Patents by Inventor Thomas B. Milnes

Thomas B. Milnes 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: 11916260
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus configured for the osmotic injection of water in electrochemical systems are generally described. In certain embodiments, water can be transported from a water-containing liquid in an environment outside the electrochemical cell into the electrochemical cell across an osmotic medium fluidically separating an interior compartment of the electrochemical cell from the environment outside the electrochemical cell. The systems, methods, and apparatus described herein can be, according to certain embodiments, configured to be part of an electrochemical system in which water is consumed (e.g., as a reactant).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: L3Harris Open Water Power, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas B. Milnes, Ian McKay, Thomas Humplik
  • Patent number: 10886548
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus configured for the mitigation of hydrogen accumulation within electrochemical systems are generally described. The systems, methods, and apparatus described herein can be, according to certain embodiments, configured to be part of an electrochemical system in which hydrogen is generated (e.g., as a reaction byproduct).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: L3 Open Water Power, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas B. Milnes, Thomas Humplik, Ian S. McKay
  • Patent number: 10622690
    Abstract: Provided is a method for generating an electrical current. The method includes: introducing water between the anode and at least one cathode of an electrochemical cell, to form an electrolyte; anaerobically oxidizing aluminum or an aluminum alloy; and electrochemically reducing water at the at least one cathode. When the cell is in operation, the hydroxyaluminate (Al(OH)4?) in the electrolyte reaches a concentration maximum and thereafter a concentration minimum. The concentration maximum is above 125% of the saturation concentration and below 2000% of the saturation concentration. The concentration minimum is below 125% of the saturation concentration and above 50% of the saturation concentration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Ian Salmon McKay, Ruaridh R. Macdonald, Thomas B. Milnes
  • Patent number: 10608307
    Abstract: Provided a method for generating an electrical current. The method includes: introducing water between the anode and at least one cathode of an electrochemical cell, to form an electrolyte; anaerobically oxidizing aluminum or an aluminum alloy; and electrochemically reducing water at the at least one cathode. The electrochemical cell includes: a plurality of electrode stacks, each electrode stack comprising an anode including the aluminum or aluminum alloy, and at least one cathode configured to be electrically coupled to the anode; one or more physical separators between each electrode stack adjacent to the cathode; a housing configured to hold the electrode stacks, the electrolyte, and the physical separators; and a water injection port. When the cell is in operation, the hydroxyaluminate concentration of the electrolyte in the cell is maintained between at least 20% to at most 750% of the saturation concentration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Ian Salmon McKay, Ruaridh R. Macdonald, Thomas B. Milnes
  • Patent number: 10601095
    Abstract: An anaerobic aluminum-water electrochemical cell that includes: a plurality of electrode stacks, each electrode stack comprising an aluminum or aluminum alloy anode, and at least one solid cathode configured to be electrically coupled to the anode; a liquid electrolyte between the anode and the at least one cathode; one or more physical separators between each electrode stack adjacent to the cathode; a housing configured to hold the electrode stacks, the electrolyte, and the physical separators; and a water injection port, in the housing, configured to introduce water into the housing. The electrolyte includes a hydroxide base at a concentration of at least 0.05 M to at most 3 M.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Ian Salmon McKay, Ruaridh R. Macdonald, Thomas B. Milnes
  • Patent number: 10594010
    Abstract: An anaerobic aluminum-water electrochemical cell includes electrode stacks, each electrode stack having an aluminum or aluminum alloy anode, and at least one solid cathode configured to be electrically coupled to the anode. The cell further includes a liquid electrolyte between the anode and the at least one cathode, one or more physical separators between each electrode stack adjacent to the cathode, a housing configured to hold the electrode stacks, the electrolyte, and the physical separators, and a water injection port, in the housing, configured to introduce water into the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Ian Salmon McKay, Ruaridh R. Macdonald, Thomas B. Milnes
  • Patent number: 10581127
    Abstract: An anaerobic aluminum-water electrochemical cell is provided. The electrochemical cell includes: a plurality of electrode stacks, each electrode stack comprising an aluminum or aluminum alloy anode, and at least one cathode configured to be electrically coupled to the anode and having a surface characterized by an electrochemical roughness factor of at least 5 and a mean pore diameter of at least 50 ?m; one or more physical separators between each electrode stack adjacent to the cathode; a housing configured to hold the electrode stacks, an electrolyte, and the physical separators; and a water injection port, in the housing, configured to introduce water into the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Ian Salmon McKay, Ruaridh R. Macdonald, Thomas B. Milnes
  • Patent number: 10581129
