Patents by Inventor Akira Maenishi

Akira Maenishi 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: 20100203406
    Abstract: A fuel cell power generation system 100 includes a mechanism for detachably holding an adsorptive desulfurization section 5 for adsorbing a sulfur component in a hydrocarbon-based raw material; a reformer for generating hydrogen-containing gas from the raw material which has passed the adsorptive desulfurization section 5; a fuel cell 8 for generating power using the hydrogen-containing gas as a fuel; a raw material supply section 4 for controlling a flow rate of the raw material to be supplied to the adsorptive desulfurization section 5; and an operating control section for controlling a behavior of the raw material supply section 4 and a behavior of the fuel cell 8.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2008
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Inventors: Yukimune Kani, Kunihiro Ukai, Akira Maenishi
  • Publication number: 20100068106
    Abstract: A hydrogen generating device including a temperature adjustment section 8 for controlling a temperature of a hydrogen-containing gas to be introduced from a reforming section 1 into carbon monoxide reducing sections 2 and 3, the temperature adjustment section 8 including: a heat exchange section 26 having an air path 11 for allowing a cooling air to pass therethrough; an air intake portion 10 having an opening for taking the cooling air into the air path 11; and an air discharging portion 12 having an opening for discharging the cooling air out of the air path 11, wherein the opening of the air intake portion 10 and that of the air discharging portion 12 are facing in a same direction, and the same direction is a vertically upward direction or a vertically downward direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Inventors: Yutaka Yoshida, Kunihiro Ukai, Tomonori Aso, Akira Maenishi, Yoichi Kimura
  • Patent number: 7666236
    Abstract: A hydrogen generator of the invention includes: a reformer for generating a hydrogen-rich gas from a feed gas and water by a reaction using a reforming catalyst body and sending it out from an outlet port; a material feed system for feeding the feed gas to the reformer; a burner for supplying, to the reforming catalyst body, heat generated by mixing a fuel gas with air and burning it; and an air supply system for supplying air to the burner; wherein, when purging an interior of the reformer using the feed gas in shutting down the hydrogen generator, an amount of the air supplied is increased to put out a flame of the burner, and a purge gas sent out from the outlet port by the purging is mixed and diluted with the air in the burner and is discharged outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshio Tamura, Akira Maenishi, Yuji Mukai, Tomonori Asou, Kunihiro Ukai
  • Publication number: 20100040915
    Abstract: A hydrogen generator (4) includes: a reformer (5) which is supplied with a raw material to generate a hydrogen-containing gas through a reforming reaction; a first gas supplying unit (1) which supplies a gas containing a nitrogen-containing compound to the reformer; a CO remover (7) which has an oxidation catalyst containing a metal to be poisoned by ammonia and uses the oxidation catalyst and an oxidation gas to remove carbon monoxide in the hydrogen-containing gas through an oxidation; a second gas supplying unit (3) which supplies the oxidation gas to the CO remover; and a control unit (10), wherein the gas containing the nitrogen-containing compound is supplied from the first gas supplying unit to the reformer during the reforming reaction, a fuel cell system (100) includes the hydrogen generator (4), and the control unit is configured to control to carry out a regeneration operation of the oxidation catalyst if a parameter regarding a cumulative amount of ammonia supplied to the CO remover has reached a
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2007
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Inventors: Hidenobu Wakita, Yukimune Kani, Seiji Fujihara, Kunihiro Ukai, Akira Maenishi
  • Publication number: 20100015480
    Abstract: A hydrogen generator according to the invention comprises: a combustion gas passage (5) configured to flow combustion gas coming from a combustor; a preheat-evaporator (6) which is supplied with a material gas and water and configured to evaporate the water and heat the material gas by heat transmitted from the combustion gas passage and a carbon monoxide reducer (10) through partition a wall; a reformer (7) configured to generate reformed gas from the material gas and steam fed from the preheat-evaporator by using a reforming catalyst (8) and heat transmitted from the combustion gas passage through the partition wall; the carbon monoxide reducer (10) configured to remove carbon monoxide from the reformed gas fed from the reformer by a carbon monoxide removing catalyst (9); a cylindrical body (3) closed at both ends thereof having an internal space is divided by the partition walls (1), (2), (30), (47) to form the combustion gas passage, preheat-evaporator, reformer and carbon monoxide reducer within the cyli
