Patents by Inventor Matthew A. Dawson
Matthew A. Dawson 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: 20230109683Abstract: Herein discussed is a method of producing hydrogen comprising: (a) providing an electrochemical reactor having an anode, a cathode, and a membrane between the anode and the cathode; (b) introducing a first stream to the anode, wherein the first stream comprises ammonia or a product from ammonia cracking; (c) introducing a second stream to the cathode, wherein the second stream comprises water; and wherein hydrogen is generated from water electrochemically without electricity input. Systems for producing hydrogen from ammonia are also discussed.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2021Publication date: April 13, 2023Applicant: Utility Global, Inc.Inventors: Matthew Dawson, Nicholas Farandos, Jason Dana, Jin Dawson
-
Publication number: 20230092683Abstract: Herein discussed is a method of making a copper-containing electrode comprising: (a) forming a copper solution; (b) forming a ceramic substrate; (c) infiltrating the ceramic substrate with the copper solution; and (d) calcining the infiltrated substrate using electromagnetic radiation, wherein the substrate is no thicker than 50 microns. In an embodiment, the method comprises repeating (c) and (d) until copper percolates the ceramic substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2022Publication date: March 23, 2023Applicant: Utility Global, Inc.Inventors: Nicholas Farandos, Matthew Dawson, Jin Dawson, Hsuan-Yu Leu
-
Patent number: 11611097Abstract: Herein disclosed is a method of making an electrochemical reactor comprising a) depositing a composition on a substrate to form a slice; b) drying the slice using a non-contact dryer; c) sintering the slice using electromagnetic radiation (EMR), wherein the electrochemical reactor comprises an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte between the anode and the cathode. In an embodiment, the electrochemical reactor comprises at least one unit, wherein the unit comprises the anode, the cathode, the electrolyte and an interconnect and wherein the unit has a thickness of no greater than 1 mm. In an embodiment, the anode is no greater than 50 microns in thickness, the cathode is no greater than 50 microns in thickness, and the electrolyte is no greater than 10 microns in thickness.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2019Date of Patent: March 21, 2023Assignee: Utility Global, Inc.Inventors: David R. Hall, Matthew Dawson, Nicholas Farandos, Jin Dawson
-
Patent number: 11603324Abstract: There is disclosed a method of making an electrode for an electrochemical reactor including the steps of providing a template and depositing electrode material such that the electrode material is in contact with the template. This template is provided in a form that produces channels in the electrode material. There is also disclosed an electrode for an electrochemical reactor which includes electrode material and a template, with the template occupying channels in the electrode material.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2019Date of Patent: March 14, 2023Assignee: Utility Global, Inc.Inventors: David R. Hall, Matthew Dawson, Nicholas Farandos, Jin Dawson
-
Patent number: 11575142Abstract: Herein disclosed is a method of making a fuel cell including forming an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte using an additive manufacturing machine. The electrolyte is between the anode and the cathode. Preferably, electrical current flow is perpendicular to the electrolyte in the lateral direction when the fuel cell is in use. Preferably, the method comprises making an interconnect, a barrier layer, and a catalyst layer using the additive manufacturing machine.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2019Date of Patent: February 7, 2023Assignee: Utility Global, Inc.Inventors: David R. Hall, Matthew Dawson, Nicholas Farandos, Jin Dawson
-
Publication number: 20230013911Abstract: Herein discussed is a hydrogen production system comprising a first reactor zone and a second reactor zone, wherein both reactor zones comprise an ionically conducting membrane, wherein the first zone is capable of reforming a hydrocarbon electrochemically and the second zone is capable of performing water gas shift reactions electrochemically, wherein the electrochemical reforming reactions involve the exchange of an ion through the membrane to oxidize the hydrocarbon and wherein electrochemical water gas shift reactions involve the exchange of an ion through the membrane and include forward water gas shift reactions, or reverse water gas shift reactions, or both. In an embodiment, the membrane is mixed conducting. In an embodiment, the membrane comprises an electronically conducting phase and an ionically conducting phase.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 1, 2022Publication date: January 19, 2023Applicant: Utility Global, Inc.Inventors: Matthew Dawson, Nicholas Farandos, Jin Dawson
