IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,512,488
Granted Patent B2
US 12,512,488 · App. 18/457,507 · Granted Dec 30, 2025

SOFC-conduction

Inventors: Nathan Palumbo (West Boylston, MA); Paul Osenar (Boxborough, MA); Joshua Persky (Berlin, MA)
Assignee: UPSTART POWER, INC.
H01M8/04067H01M8/2475H01M8/2484H01M2008/1293
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,512,488
App. No.
18/457,507
Granted
Dec 30, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

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.

Claims (24)

1 . A Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) system comprising:

enclosure walls defined by a volume of material enclosing a chamber and comprising a material having a coefficient of thermal conductivity of 100 W/mK or more at a temperature of 350° C.; and

a cell inside the chamber configured for electrochemical energy generation while operating at an SOFC operating temperature.

2 . The SOFC system of claim 1 wherein the cell comprises an anode and a cathode in thermal communication with the volume of material.

3 . The SOFC system of claim 2 further comprising an electrolyte between the anode and cathode.

4 . The SOFC system of claim 1 wherein the volume of material comprises a plurality of walls around the chamber.

5 . The SOFC system of claim 1 wherein the volume of material provides a thermally conductive pathway extending from boundary surfaces of the chamber.

6 . The SOFC system of claim 1 further comprising a combustor for combusting spent fuel and exhaust from the cell.

7 . The SOFC system of claim 1 further comprising a cold start module for combusting fuel during a cold start of the SOFC system.

8 . The SOFC system of claim 1 further comprising a reformer for catalyzing a fuel supply entering the SOFC system.

9 . The SOFC system of claim 1 further comprising a recuperator for heating air delivered to the SOFC system.

10 . The SOFC system of claim 1 wherein the material has a coefficient of thermal conductivity of 300 W/mK or more at a temperature of 350° C.

11 . A method for operating a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) system, the method comprising:

providing enclosure walls defined by a volume of material enclosing a chamber and comprising a material having a coefficient of thermal conductivity of 100 W/mK or more at a temperature of 350° C.; and

operating a cell inside the chamber at an SOFC operating temperature.

12 . The method of claim 11 wherein the cell comprises an anode and a cathode in thermal communication with the volume of material.

13 . The method of claim 12 wherein an electrolyte is between the anode and cathode.

14 . The method of claim 11 wherein the volume of material comprises a plurality of walls around the chamber.

15 . The method of claim 11 wherein the volume of material provides a thermally conductive pathway extending from boundary surfaces of the chamber.

16 . The method of claim 11 further comprised of combusting spent fuel and exhaust from the cell.

17 . The method of claim 11 further comprised of combusting fuel during a cold start of the SOFC system.

18 . The method of claim 11 further comprised of catalyzing a fuel supply entering the SOFC system.

19 . The method of claim 11 further comprised of heating air delivered to the SOFC system.

20 . The method of claim 11 wherein the material has a coefficient of thermal conductivity of 300 W/mK or more at a temperature of 350° C.

