Patents by Inventor Atsutaka Inoue

Atsutaka Inoue 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: 10026974
    Abstract: A power generation system according to the present invention includes: a fuel cell unit including a fuel cell, a hydrogen generator having a first combustor, and a case; a controller; a combustion unit including a second combustor; and a discharge passage formed to cause the case and the combustion unit to communicate with each other. In a case where the controller causes one of the first combustor and the second combustor to perform the ignition operation, the controller maintains an operating state of the other combustor during the period of the ignition operation of the one combustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Tatsui, Junji Morita, Shigeki Yasuda, Akinori Yukimasa, Atsutaka Inoue
  • Patent number: 9640820
    Abstract: A power generation system of the present invention includes: a fuel cell unit (101) including a fuel cell (11) and a case (12); a controller (102); a combustion unit (103) provided outside the case (12) and configured to combust a combustible gas to supply heat; and a discharge passage (70) configured to cause the fuel cell unit (101) and the combustion unit (103) to communicate with each other, wherein in a case where an exhaust gas is being discharged to the discharge passage (70) from one of the fuel cell unit (101) and the combustion unit (103) and the controller (102) changes the flow rate of the exhaust gas discharged from the other unit, the controller (102) controls at least the flow rate of the exhaust gas discharged from the other unit such that the flow rate of the exhaust gas discharged from the one unit becomes constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Tatsui, Junji Morita, Shigeki Yasuda, Akinori Yukimasa, Atsutaka Inoue
  • Patent number: 9620794
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell to generate electric power; a casing accommodating at least the fuel cell, the casing including an air inlet and an exhaust outlet; a supply passage connected to the air inlet, to introduce external air into the casing; an exhaust passage connected to the exhaust outlet, to exchange heat with the supply passage and discharge at least air inside the casing; an air supply device to introduce the external air into the casing; a temperature detector to detect a temperature; and a controller configured to control at least the air supply device. If the temperature detected by the temperature detector after the controller has caused the air supply device to operate is lower than or equal to a first predetermined temperature, the controller reduces an amount of air supplied by the air supply device and causes the air supply device to continue operating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junji Morita, Hiroshi Tatsui, Akinori Yukimasa, Hidetoshi Wakamatsu, Atsutaka Inoue
  • Patent number: 9478813
    Abstract: A power generation system has a power generation unit (1), a casing (2) accommodating the power generation unit (1), a ventilator (3) configured to ventilate the interior of the casing (2), and a first exhaust gas passage (4) configured to pass therethrough an exhaust gas from the ventilator (3) which is discharged out of the casing (2). The first exhaust gas passage (4) merges with a second exhaust gas passage (6) connected to a duct (11) open to outside air before the second exhaust gas passage (6) is connected to the duct (11), the second exhaust gas passage (6) being configured to pass a combustion exhaust gas from a combustion device (5) configured to generate heat to be supplied to a heat load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akinori Yukimasa, Junji Morita, Shigeki Yasuda, Atsutaka Inoue, Hiroshi Tatsui
  • Patent number: 9470428
    Abstract: A power generation system of the present invention comprises: a power generation unit (1); a casing (2) that accommodates the power generation unit (1); a ventilator (3) that ventilates the interior of the casing (2); a first gas flow passage (5), arranged inside the casing (2), for a flow therethrough of gas which flows as the ventilator (3) operates; and a second gas flow passage (6), arranged inside the casing (2), for a flow therethrough of combustion exhaust gas from the power generation unit (1), wherein within the casing (2), the second gas flow passage (6) merges into the first gas flow passage (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akinori Yukimasa, Shigeki Yasuda, Junji Morita, Atsutaka Inoue, Hiroshi Tatsui
  • Patent number: 9431668
    Abstract: A power generation system of the present invention comprises a fuel cell system (101), a gas supply device, a controller (102), a combustion device (103), an exhaust passage (70), a gas passage used to supply a gas supplied from the gas supply device to the exhaust passage (70), and a back-flow preventing device (20) placed in the gas passage or the exhaust passage (70), and the controller (102) executes an operation for relieving a state in which a valve element remains incapable of moving away from a valve seat in the back-flow preventing device (20) in such a manner that the gas supply device is operated so that a differential pressure between an upstream side and a downstream side of the back-flow preventing device (20) becomes a value equal to or greater than the predetermined time which can relieve the state in which valve element remains incapable of moving away from the valve seat, during a shut-down state or at start-up of the fuel cell system (101).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Keisuke Shiosaki, Hiroshi Tatsui, Junji Morita, Akinori Yukimasa, Hidetoshi Wakamatsu, Atsutaka Inoue
