Upstart Power, Inc.

Protonex Technology Corporation

Nathan Palumbo

Paul Osenar

Joshua E Persky

David J Edlund

Matthew Otis

Tyler Samuel Cote

Ronald Rezac

Richard Flathers

Siddhant Singhal

Joshua Persky

Paul W Kimball

Matthew P Steinbroner

Matt Steinbroner

William Pink

James Pilczak

Brendan Heinig

Forrest Harrington

Peter F Simpson

Brendan Heining

Forest Harrington

A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system included high thermal conductivity materials such as copper to increase thermal energy transfer by thermal conduction. The copper is protected from oxidation by nickel electroplating and protected from thermal damage by providing Hastelloy liners inside combustion chambers. Monel elements are used in the incoming air conduits to prevent cathode poisoning.

SOFC-conduction

A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system includes high thermal conductivity materials such as copper to increase thermal energy transfer by thermal conduction. The copper is protected from oxidation by nickel electroplating and protected from thermal damage by providing oxidation resistant liners inside combustion chambers.

Sofc-conduction

A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system included high thermal conductivity materials such as copperincrease thermal energy transfer by thermal conduction. The copper is protected from oxidation by nickel electroplating and protected from thermal damage by providing Hastelloy liners inside combustion chambers. Monel elements are used in the incoming air conduits to prevent cathode poisoning.

A planar SOFC cell unit is formed from a plurality of planar elements () stacked one above another. The cell unit encloses a cell chamber () that includes a solid oxide fuel cell () configured for electro-chemical generation, compliantly supported within the cell chamber. The plurality planar elements each comprise a thermally conductive material having a co-efficient of thermal conductivity that is a least 100 W/mK such as aluminum or copper. The planar elements are thermally conductively coupled to each other to provide a continuous thermally conductive pathway that extends from perimeter edges of the cell chamber to perimeter edges of the plurality of planar elements. An SOFC stack comprises a plurality of the planar SOFC cell units stacked one above another.

Planar solid oxide fuel unit cell and stack

A fuel reformer module () for initiating catalytic partial oxidation (CPOX) to reform a hydrocarbon fuel oxidant mixture () to output a syngas reformate () to solid oxide fuel cell stack (). A solid non-porous ceramic catalyzing body () includes a plurality of catalyst coated fuel passages (). A thermally conductive element (), with a coefficient of thermal conductivity of 50 W/m&#xb0; K or greater is thermally conductively coupled with the catalyzing body. A first thermal sensor () is thermally conductively coupled with the thermally conductive element. A second thermal sensor is thermally conductively coupled with a surface of the fuel cell stack. A control method independently modulates an oxidant input flow rate, based on first thermal sensor signal values, a hydrocarbon fuel input flow rate, based on second thermal sensor signal values.

CPOX reactor control system and method

A planar SOFC cell unit is formed from a plurality of planar elements () stacked one above another. The cell unit encloses a cell chamber () that includes a solid oxide fuel cell () configured for electro-chemical energy generation, compliantly supported within the cell chamber. The plurality planar elements each comprise a thermally conductive material having a coefficient of thermal conductivity that is a least 100 W/mK such as aluminum or copper. The planar elements are thermally conductively coupled to each other to provide a continuous thermally conductive pathway that extends from perimeter edges of the cell chamber to perimeter edges of the plurality of planar elements. An SOFC stack comprises a plurality of the planar SOFC cell units stacked one above another.

A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system included high thermal conductivity such as copper materials such as copper to increase thermal energy transfer by thermal conduction. The copper is protected from oxidation by nickel electroplating and protected from thermal damage by providing Hastelloy liners inside combustion chambers. Monel elements are used in the incoming air conduits to prevent cathode poisoning

A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system includes inner and outer enclosure walls each formed as an independent thermally conductive path. Each thermally conductive path comprises materials having a coefficient of thermal conductivity of greater than 100 W/m&#xb0; K. The inner and outer enclosure walls are each thermally conductively coupled with an annular enclosure formed to enclose a fuel reformer module. The annular enclosure provides a fourth thermally conductive path disposed between the inner and outer enclosure walls having a coefficient of thermal conductivity of 50 W/m&#xb0; K or less. A temperature sensor and thermal fuse are mounted to an outside surface of the outer enclosure. An active sensor and a passive fuse are provided to interrupt a flow of fuel into the fuel reformer when a temperature of the outer enclosure walls equal or exceed a failsafe operating temperature.

SOFC system formed with multiple thermally conductive pathways

A rod assembly and method for supporting rods includes opposing end plates for supporting opposing ends of a plurality of solid oxide fuel cell rods with each rod comprising a hollow gas conduit passing there through. Each rod end is supported by an annular flexure configured to provide a gas/liquid tight seal between the rod ends and the end plates. Each annular flexure includes a flexible portion surrounding the rod end such that forces imparted to either or both of the rod and the end plate act to elastically deform the annular flexure without damaging the rods. The rod assembly operates and a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) with operating temperatures of 500 to 1000&#xb0; C.

Solid oxide fuel cell with flexible fuel rod support structure

A gas separation unitfor permeating a gas out from a pressurized feed mixture includes an input manifold, an exhaust manifold,and a permeate assembly. The permeate assembly supports one or more permselective foilsover a hollow cavitysupported by a microscreen element. The microscreen element includes non-porous perimeter wallssupported on a frame surface and a porous central areasupported over the hollow cavity. A porous spacerdisposed inside the hollow cavity structurally supports the entire microscreen surface spanning the hollow cavity while also providing a void volume for receiving fluid passing through the porous central area and for conveying the fluid through the hollow cavity.

Membrane support module for permeate separation in a fuel cell

An elongated fuel processor assembly is coupled to a fuel cell stack for producing a reformate for consumption by the fuel cell stack. The elongated fuel processor assembly includes an annular core having a thermal conduction mass for conducting heat, an annular reformer surrounding and supported by the annular core, and a vaporizer surrounding and supported by the annular core.

Growing community of inventors

West Boylston, MA, United States of America

Nathan Palumbo