Patents by Inventor Hiroshi Shirahama
Hiroshi Shirahama 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).
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Patent number: 11081709Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell; a reformer to generate a hydrogen-containing gas; an electric power generation raw material supply unit; a reforming material supply unit configured to supply at least one of reforming water and reforming air, to the reformer; an oxidizing gas supply unit to supply an oxidizing gas to a cathode of the fuel cell; a combustor to ignite an exhaust gas discharged from the fuel cell; and a controller. In an operation stop process of the fuel cell system, the controller causes the oxidizing gas supply unit to supply the oxidizing gas, causes the electric power generation raw material supply unit and the reforming material supply unit to intermittently supply the electric power generation raw material and at least one of the water and the air to the reformer, and causes the ignitor to perform an ignition operation.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2020Date of Patent: August 3, 2021Assignees: PANASONIC CORPORATION, MORIMURA SOFC TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.Inventors: Shigenori Onuma, Kunihiro Ukai, Hiroshi Shirahama, Takeshi Saito, Yosuke Akagi, Taiichiro Sakamoto, Toshiharu Ooe, Toshiharu Otsuka
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Publication number: 20200328436Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell; a reformer to generate a hydrogen-containing gas; an electric power generation raw material supply unit; a reforming material supply unit configured to supply at least one of reforming water and reforming air, to the reformer; an oxidizing gas supply unit to supply an oxidizing gas to a cathode of the fuel cell; a combustor to ignite an exhaust gas discharged from the fuel cell; and a controller. In an operation stop process of the fuel cell system, the controller causes the oxidizing gas supply unit to supply the oxidizing gas, causes the electric power generation raw material supply unit and the reforming material supply unit to intermittently supply the electric power generation raw material and at least one of the water and the air to the reformer, and causes the ignitor to perform an ignition operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 26, 2020Publication date: October 15, 2020Inventors: Shigenori ONUMA, Kunihiro UKAI, Hiroshi SHIRAHAMA, Takeshi SAITO, Yosuke AKAGI, Taiichiro SAKAMOTO, Toshiharu OOE, Toshiharu OTSUKA
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Patent number: 10741858Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell; a reformer to generate a hydrogen-containing gas; an electric power generation raw material supply unit; a reforming material supply unit configured to supply at least one of reforming water and reforming air, to the reformer; an oxidizing gas supply unit to supply an oxidizing gas to a cathode of the fuel cell; a combustor to ignite an exhaust gas discharged from the fuel cell; and a controller. In an operation stop process of the fuel cell system, the controller causes the oxidizing gas supply unit to supply the oxidizing gas, causes the electric power generation raw material supply unit and the reforming material supply unit to intermittently supply the electric power generation raw material and at least one of the water and the air to the reformer, and causes the ignitor to perform an ignition operation.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 2015Date of Patent: August 11, 2020Assignees: PANASONIC CORPORATION, MORIMURA SOFC TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.Inventors: Shigenori Onuma, Kunihiro Ukai, Hiroshi Shirahama, Takeshi Saito, Yosuke Akagi, Taiichiro Sakamoto, Toshiharu Ooe, Toshiharu Otsuka
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Patent number: 10566634Abstract: A fuel cell array comprises a plurality of serially connected fuel cell units. A respective fuel cell unit comprises a fuel cell and a cap capped on each end of the fuel cell. The fuel cell unit further comprises an electrically conductive terminal layer forming an outermost laminate of the fuel cell at one end of the fuel cell. The terminal layer is directly laminated on a fuel electrode layer and directly laminated on a solid electrolyte layer. The fuel cell unit further comprises a glass material forming a sealing layer circumferentially around the fuel cell to fill between the inner surface of the cap and the outer surface of the fuel cell. The plurality of fuel cell units are electrically connected in series through the electrically conductive terminal layer, not through the cap.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2018Date of Patent: February 18, 2020Assignee: TOTO LTD.Inventors: Yuya Takahashi, Hiroshi Shirahama, Masayuki Yamada, Riku Takeshita, Yasuo Kakinuma
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Publication number: 20180301715Abstract: A fuel cell array comprising a plurality of serially connected fuel cell units. A respective fuel cell unit comprises a fuel cell and a tubular cap capped on each end of the fuel cell. The fuel cell unit further comprises an electrically conductive terminal layer forming an outermost laminate of the fuel cell in one end of the fuel cell and extending in the longitudinal direction from the one end of the fuel cell toward the other end thereof to terminate past a tubular skirt of the tubular cap to form a connection area. The terminal layer is directly laminated on the fuel electrode layer in a fuel electrode layer exposition area and directly laminated on the solid electrolyte layer in a solid electrolyte layer exposition area. The fuel cell unit further comprises a grass material forming a sealing layer circumferentially around the fuel cell to fill between the inner surface of the tubular cap and the outer surface of the fuel cell.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 12, 2018Publication date: October 18, 2018Inventors: Yuya TAKAHASHI, Hiroshi SHIRAHAMA, Masayuki YAMADA, Riku TAKESHITA, Yasuo KAKINUMA
