Patents by Inventor M. Douglas Levan

M. Douglas Levan 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: 9911989
    Abstract: A method of operating a fuel cell system includes providing a fuel inlet stream into a fuel cell stack, operating the fuel cell stack to generate electricity and a hydrogen containing fuel exhaust stream having a temperature above 200 C, lowering a temperature of the fuel exhaust stream to 200 C or less, separating the fuel exhaust stream into a first separated fuel exhaust stream and a second separated fuel exhaust stream, and recycling the first separated fuel exhaust stream into the fuel inlet stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: James McElroy, Swaminathan Venkataraman, John Finn, M. Douglas LeVan, Fred Mitlitsky
  • Publication number: 20140186250
    Abstract: An adsorbent material comprising a porous inorganic oxide material grafted with a molecule comprising a carbonyl functional group is provided. The porous inorganic oxide material can be a porous silica material or Zr(OH)4. The adsorbent material can be a synthesized by grafting an organosilane molecule containing the carbonyl functional group onto the porous inorganic oxide material. The porous inorganic oxide material can be grafted with a second molecule comprising an amine functional group. Methods of making the adsorbent material and methods of removing molecules from a fluid using the adsorbent material are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicants: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: M. Douglas LEVAN, Amanda M.B. FURTADO, Yu WANG, Gregory W. PETERSON
  • Publication number: 20120152845
    Abstract: An adsorbent material comprising a metal organic phase and a porous silica phase is provided. The adsorbent material can be a synthesized from at least one porous silica material, one or more metal ions, and at least one organic linker comprising one or more multidentate functional groups capable of forming coordinate bonds with the metal ions. The porous silica can be an ordered mesoporous silica material. Methods of making the adsorbent material and methods of removing molecules from a fluid using the adsorbent material are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: M. Douglas LeVan, Amanda M.B. Furtado, Jian Liu, Yu Wang
  • Publication number: 20100239924
    Abstract: A method of operating a fuel cell system includes providing a fuel inlet stream into a fuel cell stack, operating the fuel cell stack to generate electricity and a hydrogen containing fuel exhaust stream having a temperature above 200 C, lowering a temperature of the fuel exhaust stream to 200 C or less, separating the fuel exhaust stream into a first separated fuel exhaust stream and a second separated fuel exhaust stream, and recycling the first separated fuel exhaust stream into the fuel inlet stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2006
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Inventors: James McElroy, Swaminathan Venkataraman, John Finn, M. Douglas LeVan, Fred Mitlitsky
  • Patent number: 7591880
    Abstract: A method of operating a fuel cell system includes providing a fuel inlet stream into a fuel cell stack, operating the fuel cell stack to generate electricity and a hydrogen containing fuel exhaust stream, separating at least a portion of hydrogen contained in the fuel exhaust stream using partial pressure swing adsorption, and providing the hydrogen separated from the fuel exhaust stream into the fuel inlet stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Bloom Energy Corporation
    Inventors: M. Douglas Levan, John E. Finn, James F. McElroy
  • Patent number: 7520916
    Abstract: A method of operating a fuel cell system includes providing a fuel inlet stream into a fuel cell stack, operating the fuel cell stack to generate electricity and a hydrogen containing fuel exhaust stream, separating at least a portion of hydrogen contained in the fuel exhaust stream using partial pressure swing adsorption, and providing the hydrogen separated from the fuel exhaust stream to a hydrogen storage vessel or to a hydrogen using device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Bloom Energy Corporation
    Inventors: James F. McElroy, John E. Finn, M. Douglas LeVan, Swaminathan Venkataraman, Fred Mitlitsky
  • Patent number: 6851938
    Abstract: A magnetic pumping system includes a pump, capable of urging a fluid therefrom during a forward stroke and a return stroke, having a piston disposed within a cylinder defined by a pump body, and a driver disposed external to the pump body. The driver is capable of moving the piston by a magnetic field interaction between the driver and the piston. The system further includes a check valve bridge, spaced away from the pump and in fluid communication with the cylinder, capable of allowing ingress and egress of the fluid into and out of the cylinder in response to a movement by the piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Vanderbilt University
    Inventors: Yuqing Ding, M. Douglas Levan
  • Publication number: 20030044285
    Abstract: A magnetic pumping system includes a pump, capable of urging a fluid therefrom during a forward stroke and a return stroke, having a piston disposed within a cylinder defined by a pump body, and a driver disposed external to the pump body. The driver is capable of moving the piston by a magnetic field interaction between the driver and the piston. The system further includes a check valve bridge, spaced away from the pump and in fluid communication with the cylinder, capable of allowing ingress and egress of the fluid into and out of the cylinder in response to a movement by the piston.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2002
    Publication date: March 6, 2003
    Inventors: Yuqing Ding, M. Douglas Levan