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  • Fuel cell electrolyte management device
    Patent number: 9923218
    Abstract: An illustrative example fuel cell electrolyte management device includes a first component having a first density and a second component having a second density that is less than the first density. The first component has a first side including a pocket and a second side facing opposite the first side. The second side of the first component includes a first plurality of fluid flow channels. The second component has a porosity configured for storing electrolyte in the second component. The second component fits within the pocket. The second component has a first side received directly against the first side of the first component. The second component has a second side including a second plurality of fluid flow channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: DOOSAN FUEL CELL AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Kevin A. Arpin, William Bajorek, Andrew Johnson, Sridhar Kanuri, Eric Livaich, Eric O'Brien, Timothy Patterson
  • Preventing migration of liquid electrolyte out of a fuel cell
    Patent number: 9812724
    Abstract: A stack (10) of fuel cells (11) is provided with barriers (32) to prevent migration of a liquid electrolyte (such as phosphoric acid) out of the cells (11). The barrier (32) is secured within a step (34) defined within a land region (28) of a separator plate assembly (18) and extends from an edge (30) of the separator plate assembly (18) all or a portion of a distance between the edge (30) and a flow channel (24) defined within the separator plate assembly (18). The barrier (32) also extends away from the edge (30) a distance of between 0.051 and 2.0 millimeters (2 and 80 mils). The barrier (32) includes a hydrophobic, polymeric film (36), a pressure sensitive adhesive (38), as an assembly aid, and a fluoroelastomer bonding agent (40).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: DOOSAN FUEL CELL AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Sridhar V. Kanuri, Richard D Breault, Kishore Kumar Tenneti, Ned E. Cipollini
  • Manufacture of a fuel cell with liquid electrolyte migration prevention
    Patent number: 10170783
    Abstract: A stack (10) of fuel cells (11) is manufactured with barriers (32) to prevent migration of a liquid electrolyte (such as phosphoric acid) out of the cells (11). The barrier (32) is secured within a step (34) formed within a land region (28) of a separator plate assembly (18) and extends from an edge (30) of the separator plate assembly (18) all or a portion of a distance between the edge (30) and a flow channel (24) defined within the separator plate assembly (18). The barrier (32) also extends away from the edge (30) a distance of between 0.051 and about 2.0 millimeters (about 2 and about 80 mils. The barrier (32) includes a hydrophobic, polymeric film (36), a pressure sensitive adhesive (38) as an assembly aid, and a fluoroelastomer bonding agent (40).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: DOOSAN FUEL CELL AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Sridhar V. Kanuri, Richard D. Breault, Kishore Kumar Tenneti, Ned E. Cipollini, Frank E. Kenney, III
  • Fuel cell manifold assembly including a self-supporting polymer material liner
    Patent number: 10903514
    Abstract: An illustrative example fuel cell manifold assembly includes a metal manifold pan. A polymer material liner that is self-supporting includes a primary wall situated adjacent an interior of the manifold pan. The liner has a channel around a periphery of the liner and a portion of the manifold is received in the channel. A reactant conduit adapter is received through respective openings in the manifold pan and the liner. The reactant conduit adaptor includes a flange that is received against an interior surface on the primary wall of the liner with an interface between the flange and the interior surface being sealed. Another portion of the reactant conduit adaptor is adjacent an exterior of the manifold pan that faces in an opposite direction from the interior surface on the primary wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: DOOSAN FUEL CELL AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Timothy William Patterson, Jr., Kristoffer H. Ridgeway, Chandrasekhar V. Nori, Eric J. O'Brien
  • Acid resistant, monolithic fuel cell cooler assembly
    Patent number: 10637080
    Abstract: A composite plate (26) is formed in a mold (8) by placing one of two preforms (15, 23) of between about 80 wt. % and about 85 wt. % flake graphite, balance polymer binder, into the mold and disposing a coolant tube array (18) thereon, depositing a powder (21) of the flake/polymer around the tube array, placing a second preform on the powder and a mold plunger (27) on the second preform, heating the mold to the melting temperature of the polymer under a pressure of 625 psi (4311 kPa), cooling the mold to the solidification temperature of the polymer while still under pressure, cooling the mold further, disassembling the mold, and removing the composite plate. The composite plate has reactant gas flow field channels (31, 32) in major surfaces thereof, is devoid of any acid edge protection layer or film and is devoid of any acid impervious separator plate between either of the fuel cell reactant gas flow fields and the coolant tube array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: DOOSAN FUEL CELL AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Richard D. Breault, Kishore Kumar Tenneti, Sridhar V. Kanuri, Richard J. Rempe
  • Boron phosphate matrix layer
    Patent number: 10164269
    Abstract: An illustrative example embodiment of a fuel cell includes a cathode electrode, an anode electrode, and a porous matrix layer between the electrodes. The porous matrix layer includes pores and solids. The solids comprises at least 90% boron phosphate. A phosphoric acid electrolyte is within the pores of the matrix layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: DOOSAN FUEL CELL AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Kevin A. Arpin
  • Method of making a porous fuel cell component
    Patent number: 10689301
    Abstract: An illustrated example method of making a porous carbon composite includes mixing a carbon-based material, a binder and pore former particles to establish a mixture. The mixture is placed into a mold where it is subjected to pressure at an ambient temperature to form a compacted body. Subsequently, the compacted body is heated to a temperature that causes at least partial removal of the pore former particles to establish pores in place of at least some of the pore former particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: DOOSAN FUEL CELL AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Kevin A. Arpin, Patrick Michael Brown, Timothy William Patterson, Jr.
