Patents Examined by Matthew Merkling
  • Patent number: 10428285
    Abstract: The invention relates to chemical technology and equipment, in particular to apparatuses of processing of solid household and industrial waste, as well as other carbon-containing feedstock into combustible gasification gas and methods for pyrolysis and downdraft gasification process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Inventor: Sergii Y. Stryzhak
  • Patent number: 10214701
    Abstract: The invention relates to chemical technology and equipment, in particular to apparatuses of processing of solid household and industrial waste, as well as other carbon-containing feedstock into combustible gasification gas and methods for pyrolysis and downdraft gasification process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Rain Water, LLC
    Inventor: Sergii Y. Stryzhak
  • Patent number: 9840445
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and gasification system for recycling methane-rich gas from syngas stream emanating from fluidized bed reactor and then returning the methane to the fluidized bed reactor. The method comprises recovering methane-rich gas from the synthesis gas and delivering at least a portion of the recovered methane-rich gas to the fluidized bed reactor. Methods to recover methane-rich gas from syngas at different steps in the gasification system are also provided herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: SYNTHESIS ENERGY SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: John Winter, Takahiro Obase
  • Patent number: 9843055
    Abstract: A separator that is used for a fuel cell includes: a separator center area that is arranged to face a power generation area of the membrane electrode assembly; an outer peripheral portion that is extended from the separator center area to outer periphery; a first manifold hole and a second manifold hole that are provided in the outer peripheral portion; a fluid flow path that is arranged to extend from the first manifold hole through the separator center area to the second manifold hole; and a gasket that is provided on the outer peripheral portion to surround an area of the fluid flow path and outer circumferences of the first and second manifold holes. The gasket is divided into first gasket portions that are provided adjacent to ends of the separator center area and are extended along respective side edges at the ends, and second gasket portions that are provided to surround the outer circumferences of the first manifold hole and the second manifold hole, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Sato, Takuya Kurihara
  • Patent number: 9837678
    Abstract: The redox flow secondary battery includes an electrolytic cell including a positive electrode cell, a negative electrode cell, and a separation membrane that separates the positive electrode cell and the negative electrode cell. Moreover, the above described redox flow secondary battery is configured as follows. That is, the separation membrane has a microporous membrane and an ion-exchange resin layer contacting the microporous membrane, and the air resistance of the separation membrane per thickness of 200 ?m is 10000 sec/100 cc or more. Furthermore, the microporous membrane includes a polyolefin resin or a vinylidene fluoride resin and an inorganic filler. Further, the smoothness of at least a surface of the microporous membrane contacting the ion-exchange resin layer is 16000 seconds or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei E-materials Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Miyazawa, Tomoaki Takahashi, Hisashi Takeda
  • Patent number: 9825316
    Abstract: In aspects of the disclosure, a fuel cartridge wherein the fuel is in a powdered form is admixed with inert materials such as alumina or other ceramics to improve thermal conductivity. Said cartridge having fuel zones, heating zones, and controllers to selectively heat fuel zones and thereby generate hydrogen via decomposition of fuel is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Intelligent Energy Limited
    Inventors: Peter David Hood, Henri Winand
  • Patent number: 9825321
    Abstract: A hybrid photoelectrochemical and microbial fuel cell device is provided that includes a single-chamber photoelectrochemical device having an n-type TiO2 photoanode and a Pt counter electrode in an aqueous electrolyte solution, and a dual-chamber microbial fuel cell having an anode chamber and a cathode chamber separated by a cation exchange membrane, where the anode chamber includes a carbon anode and microorganisms and the cathode chamber includes Pt-loaded carbon cathode, the carbon anode is electrically connected to the Pt counter electrode, the carbon cathode is electrically connected to the TiO2 photoanode, a light source creates photoexcited electron-hole pairs at the photoanode, the holes oxidize water into oxygen, where dissolved oxygen in the cathode chamber is reduced, the microorganisms oxidize and produce bioelectrons, where the bioelectrons are transferred to the Pt electrode and reduce protons to form hydrogen gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Yat Li, Hanyu Wang, Gongming Wang
  • Patent number: 9822004
    Abstract: Disclosed is a hydrogen generator with a door that can be opened to replace a fuel unit and closed to seal the door. A lock responds directly to pressure within the chamber to prevent opening when the pressure exceeds a threshold value. The lock includes a locking member with a lug that engages a retainer to seal the door when the door is locked and is disengaged from the retainer when the door is unlocked. An opening mechanism moves the locking member to lock and unlock the door. A movable key is engaged with the opening mechanism and the locking member when the pressure in the chamber is at or below the threshold value and disengaged from one of the opening mechanism and the locking member by an actuator (e.g., a flexible diaphragm) so the door cannot be unlocked and opened when the pressure is above the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: INTELLIGENT ENERGY INC.