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Patent number: 10096851Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell unit including a solid oxide fuel cell and a mixer, the solid oxide fuel cell including an anode gas passage and a cathode gas passage, the mixer mixing an anode off gas discharged from the anode gas passage and a cathode off gas discharged from the cathode gas passage; a power-generating raw material supply device operative to supply a power-generating raw material to the fuel cell unit; a combustible gas passage, which extends from the power-generating raw material supply device to a downstream end of the anode gas passage; an oxidizing gas supply device operative to supply an oxidizing gas to the cathode gas passage; and a controller operative to, after electric power generation by the fuel cell unit is stopped, control the power-generating raw material supply device to supply the power-generating raw material in a volume more than or equal to a volume of the combustible gas passage to the combustible gas passage, and concurrently control the oxidizing gType: GrantFiled: February 9, 2015Date of Patent: October 9, 2018Assignees: PANASONIC CORPORATION, TOTO LTD.Inventors: Yasushi Kaneko, Shigenori Onuma, Kunihiro Ukai, Akinori Yukimasa, Hiroshi Shirahama, Toshiharu Otsuka, Hiromi Kita, Taiichiro Sakamoto, Toshiharu Ooe
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Patent number: 10014536Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a reformer generating a reformed gas using a raw material; a fuel cell generating electric power; a raw material supply passage; a hydro-desulfurizer operative to remove sulfur component in the raw material; a recycle passage through which the reformed gas is supplied to the raw material supply passage provided upstream of the hydro-desulfurizer; a temperature detector detecting a temperature of the hydro-desulfurizer; and a controller, wherein: when the temperature of the hydro-desulfurizer reaches a predetermined temperature, the controller increases a flow rate of the raw material from a predetermined flow rate by a flow rate corresponding to a flow rate of the recycled gas, and then, the controller starts supplying the recycled gas to the recycle passage; and after the recycled gas reaches an upstream end of the recycle passage, the controller returns the flow rate of the raw material to the predetermined flow rate.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2015Date of Patent: July 3, 2018Assignees: Panasonic Corporation, TOTO LTD.Inventors: Shigenori Onuma, Noboru Taniguchi, Yasushi Kaneko, Toru Sukawa, Osamu Sakai, Yuichi Mikami, Hiroshi Shirahama, Toshiharu Otsuka
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Publication number: 20170250418Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell; a reformer to generate a hydrogen-containing gas; an electric power generation raw material supply unit; a reforming material supply unit configured to supply at least one of reforming water and reforming air, to the reformer; an oxidizing gas supply unit to supply an oxidizing gas to a cathode of the fuel cell; a combustor to ignite an exhaust gas discharged from the fuel cell; and a controller. In an operation stop process of the fuel cell system, the controller causes the oxidizing gas supply unit to supply the oxidizing gas, causes the electric power generation raw material supply unit and the reforming material supply unit to intermittently supply the electric power generation raw material and at least one of the water and the air to the reformer, and causes the ignitor to perform an ignition operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 25, 2015Publication date: August 31, 2017Inventors: Shigenori ONUMA, Kunihiro UKAI, Hiroshi SHIRAHAMA, Takeshi SAITO, Yosuke AKAGI, Taiichiro SAKAMOTO, Toshiharu OOE, Toshiharu OTSUKA
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Publication number: 20170092969Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell unit including a solid oxide fuel cell and a mixer, the solid oxide fuel cell including an anode gas passage and a cathode gas passage, the mixer mixing an anode off gas discharged from the anode gas passage and a cathode off gas discharged from the cathode gas passage; a power-generating raw material supply device operative to supply a power-generating raw material to the fuel cell unit; a combustible gas passage, which extends from the power-generating raw material supply device to a downstream end of the anode gas passage; an oxidizing gas supply device operative to supply an oxidizing gas to the cathode gas passage; and a controller operative to, after electric power generation by the fuel cell unit is stopped, control the power-generating raw material supply device to supply the power-generating raw material in a volume more than or equal to a volume of the combustible gas passage to the combustible gas passage, and concurrently control the oxidizing gType: ApplicationFiled: February 9, 2015Publication date: March 30, 2017Inventors: Yasushi KANEKO, Shigenori ONUMA, Kunihiro UKAI, Akinori YUKIMASA, Hiroshi SHIRAHAMA, Toshiharu OTSUKA, Hiromi KITA, Taiichiro SAKAMOTO, Toshiharu OOE
