Patents by Inventor Timothy A. Bekkedahl
Timothy A. Bekkedahl 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).
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Publication number: 20240141512Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure provide a system for a carbon oxide electrolysis plant incorporating advanced electrochemical reactors incorporating membrane electrode assemblies as well as control mechanisms. The system provides efficient transport and production rates while minimizing the competing hydrogen formation reaction. The system may use multiple electrochemical reactors, scaling up production with high energy efficiency, while providing flexibility in the types of chemical product outputs.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2023Publication date: May 2, 2024Inventors: Lisa C. Wynia, Gregory J. DiCosola, Kendra P. Kuhl, Sichao Ma, Carter S. Haines, Timothy A. Bekkedahl, Heegun Park, Nicholas A. Taylor
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Publication number: 20240145745Abstract: Provided herein are methods for operating carbon oxide (COx) reduction reactors (CRR) and related apparatus. In some embodiments, the methods involve shutting off, reducing, or otherwise controlling current during various operation stages including hydration, break-in, normal operation, planned shut-offs, and extended shutoff or storage periods.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2023Publication date: May 2, 2024Inventors: Sichao Ma, Sara Hunegnaw, Ziyang Huo, Kendra P. Kuhl, Etosha R. Cave, Ashley D. Mishra, Edward Izett, Alvin Leung, Timothy A. Bekkedahl
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Publication number: 20240060194Abstract: Various COx electrolyzer multi-cell architectures are provided, including various frame, flow field, gas diffusion layer, and repeat unit designs that may be particularly useful in the context of multi-cell COx electrolyzer cells.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 5, 2023Publication date: February 22, 2024Inventors: Simon Gregory Stone, Steven George Goebel, Timothy A. Bekkedahl, Emerson Gallagher, Bevan Moss, Sichao Ma, Noel Farrell, Dave Whittaker
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Patent number: 11888191Abstract: Provided herein are methods for operating carbon oxide (COx) reduction reactors (CRR) and related apparatus. In some embodiments, the methods involve shutting off, reducing, or otherwise controlling current during various operation stages including hydration, break-in, normal operation, planned shut-offs, and extended shutoff or storage periods.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2022Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignee: Twelve Benefit CorporationInventors: Sichao Ma, Sara Hunegnaw, Ziyang Huo, Kendra P. Kuhl, Etosha R. Cave, Ashley D. Mishra, Edward Izett, Alvin Leung, Timothy A. Bekkedahl
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Publication number: 20230332306Abstract: A method of forming a gas diffusion layer includes causing, at least in part, a stack of layers to be arranged between compressing surfaces of a press, the stack of layers including a plurality of gas diffusion layers. The method also includes causing, at least in part, the press to apply one or more compression cycles to the stack of layers to reduce a combined, uncompressed thickness of the plurality of gas diffusion layers between about 2% and about 30%.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2023Publication date: October 19, 2023Inventors: Kathryn L. Corp, Timothy A. Bekkedahl, Kendra P. Kuhl, Sichao Ma, Gleb Smilyanski, Will Gasperini
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Publication number: 20220393203Abstract: Provided herein are methods for operating carbon oxide (COX) reduction reactors (CRR) and related apparatus. In some embodiments, the methods involve shutting off, reducing, or otherwise controlling current during various operation stages including hydration, break-in, normal operation, planned shut-offs, and extended shutoff or storage periods.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 5, 2022Publication date: December 8, 2022Inventors: Sichao Ma, Sara Hunegnaw, Ziyang Huo, Kendra P. Kuhl, Etosha R. Cave, Ashley D. Mishra, Edward Izett, Alvin Leung, Timothy A. Bekkedahl
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Publication number: 20220267916Abstract: Methods and/or systems for operating a carbon oxide reduction electrolyzer may involve (a) performing normal operation at the electrolyzer; (b) performing a recovery or protection process including: (i) applying a modified current and/or voltage to the electrolyzer, and (ii) while applying the reverse current to the electrolyzer, flowing a recovery gas to the cathode; and (c) resuming normal operation at the electrolyzer. Applying a modified current and/or voltage may involve applying a short circuit to the electrolyzer, holding the electrolyzer electrodes at open circuit voltage, and/or applying a reverse current to the electrolyzer.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 23, 2022Publication date: August 25, 2022Inventors: Shuai Zhao, Sichao Ma, Edward Izett, Timothy A. Bekkedahl, Kendra P. Kuhl
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Patent number: 11417901Abstract: Provided herein are methods for operating carbon oxide (COx) reduction reactors (CRR) and related apparatus. In some embodiments, the methods involve shutting off, reducing, or otherwise controlling current during various operation stages including hydration, break-in, normal operation, planned shut-offs, and extended shutoff or storage periods.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2019Date of Patent: August 16, 2022Inventors: Sichao Ma, Sara Hunegnaw, Ziyang Huo, Kendra P. Kuhl, Etosha R. Cave, Ashley D. Mishra, Edward Izett, Alvin Leung, Timothy A. Bekkedahl