    Inventor: Russell H. Barton
  • Patent number: 9822309
    Abstract: Provided is a process where the biomass and bisolids are hydrothermally treated under a reductive gas. Using this process a high carbon content pumpable mixture of biomass and biosolid slurry is produced with a viscosity value of less than 1.5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Chan Seung Park, Joseph Norbeck, Wei He
  • Patent number: 9819036
    Abstract: A reformer is disclosed in one embodiment of the invention as including a channel to convey a preheated plurality of reactants containing both a feedstock fuel and an oxidant. A plasma generator is provided to apply an electrical potential to the reactants sufficient to ionize one or more of the reactants. These ionized reactants are then conveyed to a reaction zone where they are chemically transformed into synthesis gas containing a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. A heat transfer mechanism is used to transfer heat from an external heat source to the reformer to provide the heat of reformation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: CERAMATEC, INC.
    Inventors: Joseph J Hartvigsen, Singaravelu Elangovan, Piotr Czernichowski, Michele Hollist, Michael Boettcher
  • Patent number: 9799910
    Abstract: An electric device is capable of preventing a heat-resistant material of a separator from scattering even when the electric device vibrates or receives shocks. The electric device has a power generating element formed by alternately laminating a first electrode, a second electrode of a polarity different from the first electrode with a separator interposed therebetween. The separator includes a hot-melt material and the heat-resistant material which is laminated only on one surface of the melt material and having a higher melting point than the melt material. The adjacent separators are welded or joined each other with the heat-resistant material thereof facing each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Sawada
  • Patent number: 9790443
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a vertical pyrolysis reactor, including a reactor shell, a feeding device, a biomass gas outlet on the top of the reactor, an ash discharging device on the bottom of the reactor, and a grate inside the reactor. The feeding device is located on the bottom of the reactor, and an outlet of the feeding device is located in a central region of the bottom in the reactor for uniform material distribution. A slag breaking device is mounted in the pyrolysis reactor, forming an organic combination with the rotating grate. The output is adjustable through the operating speed of the grate. Precise control of a pyrolysis reaction is realized by controlling the feeding speed, discharging speed, material bed thickness, inlet air volume, inlet air distribution, reaction temperature, etc. Biomass having a size up to around 10 cm can be processed effectively and continuously due to the position design of the feeding device in conjunction with the use of the slag breaking device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Suzhou GreenGen Tech Energy Inc.
