Purification Patents (Class 429/410)
  • Patent number: 11923571
    Abstract: To provide an air-cooled fuel cell system configured to efficiently warm up a fuel cell. An air-cooled fuel cell system, wherein the air-cooled fuel cell system comprises: a fuel cell, a reaction air supplier configured to supply reaction air to a reaction air inlet of the fuel cell, a reaction air supply flow path configured to connect the reaction air supplier and the reaction air inlet of the fuel cell, a reaction air discharge flow path configured to connect a reaction air outlet of the fuel cell and the outside of the air-cooled fuel cell system, a housing, a temperature acquirer configured to acquire a temperature of inside air discharged from a cooling air outlet, and a controller; and wherein, based on the temperature measured by the temperature acquirer, the controller controls opening and closing of the opening and closing unit and an opening degree thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Nobuaki Nonoyama
  • Patent number: 11909082
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack having a plurality of fuel cells that each contain a plurality of fuel electrodes and air electrodes. The system includes a fuel receiving unit connected to the fuel cell stack, which receives a hydrocarbon fuel from a fuel supply. The system includes a fuel exhaust processing unit fluidly coupled to the fuel cell stack by a slip stream, where the fuel exhaust processing unit processes fuel exhaust from the fuel cell stack, and the slip stream is fluidly connected to an exhaust stream flowing from the fuel cell stack. The fuel processing unit removes a first portion of carbon dioxide (CO2) from fuel exhaust within the slip stream, outputs the first portion of CO2 in a first stream, and outputs a second portion of CO2 remaining from the fuel exhaust in the slip stream into a second stream, which includes hydrogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: FuelCell Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony Leo, Stephen Jolly, James Kim
  • Patent number: 11884946
    Abstract: Methods of preparing protein films in the presence of organofluorine compounds are provided that can produce protein films that retain the solution phase characteristics of the proteins. The protein films can be coatings for medical devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: University of Massachusetts
    Inventors: Li-Sheng Wang, Sanjana Gopalakrishnan, Vincent M. Rotello
  • Patent number: 11876261
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell that generates electricity using a fuel gas and an oxidant gas; a fuel gas supply path through which a fuel gas to be supplied to an anode of the fuel cell flows; a recycle gas path through which an anode off-gas emitted from the anode of the fuel cell is returned to the fuel gas supply path; a water reservoir that holds water separated from the anode off-gas flowing through the recycle gas path; a drainage path through which water stored in the water reservoir is drained; a valve provided on the drainage path; and a controller that determines, on the basis of a history of a flow rate of the anode off-gas, a length of time for which the valve continues to be opened for draining the water stored in the water reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junji Morita, Yoshito Usuki, Takehiko Ise
  • Patent number: 11866169
    Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has an air-cooled fuel cell, an air channel comprising a forward facing opening for receiving ram air and connected to the air-cooled fuel cell, and a passive ram air filtration system (PRAFS) configured to filter particulate matter from ram air received into the air channel via the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph Dean Rainville
  • Patent number: 11862781
    Abstract: A hydrogen fueled power system of a vehicle includes a liquid hydrogen fuel source having a volume of liquid hydrogen fuel and a thermal engine configured to expand the liquid hydrogen fuel into gaseous form via interaction between a heated first portion of the hydrogen fuel and a second portion of the hydrogen fuel. A heat exchanger is positioned between the liquid hydrogen source and the thermal engine, and is configured to heat the first portion of the hydrogen fuel via thermal energy exchange with a relatively warm fluid. A turbine is located fluidly downstream of the heat exchanger and upstream of the thermal engine, and is driven by the heated first portion. A power generator is located fluidly downstream of the thermal engine. The power generator utilizes exhaust from the thermal engine to generate electrical or mechanical power. A compressor is operably connected to and driven by the turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Viktor Kilchyk, Debabrata Pal
