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).
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Patent number: 10746471Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 6, 2019Date of Patent: August 18, 2020Assignee: OUTOTEC (FINLAND) OYInventors: Aki Laaninen, Jaana Romppanen, Peter Björklund, Valtteri Sonninen, Jani Jansson
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Patent number: 10710035Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 24, 2020Date of Patent: July 14, 2020Assignee: OUTOTEC (FINLAND) OYInventors: Peter Björklund, Kaj Eklund, Aki Laaninen, Jaana Romppanen
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Publication number: 20200197885Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2020Publication date: June 25, 2020Inventors: Peter BJORKLUND, Kaj EKLUND, Aki LAANINEN, Jaana ROMPPANEN
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Patent number: 10655842Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 28, 2016Date of Patent: May 19, 2020Assignee: OUTOTEC (FINLAND) OYInventors: Peter Björklund, Elli Miettinen, Aki Laaninen, Sarianna Suominen, Kaj Eklund
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Patent number: 10605531Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 7, 2014Date of Patent: March 31, 2020Assignee: Outotec (Finland) OyInventors: Aki Laaninen, Elli Miettinen, Peter Björklund
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Publication number: 20200080784Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: November 6, 2019Publication date: March 12, 2020Inventors: Aki LAANINEN, Jaana ROMPPANEN, Peter BJÖRKLUND, Valtteri SONNINEN, Jani JANSSON
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Patent number: 10209007Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 10, 2015Date of Patent: February 19, 2019Assignee: OUTOTEC (FINLAND) OYInventors: Aki Laaninen, Elli Miettinen, Peter Björklund, Lauri P. Pesonen
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Publication number: 20180224119Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: October 28, 2016Publication date: August 9, 2018Applicant: OUTOTEC (FINLAND) OYInventors: Peter BJÖRKLUND, Elli MIETTiNEN, Aki LAANINEN, Sarianna SUOMINEN, Kaj EKLUND
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Publication number: 20180156541Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: April 7, 2016Publication date: June 7, 2018Applicant: OUTOTEC (FINLAND) OYInventors: Elli MIETTINEN, Sarianna SUOMINEN, Lauri P. PESONEN, Aki LAANINEN, Tapio AHOKAINEN, Kaj EKLUND, Markku LAHTINEN, Peter BJÖRKLUND
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Patent number: 9845993Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 8, 2013Date of Patent: December 19, 2017Assignee: Outotec (Finland) OyInventors: Peter Björklund, Aki Laaninen, Kaarle Peltoniemi, Lauri Pesonen
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Publication number: 20170191760Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: April 10, 2015Publication date: July 6, 2017Applicant: OUTOTEC (FINLAND) OYInventors: Aki LAANINEN, Elli MIETTINEN, Peter BJÖRKLUND, Lauri P. PESONEN
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Publication number: 20160040935Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: April 7, 2014Publication date: February 11, 2016Applicant: OUTOTEC (FINLAND) OYInventors: AKI LAANINEN, Elli MIETTINEN, Peter BJÖRKLUND
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Publication number: 20150102537Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: May 8, 2013Publication date: April 16, 2015Applicant: OUTOTEC (FINLAND) OYInventors: Peter Björklund, Aki Laaninen, Kaarle Peltoniemi, Lauri Pesonen