    Abstract: An anaerobic aluminum-water electrochemical cell is provided. The electrochemical cell includes: a plurality of electrode stacks, each electrode stack including an aluminum or aluminum alloy anode, and at least one cathode configured to be electrically coupled to the anode; one or more physical separators between each electrode stack adjacent to the cathode; a housing configured to hold the electrode stacks, an electrolyte, and the physical separators; a water injection port, in the housing, configured to introduce water into the housing, and an amount of hydroxide base sufficient to form an electrolyte having a hydroxide base concentration of at least 0.5% to at most 13% of the saturation concentration when water is introduced between the anode and the least one cathode. The aluminum or aluminum alloy of the anode is substantially free of titanium and boron.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Ian Salmon McKay, Ruaridh R. Macdonald, Thomas B. Milnes
  • Patent number: 10581128
    Abstract: An anaerobic aluminum-water electrochemical cell that includes: a plurality of electrode stacks, each electrode stack featuring an aluminum or aluminum alloy anode, and at least one cathode configured to be electrically coupled to the anode; one or more physical separators between each electrode stack adjacent to the cathode; a housing configured to hold the electrode stacks, an electrolyte, and the physical separators; a water injection port, in the housing, configured to introduce water into the housing. The electrochemical cell also includes an amount of hydroxide base sufficient to form an electrolyte having a hydroxide base concentration of at least 0.05 M to at most 3 M when water is introduced between the anode and at least one cathode of the electrochemical cell. The aluminum or aluminum alloy of the anode is substantially free of titanium and boron.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Ian Salmon McKay, Ruaridh R. Macdonald, Thomas B. Milnes
  • Patent number: 10573944
    Abstract: Provided is a method for generating an electrical current. The method includes: introducing water between the anode and at least one cathode of an electrochemical cell, to form an electrolyte; anaerobically oxidizing aluminum or an aluminum alloy at the anode; and electrochemically reducing water at the at least one cathode. The electrochemical cell includes: a plurality of electrode stacks, each electrode stack comprising an anode including the aluminum or aluminum alloy, and at least one cathode configured to be electrically coupled to the anode; one or more physical separators between each electrode stack adjacent to the cathode; a housing configured to hold the electrode stacks, the electrolyte, and the physical separators; and a water injection port in the housing. When the cell is in operation, the concentration of aluminum species in the electrolyte is maintained between at least 0.01 M to at most 0.7 M.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Ian Salmon McKay, Ruaridh R. Macdonald, Thomas B. Milnes
  • Patent number: 10516195
    Abstract: An anaerobic aluminum-water electrochemical cell is provided. The electrochemical cell includes: a plurality of electrode stacks, each electrode stack featuring an aluminum or aluminum alloy anode, and at least one cathode configured to be electrically coupled to the anode; one or more physical separators between each electrode stack adjacent to the cathode; a housing configured to hold the electrode stacks, an electrolyte, and the physical separators; a water injection port, in the housing, configured to introduce water into the housing; and an amount of hydroxide base sufficient to form an electrolyte having a hydroxide base concentration of at least 0.5% to at most 13% of the saturation concentration when water is introduced between the anode and the least one cathode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Ian Salmon McKay, Ruaridh R. Macdonald, Thomas B. Milnes
  • Patent number: 10396418
    Abstract: An electrochemical cell is provided. The cell includes: a plurality of electrode stacks, each electrode stack including an aluminum or aluminum alloy anode, and at least one cathode configured to be electrically coupled to the anode; one or more physical separators between each electrode stack adjacent to the cathode; a housing configured to hold the electrode stacks, an electrolyte, and the physical separators; a water injection port, in the housing, configured to introduce water into the housing. The aluminum or aluminum alloy of the anode is substantially free of titanium and boron.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Ian Salmon McKay, Ruaridh R. Macdonald, Thomas B. Milnes
  • Patent number: 10230119
    Abstract: Waste management in electrochemical systems, such as electrochemical systems in which an electrochemically active material comprising aluminum is employed, is generally described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: L3 Open Water Power, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason R. Kovacs, Ian S. McKay, David H. Porter, Thomas B. Milnes
  • Publication number: 20190036183
    Abstract: Provided is a method for generating an electrical current. The method includes: introducing water between the anode and at least one cathode of an electrochemical cell, to form an electrolyte; anaerobically oxidizing aluminum or an aluminum alloy at the anode; and electrochemically reducing water at the at least one cathode. The electrochemical cell includes: a plurality of electrode stacks, each electrode stack comprising an anode including the aluminum or aluminum alloy, and at least one cathode configured to be electrically coupled to the anode; one or more physical separators between each electrode stack adjacent to the cathode; a housing configured to hold the electrode stacks, the electrolyte, and the physical separators; and a water injection port in the housing. When the cell is in operation, the concentration of aluminum species in the electrolyte is maintained between at least 0.01 M to at most 0.7 M.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventors: Ian Salmon McKay, Ruaridh R. Macdonald, Thomas B. Milnes