    Inventors: Maopei Cui, Huiyan Lv, Linjun Zhu
  • Patent number: 9786900
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a battery (10) filled with a liquid electrolyte (2, 11), wherein the battery (10) comprises a housing (1) having a top side (3) lying at the top in the normal operation of the battery (10) and a bottom side (4) opposite the top side (3), wherein battery electrodes (6) are arranged in the housing (1) and the housing (1) has at least one filling opening (5) for the liquid electrolyte (2, 11), which filling opening is arranged on the top side (3) of the housing (1) or at least above the center of the housing (1), characterized in that liquid electrolyte (2, 11) is fed through the at least one filling opening (5) in such a way that the topmost point (16) of the battery electrodes (6) with respect to the direction of action of gravity is not completely covered with the liquid electrolyte (2, 11) at any time during the process of filling the battery with liquid electrolyte (2, 11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Autobatterie GmbH & Co. KGAA
    Inventor: Eberhard Meissner
  • Patent number: 9758736
    Abstract: A system includes a first steam injector configured to mix a steam and a feedstock to form a heated feedstock. Additionally, first viscosity of the feedstock is greater than a second viscosity of the heated feedstock. The system also includes a feed system positioned upstream of the first steam injector and configured to supply the feedstock to the first steam injector. In addition, the system includes a steam system configured to supply the steam to the first steam injector. Furthermore, the system includes a gasifier coupled to the first steam injector and configured to receive the heated feedstock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Luis Rogelio Granados
  • Patent number: 9755214
    Abstract: A lithium battery cell structure is provided. A first-electrode conduction portion and a second-electrode conduction portion that are exposed outward are respectively provided on two sides of a soft package lithium battery inside the metal housing. The first-electrode conduction portions are respectively electrically connected and fixed to a first-electrode conductive sheet, and the first-electrode conductive sheet is electrically connected and fixed to a housing conductive sheet that is connected to the metal housing. The second-electrode conduction portions are respectively electrically connected and fixed to a second-electrode conductive sheet, and an other end of the second-electrode conductive sheet is electrically connected and fixed to the second electrode end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: CHANGS ASCENDING ENTERPRISE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsun-Yu Chang, Chun-Chieh Chang
  • Patent number: 9745529
    Abstract: A process and apparatus are provided for gasification of a carbonaceous material. The process produces a raw syngas that can be further processed in a tar destruction zone to provide a hot syngas. The process includes contacting said carbonaceous material with molecular oxygen-containing gas in a gasification zone to gasify a portion of said carbonaceous material and to produce a first gaseous product. A remaining portion of the carbonaceous material is contacted with molecular oxygen-containing gas in a burn-up zone to gasify additional portion of the carbonaceous material and to produce a second gaseous product and a solid ash. The first gaseous product and said second gaseous product are combined to produce a raw syngas that includes carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2) and tar. The raw syngas is contacted with molecular oxygen containing gas in a tar destruction zone to produce said hot syngas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Inventors: Peter S. Bell, Ching Whan Ko, Sean Slape, Scott Breshears, Kim Ocfemia
  • Patent number: 9745214
    Abstract: To provide a portable hydrogen-water generating pot that can generate highly concentrated drinkable hydrogen water anytime and anywhere in a short amount of time by using not only drinking water but also water or liquids, such as coffee, that have water as their major ingredient as raw water, wherein the portable hydrogen-water generating pot comprises a vessel's main body 1 made of a transparent cylindrical member 1a etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Inventor: Hiroaki Minakawa
  • Patent number: 9738519
    Abstract: A fuel reformer 20 producing a reformed gas by catalysis by using a fuel gas includes a combustion chamber 24, a combustion nozzle 30, an exhausting pipe 15, a gas distribution gap 25, an outer reforming portion 43, a fuel gas introduction pipe 10, and a reformed gas outlet pipe 11. The combustion nozzle 30 is located in the combustion chamber 24. A columnar protruding portion 40 is provided in the combustion chamber 24.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: SUMITOMO PRECISION PRODUCTS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Makoto Hirakawa, Shigeru Mizukawa
  • Patent number: 9738841
    Abstract: A gasified gas production system of the present disclosure includes a gasification furnace which produces a gasified gas by gasifying a gasification raw material, a flow passage through which the gasified gas produced in the gasification furnace flows, a catalyst-holding unit which holds a catalyst which promotes reforming of tar included in the gasified gas inside the flow passage, and an oxidation agent supply unit which supplies an oxidation agent with a temperature of 200° C. to 900° C. to the catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: IHI Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroaki Ohara
  • Patent number: 9741977
    Abstract: A rechargeable battery includes: an electrode assembly including first electrodes; separators; and second electrodes, wherein the first electrodes, separators, and second electrodes are laminated together and are fixed by a fixing portion at one side; a case, which is flexible, accommodating the electrode assembly, and pressure-adjusted after sealing; a marginal region between a free end of the electrode assembly and an inside surface of the case; and a spacing portion at the marginal region midway along the case, the spacing portion having a space that is narrower than a case thickness, the spacing portion accommodating changes in a length of the free end of the electrode assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jeong-Doo Yi, Jun-Won Suh, Ju-Hee Sohn, Hyun-Hwa Song, Ju-Hyeong Han, Seok-Hun Hong