-
Publication number: 20230020427Abstract: Herein discussed is an electrochemical reactor comprising a mixed-conducting membrane, wherein the membrane comprises an electronically conducting phase and an ionically conducting phase, wherein the reactor is capable of reforming a hydrocarbon electrochemically, wherein the electrochemical reforming reactions involve the exchange of an ion through the membrane to oxidize the hydrocarbon. Further discussed herein is a method of producing hydrogen comprising providing an electrochemical (EC) reactor having a mixed-conducting membrane, introducing a first stream comprising a hydrocarbon to the reactor, introducing a second stream comprising water to the reactor, and reducing the water in the second stream to produce hydrogen, wherein the first stream and the second stream do not come in contact with each other in the reactor, and wherein the hydrocarbon is reformed electrochemically in the EC reactor.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 23, 2022Publication date: January 19, 2023Applicant: Utility Global, Inc.Inventors: Nicholas Farandos, Matthew Dawson, Jin Dawson
-
Patent number: 11557784Abstract: Herein disclosed is a method of treating a component of a fuel cell, which includes the step of exposing the component of the fuel cell to a source of electromagnetic radiation (EMR). The component comprises a first material. The EMR has a wavelength ranging from 10 to 1500 nm and the EMR has a minimum energy density of 0.1 Joule/cm2. Preferably, the treatment process has one or more of the following effects: heating, drying, curing, sintering, annealing, sealing, alloying, evaporating, restructuring, foaming. In an embodiment, the substrate is a component in a fuel cell. Such component comprises an anode, a cathode, an electrolyte, a catalyst, a barrier layer, a interconnect, a reformer, or reformer catalyst. In an embodiment, the substrate is a layer in a fuel cell or a portion of a layer in a fuel cell or a combination of layers in a fuel cell or a combination of partial layers in a fuel cell.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2019Date of Patent: January 17, 2023Assignee: Utility Global, Inc.Inventors: David R. Hall, Matthew Dawson, Jin Dawson
-
Publication number: 20230002915Abstract: Herein discussed is a method of producing hydrogen comprising introducing a first stream comprising a fuel to an electrochemical (EC) reactor having a mixed-conducting membrane, introducing a second stream comprising water to the reactor, reducing the water in the second stream to produce hydrogen, and recycling at least portion of the produced hydrogen to the first stream, wherein the membrane comprises an electronically conducting phase and an ionically conducting phase; and wherein the first stream and the second stream do not come in contact with each other in the reactor.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2022Publication date: January 5, 2023Applicant: Utility Global, Inc.Inventors: Matthew Dawson, Nicholas Farandos, Jin Dawson
-
Patent number: 11539053Abstract: Herein discussed is an electrode comprising a copper or copper oxide phase and a ceramic phase, wherein the copper or copper oxide phase and the ceramic phase are sintered and are inter-dispersed with one another. Further discussed herein is a method of making a copper-containing electrode comprising: (a) forming a dispersion comprising ceramic particles and copper or copper oxide particles; (b) depositing the dispersion onto a substrate to form a slice; and (c) sintering the slice using electromagnetic radiation.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2020Date of Patent: December 27, 2022Assignee: Utility Global, Inc.Inventors: Matthew Dawson, Nicholas Farandos, Jin Dawson
-