  • Steam boiler for a steam reformer
    Patent number: 9279581
    Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed that relate to a compact steam boiler which may provide steam to a steam reformer in a fuel cell system. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a steam boiler including an outer shell and a first inner tube and a second inner tube within the outer shell, the first and second inner tubes spaced away from one another. The steam boiler further includes a twisted ribbon positioned inside each of the first and second inner tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Doosan Fuel Cell America, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian Sonnichsen
  • Steam boiler for a steam reformer
    Patent number: 9188329
    Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed that relate to a compact steam boiler which may provide steam to a steam reformer in a fuel cell system. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a steam boiler including an outer shell and a first inner tube and a second inner tube within the outer shell, the first and second inner tubes spaced away from one another. The steam boiler further includes a twisted ribbon positioned inside each of the first and second inner tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Doosan Fuel Cell America, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian Sonnichsen
  • Molded coolant plate assembly with integral reactant flow fields and thermal dam
    Patent number: 9685666
    Abstract: An end-cooler assembly for a fuel cell includes a cooler having a coolant tube array. A composite material includes flake graphite and hydrophobic polymer. The composite material surrounds the coolant tube array and provides a first side. A flow field is formed in the first side. A thermal dam is embedded in and is entirely surrounded by the composite material. The thermal dam is arranged between the coolant tube array and the flow field. The coolant tube array, composite material, flow field and thermal dam comprise a unitary, monolithic structure bound together by the composite material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: DOOSAN FUEL CELL AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Richard D. Breault, Eric A. Livaich, Kishore K. Tenneti, Sridhar V. Kanuri
  • Fuel processing of feedstocks having components harmful to hydrodesulfurization
    Patent number: 9745526
    Abstract: A reformer system (11) having a hydrodesulfurizer (12) provides desulfurized natural gas feedstock to a catalytic steam reformer (16), the outflow of which is treated by a water gas shift reactor (20) and optionally a preferential CO oxidizer (58) to provide reformate gas (28, 28a) having high hydrogen and moderate carbon dioxide content. To avoid damage to the hydrodesulfurizer from overheating, any deleterious hydrogen reactants, such as the oxygen in peak shave gas or olefins, in the non-desulfurized natural gas feedstock (35) are reacted (38) with hydrogen (28, 28a; 71) to convert them to alkanes (e.g., ethylene and propylene to ethane and propane) and to convert oxygen to water in a catalytic reactor (38) having no sulfide sorbent, and cooled (46), below a temperature which would damage the reactor, by evaporative cooling with pressurized hot water (42). Hydrogen for the desulfurizer and the hydrogen reactions may be provided as recycle reformate (28, 28a) or from a mini-CPO (67), or from other sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Doosan Fuel Cell America, Inc.
    Inventors: Antonio M. Vincitore, Peter F. Foley, Nancy P. Foley, Derek W. Hildreth, John L. Preston, Stephen G. Pixton, James A. Davies
  • Reformer including catalyst in an inlet plenum
    Patent number: 10822233
    Abstract: An illustrative example reformer includes a housing having an inlet plenum, a reforming section, and an outlet. The inlet plenum includes a catalyst situated where a source fluid passing through the inlet plenum will be exposed to the catalyst prior to entering the reforming section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: DOOSAN FUEL CELL AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Paul Margiott, James Davies
  • Stepped steam reformer
    Patent number: 8920991
    Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed that relate to increasing heat transfer in a steam reformer. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a steam reformer including an outer wall and an inner wall which includes a step extending outward toward the outer wall and downward toward a bottom of the steam reformer at a position between a top of the steam reformer and the bottom of the steam reformer. The steam reformer further includes a reaction chamber disposed between the outer wall and the inner wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Doosan Fuel Cell America, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Sonnichsen, Bob Sorensen
  • Spiral heat exchanger for hydrodesulfurizer feedstock
    Patent number: 9976811
    Abstract: A cylindrical shift converter (4) is disposed within an annular heat exchanger (28, 24) which has an outer wall (5). A plurality of spiral rods (90) create a plurality of spiral gas passages (26a) between the outer wall and a thin shell (92). The outer diameter of the thin shell is at least about 3/16 inch (about 4 mm) less than the inner diameter of an inner wall (20) of an annular hydrodesulfurizer (10), to facilitate inserting the shift converter and heat exchanger into the hydrodesulfurizer to form a unitized assembly (2). The spiral passages open into the hydrodesulfurizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: DOOSAN FUEL CELL AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Thomas Bruce Avis, Gregory C. Yust
  • Deposition cloud tower with an insert for adjusting the deposition area
    Patent number: 10413932
    Abstract: A cloud tower (11) receives microscopic particles (18) impelled by an inert gas (17) for deposition on a porous substrate (29) having vacuum (34) disposed on opposite side. To alter the size and/or shape of the deposition field without changing the entire tower structure, a pair of flaps (43, 44) are hinged (47, 48) on one side or on a pair of opposed sides of the cloud primary tower. Another embodiment places selectable tower inserts (36, 38) within the primary tower structure, fitting therein and sealing thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: DOOSAN FUEL CELL AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Manish Khandelwal, Shampa Kandoi, Drew Bradley Stolar, Susan G. Yan, Steven M. Nelson
  • Enclosure with roof panels received in supporting channels
    Patent number: 10450753
    Abstract: An illustrative example enclosure includes a support frame having longitudinal beams and lateral channel members that define an outward facing flow passage. A first roof panel and a second roof panel respectively include lateral edges aligned with the channel members. The lateral edge of the first roof panel is situated adjacent the lateral edge of the second roof panel. An interface between the lateral edge of the first roof panel and the lateral edge of the second roof panel is situated above or within the flow passage of one of the channel members. At least one seal engages the first roof panel and the second roof panel. The seal is received in the flow passage of the channel member in sealing engagement with the channel member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: DOOSAN FUEL CELL AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Theron Bliss
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