Thomas Henry Vanderspurt

US Patent:

6506703, Jan 14, 2003

Filed:

Jan 24, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/341717

Inventors:

Kenneth Ray Clem - Humble TX
Thomas Henry Vanderspurt - Stockton NJ
Shun Chong Fung - Bridgewater NJ

Assignee:

Exxon Mobil Chemical Patents Inc. - Houston TX

International Classification:

B01J 2962

US Classification:

502 66, 502 64, 502 74, 502 79

Abstract:

An ion exchange method is provided for loading and uniformly distributing noble metals into a catalyst substrate comprising a zeolite to make a monofunctional, non-acidic reforming catalyst. The catalyst substrate is contacted with an aqueous loading solution comprising noble metal cations and non-noble metal cations. The loading solution is formulated such that the equivalents of non-noble metal cations remaining in the catalyst not ionically bonded to the zeolite when loading is complete is 1. 2 to 6. 0 times the equivalents of non-noble metal cations displaced from the zeolite when the noble metal cations ion exchange into the zeolite, and simultaneously the endpoint pH of the loading solution is between 10. 0 and 11. 5. The required 1. 2 to 6. 0 ratio is achieved when the ratio of moles of non-noble metal cations added to the loading solution to moles of noble metal added to the loading solution is between 1 and 10.

US Patent:

6932848, Aug 23, 2005

Filed:

Mar 28, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/402506

Inventors:

Zissis Dardas - Worcester MA, US
Thomas Henry Vanderspurt - Glastonbury CT, US
Nikunj Gupta - New Britain CT, US
Shubhro Ghosh - Manchester CT, US
Ying She - Worcester MA, US

Assignee:

UTC Fuel Cells, LLC - South Windsor CT

International Classification:

C01B003/48
H01M008/10
B01D053/62

US Classification:

481277, 422177, 422190, 422196, 423246, 429 19

Abstract:

A fuel processing system (FPS) () is provided for a fuel cell power plant () having a fuel cell stack assembly (CSA) (). A water gas shift (WGS) reaction section () of the FPS () reduces the concentration of carbon monoxide (CO) in the supplied hydrocarbon reformate, and a preferred oxidation (PROX) section () further reduces the CO concentration to an acceptable level. The WGS section () includes a reactor () with a high activity catalyst for reducing the reformate Co concentration to a relatively low level, e. g. , 2,000 ppmv or less, thereby relatively reducing the structural volume of the FPS (). The high activity catalyst is active at temperatures as low as 250 C. , and may be a noble-metal-on-ceria catalyst of Pt and Re on a nanocrystaline, cerium oxide-based support. Then only a low temperature PROX reactor () is required for preferential oxidation in the FPS ().

US Patent:

7166263, Jan 23, 2007

Filed:

Mar 28, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/402808

Inventors:

Thomas Henry Vanderspurt - Glastonbury CT, US
Fabienne Wijzen - Beaufays, BE
Xia Tang - West Hartford CT, US
Miriam P. Leffler - Manchester CT, US
Rhonda R. Willigan - Manchester CT, US
Caroline A. Newman - Cromwell CT, US
Rakesh Radhakrishnan - Vernon CT, US
Fangxia Feng - Richardson TX, US
Bruce Leon Laube - South Windsor CT, US
Zissis Dardas - Worcester MA, US
Susanne M. Opalka - Glastonbury CT, US
Ying She - Worcester MA, US

Assignee:

UTC Fuel Cells, LLC - South Windsor CT

International Classification:

C01F 17/00

US Classification:

423263, 502302, 502303, 502304

Abstract:

A homogeneous ceria-based mixed-metal oxide, useful as a catalyst support, a co-catalyst and/or a getter has a relatively large surface area per weight, typically exceeding 150 m/g, a structure of nanocrystallites having diameters of less than 4 nm, and including pores larger than the nanocrystallites and having diameters in the range of 4 to about 9 nm. The ratio of pore volumes, V, to skeletal structure volumes, V, is typically less than about 2. 5, and the surface area per unit volume of the oxide material is greater than 320 m/cm, for low internal mass transfer resistance and large effective surface area for reaction activity. The mixed metal oxide is ceria-based, includes Zr and or Hf, and is made by a novel co-precipitation process. A highly dispersed catalyst metal, typically a noble metal such as Pt, may be loaded on to the mixed metal oxide support from a catalyst metal-containing solution following a selected acid surface treatment of the oxide support. Appropriate ratioing of the Ce and other metal constituents of the oxide support contribute to it retaining in a cubic phase and enhancing catalytic performance.

US Patent:

7255831, Aug 14, 2007

Filed:

May 30, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/449752

Inventors:

Di Wei - Manchester CT, US
Timothy N. Obee - South Windsor CT, US
Stephen O. Hay - South Windsor CT, US
Thomas H. Vanderspurt - Glastonbury CT, US
Wayde R. Schmidt - Pomfret Center CT, US
Joseph J. Sangiovanni - West Suffield CT, US

Assignee:

Carrier Corporation - Syracuse NY

International Classification:

A61L 9/00

US Classification:

422 4, 2041582, 313112, 313573, 422 24, 4221863

Abstract:

A tungsten oxide/titanium dioxide photocatalyst coating oxidizes contaminants in the air that adsorb onto the coating into water, carbon dioxide, and other substances. The tungsten oxide forms a monolayer on the titanium dioxide. When photons of the ultraviolet light are absorbed by the tungsten oxide/titanium dioxide photocatalyst coating, an electron is promoted from the valence band to the conduction band, producing a hole in the valence band. The holes in the valence band react with water applied on the tungsten oxide/titanium dioxide photocatalyst coating, forming reactive hydroxyl radicals. When a contaminant in the air is adsorbed onto the tungsten oxide/titanium dioxide photocatalyst, the hydroxyl radical attacks the contaminant, abstracting a hydrogen atom from the contaminant. The hydroxyl radical oxidizes the contaminant, producing water, carbon dioxide, and other substances. The tungsten oxide/titanium dioxide photocatalytic coating has low sensitivity to humidity variations.

