Carrier Corporation

Audi Ag

Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Raytheon Technologies Corporation

Utc Fire and Security Corporation

Rtx Corporation

University of Alabama

United Technologies Corporation

Zhiwei Yang

Lei Chen

Mallika Gummalla

Warren R Clough

Ivan Rydkin

Antonio M Vincitore

Joseph J Sangiovanni

Larry D Burns

James D Saraidaridis

Yoichi Hosokawa

Michael L Perry

Georgios S Zafiris

Jean Yamanis

William J Brindley

Matthew J Buchholz

Peter N Pintauro

Monika D Kinstler

Travis Silver

Ryszard J Wycisk

Farley William Postgate

Valeriy V Miagkov

Kyung Min Lee

Andrej Matsnev

Alfred Waterfeld

Richard Edward Fernandez

Todd S Sayler

Joseph S Thrasher

Bruce R Saxton

Warren Clough

Monika D Kintsler

In a redox flow battery (RFB), the base solvent of the electrolytes tends to migrate across the barrier layer from one electrode toward the other. This can result in a volume and concentration imbalance between the electrolytes that is detrimental to battery efficiency and capacity. Compatible electrolytes can be mixed to rebalance the system, but for incompatible electrolytes mixing is not a viable option. To this end, the RFB herein includes a separator that recovers base solvent from the vapor phase of one of the electrolytes and returns the recovered base solvent to the other electrolyte to thereby reverse the imbalance.

Condensation-based redox flow battery rebalancing

A method of testing a gas includes providing a sensor including a sensing electrode that includes a catalyst comprising palladium, and a counter electrode that includes a metal catalyst. An electrolyte is disposed between the sensing electrode and the counter electrode, and an external electrical circuit connects the sensing electrode and the counter electrode. The gas is contacted with the sensing electrode in the absence of a voltage bias applied to the sensing and counter electrodes. A capacitive response is detected that is produced by the exposure of the sensing electrode to the gas in the absence of a voltage bias applied to the sensing and counter electrodes.

Sensor and method for gas testing

A redox flow battery system includes a redox flow battery that has a redox flow cell and a supply/storage system. The supply/storage system has first and second electrolytes for circulation through the redox flow cell. At least the first electrolyte is a liquid electrolyte that has electrochemically active species with multiple, reversible oxidation states. A secondary cell is operable to monitor concentration of one or more of the electrochemically active species. The secondary cell has a counter electrode, a flow passage that connects the counter electrode with the redox flow battery to receive the first or second electrolyte, a working electrode, and a separator. The working electrode is isolated from receiving the electrochemically active species of the first and second electrolytes except for a transport passage connecting the flow passage and the working electrode. The transport passage limits movement of the electrochemically active species to the working electrode.

Cell for electrochemically determining active species concentrations in redox flow batteries

An illustrative example monitoring system includes a carbon monoxide sensor configured to detect carbon monoxide within an area, a heater situated near the carbon monoxide sensor to regulate a temperature of the carbon monoxide sensor, an ambient temperature sensor configured to provide an indication of an ambient temperature in the area, an occupancy sensor configured to provide an indication whether the area is occupied by at least one individual and a controller. The controller is configured to determine whether the ambient temperature in the area is below a threshold based on the indication from the ambient temperature sensor, determine whether the area is occupied by at least one individual based on the indication from the occupancy sensor, and activate the heater when the ambient temperature in the area is below the threshold and the area is occupied by at least one individual.

Carbon monoxide monitoring system suitable for unconditioned spaces

An electrochemical sensor is provided having a housing with an opening therein. The housing defines a chamber. The sensor includes a primary cell having a primary working electrode aligned with the opening in the housing so that the primary working electrode is exposed to an environment outside of the chamber. A primary counter electrode is sealed within the chamber. The sensor includes a secondary cell having a secondary working electrode sealed within the chamber, and a secondary counter electrode sealed within the chamber.

Electrochemical sensor containing an internal reference cell

An HVAC system is provided having an air supply system, a refrigerant circuit configured to condition air in the air supply system, and an electrochemical sensor configured to detect a refrigerant leak from the refrigerant circuit.

Leak detection unit for refrigerant system

A gas sensor includes a housing () having disposed therein a membrane electrode assembly comprising a sensing electrode (), a counter electrode (), and a solid polymer electrolyte () disposed between the sensing electrode and the counter electrode. The sensing electrode comprises a first catalyst comprising noble metal nanoparticles (). The counter electrode comprises a second catalyst comprising noble metal nanoparticles (), which can be of the same composition or a different composition as the first catalyst. The sensor housing also includes an opening () in fluid communication with the sensing electrode for test gas to contact the sensing electrode. The sensor also includes an electrical circuit () connecting the sensing electrode and the counter electrode.