Assignments (3)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE TYPOGRAPHICAL ERROR IN THE 3RD INVENTOR'S LAST NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 064740 FRAME 0700. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Aug 31, 2023
From: PALUMBO, NATHAN; OSENAR, PAUL; PERSKY, JOSHUA
To: PROTONEX TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064787/0741 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 29, 2023
From: PALUMBO, NATHAN; OSENAR, PAUL; PERKY, JOSHUA
To: PROTONEX TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064740/0700 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 29, 2023
From: PROTONEX TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
To: UPSTART POWER, INC.
Reel/Frame 064740/0842 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 17166476 · Feb 3, 2021
Continuation 16553868 · Aug 28, 2019
Continuation 14399795
Related Publication 20230411647A1 · Dec 21, 2023
References Cited (212)
US 3162411A · Duggan · 1964 [cited by applicant]
US 3224187A · Breihan · 1965 [cited by applicant]
US 3372960A · Fisher · 1968 [cited by applicant]
US 4656689A · Dennis · 1987 [cited by applicant]
US 4910100A · Nakanishi et al. · 1990 [cited by applicant]
US 4997726A · Akiyama et al. · 1991 [cited by applicant]
US 5169730A · Reichner et al. · 1992 [cited by applicant]
US 5415233A · Roussakis et al. · 1995 [cited by applicant]
US 5501472A · Brancher et al. · 1996 [cited by applicant]
US 5732440A · Wright · 1998 [cited by applicant]
US 5733675A · Dederer et al. · 1998 [cited by applicant]
US 5750278A · Gillett et al. · 1998 [cited by applicant]
US 5827620A · Kendall · 1998 [cited by applicant]
US 6221522B1 · Zafred et al. · 2001 [cited by applicant]
US 6265092B1 · Meltser et al. · 2001 [cited by applicant]
US 6306531B1 · Clingerman et al. · 2001 [cited by applicant]
US 6358640B1 · Kendall et al. · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 6458477B1 · Hsu · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 6485852B1 · Miller et al. · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 6492050B1 · Sammes · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 6514468B2 · Decourcy et al. · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 6551734B1 · Simpkins et al. · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 6608463B1 · Kelly et al. · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 6627339B2 · Haltiner · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 6696187B2 · Kendall et al. · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 6770106B1 · Okamoto et al. · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 6824907B2 · Sarkar et al. · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 6841284B2 · Brown et al. · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 7001682B2 · Haltiner · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 7008711B2 · Pondo et al. · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 7014822B1 · Shinke et al. · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 7150931B1 · Jaffrey · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 7195663B2 · Edlund et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 7226681B2 · Florence et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 7235321B2 · Sarkar et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 7249884B2 · Torii et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 7252902B2 · Bram et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 7256516B2 · Buchanan et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 7335432B2 · Koripella · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 7349959B2 · Imamura et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 7419060B2 · Arthur et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 7422810B2 · Venkataraman et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 7425381B2 · Gilman et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 7452622B2 · Sarkar et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 7645535B2 · Rehg et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 7655337B2 · Kaye · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 7674543B2 · Chiang et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 7767329B2 · Crumm et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 7862631B2 · Burch et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 7875403B2 · Finnerty · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 7887959B2 · Gallet et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 7897292B2 · Schaevitz et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 7943263B2 · Brantley et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 8026011B2 · Ooshima et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 8043760B2 · Okamoto et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 8071251B2 · Eshraghi et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 8133622B2 · Park et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8163433B2 · Zafred et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8178256B2 · Ogawa et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8179249B2 · Teramoto · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8188382B2 · Monden et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8197249B1 · Nguyen · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8197976B2 · Poshusta et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8273485B2 · Schaevitz et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8304122B2 · Poshusta et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8343684B2 · Devoe et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8377604B2 · Nakajima et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8389180B2 · Hawkes et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8530114B2 · Kirkwood · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8580452B2 · Yaguchi et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8614023B2 · Poshusta et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8628891B2 · Brown et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8652707B2 · Finnerty et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8658327B2 · Mook et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8714563B2 · Yamamoto et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8715879B2 · Devoe et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8854389B2 · Wong et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8890474B2 · Kim et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 9056768B2 · Langan · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9065159B2 · Chan et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9105917B2 · Kuehn et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9190673B2 · Venkataraman et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9343758B2 · Poshusta et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9452475B2 · Armstrong et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9500116B2 · Foos et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9559364B2 · Wood et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9722435B2 · Park · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9831043B2 · Roumi et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9863557B2 · Haynes et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10446858B2 · Palumbo et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 11108072B2 · Palumbo et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20010041159A1 · Tamhankar et al. · 2001 [cited by applicant]
US 20020081253A1 · Abe · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 20030054215A1 · Doshi et al. · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 20030064612A1 · England et al. · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 20040005268A1 · Brueck et al. · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 20040081872A1 · Herman et al. · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 20040086765A1 · Florence et al. · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 20050053531A1 · Sakurai et al. · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20050053819A1 · Paz · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20050081444A1 · Anumakonda et al. · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20050089465A1 · Anumakonda et al. · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20050118482A1 · Sriramulu et al. · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20050217991A1 · Dahlquist · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20050269234A1 · Gore et al. · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20060051261A1 · Rong et al. · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 20060127725A9 · Sarkar et al. · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 20060137246A1 · Kumar et al. · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 20060153273A1 · Torii et al. · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 20060153751A1 · Tonkovich et al. · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 20060263665A1 · Schaevitz et al. · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 20070099065A1 · Rawson et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20070111069A1 · Rehg et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20070137104A1 · Kamijo et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20070141424A1 · Armstrong et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20070231593A1 · Ryu et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20070237998A1 · Armstrong et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20070243444A1 · Zheng et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20080118803A1 · Dekker · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20080211226A1 · Whitney · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20090044971A1 · Kataoka et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20090050680A1 · Martin et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20090142639A1 · Gregorski · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20090202878A1 · Schild · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20090311570A1 · Chou et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20100001689A1 · Hultman et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100018215A1 · Razi et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100044971A1 · Henry · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100104902A1 · Ogawa et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100305762A1 · Chan · 2010 [cited by examiner]
US 20100329940A1 · Takahashi et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20120077095A1 · Roumi et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120178003A1 · Venkataraman et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20130040216A1 · Poshusta et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130216473A1 · Nicole et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130230644A1 · Armstrong et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20140106246A1 · Poshusta et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140140919A1 · Langan · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20150004528A1 · Palumbo et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150086887A1 · Matsuo et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150144841A1 · Finnerty et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150249256A1 · Devoe et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150357655A1 · Choi et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20160099476A1 · Palumbo et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160156041A1 · Wood et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20170110748A1 · Palumbo et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20180191009A1 · Palumbo et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180366741A1 · Devoe et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20190181482A1 · Palumbo et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
