C. Mrazek 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: 4939111
    Abstract: A porous sintered cathode for a molten carbonate fuel cell and method of making same, the cathode including a skeletal structure of a first electronically conductive material slightly soluble in the electrolyte present in the molten carbonate fuel cell covered by fine particles of a second material of possibly lesser electronic conductivity insoluble in the electrolyte present in the molten carbonate fuel cell, the cathode having a porosity in the range of from about 60% to about 70% at steady-state cell operating conditions consisting of both macro-pores and micro-pores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 3, 1990
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Thomas D. Kaun, Franklin C. Mrazek
  • Patent number: 4891280
    Abstract: A porous sintered cathode for a molten carbonate fuel cell and method of making same, the cathode including a skeletal structure of a first electronically conductive material slightly soluble in the electrolyte present in the molten carbonate fuel cell covered by fine particles of a second material of possibly lesser electronic conductivity insoluble in the electrolyte present in the molten carbonate fuel cell, the cathode having a porosity in the range of from about 60% to about 70% at steady-state cell operating conditions consisting of both macro-pores and micro-pores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1990
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Thomas D. Kaun, Franklin C. Mrazek
  • Patent number: 4761349
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell in which fuel and oxidant gases undergo an electrochemical reaction to produce an electrical output includes a monolithic core comprised of a corrugated conductive sheet disposed between upper and lower generally flat sheets. The corrugated sheet includes a plurality of spaced, parallel, elongated slots which form a series of closed, linear, first upper and second lower gas flow channels with the upper and lower sheets within which a fuel gas and an oxidant gas respectively flow. Facing ends of the fuel cell are generally V-shaped and provide for fuel and oxidant gas inlet and outlet flow, respectively, and include inlet and outlet gas flow channels which are continuous with the aforementioned upper fuel gas and lower oxidant gas flow channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 2, 1988
    Assignee: University of Chicago
    Inventors: Charles C. McPheeters, Franklin C. Mrazek
  • Patent number: 4409168
    Abstract: A method of forming a component for a high-temperature secondary electrochemical cell having a positive electrode including a sulfide selected from the group consisting of iron sulfides, nickel sulfides, copper sulfides and cobalt sulfides, a negative electrode including an alloy of aluminum and an electrically insulating porous separator between said electrodes. The improvement comprises forming a slurry of solid particles dispersed in a liquid electrolyte such as the lithium chloride-potassium chloride eutetic, casting the slurry into a form having the shape of one of the components and smoothing the exposed surface of the slurry, cooling the cast slurry to form the solid component, and removing same. Electrodes and separators can be thus formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1981
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1983
    Inventors: Franklin C. Mrazek, James E. Battles
  • Patent number: 4367159
    Abstract: A positive electrode for a secondary electrochemical cell wherein an electrically conductive current collector is in electrical contact with a particulate mixture of gray cast iron and an alkali metal sulfide and an electrolyte including alkali metal halides or alkaline earth metal halides. Also present may be a transition metal sulfide and graphite flakes from the conversion of gray cast iron to iron sulfide. Also disclosed is a method of distributing carbon flakes in a cell wherein there is formed an electrochemical cell of a positive electrode structure of the type described and a suitable electrolyte and a second electrode containing a material capable of alloying with alkali metal ions. The cell is connected to a source of electrical potential to electrochemically convert gray cast iron to an iron sulfide and uniformly to distribute carbon flakes formerly in the gray cast iron throughout the positive electrode while forming an alkali metal alloy in the negative electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1981
    Date of Patent: January 4, 1983
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Franklin C. Mrazek, John A. Smaga, James E. Battles