  • Publication number: 20190036182
    Abstract: Provided is a method for generating an electrical current. The method includes: introducing water between the anode and at least one cathode of an electrochemical cell, to form an electrolyte; anaerobically oxidizing aluminum or an aluminum alloy; and electrochemically reducing water at the at least one cathode. When the cell is in operation, the hydroxyaluminate (Al(OH)4?) in the electrolyte reaches a concentration maximum and thereafter a concentration minimum. The concentration maximum is above 125% of the saturation concentration and below 2000% of the saturation concentration. The concentration minimum is below 125% of the saturation concentration and above 50% of the saturation concentration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventors: Ian Salmon McKay, Ruaridh R. Macdonald, Thomas B. Milnes
  • Publication number: 20190036185
    Abstract: An anaerobic aluminum-water electrochemical cell is provided. The electrochemical cell includes: a plurality of electrode stacks, each electrode stack comprising an aluminum or aluminum alloy anode, and at least one cathode configured to be electrically coupled to the anode and having a surface characterized by an electrochemical roughness factor of at least 5 and a mean pore diameter of at least 50 ?m; one or more physical separators between each electrode stack adjacent to the cathode; a housing configured to hold the electrode stacks, an electrolyte, and the physical separators; and a water injection port, in the housing, configured to introduce water into the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventors: Ian Salmon McKay, Ruaridh R. Macdonald, Thomas B. Milnes
  • Publication number: 20190036184
    Abstract: Provided a method for generating an electrical current. The method includes: introducing water between the anode and at least one cathode of an electrochemical cell, to form an electrolyte; anaerobically oxidizing aluminum or an aluminum alloy; and electrochemically reducing water at the at least one cathode. The electrochemical cell includes: a plurality of electrode stacks, each electrode stack comprising an anode including the aluminum or aluminum alloy, and at least one cathode configured to be electrically coupled to the anode; one or more physical separators between each electrode stack adjacent to the cathode; a housing configured to hold the electrode stacks, the electrolyte, and the physical separators; and a water injection port. When the cell is in operation, the hydroxyaluminate concentration of the electrolyte in the cell is maintained between at least 20% to at most 750% of the saturation concentration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventors: Ian Salmon McKay, Ruaridh R. Macdonald, Thomas B. Milnes
  • Publication number: 20190020084
    Abstract: An anaerobic aluminum-water electrochemical cell is provided. The electrochemical cell includes: a plurality of electrode stacks, each electrode stack featuring an aluminum or aluminum alloy anode, and at least one cathode configured to be electrically coupled to the anode; one or more physical separators between each electrode stack adjacent to the cathode; a housing configured to hold the electrode stacks, an electrolyte, and the physical separators; a water injection port, in the housing, configured to introduce water into the housing; and an amount of hydroxide base sufficient to form an electrolyte having a hydroxide base concentration of at least 0.5% to at most 13% of the saturation concentration when water is introduced between the anode and the least one cathode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Publication date: January 17, 2019
    Inventors: Ian Salmon McKay, Ruaridh R. Macdonald, Thomas B. Milnes
  • Publication number: 20190020085
    Abstract: An anaerobic aluminum-water electrochemical cell that includes: a plurality of electrode stacks, each electrode stack featuring an aluminum or aluminum alloy anode, and at least one cathode configured to be electrically coupled to the anode; one or more physical separators between each electrode stack adjacent to the cathode; a housing configured to hold the electrode stacks, an electrolyte, and the physical separators; a water injection port, in the housing, configured to introduce water into the housing. The electrochemical cell also includes an amount of hydroxide base sufficient to form an electrolyte having a hydroxide base concentration of at least 0.05 M to at most 3 M when water is introduced between the anode and at least one cathode of the electrochemical cell. The aluminum or aluminum alloy of the anode is substantially free of titanium and boron.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Publication date: January 17, 2019
    Inventors: Ian Salmon McKay, Ruaridh R. Macdonald, Thomas B. Milnes
  • Publication number: 20190020083
    Abstract: An electrochemical cell is provided. The cell includes: a plurality of electrode stacks, each electrode stack including an aluminum or aluminum alloy anode, and at least one cathode configured to be electrically coupled to the anode; one or more physical separators between each electrode stack adjacent to the cathode; a housing configured to hold the electrode stacks, an electrolyte, and the physical separators; a water injection port, in the housing, configured to introduce water into the housing. The aluminum or aluminum alloy of the anode is substantially free of titanium and boron.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Publication date: January 17, 2019
    Inventors: Ian Salmon McKay, Ruaridh R. Macdonald, Thomas B. Milnes