Patents by Inventor George Berntsen
George Berntsen 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: 10573907Abstract: A load-following fuel cell system for a grid system operating with a high penetration of intermittent renewable energy sources includes a baseload power generation module and a load-following power generation module. The baseload power generation module provides a baseload power to the grid system and includes a high-efficiency fuel cell system. The high-efficiency fuel cell system includes a topping module and a bottoming module. The topping module and the bottoming module are connected in series and the topping module provides an exhaust stream to the bottoming module. The load-following power generation module provides a load-following power to the grid system and includes an energy storage system that separates and stores hydrogen contained in the exhaust stream and a power generation system having one or more fuel cells. The power generation system receives the hydrogen from the energy storage system to provide the load-following power.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2017Date of Patent: February 25, 2020Assignee: FUELCELL ENERGY, INC.Inventors: Fred Jahnke, Ramakrishnan Venkataraman, George Berntsen, Ludwig Lipp, Pinakin Patel
-
Patent number: 10243226Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell assembly configured to generate a direct current (DC) signal. The fuel cell system also includes one or more inverters coupled to the fuel cell assembly by way of one or more first bus lines. The fuel cell system also includes a variable frequency drive (VFD) coupled to an output of the one or more inverters and configured to receive AC power from the one or more inverters. The VFD is configured to convert the AC power to DC power and to provide the DC power to at least one auxiliary component during a normal operating condition. The fuel cell system further includes one or more second bus lines configured to receive the DC signal via the one or more first bus lines and to provide the DC signal to the VFD to power the at least one auxiliary component during a low voltage ride through condition.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2015Date of Patent: March 26, 2019Assignee: FUELCELL ENERGY, INC.Inventors: George Berntsen, Nicholas Pasquale
-
Publication number: 20180261857Abstract: A load-following fuel cell system for a grid system operating with a high penetration of intermittent renewable energy sources includes a baseload power generation module and a load-following power generation module. The baseload power generation module provides a baseload power to the grid system and includes a high-efficiency fuel cell system. The high-efficiency fuel cell system includes a topping module and a bottoming module. The topping module and the bottoming module are connected in series and the topping module provides an exhaust stream to the bottoming module. The load-following power generation module provides a load-following power to the grid system and includes an energy storage system that separates and stores hydrogen contained in the exhaust stream and a power generation system having one or more fuel cells. The power generation system receives the hydrogen from the energy storage system to provide the load-following power.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 10, 2017Publication date: September 13, 2018Inventors: Fred JAHNKE, Ramakrishnan VENKATARAMAN, George BERNTSEN, Ludwig LIPP, Pinakin PATEL
-
Publication number: 20170070088Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell assembly configured to generate a direct current (DC) signal. The fuel cell system also includes one or more inverters coupled to the fuel cell assembly by way of one or more first bus lines. The fuel cell system also includes a variable frequency drive (VFD) coupled to an output of the one or more inverters and configured to receive AC power from the one or more inverters. The VFD is configured to convert the AC power to DC power and to provide the DC power to at least one auxiliary component during a normal operating condition. The fuel cell system further includes one or more second bus lines configured to receive the DC signal via the one or more first bus lines and to provide the DC signal to the VFD to power the at least one auxiliary component during a low voltage ride through condition.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2015Publication date: March 9, 2017Inventors: George Berntsen, Nicholas Pasquale
-
Patent number: 8865356Abstract: A hybrid fuel cell system comprising a high temperature fuel cell having an anode section and a cathode section, a gas turbine comprising a compressor cycle for compressing a supply gas and an expansion cycle for expanding one of heated compressed supply gas and a second gas derived from the compressed supply gas to provide mechanical energy to an induction machine, and an induction machine for converting mechanical energy to electrical energy and adapted to output an electrical output.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2012Date of Patent: October 21, 2014Assignee: FuelCell Energy, Inc.Inventors: George Berntsen, Hossein Ghezel-Ayagh
-
Publication number: 20130175805Abstract: A hybrid fuel cell system comprising a high temperature fuel cell having an anode section and a cathode section, a gas turbine comprising a compressor cycle for compressing a supply gas and an expansion cycle for expanding one of heated compressed supply gas and a second gas derived from the compressed supply gas to provide mechanical energy to an induction machine, and an induction machine for converting mechanical energy to electrical energy and adapted to output an electrical output.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 11, 2012Publication date: July 11, 2013Inventors: GEORGE BERNTSEN, Hossein Ghezel-Ayagh
-
Patent number: 8389136Abstract: A gas flow control assembly for use in a fuel cell system comprising an airflow control assembly for adjusting flow of air to a cathode side of the fuel cell system based on content variations in an exhaust gas leaving an anode side of the system and a fuel flow control assembly for controlling flow of fuel to the anode side based on adjustment to the airflow by the airflow control assembly.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2005Date of Patent: March 5, 2013Assignee: FuelCell Energy, Inc.Inventors: Ramakirshnan Venkataraman, George Berntsen, Glenn L. Carlson, Fred C. Jahnke, Anthony J. Leo
-