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Publication number: 20220243348Abstract: Various COx electrolyzer cell architectures are provided, including various flow field designs and gas diffusion layer designs that may be particularly useful in the context of COx electrolyzer cells.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 1, 2022Publication date: August 4, 2022Inventors: Timothy A. Bekkedahl, Kathryn L. Corp, Sichao Ma, Kendra P. Kuhl, Simon Gregory Stone, Steven George Goebel
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Publication number: 20220153656Abstract: A system optionally including a carbon oxide reactor. A method for carbon oxide reactor control, optionally including selecting carbon oxide reactor aspects based on a desired output composition, running a carbon oxide reactor under controlled process conditions to produce a desired output composition, and/or altering the process conditions to alter the output composition.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2021Publication date: May 19, 2022Inventors: Nicholas H. Flanders, Kendra P. Kuhl, Etosha R. Cave, Sichao Ma, Ziyang Huo, Carter S. Haines, Timothy A. Bekkedahl, Kathryn L. Corp, Ashley D. Mishra, Edward Izett, Luka Stevic
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Publication number: 20220136119Abstract: A system optionally including a carbon oxide reactor. A method for carbon oxide reactor control, optionally including selecting carbon oxide reactor aspects based on a desired output composition, running a carbon oxide reactor under controlled process conditions to produce a desired output composition, and/or altering the process conditions to alter the output composition.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 3, 2021Publication date: May 5, 2022Inventors: Nicholas H. Flanders, Kendra P. Kuhl, Etosha R. Cave, Sichao Ma, Ziyang Huo, Carter S. Haines, Timothy A. Bekkedahl, Kathryn L. Corp, Ashley D. Mishra, Edward Izett
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Publication number: 20200220185Abstract: Provided herein are methods for operating carbon oxide (COx) reduction reactors (CRR) and related apparatus. In some embodiments, the methods involve shutting off, reducing, or otherwise controlling current during various operation stages including hydration, break-in, normal operation, planned shut-offs, and extended shutoff or storage periods.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2019Publication date: July 9, 2020Inventors: Sichao Ma, Sara Hunegnaw, Ziyang Huo, Kendra P. Kuhl, Etosha R. Cave, Ashley D. Mishra, Edward Izett, Alvin Leung, Timothy A. Bekkedahl
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Patent number: 10290891Abstract: Metal-halogen flow battery cell, stack, system, and method, the stack including flow battery cells that each include an impermeable first electrode, an insert disposed on the first electrode and comprising sloped channels, a cell frame disposed around the insert and including a cell inlet manifold configured to provide a metal halide electrolyte and an opposing cell outlet manifold configured to receive the electrolyte, a porous second electrode disposed on the insert, such that sloped separation zones are formed between the second electrode and the channels, conductive connectors electrically connecting the first and second electrodes, and ribs disposed on the second electrode and extending substantially parallel to the channels of the insert. A depth of the channels increases as proximity to the cell outlet manifold increases.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2016Date of Patent: May 14, 2019Assignee: PRIMUS POWER CORPORATIONInventors: Paul Kreiner, Simo Alberti, Kyle Haynes, Timothy Bekkedahl, Andrew Choi, Tom Stepien
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Publication number: 20170222246Abstract: Metal-halogen flow battery cell, stack, system, and method, the stack including flow battery cells that each include an impermeable first electrode, an insert disposed on the first electrode and comprising sloped channels, a cell frame disposed around the insert and including a cell inlet manifold configured to provide a metal halide electrolyte and an opposing cell outlet manifold configured to receive the electrolyte, a porous second electrode disposed on the insert, such that sloped separation zones are formed between the second electrode and the channels, conductive connectors electrically connecting the first and second electrodes, and ribs disposed on the second electrode and extending substantially parallel to the channels of the insert. A depth of the channels increases as proximity to the cell outlet manifold increases.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2016Publication date: August 3, 2017Inventors: Paul KREINER, Simo ALBERTI, Kyle HAYNES, Timothy BEKKEDAHL, Andrew CHOI, Tom STEPIEN
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Patent number: 9461319Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices of the various embodiments provide a hardware and software architecture enabling electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (“EIS”) to be performed on multiple electrochemical devices, such as fuel cells, at the same time without human interaction with the electrochemical devices. In an embodiment, a matrix switch may connect each cell of a fuel cell stack individually to an EIS analyzer enabling EIS to be performed on any fuel cell in the fuel cell stack. In a further embodiment, the EIS analyzer may be a multi-channel EIS analyzer, and the combination of the matrix switch and multi-channel EIS analyzer may enable EIS to be performed on multiple fuel cells simultaneously.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 2014Date of Patent: October 4, 2016Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATIONInventors: Karthick Sudhan, Amit Nawathe, Rohit Srivastava, Mohamed Sharif, Abhishek Dudhmande, Timothy Bekkedahl
