Patents by Inventor Thomas R. Vencill

Thomas R. Vencill 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: 8172913
    Abstract: A shared or common environment membrane reactor containing a plurality of planar membrane modules with top and bottom thin foil membranes supported by both an intermediary porous support plate and a central base which has both solid extended members and hollow regions or a hollow region whereby the two sides of the base are in fluid communication. The membrane reactor operates at elevate temperatures for generating hydrogen from hydrogen rich feed fuels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Inventors: Thomas R. Vencill, Anand S. Chellappa, Shailendra B. Rathod
  • Patent number: 8075958
    Abstract: The present disclosure is generally related to providing thin hydrogen separation membranes coated on porous substrates that are useful in membrane steam reformers and methods for making same. These reformers can be integrated with protein exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells to form power systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Intelligent Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Anand Chellappa, Thomas R. Vencill, W. Doyle Miller
  • Publication number: 20100068132
    Abstract: A shared or common environment membrane reactor containing a plurality of planar membrane modules with top and bottom thin foil membranes supported by both an intermediary porous support plate and a central base which has both solid extended members and hollow regions or a hollow region whereby the two sides of the base are in fluid communication. The membrane reactor operates at elevate temperatures for generating hydrogen from hydrogen rich feed fuels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2009
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Inventors: Thomas R. Vencill, Anand S. Chellappa, Shailendra B. Rathod
  • Patent number: 7527661
    Abstract: A hydrogen generator comprising a hydrogen membrane reactor, a fuel supply, a reaction fuel supply line, an air supply, an air supply line, a combustion fuel supply line, a tail gas supply line, a combustion by-product line for transporting combustion by-products from the combustion chamber, and a reaction product line. A membrane assembly to be joined to a reactor chamber of a hydrogen generator, which comprises a membrane; and a membrane support comprising a sintered porous metal. A reactor assembly comprising a reaction chamber containing a porous metal substrate, two membrane assemblies, a fuel supply, a reaction fuel supply line, and a tail gas supply line and a reaction product line. Methods associated with the hydrogen generator, membrane assembly and reactor assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Intelligent Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Anand Chellappa, Thomas R. Vencill, Michael Roy Powell, Ned A. Godshall