  • Patent number: 11817610
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to a carbon-neutral process for the generation of carbon-neutral hydrogen and carbon-neutral electricity. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to compositions, methods and apparatus employing a carbon-neutral process for generating electricity employing a liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC) for supplying hydrogen for generating the carbon neutral electricity. The present disclosure also relates more specifically to carbon-neutral compositions consisting of liquid organic hydrogen carriers used for supplying hydrogen to generate electricity that may be regenerated in a carbon-neutral process using an apparatus with a net zero atmospheric emission of carbon oxides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: The Claire Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Paul A. Allinson, Robert P. Hohmann, Curtis L. Munson, Dennis J. O'Rear, Steven F. Sciamanna, William L. Schinski, Charles R. Wilson, Alan W. Klaassen
  • Patent number: 11757118
    Abstract: A fuel cell system 1 is provided with a fuel cell 10 provided with an air passage 10a, an air inflow path 21, an air outflow path 23, a compressor 22, a pressure regulating valve 24, a bypass passage 27, and a bypass valve 28. A first threshold value is calculated based on an FC inlet pressure-lower limit value. When it is judged that an FC inlet pressure-command value is lower than the first threshold value, feedback control of the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve is suspended without suspending feedback control of the opening degree of the bypass valve if it is judged that the FC pressure loss-lower limit value is larger than the bypass pressure loss-lower limit value, and feedback control of the opening degree of the bypass valve is suspended without suspending feedback control of the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve if it is judged that the bypass pressure loss-lower limit value is larger than the FC pressure loss-lower limit value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoki Tomi, Shigeki Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 11747088
    Abstract: A compact heat exchanger is provided, in which multiple streams can flow within the same layer or layers, and different fluids may flow in alternating channels within the same layer as well as flowing in alternating layers. Having fluids in alternating channels—as compared to only alternating layers within the same layer—increases the direct surface area between the fluids (the primary surface area) for heat transfer, thereby increasing the rate and efficiency of heat transfer. Methods of making and using the heat exchanger are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: CompRex, LLC
    Inventors: Hani Ahmed Gadalla, Zhijun Jia, Thomas Justin Parlow
  • Patent number: 11745141
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a carbon dioxide capture device comprising a first reactor and a second reactor both of which show a (photo)anode containing or connected to oxygen evolution and/or carbon dioxide evolution catalyst(s) and a (photo)cathode containing or connected to an oxygen reduction catalyst, wherein the first reactor comprises an anion exchange membrane placed between the porous (photo)anode and porous (photo)cathode, and the second reactor comprises a proton exchange membrane placed between the porous (photo)anode and porous (photo)cathode. On the porous (photo)cathode side of the first reactor there is a fluid inlet able to carry carbon dioxide, air and water, and on the side of the porous (photo)cathode of the second reactor there is a fluid outlet able to carry carbon dioxide and water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hannah Johnson, Sachin Kinge, Michail Tsampas, Georgios Zafeiropoulos
  • Patent number: 11639476
    Abstract: An ejector receives steam at a primary inlet and natural gas at a secondary inlet. A computer responds to a signal indicating current in the load of a fuel cell as well as a signal indicating temperature of a steam reformer to move a linear actuator to control a needle that adjusts the size of the steam orifice. Reformate is fed to a separator scrubber which cools the reformate to its dew point indicated by a sensor. From that, a controller generates the fuel/carbon ratio for display and to bias a signal on a line regulating the amount of steam passing through an ejector to the inlet of the reformer. Alternatively, the reformate may be cooled to its dew point by a controllable heat exchanger in response to pressure and temperature signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: HYAXIOM, INC.