Publication number: 20220403532Abstract: Herein discussed is a method of producing hydrogen or carbon monoxide comprising introducing a waste gas having a total combustible species (TCS) content of no greater than 60 vol % into an electrochemical (EC) reactor, wherein the EC reactor comprises a mixed-conducting membrane, wherein the membrane comprises an electronically conducting phase and an ionically conducting phase. Also disclosed herein is an integrated hydrogen production system comprising a waste gas source and an electrochemical (EC) reactor comprising a mixed-conducting membrane, wherein the membrane comprises an electronically conducting phase and an ionically conducting phase, wherein the waste gas source is configured to send its exhaust to the EC reactor, wherein the exhaust has a total combustible species (TCS) content of no greater than 60 vol %.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2022Publication date: December 22, 2022Applicant: Utility Global, Inc.Inventors: Nicholas Farandos, Matthew Dawson, Jason Dana, Jin Dawson
-
Publication number: 20220380210Abstract: Herein discussed is a tubular comprising: an open end; an opposite closed end; and a mixed conducting membrane in at least a portion of the circumferential surface of the tubular. In an embodiment, the tubular comprises a cathode in contact with one circumferential side of the mixed conducting membrane and an anode in contact with the opposite circumferential side of the mixed conducting membrane. Methods of making and using such a tubular are also discussed herein.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 26, 2022Publication date: December 1, 2022Applicant: Utility Global, Inc.Inventors: Nicholas Farandos, Matthew Dawson, Jin Dawson, Thomas Stilson
-
Publication number: 20220372635Abstract: Herein discussed is a method of producing hydrogen comprising introducing a metal smelter effluent gas or a basic oxygen furnace (BOF) effluent gas or a mixture thereof into an electrochemical (EC) reactor, wherein the EC reactor comprises a mixed-conducting membrane. In an embodiment, the method comprises introducing steam into the EC reactor on one side of the membrane, wherein the effluent gas is on the opposite side of the membrane, wherein the effluent gas and the steam are separated by the membrane and do not come in contact with each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 11, 2022Publication date: November 24, 2022Applicant: Utility Global, Inc.Inventors: Nicholas Farandos, Matthew Dawson, Jin Dawson
-
Publication number: 20220364245Abstract: Herein discussed is an electrochemical reactor comprising an ionically conducting membrane, wherein the reactor performs the water gas shift reactions electrochemically without electricity input, wherein electrochemical water gas shift reactions involve the exchange of an ion through the membrane and include forward water gas shift reactions, or reverse water gas shift reactions, or both. Also discussed herein is a reactor comprising: a bi-functional layer and a mixed conducting membrane; wherein the bi-functional layer and the mixed conducting membrane are in contact with each other, and wherein the bi-functional layer catalyzes reverse-water-gas-shift (RWGS) reaction and functions as an anode in an electrochemical reaction.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 27, 2021Publication date: November 17, 2022Applicant: Utility Global, Inc.Inventors: Nicholas Farandos, Matthew Dawson, Jin Dawson
-
Publication number: 20220364251Abstract: Herein discussed is a hydrogen production system comprising: a catalytic partial oxidation (CPDX) reactor; a steam generator; and an electrochemical (EC) reactor; wherein the CPDX reactor product stream is introduced into the EC reactor and the steam generator provides steam to the EC reactor; and wherein the product stream and the steam do not come in contact with each other in the EC reactor. In an embodiment, the EC reactor generates a first product stream comprising CO and CO2 and a second product stream comprising H2 and H2O, wherein the two product streams do not come in contact with each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 11, 2022Publication date: November 17, 2022Applicant: Utility Global, Inc.Inventors: Matthew Dawson, Nicholas Farandos, Jason Dana, Jin Dawson
-