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2007
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Inventors: Yuji Mukai, Akira Maenishi, Kunihiro Ukai, Toru Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20090317671
    Abstract: A hydrogen generator (100a) includes: a heater (1) which combusts a mixture gas of combustion fuel and combustion air to generate a combustion gas; a preheat evaporator (6) which heats a raw material and water by the combustion gas generated by the heater to generate a mixture gas of the raw material and the water; a reformer (2) which generates a hydrogen-containing gas by causing the mixture gas generated by the preheat evaporator to pass through a reforming catalyst (2a) heated by the combustion gas; and a shift converter (3) which incorporates a shift catalyst (3a) which reduces, by a shift reaction, carbon monoxide contained in the hydrogen-containing gas generated by the reformer, and further includes a water trapping portion (7) which traps liquid water discharged from the preheat evaporator, and the hydrogen generator (100a) is configured to carry out heat exchange between the hydrogen-containing gas supplied from the reformer to the shift converter and the water in the water trapping portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2007
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Inventors: Kunihiro Ukai, Akira Maenishi, Yuji Mukai, Toru Nakamura, Masaya Tsujimoto, Shingo Nagatomo
  • Publication number: 20090258263
    Abstract: Provided is a hydrogen generator capable of suppressing degradation in capability of a hydrogen generator which is caused by crush of particulate reforming catalyst and of suppressing decrease in reforming efficiency due to decrease in heat transfer efficiency of a catalyzing portion which is caused by the crush of the particulate reforming catalyst. A hydrogen generator comprises a catalyzing portion 50 having particulate reforming catalyst P, and a combusting portion 5 for heating the catalyzing portion 50, the hydrogen generator being configured to generate a reformed gas containing hydrogen while flowing a material gas containing steam in a direction in which the catalyzing portion 50 extends. The catalyzing portion 50 includes a separating member 40. The separating member 40 is disposed on a separating cross-section which is a cross-section of the catalyzing portion 50 in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the catalyzing portion 50 extends.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Publication date: October 15, 2009
    Inventors: Hiroki Fujioka, Akira Maenishi, Yoshio Tamura, Yuji Mukai, Kiyoshi Taguchi
  • Patent number: 7556875
    Abstract: A fuel cell power generation system includes a reforming catalyst body configured to generate a reformed gas containing hydrogen from a feed gas and water, a fuel cell configured to generate electric power by consuming the reformed gas, and a burner configured to combust an off gas containing hydrogen from the fuel cell as a fuel gas to generate the combustion gas used for heating the reforming catalyst body. The off gas from which steam has been separated is heated, and the heated off gas is fed to the burner as the fuel gas, the separated steam being condensed into water which is discharged outside the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Mukai, Kunihiro Ukai, Akira Maenishi, Tomonori Asou, Yutaka Yoshida
  • Patent number: 7465326
    Abstract: [OBJECT] A hydrogen generator is provided which includes a lightweight, small-heat-capacity, high-performance gas mixer and is good in hydrogen generating efficiency and response. [MEANS OF SOLVING] A hydrogen generator comprising: a mixed gas passage (9) configured to flow a mixed gas containing two or more components; first and second passages configured to branch off, at their leading ends, from the mixed gas passage and join to each other at their trailing ends; first turning means (45a) to (45d) formed in the first passage to turn the mixed gas flowing in the first passage in a first direction; second turning means (46a) to (46d) formed in the second passage to turn the mixed gas flowing in the second passage in a second direction opposite to the first direction; and a hydrogen generating section configured to generate hydrogen by causing a chemical reaction of the mixed gas which flows out from the joined trailing ends of the first and second passages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Mukai, Akira Maenishi, Yoshio Tamura, Yutaka Yoshida, Tomonori Asou
  • Publication number: 20080280171