    Inventors: Michael T. Lines, John L. Preston
  • Patent number: 11577188
    Abstract: A gas-liquid separator includes a housing being supplied with water-containing gas, a gas-liquid separation portion being provided inside the housing and separating water from water-containing gas, a water storage portion being arranged on a bottom portion of the housing and storing water separated by the gas-liquid separation portion, and a valve mechanism enabling discharge of and stop of the discharge of water in the water storage portion via a discharge flow path communicating with the water storage portion. An inner wall of the housing has a guide surface flowing water toward the water storage portion and is provided with a regulating portion regulating staying of water in a vicinity of a flow-in port of the discharge flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: AISIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Mishima, Ryuta Hayami
  • Patent number: 11565607
    Abstract: A high efficiency hydrogen fuel system for an aircraft at high altitude which utilizes compressors to compress air to a sufficiently high pressure for the fuel cell. Liquid hydrogen is compressed and then utilized in heat exchangers to cool the compressed air, maintaining the air at a temperature low enough for the fuel cell. The hydrogen is also used to cool the fuel cell as it is also depressurized prior to its entry in the fuel cell cycle. A water condensation system allows for water removal from the airstream to reduce impacts to the atmosphere. The hydrogen fuel system may be used with VTOL aircraft, which may allow them to fly at higher elevations. The hydrogen fuel system may be used with other subsonic and supersonic aircraft, such as with asymmetric wing aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Joby Aero, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregor Veble Mikic, JoeBen Bevirt, Robert Gulliver Lynn, Alex Stoll
  • Patent number: 11552307
    Abstract: A gas liquid separator of a fuel cell system includes a first channel forming section forming a first channel for allowing an oxygen-containing exhaust gas to flow in a horizontal direction, and a second channel forming section forming a second channel connected to the first channel. The first channel forming section is provided with an inlet for guiding the oxygen-containing exhaust gas into the first channel. The second channel forming section is provided with an outlet for discharging the oxygen-containing exhaust gas flowing through the second channel. The second channel includes a bent channel for guiding upward the oxygen-containing exhaust gas guided from the first channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ryoichi Yoshitomi
  • Patent number: 11552320
    Abstract: An anion exchange polymer includes aryl ether linkage free polyarylenes having aromatic/polyaromatic rings in polymer backbone and a tethered alkyl quaternary ammonium hydroxide side groups. This anion exchange polymer may be utilized in an anion exchange process and may be made into a thin anion transfer membrane. An ion transfer membrane may be mechanically reinforced having one or more layers of functional polymer based on a terphenyl backbone with quaternary ammonium functional groups and an inert porous scaffold material for reinforcement. An anion exchange membrane may have multilayers of anion exchange polymers which each containing varying types of backbones, varying degrees of functionalization, or varying functional groups to reduce ammonia crossover through the membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: FFI IONIX IP, INC.
    Inventors: Bamdad Bahar, Taoli Gu
  • Patent number: 11552317
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for generating green electrical power. During a hydrogen gas storage mode, an electrolyzer generates a stream of hydrogen gas from water supplied by a water source and using power from an input power source. A hydrogen tank temporarily stores the stream of hydrogen. During a power generation mode, a fuel cell converts the stream of hydrogen gas from the tank into output electrical power by combining the hydrogen with oxygen. An inverter conditions and supplies the electrical power to a local load. A controller circuit uses a system parameter to adaptively switch between the storage mode and the power generation mode. In some cases, external power is supplied during the generation and storage of the hydrogen gas from an electrical grid or a local renewable source such as a set of solar panels. Respective grid-tied, solar-tied, grid-only, off-grid, and electric vehicle charging configurations are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: ElektrikGreen, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher N. Allo
  • Patent number: 11502305
    Abstract: To provide a titanium-based porous body that has high void fraction to ensure gas permeability and water permeability for practical use as an electrode and a filter, has a large specific surface area to ensure conductivity and sufficient reaction sites with a reaction solution or a reaction gas, thus showing excellent reaction efficiency, and contains less contaminants because of no organic substance used. A titanium-based porous body having a specific void fraction and a high specific surface area is obtained by filling an irregular-shaped titanium powder having an average particle size of 10 to 50 ?m in a dry system without using any binder or the like into a thickness of 4.0×10?1 to 1.6 mm, and sintering the irregular-shaped titanium powder at 800 to 1100° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: TOHO TITANIUM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masashi Hayakawa, Syogo Tsumagari