CN 102619624A · 2012 [cited by applicant]
CN 104205455A · 2014 [cited by applicant]
CN 105706282A · 2016 [cited by applicant]
CN 106797044B · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CN 108649245B · 2020 [cited by applicant]
CN 109845009B · 2022 [cited by applicant]
DE 1007046297B4 · 2016 [cited by applicant]
EP 1202366A2 · 2002 [cited by applicant]
EP 1966850A2 · 2008 [cited by applicant]
EP 3497741A1 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
JP 2003501796A · 2003 [cited by applicant]
JP 2006019119A2 · 2006 [cited by applicant]
JP 2007506256A · 2007 [cited by applicant]
JP 200759377A · 2007 [cited by applicant]
JP 2008243589A · 2008 [cited by applicant]
JP 2009140695A2 · 2009 [cited by applicant]
JP 2009217959A · 2009 [cited by applicant]
JP 2009231172A · 2009 [cited by applicant]
JP 2010140656A · 2010 [cited by applicant]
JP 2011129280 · 2011 [cited by applicant]
JP 2012099348A2 · 2012 [cited by applicant]
JP 2014222123A2 · 2014 [cited by applicant]
JP 2016091867A2 · 2016 [cited by applicant]
JP 201818701A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
JP 2018532680A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
JP 2019110059A2 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
WO 200205368 · 2002 [cited by applicant]
WO 200205368A1 · 2002 [cited by applicant]
WO 2002005368A1 · 2002 [cited by applicant]
WO 2007076440A2 · 2007 [cited by applicant]
WO 2007110587A2 · 2007 [cited by applicant]
WO 2011113280A1 · 2011 [cited by applicant]
WO 2013088122A1 · 2013 [cited by applicant]
WO 2015069749A2 · 2015 [cited by applicant]
WO 2016057026A1 · 2016 [cited by applicant]
WO 2018031742A1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
Baukal Jr., The John Zink Hamworthy Combustion Handbook, Second Edition; vol. 3, Applications, 2013, pp. 321-322, vol. 3, ISBN; 1439839662, CRC Press. [cited by applicant]
CN First Office Action in corresponding Application No. 202080067906.9, dated Jun. 8, 2023, 11 pages. [cited by applicant]
ENrG Incorporated, HEXIM—Improved Thermal Management of SOFC, MCFC, PEM, and HTPEM Fuel Cell and Reformer Systems, Apr. 6, 2014, 1 page. [cited by applicant]
EP Search Report for European Patent Application No. 14903601.4, dated Oct. 23, 2018, 9 pages. [cited by applicant]
EP Search Report for European patent application No. 17840258, dated Feb. 20, 2020, 5 pages. [cited by applicant]
KR Final Office Action in KR Application No. 10-2018-7014225, dated Feb. 2, 2023, 9 pages (English Translation). [cited by applicant]
CA First Examiner's Report in CA application No. 3,077,312, dated Sep. 21, 2023, 3 pages. [cited by applicant]
First JP Office Action in corresponding application No. 2020-545482, dated Nov. 2, 2022, 4 pages (English Translation). [cited by applicant]
Flash Back and Flame Arrestors, International Industrial Gases Ltd., 7 pages (Date Unknown). [cited by applicant]
HHO 3/8″ Flashback Arrestor Hydrogen Fuel Cell Generator Flash Flame Browns Gas, eBay Jan. 19, 2015, 3 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Preliminary Report on Patentability for PCT Application No. PCT/US2019/019183, dated Sep. 10, 2020, 10 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report and Written Opinion for International PCT Application No. PCT/US2019/019183, dated May 2, 2019, 13 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report and Written Opinion for PCT International Application No. PCT/US2014/059447 dated Jun. 30, 2015, 14 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report and Written Opinion for PCT/US2020/046458, dated Jan. 6, 2021, 16 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report for Application No. PCT/US2017/046246 dated Dec. 14, 2017, 6 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report for Application No. PCT/US2017/055554 dated Dec. 14, 2017, 7 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report issued in corresponding international patent application No. PCT/US2020/046458, mailed Jan. 6, 2021, 4 pages. [cited by applicant]
JP Office Action in corresponding application No. 2019-529144 dated Jul. 1, 2021, 5 pages (English Translation). [cited by applicant]
JP Office Action in corresponding application No. 2019-529144 dated Mar. 2, 2022, 12 pages (English Translation). [cited by applicant]
JP Office Action in corresponding application No. 2019-529144, dated Oct. 4, 2022, 1 page (English Translation). [cited by applicant]
Burke, K., et al., “Development of Passive Fuel Cell Thermal Management Materials”, May 12, 2009, 13 pages. [cited by applicant]
Lessing, A review of sealing technologies applicable to solid oxide electrolysis cells, Journal of Materials Science, 2007, pp. 3465-3476, vol. 42, No. 10. [cited by applicant]
Mahapatra, M.K., et al., “Glass-based seals for solid oxide fuel and electrolyzer cells—A review”, Materials Science and Engineering R, 67 (2010), pp. 65-85. [cited by applicant]
CA Office Action issued in corresponding Canadian patent application No. 3,072,005, mailed Dec. 9, 2021, 4 pages. [cited by applicant]
SG Search and Examination Report dated Nov. 20, 2017 for Singapore Patent Application No. 11201702330X, 6 pages. [cited by applicant]
JP Notice of Refusal corresponding to Application No. 2022-508536, dated Sep. 27, 2024, 5 pages (English Translation). [cited by applicant]
SG Search Report and Written Opinion corresponding to Application No. 11202201183S, dated Aug. 19, 2024, 13 pages. [cited by applicant]