Patents by Inventor Gentaro Horikawa

Gentaro Horikawa has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9993776
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a separation membrane module including: a pressure vessel; a plurality of separation membrane elements which are provided in the pressure vessel and each includes: a wound membrane body in which a separation membrane, a liquid-to-be-treated channel member and a permeated liquid channel member are spirally wound around a permeated liquid collection tube; and anti-telescoping plates disposed on both ends of the wound membrane body; and a thrust load holding member which holds a thrust load generated when water passes through the separation membrane elements, in which a thrust load adjustment holding member which is capable of adjusting the thrust load by adjusting a total length of the separation membrane elements in the pressure vessel, is provided on at least one end of the thrust load holding member in an axial direction of the separation membrane elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Shinji Nishioka, Gentaro Horikawa, Koji Fujiwara, Kazuya Sugita
  • Patent number: 9856154
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a fresh water generation method using a water treatment apparatus, the method including feeding water to be treated into a membrane element including a reverse osmosis membrane or a nanofiltration membrane to separate into concentrate and permeate, in which the method includes, under operation of the apparatus, adjusting a concentrate flow rate and/or a permeate flow rate based on a water quality index of the water to be treated and a water quality index of combined water prepared by combining the concentrate and the permeate at a ratio based on a predetermined permeate recovery rate, so that the water quality index of the water to be treated falls within a tolerance on the water quality index of the combined water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Gentaro Horikawa, Hiroaki Kubo, Koji Fujiwara
  • Publication number: 20160207003
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a separation membrane module including: a pressure vessel; a plurality of separation membrane elements which are provided in the pressure vessel and each includes: a wound membrane body in which a separation membrane, a liquid-to-be-treated channel member and a permeated liquid channel member are spirally wound around a permeated liquid collection tube; and anti-telescoping plates disposed on both ends of the wound membrane body; and a thrust load holding member which holds a thrust load generated when water passes through the separation membrane elements, in which a thrust load adjustment holding member which is capable of adjusting the thrust load by adjusting a total length of the separation membrane elements in the pressure vessel, is provided on at least one end of the thrust load holding member in an axial direction of the separation membrane elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Publication date: July 21, 2016
    Applicant: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Shinji Nishioka, Gentaro Horikawa, Koji Fujiwara, Kazuya Sugita
  • Publication number: 20150321928
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a fresh water generation method using a water treatment apparatus, the method including feeding water to be treated into a membrane element including a reverse osmosis membrane or a nanofiltration membrane to separate into concentrate and permeate, in which the method includes, under operation of the apparatus, adjusting a concentrate flow rate and/or a permeate flow rate based on a water quality index of the water to be treated and a water quality index of combined water prepared by combining the concentrate and the permeate at a ratio based on a predetermined permeate recovery rate, so that the water quality index of the water to be treated falls within a tolerance on the water quality index of the combined water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2013
    Publication date: November 12, 2015
    Applicant: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Gentaro Horikawa, Hiroaki Kubo, Koji Fujiwara