  • Patent number: 11479866
    Abstract: An electrochemical cell has a membrane located between two flow field plates. On a first side of the membrane, there is a porous support surrounded by a seal between the membrane and the flow field plate. There is a gap between the porous support and the seal at the surface of the membrane. On a second side of the membrane, there is a seal between the membrane and the flow field plate located inside of the gap in plan view. The electrochemical cell is useful, for example, in high pressure or differential pressure electrolysis in which the second side of the membrane will be consistently exposed to a higher pressure than the first side of the membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Hydrogenics Corporation
    Inventors: Rami Michel Abouatallah, Rainey Yu Wang, Nathaniel Ian Joos
  • Patent number: 11479869
    Abstract: An electrolysis apparatus for the electrolytic production of oxygen from oxide-containing starting material includes at least one cathode which at least partly delimits a receiving region which in at least one operation state is configured for receiving the oxide-containing starting material and at least one anode, wherein the electrolysis apparatus has at least one selective oxygen pump which is at least partly realized integrally with the anode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventors: Marc Haeming, Achim Seidel, Uwe Zell
  • Patent number: 11462744
    Abstract: A manufacturing process includes: depositing a first catalyst on a first gas diffusion layer (GDL) to form a first catalyst-coated GDL; depositing a first ionomer on the first catalyst-coated GDL to form a first gas diffusion electrode (GDE); depositing a second catalyst on a second GDL to form a second catalyst-coated GDL; depositing a second ionomer on the second catalyst-coated GDL to form a second GDE; and laminating the first GDE with the second GDE and with an electrolyte membrane disposed between the first GDE and the second GDE to form a membrane electrode assembly (MEA). A MEA includes a first GDL; a second GDL; an electrolyte membrane disposed between the first GDL and the second GDL; a first catalyst layer disposed between the first GDL and the electrolyte membrane; and a second catalyst layer disposed between the second GDL and the electrolyte membrane, wherein a thickness of the electrolyte membrane is about 15 ?m or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignees: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University, Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Friedrich B. Prinz, Timothy Goh, Shicheng Xu, Zhaoxuan Wang, Soonwook Hong, Yongmin Kim, Samuel Dull, Dong Un Lee, Thomas Francisco Jaramillo, Thomas Schladt, Gerold Huebner, Jonathan MĂĽller, Glavas Vedran
  • Patent number: 11456474
    Abstract: An integrated power generation and exhaust processing system includes a fuel cell system configured to generate power and to separate CO2 included in exhaust output from the fuel cell system, and an exhaust processing system configured to at least one of sequester or densify CO2 separated from the exhaust output from the fuel cell system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Arne Ballantine, Jayakumar Krishnadass, Chockkalingam Karuppaiah
  • Patent number: 11411230
    Abstract: A gas liquid separator of a fuel cell system includes a first gas liquid separation chamber capable of storing water content separated from an oxygen-containing exhaust gas, a second gas liquid separation chamber positioned above the first gas liquid separation chamber, and connected to the first gas liquid separation chamber, an inlet, an outlet, and a gas inlet channel for guiding a dry gas into the first gas liquid separation chamber. A gas inlet section forming the gas inlet channel includes an inner protrusion protruding into an upper space of the first gas liquid separation chamber, and a bottom surface of the first gas liquid separation chamber is inclined downward in a direction in which the inner protrusion extends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ryoichi Yoshitomi
  • Patent number: 11394040
    Abstract: A passive thermal management system is provided for a fuel cell stack, along with methods for maintaining a uniform temperature across a fuel cell stack during cold weather conditions. The system includes a plurality of fuel cells arranged as a fuel cell stack. The fuel cell stack includes a main body portion defining an exterior surface and having first and second opposing end walls. The system includes a first end frame component having a first phase change material in thermal communication with the first end wall. A second end frame component is provided having a second phase change material in thermal communication with the second end wall. An insulation layer is wrapped around the exterior surface of the main body portion and is provided in thermal communication with the plurality of fuel cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tenghua Shieh, Takeo Yamaguchi, Gaohua Zhu, Debasish Banerjee, Swetha Minupuri
  • Patent number: 11387472