Patent number: 7939215Abstract: A fuel cell system with a fuel cell having an anode adapted to receive fuel and a cathode adapted to receive oxidant, an anode oxidizing assembly adapted to receive output of said anode and input oxidant and to output oxidant gas for said cathode, a fuel supply assembly including a first fuel flow control part, said fuel supply assembly being adapted to supply fuel to said anode at a flow rate that is equal to or less than a first flow rate, and a low flow bypass assembly which, upon the occurrence of a first condition of said fuel cell system, causes fuel supplied by said fuel supply part to bypass said first fuel flow control part and flow through said low flow bypass assembly so as to limit the flow rate of fuel being supplied to a second flow rate smaller than said first flow rate.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2006Date of Patent: May 10, 2011Assignee: Fuel Energy, Inc.Inventors: Fred C. Jahnke, Kirk Arneson, George Berntsen
-
Patent number: 7800340Abstract: A multi-stack assembly receiving fuel from a fuel supply and producing power output for consumption by a load, the assembly comprising a plurality of fuel cell stacks for producing DC power and forming a plurality of fuel cell stack groups, wherein each of the stack groups includes at least one fuel cell stack, a plurality of inverters corresponding to the plurality of fuel cell stack groups, wherein each of the inverters draws a predetermined amount of DC power from a corresponding fuel cell stack group and converts the DC power to AC power; and a controller for controlling each of the inverters to draw the predetermined amount of DC power from the corresponding fuel cell stack group so as to satisfy power requirements of the load.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2006Date of Patent: September 21, 2010Assignee: FuelCell Energy, Inc.Inventors: George Berntsen, Joel D. Doyon
-
Patent number: 7736777Abstract: A fuel cell system and method in which the fuel cell system receives and an input oxidant gas and an input fuel gas, and in which a fuel processing assembly is provided and is adapted to at least humidify the input fuel gas which is to be supplied to the anode of the fuel cell of the system whose cathode receives the oxidant input gas via an anode oxidizing assembly which is adapted to couple the output of the anode of the fuel cell to the inlet of the cathode of the fuel cell during normal operation, shutdown and restart of the fuel cell system, and in which a control assembly is further provided and is adapted to respond to shutdown of the fuel cell system during which input fuel gas and input oxidant gas cease to be received by the fuel cell system, the control assembly being further adapted to, when the fuel cell system is shut down: control the fuel cell system so as to enable a purging gas to be able to flow through the fuel processing assembly to remove humidified fuel gas from the processing assemblyType: GrantFiled: August 11, 2005Date of Patent: June 15, 2010Assignees: FuelCell Energy, Inc., MTU CFC Solutions GmbHInventors: Ramki Venkataraman, George Berntsen, Glenn L. Carlson, Mohammad Farooque, Dan Beachy, Stefan Peterhans, Manfred Bischoff
-
Publication number: 20070259230Abstract: A multi-stack assembly receiving fuel from a fuel supply and producing power output for consumption by a load, the assembly comprising a plurality of fuel cell stacks for producing DC power and forming a plurality of fuel cell stack groups, wherein each of the stack groups includes at least one fuel cell stack, a plurality of inverters corresponding to the plurality of fuel cell stack groups, wherein each of the inverters draws a predetermined amount of DC power from a corresponding fuel cell stack group and converts the DC power to AC power; and a controller for controlling each of the inverters to draw the predetermined amount of DC power from the corresponding fuel cell stack group so as to satisfy power requirements of the load.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 8, 2006Publication date: November 8, 2007Inventors: George Berntsen, Joel Doyon
-
Publication number: 20070243434Abstract: A fuel cell system with a fuel cell having an anode adapted to receive fuel and a cathode adapted to receive oxidant, an anode oxidizing assembly adapted to receive output of said anode and input oxidant and to output oxidant gas for said cathode, a fuel supply assembly including a first fuel flow control part, said fuel supply assembly being adapted to supply fuel to said anode at a flow rate that is equal to or less than a first flow rate, and a low flow bypass assembly which, upon the occurrence of a first condition of said fuel cell system, causes fuel supplied by said fuel supply part to bypass said first fuel flow control part and flow through said low flow bypass assembly so as to limit the flow rate of fuel being supplied to a second flow rate smaller than said first flow rate.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2006Publication date: October 18, 2007Inventors: Fred Jahnke, Kirk Arneson, George Berntsen
-
Publication number: 20070037025Abstract: A fuel cell system and method in which the fuel cell system receives and an input oxidant gas and an input fuel gas, and in which a fuel processing assembly is provided and is adapted to at least humidify the input fuel gas which is to be supplied to the anode of the fuel cell of the system whose cathode receives the oxidant input gas via an anode oxidizing assembly which is adapted to couple the output of the anode of the fuel cell to the inlet of the cathode of the fuel cell during normal operation, shutdown and restart of the fuel cell system, and in which a control assembly is further provided and is adapted to respond to shutdown of the fuel cell system during which input fuel gas and input oxidant gas cease to be received by the fuel cell system, the control assembly being further adapted to, when the fuel cell system is shut down: control the fuel cell system so as to enable a purging gas to be able to flow through the fuel processing assembly to remove humidified fuel gas from the processing assemblyType: ApplicationFiled: August 11, 2005Publication date: February 15, 2007Inventors: Ramki Venkataraman, George Berntsen, Glenn Carlson, Mohammad Farooque, Dan Beachy, Stefan Peterhans, Manfred Bischoff
-
Publication number: 20060216556Abstract: A gas flow control assembly for use in a fuel cell system comprising an airflow control assembly for adjusting flow of air to a cathode side of the fuel cell system based on content variations in an exhaust gas leaving an anode side of the system and a fuel flow control assembly for controlling flow of fuel to the anode side based on adjustment to the airflow by the airflow control assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2005Publication date: September 28, 2006Inventors: Ramakirshnan Venkataraman, George Berntsen, Glenn Carlson, Fred Jahnke, Anthony Leo