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Publication number: 20160329584Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a reformer generating a reformed gas using a raw material; a fuel cell generating electric power; a raw material supply passage; a hydro-desulfurizer operative to remove sulfur component in the raw material; a recycle passage through which the reformed gas is supplied to the raw material supply passage provided upstream of the hydro-desulfurizer; a temperature detector detecting a temperature of the hydro-desulfurizer; and a controller, wherein: when the temperature of the hydro-desulfurizer reaches a predetermined temperature, the controller increases a flow rate of the raw material from a predetermined flow rate by a flow rate corresponding to a flow rate of the recycled gas, and then, the controller starts supplying the recycled gas to the recycle passage; and after the recycled gas reaches an upstream end of the recycle passage, the controller returns the flow rate of the raw material to the predetermined flow rate.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 13, 2015Publication date: November 10, 2016Inventors: Shigenori ONUMA, Noboru TANIGUCHI, Yasushi KANEKO, Toru SUKAWA, Osamu SAKAI, Yuichi MIKAMI, Hiroshi SHIRAHAMA, Toshiharu OTSUKA
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Publication number: 20160254561Abstract: Provided is a method for producing a solid oxide fuel cell comprising the following: a fuel gas flow path, a fuel electrode layer provided around the fuel gas flow path and containing an iron group element and a ceramic, a solid electrolyte layer provided around the fuel electrode layer, and an air electrode layer provided around the solid electrolyte layer. In a high-temperature state where the temperature of the solid oxide fuel cell, in which a fuel gas is supplied from one side of the fuel gas flow path and exhausted through an opening provided on the other side of the fuel gas flow path, is close to a power generation temperature, the solid oxide fuel cell is subjected to a process for regulating oxidation expansion rate of the fuel electrode layer, the oxidation expansion occurring when an oxidant gas flows in through the opening.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 9, 2016Publication date: September 1, 2016Applicant: Toto Ltd.Inventors: Mitsunobu Shiono, Seiki Furuya, Minoru Takashio, Shigeru Ando, Hiroshi Shirahama, Megumi Shimazu, Akira Kawakami
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Publication number: 20140087282Abstract: Provided is a solid oxide fuel cell comprising the following: a fuel gas flow path, a fuel electrode layer provided around the fuel gas flow path and containing an iron group element and a ceramic, a solid electrolyte layer provided around the fuel electrode layer, and an air electrode layer provided around the solid electrolyte layer. In a high-temperature state where the temperature of the solid oxide fuel cell, in which a fuel gas is supplied from one side of the fuel gas flow path and exhausted through an opening provided on the other side of the fuel gas flow path, is close to a power generation temperature, the solid oxide fuel cell is subjected to a process for regulating oxidation expansion rate of the fuel electrode layer, the oxidation expansion occurring when an oxidant gas flows in through the opening.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 18, 2012Publication date: March 27, 2014Applicant: TOTO LTD.Inventors: Mitsunobu Shiono, Seiki Furuya, Minoru Takashio, Shigeru Ando, Hiroshi Shirahama, Megumi Shimazu, Akira Kawakami
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Patent number: 8063950Abstract: An imaging apparatus with an automatic adjustment function, such as a white balance adjustment function, enables a result of such adjustment to be checked easily using a vector display. A waveform generation unit 3 generates a vector signal from a video signal in response to an operation to push a switch unit 6 for automatic adjustment of white balance etc., and outputs the vector signal for a predetermined period. A synthesized signal generation unit 4 combines (superimposes) the video signal with (on) the vector signal and displays the synthesized signal on a display unit 5. A vector display superimposed on a video is performed on the display unit 5 for the predetermined period after the switch is pushed. This enables an adjustment result of white balance etc. to be checked easily without requiring other operations. The vector display is stopped automatically after the predetermined period, and thus does not disturb an imaging operation.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2009Date of Patent: November 22, 2011Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventor: Hiroshi Shirahama
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Publication number: 20090207273Abstract: An imaging apparatus with an automatic adjustment function, such as a white balance adjustment function, enables a result of such adjustment to be checked easily using a vector display. A waveform generation unit 3 generates a vector signal from a video signal in response to an operation to push a switch unit 6 for automatic adjustment of white balance etc., and outputs the vector signal for a predetermined period. A synthesized signal generation unit 4 combines (superimposes) the video signal with (on) the vector signal and displays the synthesized signal on a display unit 5. A vector display superimposed on a video is performed on the display unit 5 for the predetermined period after the switch is pushed. This enables an adjustment result of white balance etc. to be checked easily without requiring other operations. The vector display is stopped automatically after the predetermined period, and thus does not disturb an imaging operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 5, 2009Publication date: August 20, 2009Inventor: Hiroshi SHIRAHAMA