Robert J Draper

US Patent:

6379831, Apr 30, 2002

Filed:

Aug 3, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/631096

Inventors:

Robert Draper - Pittsburgh PA
Ronald F. Antol - North Huntingdon PA
Paolo R. Zafred - Murrysville PA

Assignee:

Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation - Orlando FL

International Classification:

H01M 810

US Classification:

429 31, 429147, 429135, 429133, 429146, 429158, 429160, 429161, 429129, 429145, 429 30, 429 32

Abstract:

A solid oxide fuel assembly is made, wherein rows ( ) of fuel cells ( ), each having an outer interconnection ( ) and an outer electrode ( ), are disposed next to each other with corrugated, electrically conducting expanded metal mesh ( ) between each row of cells, the corrugated mesh ( ) having top crown portions ( ) and bottom shoulder portions ( ), where the top crown portion ( ) contacts outer interconnections ( ) of the fuel cells ( ) in a first row ( ), and the bottom shoulder portions ( ) contacts outer electrodes ( ) of the fuel cells in a second row ( ), said mesh electrically connecting each row of fuel cells, and where there are no metal felt connections between any fuel cells.

US Patent:

6492048, Dec 10, 2002

Filed:

Aug 10, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/636249

Inventors:

Robert Draper - Pittsburgh PA
Stephen E. Veyo - Murrysville PA

Assignee:

Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation - Orlando FL

International Classification:

H01M 810

US Classification:

429 30, 429 25, 429 38

Abstract:

A fuel cell generator contains a plurality of fuel cells ( ) in a generator chamber ( ), where oxidant ( ) and fuel ( ) are fed to the generator chamber ( ), where both fuel and oxidant react to form depleted fuel and depleted oxidant, which are separated by steam ( ) at a pressure higher than that of both the depleted oxidant stream and the depleted fuel stream, and where all oxidant and fuel passages do not communicate with each other, so that fuel and oxidant (in whatever form) do not mix, and where depleted fuel ( ), consisting essentially of carbon dioxide and water, exits for further treatment, so that the remaining carbon dioxide can be separated from the remaining water and is not vented to the atmosphere.

US Patent:

6610434, Aug 26, 2003

Filed:

Aug 10, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/636248

Inventors:

Robert Draper - Pittsburgh PA
Stephen E. Veyo - Murrysville PA
Richard E. Kothmann - Pittsburgh PA

Assignee:

Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation - Orlando FL

International Classification:

H01M 810

US Classification:

429 30, 429 25, 429 38

Abstract:

A fuel cell generator contains a plurality of fuel cells ( ) in a generator chamber ( ) and also contains a depleted fuel reactor or a fuel depletion chamber ( ) where oxidant ( ) and fuel ( ) is fed to the generator chamber ( ) and the depleted fuel reactor chamber ( ), where both fuel and oxidant react, and where all oxidant and fuel passages are separate and do not communicate with each other, so that fuel and oxidant in whatever form do not mix and where a depleted fuel exit ( ) is provided for exiting a product gas ( ) which consists essentially of carbon dioxide and water for further treatment so that carbon dioxide can be separated and is not vented to the atmosphere.

US Patent:

7157172, Jan 2, 2007

Filed:

May 23, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/444623

Inventors:

Robert Draper - Pittsburgh PA, US
Thomas Prevish - Trafford PA, US
Angela Bronson - Pittsburgh PA, US
Raymond A. George - Pittsburgh, JP

Assignee:

Siemens Power Generation, Inc. - Orlando FL

International Classification:

H01M 8/12
H01M 8/24

US Classification:

429 31, 429 32

Abstract:

A solid oxide fuel assembly is made, wherein rows () of fuel cells (), each having an outer interconnection () and an outer electrode (), are disposed next to each other with corrugated, electrically conducting expanded metal mesh member () between each row of cells, the corrugated mesh () having top crown portions and bottom portions, where the top crown portion () have a top bonded open cell nickel foam () which contacts outer interconnections () of the fuel cells, said mesh and nickel foam electrically connecting each row of fuel cells, and where there are no more metal felt connections between any fuel cells.