Patent number: 11453618Abstract: Herein discussed is a method of sintering a ceramic comprising (a) providing an electromagnetic radiation (EMR) source; (b) (i) providing a layer of intermixed ceramic particles and absorber particles, wherein the absorber particles have a volume fraction in the intermixed particles in the range of no less than 3%; or (ii) providing a first layer comprising ceramic particles and a second layer comprising absorber particles in contact with at least a portion of the first layer, wherein the second layer is farther from the EMR source than the first layer; (c) heating (i) the layer of intermixed particles or (ii) the first layer using EMR; and (d) controlling the EMR such that at least a portion of the ceramic particles are sintered wherein (i) the layer of intermixed particles becomes impermeable or (ii) the first layer becomes impermeable, wherein the absorber particles have greater EMR absorption than the ceramic particles.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2020Date of Patent: September 27, 2022Assignee: Utility Global, Inc.Inventors: Matthew Dawson, Nicholas Farandos, Jin Dawson
-
Patent number: 11236703Abstract: A catalytic thruster includes a reaction chamber that extends between first and second opposed chamber ends. The first chamber end includes a thermal standoff cup. There is a catalyst bed in the reaction chamber, and a feed tube extends into the reaction chamber through the thermal standoff cup.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2015Date of Patent: February 1, 2022Assignee: Aerojet Rocketdyne, Inc.Inventors: Matthew Dawson, Gerald Brewster
-
Publication number: 20210175531Abstract: Herein discussed is a method of using an oxide ion conducting membrane comprising exposing the oxide ion conducting membrane to a reducing environment on both sides of the membrane. In an embodiment, the oxide ion conducting membrane also conducts electrons. In various embodiments, the membrane is impermeable to fluid flow (e.g., having a permeability of less than 1 micro darcy). In an embodiment, the oxide ion conducting membrane comprises lanthanum chromite and a material selected from the group consisting of doped ceria, yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), lanthanum strontium gallate magnesite (LSGM), scandia-stabilized zirconia (SSZ), Sc and Ce doped zirconia, and combinations thereof. In an embodiment, the lanthanum chromite comprises undoped lanthanum chromite, strontium doped lanthanum chromite, iron doped lanthanum chromite, strontium and iron doped lanthanum chromite, lanthanum calcium chromite, or combinations thereof. In an embodiment, the membrane is mixed conducting.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 4, 2020Publication date: June 10, 2021Inventors: Nicholas Farandos, Matthew Dawson, Jin Dawson
-
Publication number: 20210121978Abstract: Herein discussed is a method of heating a material having a surface comprising exposing the surface to an electromagnetic radiation source emitting a first wavelength spectrum; receiving a second wavelength spectrum from the surface using a detector at a sampling frequency; wherein the first wavelength spectrum and the second wavelength spectrum have no greater than 10% of overlap, wherein the overlap is the integral of intensity with respect to wavelength. In an embodiment, the first wavelength spectrum and the second wavelength spectrum have no greater than 5% of overlap or no greater than 3% of overlap or no greater than 1% of overlap or no greater than 0.5% of overlap. In an embodiment, exposing the surface to the radiation source causes the material to sinter at least partially.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2020Publication date: April 29, 2021Applicant: Utility Global, Inc.Inventors: Matthew Dawson, Nicholas Farandos, Jin Dawson, Chris Matson
-
Publication number: 20210069786Abstract: Herein disclosed is a method of manufacturing comprises depositing a composition on a substrate slice by slice to form an object; heating in situ the object using electromagnetic radiation (EMR); wherein said composition comprises a first material and a second material, wherein the second material has a higher absorption of the radiation than the first material. In an embodiment, the EMR has a wavelength ranging from 10 to 1500 nm and the EMR has a minimum energy density of 0.1 Joule/cm2. In an embodiment, the EMR comprises UV light, near ultraviolet light, near infrared light, infrared light, visible light, laser, electron beam. In an embodiment, said object comprises a catalyst, a catalyst support, a catalyst composite, an anode, a cathode, an electrolyte, an electrode, an interconnect, a seal, a fuel cell, an electrochemical gas producer, an electrolyser, an electrochemical compressor, a reactor, a heat exchanger, a vessel, or combinations thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2019Publication date: March 11, 2021Applicant: Utility Global, Inc.Inventors: David R. Hall, Matthew Dawson, Nicholas Farandos, Jin Dawson