Patents by Inventor Thomas Herron

Thomas Herron 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: 20160258659
    Abstract: A hybrid power and cooling system includes a cooling system that absorbs and removes heat from a space and includes a compressor for compressing a circulating refrigerant and a waste heat recovery system with an expander configured to use a working fluid to generate mechanical work by expansion using heat received from a heat source. The waste heat recovery system can be coupled to the compressor of the cooling system to drive the compressor by the generated mechanical work. The condensing heat of the fluid in the waste heat recovery system can be used to providing heating function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Publication date: September 8, 2016
    Inventors: Hailei Wang, Thomas Herron
  • Publication number: 20080006040
    Abstract: Heat-activated heat-pump systems and related methods are disclosed that include a power cycle coupled to a vapor-compression refrigeration cycle both utilizing the same working fluid. The power cycle comprises a boiler, an expander receiving superheated vapor and producing work from the superheated vapor, a condenser, and a pump. A regenerator conducts a first stream of working fluid from the pump to the boiler and a second stream of the working fluid from the expander to the condenser while transferring heat from the second stream to the first stream. The refrigeration cycle comprises a compressor that compresses the working fluid from the evaporator and delivers the compressed working fluid to a condenser. The expander and compressor are coupled together such that at least a portion of the work produced by the expander is utilized for running the compressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2005
    Publication date: January 10, 2008
    Inventors: Richard Peterson, Thomas Herron, Monte Drost
  • Publication number: 20060134473
    Abstract: A fuel cell system that includes a control system for regulating the power produced by the fuel cell system. The fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack adapted to produce electrical power from a feed. In some embodiments, the fuel cell system includes a fuel processing assembly adapted to produce the feed for the fuel cell stack from one or more feedstocks. The control system regulates the power produced by the fuel cell system to prevent damage to, and/or failure of, the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2005
    Publication date: June 22, 2006
    Inventors: David Edlund, Thomas Herron, Craig Holmes
  • Publication number: 20050244687
    Abstract: A system for optimizing the purge cycle of a fuel cell stack responsive to the performance of the fuel cell. The system includes a controller that measures a process parameter indicative of the rate at which water is being produced in the fuel cell. If the measured value exceeds a threshold value, then the purge assembly is automatically actuated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2005
    Publication date: November 3, 2005
    Inventor: Thomas Herron
  • Publication number: 20050106431
    Abstract: A control system and method for a fuel processing system. The control system automates the operation of a fuel processing system by monitoring operating parameters and automatically controlling the operation of the system responsive to the monitored parameters, predefined subroutines and/or user inputs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2004
    Publication date: May 19, 2005
    Inventors: David Edlund, Thomas Herron, William Pledger