Bizarre Patents
A coffin, for allowing inclination for display of a deceased person in a natural position.
PatentStorm News
Make the Most of Our Site
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Registered users: Manage your profile.
| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7951498 | Method and apparatus for controlling an integrated fuel cell system A control algorithm for operating an integrated fuel cell system includes the following steps: determining whether a power output of a fuel cell is within a first predetermined range of an electrical load coupled to the fuel cell; lowering a reactant flow to the fue... | 05/31/2011 |
| 7915854 | Maximizing energy storage life in a fuel cell system using active temperature compensation A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack, energy storage and a control subsystem. The energy storage supplements a power that is provided by the fuel cell stack. The energy storage is coupled to the fuel cell stack and has a voltage. The control system regulate... | 03/29/2011 |
| 7892689 | Pressure relief control system for a fuel cell system having a pressurized fuel flow A fuel cell-based system includes an electromechanical pressure relief system to prevent an overpressure condition from damaging the anode circuit of a fuel cell stack or creating a hazardous environment. Upon detection of a fuel flow pressure in a fuel path between... | 02/22/2011 |
| 7862947 | Fault management in a fuel cell-based system A system includes a fuel cell stack, a power communication path, a first controller and a second controller. The fuel cell stack generates electrical power, and the power communication path is coupled between the fuel cell stack and a load of the system to communica... | 01/04/2011 |
| 7851096 | Humidifying a reactant flow of a fuel cell system A technique that is usable with a fuel cell includes generating a humidified reactant flow. The technique includes measuring a rate of condensate production from the reactant flow and controlling the generation of the humidified reactant flow in response to the meas... | 12/14/2010 |
| 7691507 | Combination fuel cell and ion pump, and methods and infrastructure systems employing same A combination fuel cell and hydrogen or oxygen pump includes an electrochemical cell comprising an anode inlet for receiving fuel, an anode outlet for exhausting fuel, a cathode inlet for receiving oxidant, a cathode outlet for exhausting oxidant, and first and seco... | 04/06/2010 |
| 7521146 | Switching modes of operation of a fuel cell A technique that is usable with a fuel cell stack includes routing an anode exhaust of the fuel cell stack to an anode exhaust line. Based on a mode operation of the fuel cell stack, communication is selectively established between a cathode chamber of the fuel cell... | 04/21/2009 |
| 7514165 | Fuel cell system fluid recovery A system and method are provided for fluid collection within a fuel cell system. The fluid collection device includes a fluid collection container which has a gas inlet, a gas outlet, at least one fluid inlet, and a fluid outlet. The at least one fluid inlet allows ... | 04/07/2009 |
| 7479335 | Anode humidification A technique includes providing fuel and oxidant flows to a fuel cell. The technique includes humidifying the anode of the fuel cell, including saturating the oxidant flow and maintaining a temperature of the oxidant flow above a temperature of the fuel cell such tha... | 01/20/2009 |
| 7470294 | Fuel processor design and method of manufacture The invention generally relates to a fuel processor design and a method for manufacture. In one aspect of the invention, a fuel processor assembly has a first plate and a second plate that are mated to form a plurality of reactor housings and channels to direct the ... | 12/30/2008 |
| 7449258 | Integrated fuel cell stack thermostat A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack and a thermostat. The thermostat is mounted to the fuel cell stack to regulate a flow of coolant. ... | 11/11/2008 |
| 7416800 | Method and apparatus for a combined fuel cell and hydrogen purification system Fuel cell systems and associated methods of operation are provided whereby application of a fuel cell is coordinated with a fuel processor and a hydrogen separator. One such method includes the following steps: (1) operating a fuel processor to convert a hydrocarbon... | 08/26/2008 |
| 7416799 | Oxidizer for a fuel cell system An oxidizer that is usable with a fuel cell includes a catalyst, an inlet to communicate an oxidant flow, an injection tube to communicate an anode exhaust flow, a mixing tube and a divergent nozzle. The injection tube communicates the anode exhaust flow from the fu... | 08/26/2008 |
