Patents Assigned to Tokyo Gas Company Ltd.
  • Patent number: 5865035
    Abstract: An absorption cool-water machine including a high quality fuel system and an exhaust heat utility system and apparatus and method for controlling the same is described in which the control has improved effectiveness in preventing the occurrence of crystallization in the exhaust heat exchanger tubing and/or corrosion resulting from an increase in high temperature regenerator temperatures and to otherwise prevent the production of unavailable refrigerant, save energy in an exhaust heat charge mode of operation, and to insure refrigerating ability even when exhaust water temperatures are low without reducing the effectiveness of the machine. In the described organization, a determination is made of the operative state of the exhaust heat utility system and adjustments are automatically made in supremum limiters for controlling the degree of opening of throttle valves for adjusting the supply of fuel and combustion air to the high quality fuel system that supplies heat to the high temperature regenerator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Assignee: Tokyo Gas Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kojima, Makoto Nakamura, Masaru Edera, Masahiro Oka
  • Patent number: 5863192
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to achieve lower NOx combustion in response to the increasingly intensified NOx regulations for burners. The present invention provides a low nitrogen oxides generating combustion method and apparatus which utilizes effective self-induced exhaust gas recirculation before the initiation of the combustion of diffusion flames, or allows part of the combustion gas to be entrained by auxiliary fuel flow, air flow and fuel flow before the formation of the diffusion flames to further intensify the recirculation flow of the combustion gas by the diffusion flames or, in addition, which can achieve rich and lean combustion in the diffusion flames for decreasing the generation of NOx by a combination of these measures, and which are excellent in flame stability even in a low temperature atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Assignee: Tokyo Gas Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Toru Motegi
  • Patent number: 5663429
    Abstract: A process for preparing acetic acid from methanol and carbon monoxide or a mixed gas of carbon monoxide with hydrogen, which process comprises contacting methanol with a gaseous component selected from a group consisting of carbon monoxide and a mixed gas of carbon monoxide with hydrogen of 2% by volume or less in the presence of a carbon-supported rhodium metal catalyst and methyl iodide promoter in vapor phase under the conditions of a reaction temperature of 180.degree.-220.degree. C., a reaction pressure of 5-10 kg/cm.sup.2 .multidot.G, and a weight of catalyst to feed gas flow rate ratio (W/F) of 10-20 g.multidot.h/mole; and a process for preparing acetic acid from methanol and carbon monoxide, which process comprises contacting methanol with carbon monoxide in the presence of a carbon-supported rhodium metal catalyst, methyl iodide promoter and water in vapor phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 2, 1997
    Assignee: Tokyo Gas Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Yamaseki, Yasuo Konishi, Hiroshi Uchida
  • Patent number: 5571006
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a regenerative burner, burner system and method of burning using regenerative burners which comprises a fuel supply section with its tip opening into a furnace provided along the burner axis; a flame stabilizing section, provided at the tip of the fuel supply section; a room temperature air supply section with its tip also opening into the furnace, provided around the fuel supply section; plural pre-heated high temperature air supply sections with their tips opening into the furnace, provided around but apart from the fuel supply section; heat storage material, upstream from the tip of the pre-heated high temperature air supply section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 5, 1996
    Assignee: Tokyo Gas Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ichiro Nakamachi, Kenji Koizumi
  • Patent number: 5484232
    Abstract: When laying a conduit comprised of double-wall pipes A, each of which comprises inner pipe 1 and outer pipe 2, the smooth propulsion of double-wall pipes is possible by injecting lubricant into a space between the outside of double-wall pipes and the ground on a scheduled line along which conduit B to be laid is divided into section, each having a given length based upon the distance over which the effect of the lubricant can be maintained. Lubricant is injected from the double-wall pipes which is to be positioned at the heads in the respective sections 1 to n of supply pipes 3 which are provided between inner pipe 1 and outer pipe 2 of double-wall pipe A. Supply pipes of double-wall pipe A which has been propelled are connected with supply pipes of a new double-wall pipe, wherein the number of supply pipes connected with each other is determined for the respective sections. Lubricant is supplied from the upstream side and from the downstream side of the propelling direction to double-wall pipes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1996
    Assignees: Tokyo Gas Company Ltd., Kabushiki Kaisha Iseki Kaihatsu Koki
    Inventors: Mitsutoshi Hayashi, Akitaka Fujita, Shingo Nagashina, Minoru Kurashina, Makoto Kajiyama, Hideki Uno
  • Patent number: 5474800
