Patents by Inventor Aki Laaninen

Aki Laaninen 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: 10746471
    Abstract: A method and an arrangement for controlling a burner of a suspension smelting furnace. The burner includes a reaction gas feeding device, and a fine solids feeding device. The fine solids feeding device being at an upstream end of the fine solids feeding device pivotably supported in the reaction gas feeding device. The burner including by at least one first mechanical actuator configured to center the fine solids feeding device in the annular reaction gas outlet opening. Said at least one first mechanical actuator being in response to receiving the control signal configured to perform a centering action to center the fine solids channel in the annular reaction gas outlet opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: OUTOTEC (FINLAND) OY
    Inventors: Aki Laaninen, Jaana Romppanen, Peter Björklund, Valtteri Sonninen, Jani Jansson
  • Patent number: 10710035
    Abstract: A feed mixture distribution device configured to even out a feed of feed mixture in an annular feed mixture feed channel of a burner. The feed mixture distribution device includes a cylindrical member having a cylindrical wall, a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal central axis X. The cylindrical member is at the first end provided with rectangular flat plate means, which extend radially from the cylindrical wall of the cylindrical member and which are arranged symmetrically about the longitudinal central axis X of the cylindrical member. The cylindrical wall of the cylindrical member is between the rectangular flat plate and the second end provided with helical plate means arranged symmetrically about the longitudinal central axis X of the cylindrical member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: OUTOTEC (FINLAND) OY
    Inventors: Peter Björklund, Kaj Eklund, Aki Laaninen, Jaana Romppanen
  • Publication number: 20200197885
    Abstract: A feed mixture distribution device configured to even out a feed of feed mixture in an annular feed mixture feed channel of a burner. The feed mixture distribution device includes a cylindrical member having a cylindrical wall, a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal central axis X. The cylindrical member is at the first end provided with rectangular flat plate means, which extend radially from the cylindrical wall of the cylindrical member and which are arranged symmetrically about the longitudinal central axis X of the cylindrical member. The cylindrical wall of the cylindrical member is between the rectangular flat plate and the second end provided with helical plate means arranged symmetrically about the longitudinal central axis X of the cylindrical member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2020
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Inventors: Peter BJORKLUND, Kaj EKLUND, Aki LAANINEN, Jaana ROMPPANEN
  • Patent number: 10655842
    Abstract: Provided are a burner such as a concentrate burner, a calcine burner, or a matte burner, or a burner using a mixture of these for feeding reaction gas and fine solids into a reaction shaft of a suspension smelting furnace, and a fine solids feeding apparatus for a burner such as a concentrate burner, a calcine burner, or a matte burner, or a burner using a mixture of these. The fine solids feeding apparatus comprises gas outlets in a fine solids discharge channel upstream of a downstream outlet end of the fine solids discharge channel. The gas outlets comprise spiral path guiding members configured to facilitate gas to flow from the gas outlets in a spiral flow path around a center axis A of the fine solids discharge channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: OUTOTEC (FINLAND) OY
    Inventors: Peter Björklund, Elli Miettinen, Aki Laaninen, Sarianna Suominen, Kaj Eklund
  • Patent number: 10605531
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to an arrangement for feeding feed material from a bin (10) for feed material into a furnace space of a smelting furnace. The method comprises a first providing step for providing a feed material feeding arrangement (9) for feeding feed material from the bin (10) for feed material into the furnace space of the smelting furnace (1), and a feeding step for feeding feed material from the bin (10) for feed material into the furnace space of the smelting furnace. The method comprises additionally a second providing step for providing at least one sensor (11) for measuring flow of feed material at a position between the bin (10) for feed material and the furnace space of the smelting furnace (1), and a measuring step for measuring flow of feed material by means of said at least one sensor (11) at said position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Outotec (Finland) Oy
    Inventors: Aki Laaninen, Elli Miettinen, Peter Björklund
  • Publication number: 20200080784
    Abstract: A method and an arrangement for controlling a burner of a suspension smelting furnace. The burner includes a reaction gas feeding device, and a fine solids feeding device. The fine solids feeding device being at an upstream end of the fine solids feeding device pivotably supported in the reaction gas feeding device. The burner including by at least one first mechanical actuator configured to center the fine solids feeding device in the annular reaction gas outlet opening. Said at least one first mechanical actuator being in response to receiving the control signal configured to perform a centering action to center the fine solids channel in the annular reaction gas outlet opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Inventors: Aki LAANINEN, Jaana ROMPPANEN, Peter BJÖRKLUND, Valtteri SONNINEN, Jani JANSSON
  • Patent number: 10209007