| 7410931 | Thermal regulating catalyst composition A composition is provided that can be used, for example, in a fuel processor for a fuel cell system. The composition includes a first material such as a catalyst, and a second material such as a desiccant. The second material is capable of sorbing and desorbing a he... | 08/12/2008 |
| 7396611 | Fuel cell catalyst layer Fuel cell catalyst layers, and related systems and methods are disclosed. ... | 07/08/2008 |
| 7332236 | Method and apparatus for controlling a combined heat and power fuel cell system A cogeneration fuel cell system and associated methods of operation are provided that accommodate a demand for heat as well as a demand for electric power. The system is operated among various modes to balance heat and power demand signals. In general, a fuel cell s... | 02/19/2008 |
| 7326481 | Fuel cell system The invention provides a reactant delivery system for a dead-headed PEM fuel cell system, comprising a fuel cell, a fuel supply, a purge valve, an inlet orifice, an outlet orifice, and a controller. A first fuel flow circuit is provided, wherein fuel is flowed from ... | 02/05/2008 |
| 7285346 | Method and apparatus for controlling a combined heat and power fuel cell system A cogeneration fuel cell system and associated methods of operation are provided that accommodate a demand for heat as well as a demand for electric power. The system is operated among various modes to balance heat and power demand signals. In general, a fuel cell s... | 10/23/2007 |
| 7276307 | Method and apparatus for controlling a combined heat and power fuel cell system A cogeneration fuel cell system and associated methods of operation are provided that accommodate a demand for heat as well as a demand for electric power. The system is operated among various modes to balance heat and power demand signals. In general, a fuel cell s... | 10/02/2007 |
| 7264895 | Fuel cell thermal management system The invention provides fuel cell systems and methods of operation where a fuel cell system is used as a backup power supply in a cold environment where the system must be maintained at a suitable temperature to allow the fuel cell to operate when needed. In one embo... | 09/04/2007 |
| 7252900 | Combination fuel cell and ion pump, and methods and infrastructure systems employing same A combination fuel cell and hydrogen or oxygen pump includes an electrochemical cell comprising an anode inlet for receiving fuel, an anode outlet for exhausting fuel, a cathode inlet for receiving oxidant, a cathode outlet for exhausting oxidant, and first and seco... | 08/07/2007 |
| 7223488 | Integrated fuel cell system A simplified PEM fuel cell system is integrated with a fuel processor and an exhaust gas oxidizer to ensure clean emissions. The fuel cell has an operating temperature of 100–200° C., and utilizes reformate fuel having a carbon monoxide level greater than 1000 pa... | 05/29/2007 |
| 7222001 | System for monitoring and controlling fuel cell-based power generation units A system includes fuel cell units and an on-site computer that is located near the units. The on-site computer is coupled to the fuel cell subsystems to communicate indications of operating conditions of the fuel cell subsystems over a remote communication link to a... | 05/22/2007 |
| 7179554 | Fuel cell systems A method of operating a fuel cell system having a fuel cell stack and a plurality of fuel cells associated with the fuel cell stack. The method includes monitoring an operating parameter associated with the fuel cell stack, and adjusting a temperature of the fuel ce... | 02/20/2007 |
| 7166378 | Technique to regulate an efficiency of a fuel cell system A technique that is usable with a fuel cell stack includes providing a fuel flow to the stack, changing the fuel flow and observing a response of at least one cell voltage of the stack to the change in the fuel flow. An efficiency of the stack is regulated based on ... | 01/23/2007 |
| 7166379 | Technique to regulate an efficiency of a fuel cell system A technique that is usable with a fuel cell stack includes providing a fuel flow to the stack, changing the fuel flow and observing a response of at least one cell voltage of the stack to the change in the fuel flow. An efficiency of the stack is regulated based on ... | 01/23/2007 |
| 7141323 | Method and apparatus for electrochemical compression and expansion of hydrogen in a fuel cell system The invention relates to fuel cell systems and associated methods of operation where an electrochemical cell such as a fuel cell is used as an electrochemical hydrogen separator to separate hydrogen from a process stream (e.g., reformate or synthesis gas), or as an ... | 11/28/2006 |