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an energy management system capable of improving energy efficiency. The energy management system includes: a fuel cell configured to supply energy used in a facility; a first hydrogen supply unit configured to supply hydrogen to the fuel cell by causing a power generation apparatus that uses renewable energy to perform water electrolysis; a second hydrogen supply unit configured to supply hydrogen to the fuel cell by reforming natural gas supplied via a pipeline; and a control unit configured to determine a ratio between hydrogen supplied from the first hydrogen supply unit to the fuel cell and hydrogen supplied from the second hydrogen supply unit to the fuel cell. The control unit determines the ratio in accordance with a percentage of heat energy and energy other than the heat energy with respect to the energy used in the facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kei Nakamuta, Hideshi Mizutani, Keisuke Kikuchi, Nobuyuki Orihashi, Tomio Yamanaka, Atsushi Nakajima, Shinichi Yatsuzuka, Masayuki Suzuki, Hiroshi Toge
  • Patent number: 11380912
    Abstract: A compressor included in a fuel cell system comprises a compression chamber configured to compress the air by a rotating body; and a drive chamber arranged to separate from the compression chamber, provided with a driving mechanism that is placed therein to drive the rotating body, configured such that oil flows through, and placed to communicate with a first end portion of a depressurization pipe. When being viewed in a direction opposed to one side face of a fuel cell, a cooling medium piping and the depressurization pipe including a rising portion that is extended vertically upward are arranged to intersect with each other on the one side face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Makoto Takeyama
  • Patent number: 11374249
    Abstract: A flow battery according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes: a first liquid containing dissolved therein a charge mediator and a discharge mediator; a first electrode immersed in the first liquid; and a first active material immersed in the first liquid. The equilibrium potential of the charge mediator is lower than the equilibrium potential of the first active material, and the equilibrium potential of the discharge mediator is higher than the equilibrium potential of the first active material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masahisa Fujimoto, Shuji Ito
  • Patent number: 11367887
    Abstract: Provided is a fuel cell system capable of further increasing electric power generation efficiency, compared to the current circumstances, with respect to a fuel cell SOFC that generates electric power by supplying a reformed gas obtained by steam reforming to a fuel electrode. A steam reformer that reforms a hydrocarbon fuel by a steam reforming reaction; a fuel cell that operates by introducing a reformed gas to a fuel electrode; and an anode off-gas circulation path that removes condensed water while cooling an anode off-gas, and introduces the anode off-gas to the steam reformer are provided. A condensation temperature in a condensing device is controlled by a control unit that controls a steam partial pressure of the anode off-gas circulated to the steam reformer, and S/C adjustment is adapted to high-efficiency electric power generation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Osaka Gas Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Noritoshi Shinke, Mitsuaki Echigo
  • Patent number: 11362346
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel exhaust gas inlet channel for guiding a fuel exhaust gas containing liquid water discharged from a fuel cell stack to a gas liquid separator provided downstream of a humidifier in an oxygen-containing gas inlet channel. The specific gravity of the fuel exhaust gas is lighter than the specific gravity of the oxygen-containing exhaust gas. An outlet channel of the gas liquid separator includes a stirring booster having a first point and a second point positioned downstream of the first point. The second point is positioned ahead of the first point in the gravity direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuhei Horiuchi, Koichi Kimura
  • Patent number: 11362362
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a fuel cell apparatus in which a stable installation state may be maintained even when a size thereof is reduced. A fuel cell apparatus according to the present disclosure may include a fuel cell module including fuel cells housed in a housing; a plurality of auxiliary machines which operate the fuel cell module; and an exterior case, shaped in a rectangular prism, which houses the fuel cell module and the auxiliary machines. A gravity center of the fuel cell apparatus may be located below a level equal to half a height of the exterior case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignees: DAINICHI CO., LTD., KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroki Oguro, Shintaro Yanagiuchi, Tomohiro Fukagawa, Kentaro Tanaka, Takashi Ono
  • Patent number: 11355771
    Abstract: A fuel cell including an anode side including an anode, an anode side gas diffusion layer and an anode side bipolar plate formed of a first metal material, and a cathode side including a cathode, a cathode side gas diffusion layer and a cathode side bipolar plate formed of a second metal material. The fuel cell also includes a membrane having first and second sides positioned between the anode and cathode sides. The fuel cell further includes an intercalation host situated in the anode and/or cathode sides. The intercalation host is configured to intercalate metal ions formed from the first and/or second metal materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Saravanan Kuppan, Michael Metzger, MĂĽnir M. Besli, Sondra Hellstrom, Thilo Lehre, Jake Christensen
  • Patent number: 11342571