    Abstract: Provided are a method and an arrangement for monitoring performance of a burner of a suspension smelting furnace. The burner is arranged at the top structure of a reaction shaft of the suspension smelting furnace. The burner has a solids feeding channel that has a solids outlet opening up into the reaction shaft, and a reaction gas channel comprising a reaction gas channel a that has a reaction gas outlet opening up into the reaction shaft. The arrangement comprises at least one imaging means for producing images representing the cross-section of the reaction gas channel, and a processing means for receiving images of the cross-section of the reaction gas channel from the imaging means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: OUTOTEC (FINLAND) OY
    Inventors: Aki Laaninen, Elli Miettinen, Peter Björklund, Lauri P. Pesonen
  • Publication number: 20180224119
    Abstract: Provided are a burner such as a concentrate burner, a calcine burner, or a matte burner, or a burner using a mixture of these for feeding reaction gas and fine solids into a reaction shaft of a suspension smelting furnace, and a fine solids feeding apparatus for a burner such as a concentrate burner, a calcine burner, or a matte burner, or a burner using a mixture of these. The fine solids feeding apparatus comprises gas outlets in a fine solids discharge channel upstream of a downstream outlet end of the fine solids discharge channel. The gas outlets comprise spiral path guiding members configured to facilitate gas to flow from the gas outlets in a spiral flow path around a center axis A of the fine solids discharge channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Publication date: August 9, 2018
    Applicant: OUTOTEC (FINLAND) OY
    Inventors: Peter BJÖRKLUND, Elli MIETTiNEN, Aki LAANINEN, Sarianna SUOMINEN, Kaj EKLUND
  • Publication number: 20180156541
    Abstract: Provided is a burner such as a concentrate burner or a matte burner for feeding reaction gas and fine solids into a reaction shaft of a suspension smelting furnace. The burner comprises an annular fine solids discharge channel that is radially limited at the outside by a first annular wall and that is radially limited at the inside by a second annular wall. The annular fine solids discharge channel is configured to receive fine solids from a fine solids feeding arrangement and to create an annular flow of fine solids in the annular fine solids discharge channel. The annular fine solids discharge channel being provided with spreading means configured to be hit by the annular flow of fine solids and configured to even out particle distribution in the annular flow of fine solids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2016
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Applicant: OUTOTEC (FINLAND) OY
    Inventors: Elli MIETTINEN, Sarianna SUOMINEN, Lauri P. PESONEN, Aki LAANINEN, Tapio AHOKAINEN, Kaj EKLUND, Markku LAHTINEN, Peter BJÖRKLUND
  • Patent number: 9845993
    Abstract: The invention relates to method and to an arrangement for removing outgrowth in a suspension smelting furnace. The suspension smelting furnace comprising a reaction shaft having a reaction shaft structure. The reaction shaft comprises at least one opening for an outgrowth removal means. The movable piston is arranged such that the movable piston can move in the opening in the reaction shaft and into the reaction shaft to push possible outgrowth in the reaction shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Outotec (Finland) Oy
    Inventors: Peter Björklund, Aki Laaninen, Kaarle Peltoniemi, Lauri Pesonen
  • Publication number: 20170191760
    Abstract: Provided are a method and an arrangement for monitoring performance of a burner of a suspension smelting furnace. The burner is arranged at the top structure of a reaction shaft of the suspension smelting furnace. The burner has a solids feeding channel that has a solids outlet opening up into the reaction shaft, and a reaction gas channel comprising a reaction gas channel a that has a reaction gas outlet opening up into the reaction shaft. The arrangement comprises at least one imaging means for producing images representing the cross-section of the reaction gas channel, and a processing means for receiving images of the cross-section of the reaction gas channel from the imaging means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Publication date: July 6, 2017
    Applicant: OUTOTEC (FINLAND) OY
    Inventors: Aki LAANINEN, Elli MIETTINEN, Peter BJÖRKLUND, Lauri P. PESONEN
  • Publication number: 20160040935
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to an arrangement for feeding feed material from a bin (10) for feed material into a furnace space of a smelting furnace. The method comprises a first providing step for providing a feed material feeding arrangement (9) for feeding feed material from the bin (10) for feed material into the furnace space of the smelting furnace (1), and a feeding step for feeding feed material from the bin (10) for feed material into the furnace space of the smelting furnace. The method comprises additionally a second providing step for providing at least one sensor (11) for measuring flow of feed material at a position between the bin (10) for feed material and the furnace space of the smelting furnace (1), and a measuring step for measuring flow of feed material by means of said at least one sensor (11) at said position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2014
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Applicant: OUTOTEC (FINLAND) OY
    Inventors: AKI LAANINEN, Elli MIETTINEN, Peter BJÖRKLUND
  • Publication number: 20150102537
    Abstract: The invention relates to method and to an arrangement for removing outgrowth in a suspension smelting furnace. The suspension smelting furnace comprising a reaction shaft having a reaction shaft structure. The reaction shaft comprises at least one opening for an outgrowth removal means. The movable piston is arranged such that the movable piston can move in the opening in the reaction shaft and into the reaction shaft to push possible outgrowth in the reaction shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2013
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Applicant: OUTOTEC (FINLAND) OY
    Inventors: Peter Björklund, Aki Laaninen, Kaarle Peltoniemi, Lauri Pesonen