| 7132182 | Method and apparatus for electrochemical compression and expansion of hydrogen in a fuel cell system The invention relates to fuel cell systems and associated methods of operation where an electrochemical cell such as a fuel cell is used as an electrochemical hydrogen separator to separate hydrogen from a process stream (e.g., reformate or synthesis gas), or as an ... | 11/07/2006 |
| 7122258 | Fuel cell air system and method The invention provides filtration systems and associated methods for filtering a fuel cell reactant stream of particulate and vapor contaminants. In one embodiment, the invention provides a reactant filtration system for a fuel cell, including a first filter having ... | 10/17/2006 |
| 7112378 | Apparatus and method for dynamic control of an enthalpy wheel in a fuel cell system The invention relates to systems and associated methods of operating fuel cell systems where the rotational speed of a reactant humidification enthalpy wheel is dynamically controlled according to various process variables. In one embodiment, a method is provided fo... | 09/26/2006 |
| 7099787 | Technique and apparatus to measure a fuel cell parameter A technique includes introducing an electrical perturbation to a fuel cell system during operation of the fuel cell system. This electrical perturbation does not substantially disrupt the operation of the fuel cell system. In response to the perturbation, an electri... | 08/29/2006 |
| 7090943 | Regulating the communication of power to components of a fuel cell system A technique includes providing power to a group fuel cell system components and providing sensors to monitor conditions of the fuel cell system. The status of each sensor is associated with a switch, and the switches are serially coupled together. The delivery of po... | 08/15/2006 |
| 7090939 | Forming a layer on a flow plate of a fuel cell stack A technique includes applying a charge to a flow plate of a fuel cell stack and depositing a material on at least a portion of the flow plate in response to the charge. In some embodiments of the invention, the technique may be applied to a fuel cell stack that incl... | 08/15/2006 |
| 7045233 | Method and apparatus for electrochemical compression and expansion of hydrogen in a fuel cell system The invention relates to fuel cell systems and associated methods of operation where an electrochemical cell such as a fuel cell is used as an electrochemical hydrogen separator to separate hydrogen from a process stream (e.g., reformate or synthesis gas), or as an ... | 05/16/2006 |
| 7041411 | Method and apparatus for collecting condensate from combustible gas streams in an integrated fuel cell system The invention generally relates to a method and apparatus for collecting condensate from combustible gas process streams in an integrated fuel cell system. In one aspect, a water management subsystem for a fuel cell system has a first conduit containing a first gas ... | 05/09/2006 |
| 7033688 | Apparatus and method for controlling a fuel cell system The invention provides integrated fuel cell systems and associated operating methods wherein oxidant flow is controlled in response to an oxygen sensor in an exhaust stream of a fuel cell exhaust gas oxidizer, and fuel flow is controlled in response to a temperature... | 04/25/2006 |
| 7029784 | Nested fuel cell field plate The invention provides a layered design for a fuel cell flow field plate. A flow field plate is formed by mating at least two interlocking layers that form an internal fluid channel between them. The internal fluid channel is generally used to circulate a coolant th... | 04/18/2006 |
| 7026065 | Fuel cell system heat recovery The invention provides a fuel cell incorporating a thermal management scheme and associated methods of operation. In one aspect, a fuel cell system includes a frame enclosing a fuel cell, a coolant flow circuit and a heat exchanger. The frame has at least one extern... | 04/11/2006 |
| 7014937 | Architected fuel cell system for modular application The invention provides apparatuses and associated methods of manufacture for fuel cell systems designed for modular application. In one embodiment, a fuel cell system is provided that has a base module assembly. The base module assembly includes a first frame member... | 03/21/2006 |
| 7011903 | Method and apparatus for a combined fuel cell and hydrogen purification system Fuel cell systems and associated methods of operation are provided whereby application of a fuel cell is coordinated with a fuel processor and a hydrogen separator. One such method includes the following steps: (1) operating a fuel processor to convert a hydrocarbon... | 03/14/2006 |