    Abstract: A coolant control system of a fuel cell may include the fuel cell; a coolant line allowing a coolant to circulate therein and connected to the fuel cell to be heat-exchangeable with the fuel cell; an ion removal line provided with an ion filter and connected to a first portion and a second portion of the coolant line to allow a coolant branched from the first portion of the coolant line to pass through the ion filter and then flow into the second portion of the coolant line again; an adjusting valve adjusting a ratio between coolants respectively flowing into the coolant line and the ion removal line; and a controller engaged to the adjusting valve and configured for controlling the adjusting valve based on a temperature of the fuel cell or an output voltage of the fuel cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Joon Guen Park
  • Patent number: 11329299
    Abstract: The invention relates to a gas circulation system (1) for transporting heat from a high-temperature source (5) to a heat consumer (7), having a pipe system (2), through which a gaseous heat transfer medium flows, wherein part of the pipe system (2) is formed as a heat exchanger (4) following on from the high-temperature source (5), in which heat is transferred from the high-temperature source (5) into the heat transfer medium, and wherein part of the pipe system (2) is formed as a heat sink (6), in which the heat transferred to the heat transfer medium can be transferred to a heat consumer (7), or as a heat consumer. One or more gas flow enhancers (8) functioning according to the Coand? effect and/or the Venturi effect, which are supplied with pressurized impulse gas, are provided in the pipe system (2), in order to propel the heat transfer medium in the pipe system (2) in a flow direction (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Inventors: José Bellosta Von Colbe, Thomas Klassen, Martin Dornheim, Giovanni Capurso, Klaus Taube
  • Patent number: 11325829
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing hydrogen gas and optionally a carbonaceous product from a hydrocarbon fuel, comprising: introducing a flowing stream of said fuel into a reaction chamber of a reactor, wherein said reaction chamber has at least one wall and a heating zone which is heated by a heat source, heating said fuel in said heating zone to effect pyrolytic decomposition of said hydrocarbon fuel to produce said hydrogen gas and optionally said carbonaceous product; wherein the ratio of C:O (mol/mol) in the reaction chamber is greater than 20:1; and characterized in that the heat source heats the hydrocarbon fuel in the heating zone by radiated heat to an average temperature of greater than 2000° C. The invention also relates to an apparatus for carrying out the method of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: XGAS AS
    Inventor: Arne Godal
  • Patent number: 11329293
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide: a method for producing a gas diffusion electrode base which enables the achievement of a gas diffusion electrode base that has a microporous layer with small surface roughness and is not susceptible to damaging an electrolyte membrane; and a gas diffusion electrode base that has a microporous layer with small surface roughness and is not susceptible to damaging an electrolyte membrane. For the purpose of achieving the above-described purpose, the present invention has the configuration described below. Namely, a specific gas diffusion electrode base which has a carbon sheet and a microporous layer, and wherein the carbon sheet is porous and the DBP oil absorption of a carbon powder contained in the microporous layer is 70-155 ml/100 g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Masamichi Utsunomiya, Yasuaki Tanimura, Toshiya Kamae
  • Patent number: 11302939
    Abstract: A direct liquid fuel cell power generation device comprises a direct liquid fuel cell system and a low-temperature auxiliary starting component. A heat exchanger is arranged at a stack cathode inlet. The heat of a fuel solution at a stack anode outlet is used to heat the air. The heat generated by an electronic load for starting is used to heat a condenser. The heat of a methanol solution at a liquid outlet of a gas-liquid separator is used to preheat high-concentration fuel flowing into a refueling pump. Starting and operation in a low-temperature environment can be realized through auxiliary heating of external power supplies such as the low-temperature auxiliary starting component or an in-vehicle cigarette lighter. Organic micromolecule substances such as methanol and ethanol are used as fuel and are subjected to catalytic combustion in a catalytic combustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: DALIAN INSTITUTE OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
    Inventors: Hai Sun, Shengnan Ma, Bing Qin, Gongquan Sun
  • Patent number: 11283086
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a gas-liquid separator and a fuel gas pump configured to return the fuel off-gas in the gas-liquid separator to the fuel cell stack. The gas-liquid separator has a first connecting portion extending upward. The fuel gas pump has an inner wall surface constituting a pump chamber, and a lower part of the inner wall surface is provided with an opening into which the first connecting portion is inserted. The lower part of the inner wall surface is inclined downward toward the opening. A tip end of the first connecting portion is disposed at a height equal to or lower than a height of an extension plane extending along the lower part of the inner wall surface. The tip end of the first connecting portion is provided with an inclined surface inclined downward toward the inner peripheral surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Kozuka, Tateki Takayama
  • Patent number: 11211624
