Patents by Inventor Tuomas Hakala

Tuomas Hakala 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).

  • Publication number: 20200119373
    Abstract: Recirculation arrangements and methods are disclosed for high temperature fuel cell systems or electrolysis cell systems. Exemplary embodiments recirculate gas exhausted from at least one of an anode side and a cathode side. A desired recirculated flow rate is provided by an ejector supplied with at least one primary feedstock fluid and a supplementary fluid to a nozzle with a convergent-divergent flow channel. A respective ratio of the primary and supplementary fluids of the ejector maintains a desired motive flow and pressure at the nozzle to accomplish desired recirculated flow rate. The supplementary fluid is cutoff when a level of system loading is such that the primary feedstock fluid alone maintains the desired motive flow and pressure at an ejector inlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Applicant: Convion Oy
    Inventor: Tuomas HAKALA
  • Patent number: 10511035
    Abstract: A method and system for high temperature fuel cell system or electrolysis cell are disclosed which include recirculating a fraction of gas exhausted from at least one of sides an anode side and a cathode side; accomplishing a desired flow rate of the recirculated flow by using an ejector via at least one primary feedstock fluid to a nozzle of the ejector, which nozzle has a convergent-divergent flow channel through which fluid is expanded from an initial higher pressure to lower pressure; providing supplementary fluid to the nozzle of the ejector; regulating respective ratio of the fluids of the ejector to maintain a desired motive flow and pressure at the nozzle of the ejector in order to accomplish desired recirculated flow rate; and cutting off the supplementary fluid when a level of system loading is the primary feedstock fluid alone maintains desired flow and pressure at ejector inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: CONVION OY
    Inventor: Tuomas Hakala
  • Patent number: 10079398
    Abstract: A start-up transition process is disclosed for a fuel cell system operation state, which includes utilization of predefined first and second temperature limits for the fuel cells, specifying a low temperature operating state of cells below the first limit, at which presence of carbonaceous species at the cells is precluded, a transition temperature range of cells above the first and below the second limit at which fuel flow supply is initiated to the fuel system in a mixture with air, combined with anode tail gas recirculated at a recirculation rate over 70, and an intermediate temperature operating state of the cells above the second temperature limit, at which free oxygen at the anodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: CONVION OY
    Inventors: Kim Åström, Tuomas Hakala, Matias Halinen
  • Publication number: 20170040628
    Abstract: A start-up transition process is disclosed for a fuel cell system operation state, which includes utilization of predefined first and second temperature limits for the fuel cells, specifying a low temperature operating state of cells below the first limit, at which presence of carbonaceous species at the cells is precluded, a transition temperature range of cells above the first and below the second limit at which fuel flow supply is initiated to the fuel system in a mixture with air, combined with anode tail gas recirculated at a recirculation rate over 70, and an intermediate temperature operating state of the cells above the second temperature limit, at which free oxygen at the anodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Applicant: CONVION OY
    Inventors: Kim ÅSTRÖM, Tuomas HAKALA, Matias HALINEN
  • Publication number: 20160204454
    Abstract: A method and system for high temperature fuel cell system or electrolysis cell are disclosed which include recirculating a fraction of gas exhausted from at least one of sides an anode side and a cathode side; accomplishing a desired flow rate of the recirculated flow by using an ejector via at least one primary feedstock fluid to a nozzle of the ejector, which nozzle has a convergent-divergent flow channel through which fluid is expanded from an initial higher pressure to lower pressure; providing supplementary fluid to the nozzle of the ejector; regulating respective ratio of the fluids of the ejector to maintain a desired motive flow and pressure at the nozzle of the ejector in order to accomplish desired recirculated flow rate; and cutting off the supplementary fluid when a level of system loading is the primary feedstock fluid alone maintains desired flow and pressure at ejector inlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Publication date: July 14, 2016
    Applicant: CONVION OY
    Inventor: Tuomas HAKALA
  • Publication number: 20140248547
    Abstract: An arrangement for high temperature fuel cell system for substantially reducing the amount of purge gas in an emergency shut-down situation. The arrangement includes a known volume for containing a pneumatic actuation pressure, the known volume including at least one discharge route for designed discharge rate, at least one pressure source providing pressure capable of performing the pneumatic actuation, at least one purge gas source having a gas overpressure capable of displacing residual reactants in the fuel cell system. Purge gas is discharged through the discharge route causing pressure decline in the known volume, accomplishing a designed time delay in state change of at least one pneumatically actuated valve, to reduce or close down completely emergency shutdown actuated flow of the purge gas into the fuel cell system piping after the designed time delay.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Applicant: Wartsila Finland Oy
    Inventors: Tero Hottinen, Kim Åström, Tuomas Hakala
  • Patent number: 8580443
    Abstract: A fuel cell system arrangement is disclosed for controlling an Oxygen-to-Carbon (O/C) relationship by providing water to an anode side fuel recirculation, pumping the provided water to facilitate a water flow, and evaporating water from the facilitated water flow for generating pressurized steam having at least the motive pressure for a steam jet-ejector. The at least one steam jet-ejector can inject at least part of the steam to the fuel cell system, and entrain part of an essentially low pressure anode exhaust gas stream in the anode side gas recirculation and compress the gas mixture to an intermediate pressure of the fuel feed-in stream for controlling the Oxygen-to-Carbon (O/C) relationship in the fuel side of the fuel cell system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Convion Oy
    Inventor: Tuomas Hakala
  • Publication number: 20120214076
    Abstract: A fuel cell system arrangement is disclosed for controlling an Oxygen-to-Carbon (O/C) relationship by providing water to an anode side fuel recirculation, pumping the provided water to facilitate a water flow, and evaporating water from the facilitated water flow for generating pressurized steam having at least the motive pressure for a steam jet-ejector. The at least one steam jet-ejector can inject at least part of the steam to the fuel cell system, and entrain part of an essentially low pressure anode exhaust gas stream in the anode side gas recirculation and compress the gas mixture to an intermediate pressure of the fuel feed-in stream for controlling the Oxygen-to-Carbon (O/C) relationship in the fuel side of the fuel cell system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: WARTSILA FINLAND OY
    Inventor: Tuomas HAKALA
  • Publication number: 20070256134
    Abstract: A method for confirming a licence for an application program downloadable into a terminal device, a software product implementing the method, and a terminal device. An application program without a confirmed licence is downloaded into a terminal device having a camera operationally connected thereto. In response to the activation of the application program, an application managing application program licences is also activated. On the terminal device display, at least one alternative for making a payment for the licence is presented to the user. When the user selects a payment card, an image file of the card is created. From the image file, payment card identifier data are determined and, in response to a successful determining of the identifier data, a licence is received from licence management functionality to confirm the right to use the application program in the terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2006
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Applicant: OPENBIT OY
    Inventors: Arto Lehtonen, Tuomas Hakala