US Patent:

7320836, Jan 22, 2008

Filed:

Dec 5, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/729198

Inventors:

Robert Draper - Pittsburgh PA, US
Michael P. Jaszcar - Murrysville PA, US
Paolo R. Zafred - Murrysville PA, US
James E. Gillett - Greensburg PA, US
Matthew Riggle - Ford City PA, US

Assignee:

Siemens Power Generation, Inc. - Orlando FL

International Classification:

H01M 8/00
H01M 8/04
H01M 8/10
H01M 2/00
H01M 2/14

US Classification:

429 13, 429 17, 429 26, 429 31, 429 34, 429 38

Abstract:

A high temperature fuel cell generator () having a housing () containing a top air feed plenum (), a bottom fuel inlet (), a fuel reaction generator chamber () containing fuel cells () and a reacted fuel-reacted air combustion chamber () above the fuel reaction generator chamber (), where inlet air () can be heated internally within the housing in at least one interior heat transfer zone/block () located between the reacted fuel-reacted air combustion chamber () and the air feed plenum ().

US Patent:

7651801, Jan 26, 2010

Filed:

Aug 10, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/915514

Inventors:

Robert Draper - Pittsburgh PA, US
Michael P. Jaszcar - Murrysville PA, US
Arun Iyengar - Monroeville PA, US
Niranjan Desai - Pittsburgh PA, US
Charles R. Osborne - Pittsburgh PA, US

Assignee:

Siemens Energy, Inc. - Orlando FL

International Classification:

H01M 8/10
H01M 2/14

US Classification:

429 32, 429 38, 429 31

Abstract:

A solid oxide fuel cell generator () is made which contains bundles () of solid oxide fuel cells (), a bus bar unit () in adjacent contact with the fuel cell bundles, where the bus bar unit () can pass electrical current, the bus bar unit () containing flat inner plate sections () adjacent the fuel cell bundles, outer solid nickel bar () and with solid, U-shaped nickel strap take-off connections () between the plates and bar; and a power lead () electrically connected to the outer solid nickel bar, where the flat inner plate sections () and solid U-shaped nickel strap take-off connections () pass electrical current generated in the fuel cell bundles through the bus bar units ().

US Patent:

8062798, Nov 22, 2011

Filed:

Oct 11, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/870638

Inventors:

Robert Draper - Pittsburgh PA, US
Paolo R. Zafred - Murrysville PA, US
James E. Gillett - Greensburg PA, US
Arun K. S. Iyengar - Delmont PA, US
Raymond A. George - Pittsburgh PA, US
Gianfranco DiGiuseppe - Grand Blanc MI, US

Assignee:

Siemens Energy, Inc. - Orlando FL

International Classification:

H01M 8/06

US Classification:

429408, 429407, 429415, 429458, 429465, 429466, 429471, 429497, 429508

Abstract:

A fuel cell generator including a housing defining a plurality of chambers including a generator chamber having first and second generator sections. A plurality of elongated fuel cells extend through the first and second generator sections. An oxidant supply supplies oxidant to at least one of the chambers within the housing in order to provide oxidant to one end of each of the fuel cells. A fuel distribution plenum extends transversely to the elongated fuel cells and is located between the first and second generator sections. The fuel distribution plenum distributes fuel to the first and second generator sections in opposing directions within the generator chamber.

US Patent:

8097381, Jan 17, 2012

Filed:

Oct 24, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/877908

Inventors:

Robert Draper - Pittsburgh PA, US
Gong Zhang - Murrysville PA, US
Roswell J. Ruka - Pittsburgh PA, US
Kevin P. Litzinger - Level Green PA, US
Paolo R. Zafred - Murrysville PA, US
Richard A. Basel - Pittsburgh PA, US

Assignee:

Siemens Energy, Inc. - Orlando FL

International Classification:

H01M 2/20

US Classification:

429469, 429510, 429466, 429488, 429497, 501 11, 501 17

Abstract:

A solid oxide fuel cell generator is provided for electrochemically reacting a fuel gas with a flowing oxidant gas at an elevated temperature to produce power. The generator includes a generator section receiving a fuel gas and a plurality of elongated fuel cells extending through the generator section and having opposing open fuel cell ends for directing an oxidant gas between opposing plena in the generator. A sealant defines a seal on the fuel cells adjacent at least one of the fuel cell ends. The sealant is a modified lanthanum borate aluminosilicate glass composition having a minimal amount of boron oxide and silica, and in which the sealant maintains substantially constant physical characteristics throughout multiple thermal cycles.