US Patent:

7307704, Dec 11, 2007

Filed:

Apr 19, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/827655

Inventors:

Jeffrey T. Benoit - Willington CT, US
Wayde R. Schmidt - Pomfret Center CT, US
Thomas H. Vanderspurt - Glastonbury CT, US

Assignee:

Carrier Corporation - Syracuse NY

International Classification:

G01N 21/00
G01J 1/20
G02B 6/34

US Classification:

356 73, 250228, 2503591, 2502019, 385 37, 378 898, 422121

Abstract:

A system and method that redistributes light from a light source. The controller can redistribute light to make an irradiance profile of the light source more uniform or make the irradiance profile match a fluid flow profile. The irradiance profile may be controlled by modifying light leakage from a plurality of waveguides or changing the light-directing properties of reflectors and/or lenses.

US Patent:

7505123, Mar 17, 2009

Filed:

Oct 30, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/927731

Inventors:

Jeffrey T. Benoit - Willington CT, US
Wayde R. Schmidt - Pomfret Center CT, US
Thomas H. Vanderspurt - Glastonbury CT, US

Assignee:

Carrier Corporation - Syracuse NY

International Classification:

G01N 21/00
G01J 1/20
G02B 6/34

US Classification:

356 73, 250228, 2503591, 2502019, 385 898, 422121

Abstract:

A method that redistributes light from a light source. The controller can redistribute light to make an irradiance profile of the light source more uniform or make the irradiance profile match a fluid flow profile. The irradiance profile may be controlled by modifying light leakage from a plurality of waveguides or changing the light-directing properties of reflectors and/or lenses.

US Patent:

7612011, Nov 3, 2009

Filed:

Nov 28, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/605515

Inventors:

Thomas Henry Vanderspurt - Glastonbury CT, US
Fabienne Wijzen - Beaufays, BE
Xia Tang - West Hartford CT, US
Miriam P. Leffler - Manchester CT, US
Rhonda R. Willigan - Manchester CT, US
Caroline A. Newman - Cromwell CT, US
Rakesh Radhakrishnan - Vernon CT, US
Fangxia Feng - Richardson TX, US
Bruce Leon Laube - South Windsor CT, US
Zissis Dardas - Worcester MA, US
Susanne M. Opalka - Glastonbury CT, US
Ying She - Worcester MA, US

Assignee:

UTC Power Corporation - South Windsor CT

International Classification:

C01F 17/00

US Classification:

502302, 502303, 502304

Abstract:

A homogeneous ceria-based mixed-metal oxide, useful as a catalyst support, a co-catalyst and/or a getter has a relatively large surface area per weight, typically exceeding 150 m/g, a structure of nanocrystallites having diameters of less than 4 nm, and including pores larger than the nanocrystallites and having diameters in the range of 4 to about 9 nm. The ratio of pore volumes, V, to skeletal structure volumes, V, is typically less than about 2. 5, and the surface area per unit volume of the oxide material is greater than 320 m/cm, for low internal mass transfer resistance and large effective surface area for reaction activity. The mixed metal oxide is ceria-based, includes Zr and or Hf, and is made by a novel co-precipitation process. A highly dispersed catalyst metal, typically a noble metal such as Pt, may be loaded on to the mixed metal oxide support from a catalyst metal-containing solution following a selected acid surface treatment of the oxide support. Appropriate ratioing of the Ce and other metal constituents of the oxide support contribute to it retaining in a cubic phase and enhancing catalytic performance.

US Patent:

7655183, Feb 2, 2010

Filed:

Feb 28, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/712200

Inventors:

Raymond C. Benn - Madison CT, US
Susanne M. Opalka - Glastonbury CT, US
Thomas Henry Vanderspurt - Glastonbury CT, US

Assignee:

UTC Power Corporation - South Windsor CT

International Classification:

C22C 5/04
C22C 5/00
C22C 30/00
B01J 20/28
B01J 35/00

US Classification:

420463, 148430, 148442, 96 4, 502 4

Abstract:

A durable Pd-based alloy is used for a H-selective membrane in a hydrogen generator, as in the fuel processor of a fuel cell plant. The Pd-based alloy includes Cu as a binary element, and further includes “X”, where “X” comprises at least one metal from group “M” that is BCC and acts to stabilize the β BCC phase for stability during operating temperatures. The metal from group “M” is selected from the group consisting of Fe, Cr, Nb, Ta, V, Mo, and W, with Nb and Ta being most preferred. “X” may further comprise at least one metal from a group “N” that is non-BCC, preferably FCC, that enhances other properties of the membrane, such as ductility. The metal from group “N” is selected from the group consisting of Ag, Au, Re, Ru, Rh, Y, Ce, Ni, Ir, Pt, Co, La and In. The at. % of Pd in the binary Pd—Cu alloy ranges from about 35 at. % to about 55 at.