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, a fuel gas supply line, an oxidizing agent gas supply line, a fuel gas discharge line, and a reformer provided in the fuel gas supply line. A first circulating line circulates the fuel gas from the fuel gas discharge line to an upstream side of the reformer in the fuel gas supply line as a first circulating gas. The circulation device is provided in the fuel gas supply line, and suctions the first circulating gas by using the flow of the fuel gas flowing through the fuel gas supply line as a driving flow. A second circulating line circulates the fuel gas from a downstream side of the circulation device in the fuel gas supply line or the fuel gas discharge line to the upstream side of the circulation device in the fuel gas supply line as a second circulating gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuki Mukobara, Takayuki Sugiura, Yasuhiro Osada, Yasutoshi Doi, Atsushi Hayasaka, Takahiro Tamura
  • Patent number: 11121416
    Abstract: An adsorption assembly and a battery are provided. The adsorption assembly includes: a housing including a gas permeable portion; and an adsorbent encapsulated by the housing. The adsorption assembly can effectively isolate the adsorbent from the external environment by providing the housing, thereby preventing the adsorption performance of the adsorbent from being affected, and the housing includes a gas permeable portion, which can make the produced gas in the external environment enter the housing and be effectively adsorbed by the adsorbent. In particular, when the adsorbent is used for a battery, especially a soft pack battery, the gas produced inside the battery can be effectively adsorbed to prevent liquid leakage of the battery seal caused by breakage of the battery seal by gas, improving reliability and safety of the battery and extending lifetime of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: NINGDE AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
    Inventors: Qiang Guo, Yu Chen, Pei Han
  • Patent number: 11111140
    Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus for generating hydrogen including first and second reactant containers linked to a reactor vessel. The reactant containers contain reactants which, when mixed in the reactor vessel, react to form hydrogen gas. Peristaltic pumps pump the reactants from the reactant containers to the reactor vessel. The peristaltic pumps are selected to provide a maximum pumping pressure in the range from 0.1 bar to 10 bar. An electronic control means is programmed to control the flow of reactants to the reactor vessel so as to maintain the pressure of hydrogen gas within the apparatus at a value of no more than 10 Bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: IHOD LIMITED
    Inventor: Mark Collins
  • Patent number: 11094958
    Abstract: An electric power generation system includes a fuel cell module. The fuel cell module includes a fuel cell and a compression plate. The compression plate includes a surface contacting the fuel cell. A support plate is opposite the compression plate. The compression plate is movable in relation to the support plate. A pressurized fluid container is disposed between the compression plate and the support plate. The pressurized fluid container includes a casing defining an internal space configured to contain pressurized fluid. The electric power generation system further includes a pressurized fluid source and a fluid line coupled to the pressurized fluid source and the pressurized fluid container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: CUMMINS ENTERPRISE LLC
    Inventors: Keith Garrette Brown, Darren Bawden Hickey
  • Patent number: 11038191
    Abstract: In accordance with a fuel cell module, a cell stack is housed in a housing including a box and a lid, and the lid is provided with a first gas flow channel through which either one of oxygen containing gas and exhaust gas flows. Therefore, the configuration of the housing can be simplified. Since the lid is provided with the gas flow channel, an accommodation space inside the box can be enlarged, the cell stack can be easily housed inside the housing through an opening, and the fuel cell module can be easily assembled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignees: KYOCERA Corporation, DAINICHI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Kanbayashi, Kentaro Tanaka, Takayuki Maruyama, Akinori Fukuda
  • Patent number: 10944122
    Abstract: An electrochemical device includes an electrochemical cell, an oxidizer gas supply portion, and a first contaminant trap portion. The electrochemical cell includes an anode, a cathode, and a solid electrolyte layer provided between the fuel cell and the cathode. The oxidizer gas supply portion includes an oxidizer gas supply port for supplying oxidizer gas to the cathode. The first contaminant trap portion is provided between the cathode and the oxidizer gas supply port and configured to adsorb contaminants contained in the oxidizer gas. At least part of the first contaminant trap portion is disposed 20 mm or less from the oxidizer gas supply port in a gas supply direction in which the oxidizer gas is supplied from the oxidizer gas supply port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Inventors: Risako Ito, Makoto Ohmori
  • Patent number: 10923745
    Abstract: A fuel cell system has a gas delivery-means that circulates the anode exhaust gas back to the anode compartment of the fuel cell for further reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Nuvera Fuel Cells, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Ainscough, David Henderson
  • Patent number: 10910838