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Publication number: 20150244011Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices of the various embodiments provide a hardware and software architecture enabling electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (“EIS”) to be performed on multiple electrochemical devices, such as fuel cells, at the same time without human interaction with the electrochemical devices. In an embodiment, a matrix switch may connect each cell of a fuel cell stack individually to an EIS analyzer enabling EIS to be performed on any fuel cell in the fuel cell stack.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 21, 2014Publication date: August 27, 2015Applicant: Bloom Energy CorporationInventors: Karthick Sudhan S, Amit Nawathe, Rohit Srivastava, Mohamed Sharif, Abhishek Dudhmande, Timothy Bekkedahl
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Publication number: 20110039178Abstract: A fuel cell power plant (10) includes a fuel cell (12) having a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) (16), disposed between an anode support plate (14) and a cathode support plate (18), the anode and/or cathode support plates include a hydrophilic substrate layer (80, 82) having a predetermined pore size. The pressure of the reactant gas streams (22, 24) is greater than the pressure of the coolant stream (26), such that a greater percentage of the pores within the hydrophilic substrate layer contain reactant gas rather than water. Any water that forms on the cathode side of the MEA will migrate through the cathode support plate and away from the MEA. Controlling the pressure also ensures that the coolant water will continually migrate from the coolant stream toward the anode side of the MEA, thereby preventing the membrane from becoming dry. Proper pore size and a pressure differential between coolant and reactants improves the electrical efficiency of the fuel cell.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 14, 2010Publication date: February 17, 2011Inventors: Timothy A. Bekkedahl, Lawrence J. Bregoli, Ned E. Cipollini, Timothy W. Patterson, Marianne Pemberton, Jonathan Puhalski, Carl A. Reiser, Richard D. Sawyer, Margaret M. Steinbugler, Jung S. Yi
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Publication number: 20070298290Abstract: A fuel cell power plant (10) includes a fuel cell (12) having a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) (16), disposed between an anode support plate (14) and a cathode support plate (18), the anode and/or cathode support plates include a hydrophilic substrate layer (80, 82) having a predetermined pore size. The pressure of the reactant gas streams (22, 24) is greater than the pressure of the coolant stream (26), such that a greater percentage of the pores within the hydrophilic substrate layer contain reactant gas rather than water. Any water that forms on the cathode side of the MEA will migrate through the cathode support plate and away from the MEA. Controlling the pressure also ensures that the coolant water will continually migrate from the coolant stream toward the anode side of the MEA, thereby preventing the membrane from becoming dry. Proper pore size and a pressure differential between coolant and reactants improves the electrical efficiency of the fuel cell.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 2, 2007Publication date: December 27, 2007Inventors: Timothy Bekkedahl, Lawrence Bregoli, Ned Cipollini, Timothy Patterson, Marianne Pemberton, Jonathan Puhalski, Carl Reiser, Richard Sawyer, Margaret Steinbugler, Jung Yi
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Patent number: 7258945Abstract: A fuel cell power plant includes a fuel cell having a membrane electrode assembly (MEA), disposed between an anode support plate and a cathode support plate, the anode and/or cathode support plates include a hydrophilic substrate layer having a predetermined pore size. The pressure of the reactant gas streams is greater than the pressure of the coolant stream, such that a greater percentage of the pores within the hydrophilic substrate layer contain reactant gas rather than water. Any water that forms on the cathode side of the MEA will migrate through the cathode support plate and away from the MEA. Controlling the pressure also ensures that the coolant water will continually migrate from the coolant stream toward the anode side of the MEA, thereby preventing the membrane from becoming dry. Proper pore size and a pressure differential between coolant and reactants improves the electrical efficiency of the fuel cell.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2003Date of Patent: August 21, 2007Assignee: UTC Power CorporationInventors: Timothy A. Bekkedahl, Lawrence J. Bregoli, Ned E. Cipollini, Timothy W. Patterson, Marianne Pemberton, Jonathan Puhalski, Carl A. Reiser, Richard D. Sawyer, Margaret M. Steinbugler, Jung S. Yi
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Patent number: 6913845Abstract: Each cell of a fuel cell stack is provided, between the anode 37 and cathodes 38, with either (a) a permanent shunt (20) which may be a discrete resistor (42-44), a diode (95), a strip of compliant carbon cloth (65), or a small amount of conductive carbon black (22) in the ionomer polymer mixture of which the proton exchange membrane (39) is formed, or (b) a removeable shunt such as a conductor (69) which may be rotated into and out of contact with the fuel cell anodes and cathodes, or a conductor (85) which may be urged into contact by means of a shape memory alloy actuator spring (90, 91), which may be heated.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2002Date of Patent: July 5, 2005Assignee: UTC Fuel Cells, LLCInventors: Timothy A. Bekkedahl, Lawrence J. Bregoli, Richard D. Breault, Emily A. Dykeman, Jeremy P. Meyers, Timothy W. Patterson, Tommy Skiba, Chris Vargas, Deliang Yang, Jung S. Yi