Gas sensor for detecting hydrocarbons

A nickel-chromium (Ni&#x2014;Cr) alloy and a method for electrodepositing the Ni&#x2014;Cr alloy on a turbine engine component for dimensionally restoring the engine component are described. The engine component is restored by re-building wall thickness with the Ni&#x2014;Cr alloy including from 2 to 50 wt % chromium balanced with nickel. The turbine component coated with the Ni&#x2014;Cr alloy is heat-treated at a high temperature to homogenize composition of the alloy to mimic the base alloy and to restore materials lost during repair of the turbine component.

Electrodeposited nickel-chromium alloy

A method and an analyzer for detecting impurities in refrigerant (e.g. methyl chloride (R40) or Chlorodifiuoromethane (R22)), wherein the refrigerant analyzer () includes a first sensing device (), preferably a non-dispersive infrared sensor (NDIR), in flow communication with a second sensing device (), preferably an electrochemical sensor. The first sensing device is configured to determine a first characteristic of a refrigerant (e.g. absorbance in the IR range), and the second sensing device is configured to detect a second characteristic of the refrigerant (e.g. concentration in ppmv). Preferably, the refrigerant analyzer is a part of a system for detecting impurities () and further preferably it comprises flow regulators (), a scrubber () and a processor (). The scrubber is preferably in flow communication with the first sensing device and it preferably comprises a packing material comprising alumina (Al2O3, aluminum oxide).

Refrigerant analyzer and a method of using the same

A refrigerant analyzer including a pump, a filtering device, a temperature/humidity regulator, an electrochemical sensor, and a control device, wherein the refrigerant analyzer is configured to circulate conditioned air through the sensing chamber for an initialization duration of time to obtain an initial output value, determine whether the initial output value is stabilized below a predetermined initial limit, circulate a refrigerant through the sensing chamber for a sensing duration of time, operate the control device to measure a sensed output value, and operate the control device to determine a measured concentration of at least one contaminant within the refrigerant based on the sensed output value.

A gas sensor for detecting one or more contaminants in a refrigerant includes a housing having disposed therein a membrane electrode assembly comprising a sensing electrode, a counter electrode, and a solid polymer electrolyte disposed between the sensing electrode and the counter electrode. The sensing electrode comprises nanoparticles of a first catalyst comprising noble metal. The counter electrode comprises nanoparticles of a second catalyst comprising noble metal. The sensing electrode in the sensor has been preconditioned by exposure under a positive voltage bias to a preconditioning gas comprising the contaminant(s) or their precursors or derivatives.

Detection of refrigerant contaminants

A method of manufacturing an electrochemical sensing system is provided. The method includes forming a sensor with a first sensing element disposed on a sensor, the first sensing element configured to detect a target gas, disposing a second sensing element on the sensor, the second sensing element configured to detect the target gas, and coupling a protective feature to the second sensing element, the protective feature configured to prevent non-target gases from contacting the second sensing element. The sensor is configured such that if the first sensing element generates a current exceeding a first threshold current value and the second sensing element does not exceed a second threshold current value it is determined that the first sensing element is contaminated and a restoration protocol is performed on the first sensing element.

State of health monitoring and restoration of electrochemical sensor

A method for preparing dispersing particles in perfluorinated polymer ionomer includes combining particles and a perfluorinated ionomer precursor in a mixture, and converting the perfluorinated ionomer precursor to a perfluorinated proton-conducting ionomer in the presence of the particles.

Method for dispersing particles in perfluorinated polymer ionomer

A method of producing an electrolyte membrane includes providing a dispersion solution that has a crosslinked perfluorinated ionomer material and a linear perfluorinated ionomer material dispersed in a carrier fluid or mixture carrier fluids. The crosslinked perfluorinated ionomer material has an equivalent weight of 750 g/mol or less with respect to proton exchange acid groups. The linear perfluorinated ionomer material has an equivalent weight of 750 g/mol or more with respect to proton exchange as acid groups. At least a portion of the carrier fluid or fluids is removed from the dispersion solution to thereby form an electrolyte membrane with the crosslinked perfluorinated ionomer material and the linear perfluorinated ionomer material.

Growing community of inventors

South Windsor, CT, United States of America

Zhiwei Yang