    Abstract: An energy management device comprises a first supply/demand information acquisition unit, a second supply/demand information acquisition unit, and a supply/demand management unit configured to determine, based on the first supply/demand information and the second supply/demand information, at least one of (i) an upper limit value of a power amount that the hydrogen generation system can receive from a power grid during a certain period, (ii) a target value of an amount of hydrogen that the hydrogen generation system generates during the certain period, (iii) an upper limit value of a power amount that each of the one or plurality of tri-generation systems can transmit to the power grid during the certain period, and (iv) a target value of a power amount that each of the one or plurality of tri-generation systems generates during the certain period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yutaka Tsuji, Yuji Yamamoto, Jun Ishikawa, Kazuyoshi Miyajima, Takayuki Yamada, Yuiko Koga, Shigeaki Esaka
  • Patent number: 10892507
    Abstract: A high temperature electrolyzer assembly comprising at least one electrolyzer fuel cell including an anode and a cathode separated by an electrolyte matrix, and a power supply for applying a reverse voltage to the at least one electrolyzer fuel cell, wherein a gas feed comprising steam and one or more of CO2 and hydrocarbon fuel is fed to the anode of the at least one electrolyzer fuel cell, and wherein, when the power supply applies the reverse voltage to the at least one electrolyzer fuel cell, hydrogen-containing gas is generated by an electrolysis reaction in the anode of the at least one electrolyzer fuel cell and carbon dioxide is separated from the hydrogen-containing gas so that the at least one electrolyzer fuel cell outputs the hydrogen-containing gas and separately outputs an oxidant gas comprising carbon dioxide and oxygen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: FuelCell Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Fred C. Jahnke, Matthew Lambrech, Pinakin Patel, Mohammad Farooque, Chao-Yi Yuh
  • Patent number: 10854907
    Abstract: A permanent magnet is expressed by a composition formula: RpFeqMrCusCo100-p-q-r-s. M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Zr, Ti, and Hf. The magnet includes a crystal grain having a main phase including a TbCu7 crystal phase, and a volume ratio of the TbCu7 crystal phase to the main phase is 95% or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kimiharu Mizusaki, Hideharu Naito, Kosuke Takagi, Masahiro Sato
  • Patent number: 10847817
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method to determine a content of a gas component in a gas mixture delivered recirculating through an anode chamber (12) or a cathode chamber (13) of a fuel cell (10), wherein the delivery takes place via a delivery device (26) functioning according to the positive displacement principle. The invention also relates to a fuel cell system (100) configured to execute the method. According to the invention, the content of the gas component is determined depending on geometric parameters (V, ?) and operating parameters (n, U, I) of the delivery device (26), as well as on thermodynamic state variables (p, T) of the gas mixture. The sought target quantity, for example a hydrogen component of an anode gas, can thus be determined in a simple and robust manner from quantities that are already known or measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignees: VOLKSWAGEN AG, AUDI AG
    Inventors: Harald Heinrich, Wolfgang Hable, Torsten Schwarz
  • Patent number: 10828992
    Abstract: A fuel cell unit includes a fuel cell stack, a reactor, and a case housing the fuel cell stack and the reactor. The case is provided with an intermediate plate that partitions a space inside the case into an upper space and a lower space. The fuel cell stack is housed in the lower space, with a predetermined clearance provided between the intermediate plate and the fuel cell stack. The reactor is housed in the upper space above the fuel cell stack, with an upper portion of the reactor fixed to the case. A through-hole that is provided in the intermediate plate at a position below the reactor. The lower portion of the reactor faces the through-hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ikuhiro Nakamura, Shuji Kawamura
  • Patent number: 10826089
    Abstract: The invention relates to a measuring method for determining the recirculation rate (RR) in the anode gas circuit (50) of a fuel cell system (1) with fuel cell (10), wherein an anode gas (52) from an anode chamber (13) is supplied to the fuel cell (10) by means of a gas conveying device (70) via an anode gas recirculation line (51) and thermostated in an anode gas heat exchanger (60) arranged in the anode gas recirculation line (51).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: AVL List GmbH
    Inventor: Martin Hauth
  • Patent number: 10811704
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, a first supply flow path, a second supply flow path, a recycle flow path, a circulator, a discharge flow path, a reservoir, a valve, and a controller. The controller opens the valve, determines an open time, for which the valve is opened to discharge the anode off gas, on the basis of the amount of water stored in the reservoir, the discharge time of water that flows through the discharge flow path to be discharged, and the discharge amount of the anode off gas that flows through the discharge flow path to be discharged, and closes the valve when an elapsed time for which the valve is opened reaches the open time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Miki Abe, Akinori Yukimasa, Junji Morita, Takehiko Ise, Yoshito Usuki