    Abstract: A hydrogen generation device of the present includes: a reforming unit for steam-reforming raw material containing at least carbon atoms and hydrogen atoms to generate a hydrogen-containing gas; a raw material supply unit for supplying a raw material to the reforming unit; a steam generation unit for supplying steam to the reforming unit, a steam generation unit temperature detection unit for detecting the temperature of the steam generation unit; a heating unit for supplying a combustion gas for successively heating the reforming unit and the steam generation unit by heat transfer, and a control unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2006
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Inventors: Akira Maenishi, Tomonori Asou, Yuji Mukai
  • Patent number: 7416570
    Abstract: A body of a hydrogen generator includes a reformer configured to generate a reformed gas mainly containing hydrogen, a material passage configured to supply a reforming material, which is a material for a reforming reaction, to the reformer, a shifter configured to convert CO contained in a reformed gas obtained from the reformer into CO2, a reformed gas passage configured to supply the reformed gas obtained from the reformer to the shifter, and a passage for the shifted gas obtained from the shifter. The shifted gas passage and the material passage are adjacent to each other with a shared horizontal wall interposed therebetween, and thereby, heat from the shifted gas and radiant heat from the downstream end face of the shifter are transferred to the reforming material that travels in the material passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Motohiro Suzuki, Tomonori Asou, Yuji Mukai, Kunihiro Ukai, Akira Maenishi
  • Patent number: 7273505
    Abstract: A hydrogen generator comprises therein a reformer, a Shifter, a material flow passage with first evaporator through which a material is supplied to the reformer, a reformed gas flow passage for leading the reformed gas derived from the reformer to the Shifter, a shifted gas flow passage through which a shifted gas derived from the Shifter is taken out, and second steam flow passage formed adjacent to the reformed gas flow passage to be located at upstream side of the Shifter. The second evaporator is provided within the second steam flow passage. A part of heat of the reformed gas is recovered as latent heat by the second evaporator. Thereby, temperature of the Shifter is controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Motohiro Suzuki, Tomonori Asou, Yuji Mukai, Kunihiro Ukai, Akira Maenishi, Yoshio Tamura
  • Publication number: 20070151152
    Abstract: [OBJECT] A hydrogen generator is provided which includes a lightweight, small-heat-capacity, high-performance gas mixer and is good in hydrogen generating efficiency and response. [MEANS OF SOLVING] A hydrogen generator comprising: a mixed gas passage (9) configured to flow a mixed gas containing two or more components; first and second passages configured to branch off, at their leading ends, from the mixed gas passage and join to each other at their trailing ends; first turning means (45a) to (45d) formed in the first passage to turn the mixed gas flowing in the first passage in a first direction; second turning means (46a) to (46d) formed in the second passage to turn the mixed gas flowing in the second passage in a second direction opposite to the first direction; and a hydrogen generating section configured to generate hydrogen by causing a chemical reaction of the mixed gas which flows out from the joined trailing ends of the first and second passages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2004
    Publication date: July 5, 2007
    Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Mukai, Akira Maenishi, Yoshio Tamura, Yutaka Yoshida, Tomonori Asou
  • Patent number: 7232471
    Abstract: A hydrogen generator comprises a burner for generating a combustion gas, a reformer provided around the burner to generate a reformed gas containing hydrogen by a steam reforming reaction based on a feed material comprising a compound containing at least carbon and hydrogen and a steam, using heat transmission from a combustion gas generated by the burner, and an evaporator having an inner tube provided around the burner, an outer tube provided around the inner tube, and a bottom plate that closes a lower portion of a tubular space formed between the inner tube and the outer tube, the evaporator being configured to evaporate water supplied to the tubular space to generate a steam to be supplied to the reformer, wherein a water absorbing member having a water absorbing capability is provided in the tubular space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshio Tamura, Yuji Mukai, Akira Maenishi, Tomonori Asou
  • Patent number: 7223296
    Abstract: A hydrogen generation system may include a burner unit that generates combustion gas and a combustion gas passage through which the combustion gas generated by the burner unit flows. A reformer, having a reforming catalyst, generates a reformed gas containing hydrogen by steam reforming a feed material and steam using the heat from the combustion gas. An evaporator evaporates water into steam using the heat from the combustion gas, flowing through the combustion gas passage, and supplies the steam to the reformer. The combustion gas passage is arranged to cover at least a portion of an outer surface of the reformer, and the evaporator is arranged to cover at least a portion of an outer surface of the combustion gas passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomonori Asou, Akira Maenishi, Yutaka Yoshida, Kunihiro Ukai, Yuji Mukai