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an anode for solid oxide fuel cells is disclosed whereby the dispersion of nickel particles which form the anode for the solid oxide fuel cell is ensured, coherence of the Ni or NiO particles when being annealed or when generating electricity is prevented, the adhesion of the anode to the solid electrolyte layer is good, the contact resistance is reduced, and the electrode performance is improved.To form an anode on one surface of the central solid electrolyte layer, first, Ni or NiO, and a solution of an organometallic complex salt in an organic solvent, from which is obtained thin- films or minute particles of a solid electrolyte by thermal decomposition, are blended, and the solvent is evaporated until a suitable viscosity is obtained. The slurry obtained in this manner is coated onto the central solid electrolyte layer and this coated film is then dried, annealed, and thermally decomposed to obtain an NiO-solid-electrolyte or an Ni-solid-electrolyte cermet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1995
    Assignee: Tokyo Gas Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshio Matsuzaki
  • Patent number: 5368476
    Abstract: A fuel-lean mixture burns in rows of flame ports each located between a pair of rows of flame ports burning a fuel-rich mixture. The fuel-rich flames support and stabilize the fuel-lean flames to stabilize combustion and to avoid flame liftoff and noise. The fuel-lean flames reduce the temperature of the overall flame, and thereby reduce the production of No.sub.x compounds produced by the burner. Stepwise and proportional burner control techniques are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 29, 1994
    Assignees: Tokyo Gas Company Ltd., Takagi Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Sugahara, Takao Takagi, Kimio Mochizuki, Shigetoshi Akiyama
  • Patent number: 5347957
    Abstract: A water heater with reduced nitrogen oxides output utilizing NO.sub.x reducing water conduits to cool a laminar flame and thereby reduce production of nitrogen oxides, The water heater has a partially aerated burner using a partially premixed combustion method to produce the laminar flame wherein a plurality of NO.sub.x reducing water conduits are disposed above the partially aerated burner in such a manner that water is supplied from a cold water conduit or a hot water conduit of the water heater into the plurality of NO.sub.x reducing water conduits through a water introducing portion by means of branching or serial connections. The water absorbs heat while flowing through the plurality of NO.sub.x reducing water conduits and is returned to the cold water conduit or the hot water conduit through a water receiving portion by means of and branching or serial connections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1994
    Assignee: Tokyo Gas Company Ltd.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Sugahara
  • Patent number: 4613071
    Abstract: Steam heating equipment for the interior of a room recirculating heating fluid after it has condensed in a heat emitter for heating the room. The heat media liquid is sealed in an enclosed steam generator which supplies steam to the heat emitter via a steam conducting pipe. The heat media liquid which has condensed in the emitter by giving up its latent heat to the ambient air, is stored inside a condensed liquid vessel which is under atmospheric pressure. When the heat media liquid inside the steam generator has been depleted to a certain level, the heating of the steam generator is stopped. The heat media liquid which has previously been stored inside the condensed liquid vessel is then recirculated into the steam generator through a liquid circulation pipe which is separate from the aforesaid steam conducting pipe, by utilizing a pressure reduction action within the steam generator causing its cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1985
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1986
    Assignee: Tokyo Gas Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshiaki Omori
  • Patent number: 4585161
    Abstract: An air fuel ratio control system comprises a first valve provided in a fuel pipe through which a fuel is supplied to a burner, a second valve provided in an air pipe through which air is supplied to the burner, a varying circuit for varying responsive to a preset flow rate of fuel a valve opening degree of each of the first and second valves while maintaining a constant ratio between the valve opening degrees of the first and second valves, so that an air fuel ratio of a flow rate of fuel flowing through the first valve and a flow rate of air flowing through the second valve assumes a value greater than a theoretical air fuel ratio, a first sensor for detecting a flow rate of fuel flowing through the fuel pipe, a second sensor for detecting a flow rate of air flowing through the air pipe, a fuel bypass pipe provided in the fuel pipe for bypassing the first valve, a third valve provided in the fuel bypass pipe, and a control circuit supplied with output signals of the first and second sensors for controlling a
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1985
    Date of Patent: April 29, 1986
    Assignees: Tokyo Gas Company Ltd., Tokico Ltd.
    Inventors: Akio Kusama, Ichiro Nakamachi, Kunio Shigihara, Hiroyuki Amemori, Yasuji Miyata, Tetsuo Iwamoto
  • Patent number: RE38575
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a diagnostic agent for diabetes, which comprises glucose labelled with 13C at a specific position, or pyruvic acid labelled with 13C at least one specific position. According to the present invention, there is provided a diagnostic agent for diabetes which can be used safely without side effects to give accurate results immediately with less physical pains on the subject. The present diagnostic agent for diabetes can distinguish between healthy persons and patients with diabetes even under the circumstances where the patients are easily missed, and further it can determine the type of diabetes (insulin-dependent type or insulin-independent type).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Tokyo Gas Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadashi Kohno, Isaburo Hosoi, Junko Hirayama, Kunihiko Shibata