  • Patent number: 7195657
    Abstract: A hydrogen generation system comprises a reformer 1 that contains a reforming catalyst, an evaporator 4 that supplies steam to the reformer 1, a heater 3 that heats the reformer 1 and the evaporator 4, a material feed portion 5 that feeds a feed material containing hydrocarbon compound to the reformer 1 through the evaporator 4, and a water supply portion 6 that has a flow rate switch 6a and supplies water to the reformer 1 and the evaporator 4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kunihiro Ukai, Kiyoshi Taguchi, Hidenobu Wakita, Seiji Fujihara, Akira Maenishi
  • Publication number: 20070006530
    Abstract: A hydrogen generating part is provided for reacting water and a raw material composed of carbon and hydrogen atoms to generate hydrogen gas, a raw material supply part is provided for supplying a raw material to the hydrogen generating part, a water supply part is provided for supplying water to the hydrogen generating part, a catalyst combustion part is provided, an air supply part is provided for supplying air to the catalyst combustion part, a path switching part is provided for switching raw material supply paths between the raw material supply part and the hydrogen generating part, a bypass path is provided for supplying a raw material to the catalyst combustion part from the path switching part, and a combustion gas path is provided for supplying combustion gas after the catalyst combustion part to the hydrogen generating part. The control part switches the path switching part, and the inside of the hydrogen generating part is replaced with combustion gas after the catalyst combustion part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2006
    Publication date: January 11, 2007
    Inventors: Akira Maenishi, Tomonori Asou, Yuji Mukai, Masataka Ozeki, Akinari Nakamura, Kunihiro Ukai, Kiyoshi Taguchi, Takeshi Tomizawa, Seiji Fujihara
  • Patent number: 7135050
    Abstract: In a hydrogen generator comprising a reforming unit having a material supply unit and a water supply unit, and a burner for heating the reforming unit, having a fuel supply unit and an air supply unit, a control unit is arranged for controlling the amount of air to be supplied from the air supply unit to the burner, based on the temperature of the reforming unit and the amount of a raw material supplied to the reforming unit, in order to make the combustion state of the burner stable so as to improves the operation and convenience thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomonori Asou, Akira Maenishi, Takeshi Tomizawa
  • Patent number: 7128991
    Abstract: To provide a fuel cell power generator capable of reliably recognizing ignition and misfire of a burner for heating a fuel gas generator and operating safely, a fuel cell power generator comprising, a fuel gas generator for generating a fuel gas composed mainly of hydrogen from a raw material for power generation and water, a water feeder for feeding water to the fuel gas generator, and a fuel cell for performing power generation using the fuel gas and oxidant gas is provided with: a burner for heating the fuel gas generator by combusting at least one combustion fuel selected from the group consisting of the raw material for power generation, the fuel gas, and an off-gas discharged from a fuel cell; and a flame detector for detecting the state of a flame formed in the burner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masataka Ozeki, Tomonori Asou, Akira Maenishi, Shinji Miyauchi, Akinari Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20060191200
    Abstract: Disclosed is a hydrogen generator that simplifies a gas passage, improves durability, and makes evaporation state of steam uniform, and a fuel cell system comprising the hydrogen generator. A hydrogen generator (10) comprises a first tubular wall element (11), a second tubular wall element (12) disposed outside the first tubular wall element (11) and coaxially with the first tubular wall element (11), and a water evaporator (13) and a reforming catalyst body (14) which are arranged in an axial direction of the first and second tubular wall elements (11, 12) in a tubular space formed between the first and second tubular space (11, 12), a water inlet (41i) from which water is supplied to the water evaporator (13), and a feed gas inlet (40i) from which a feed gas is fed to the water evaporator (13).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2005
    Publication date: August 31, 2006
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akira Maenishi, Yuji Mukai, Kunihiro Ukai, Tomonori Asou