  • Patent number: 9385384
    Abstract: A power generation system includes: an air intake passage; a fuel cell system that includes a fuel cell; a case configured to house the fuel cell, a ventilator (air supply unit), and an air intake temperature detector configured to detect a temperature of the intake air supplied to the case; a combustion device that includes a combustor; an exhaust gas passage configured to discharge a flue gas generated in the combustion device to the outside; and a controller. The air intake passage and the exhaust gas passage are configured to allow heat exchange to occur between media flowing through the passages. The controller causes the combustion device to operate when the fuel cell system is activated and the temperature detected by the air intake temperature detector is equal to or lower than a first predetermined temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Tatsui, Junji Morita, Akinori Yukimasa, Hidetoshi Wakamatsu, Atsutaka Inoue
  • Publication number: 20150147672
    Abstract: A power generation system includes a fuel cell unit, a combustion apparatus, and a controller. The fuel cell unit includes a fuel cell, a casing, a ventilation fan (an air supply device), and a temperature detector configured to detect the temperature of outside air supplied to the casing. An air supply passage through which the outside air is supplied to the casing, and a discharge passage through which a flue gas from the combustion apparatus is discharged, are configured in such a manner as to allow a medium flowing through the air supply passage and a medium flowing through the discharge passage to exchange heat with each other. When the fuel cell unit is to be started up, if the temperature detected by the temperature detector is lower than or equal to a predetermined first temperature and the combustion apparatus is not in operation, the controller refrains from causing the fuel cell unit to operate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventors: Hiroshi Tatsui, Junji Morita, Akinori Yukimasa, Hidetoshi Wakamatsu, Atsutaka Inoue
  • Publication number: 20150044585
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell to generate electric power; a casing accommodating at least the fuel cell, the casing including an air inlet and an exhaust outlet; a supply passage connected to the air inlet, to introduce external air into the casing; an exhaust passage connected to the exhaust outlet, to exchange heat with the supply passage and discharge at least air inside the casing; an air supply device to introduce the external air into the casing; a temperature detector to detect a temperature; and a controller configured to control at least the air supply device. If the temperature detected by the temperature detector after the controller has caused the air supply device to operate is lower than or equal to a first predetermined temperature, the controller reduces an amount of air supplied by the air supply device and causes the air supply device to continue operating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2013
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventors: Junji Morita, Hiroshi Tatsui, Akinori Yukimasa, Hidetoshi Wakamatsu, Atsutaka Inoue
  • Publication number: 20130344408
    Abstract: A power generation system according to the present invention includes: a fuel cell unit including a fuel cell, a hydrogen generator having a first combustor, and a case; a controller; a combustion unit including a second combustor; and a discharge passage formed to cause the case and the combustion unit to communicate with each other. In a case where the controller causes one of the first combustor and the second combustor to perform the ignition operation, the controller maintains an operating state of the other combustor during the period of the ignition operation of the one combustor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Tatsui, Junji Morita, Shigeki Yasuda, Akinori Yukimasa, Atsutaka Inoue
  • Publication number: 20130337354
    Abstract: A power generation system includes: an air intake passage; a fuel cell system that includes a fuel cell; a case configured to house the fuel cell, a ventilator (air supply unit), and an air intake temperature detector configured to detect a temperature of the intake air supplied to the case; a combustion device that includes a combustor; an exhaust gas passage configured to discharge a flue gas generated in the combustion device to the outside; and a controller. The air intake passage and the exhaust gas passage are configured to allow heat exchange to occur between media flowing through the passages. The controller causes the combustion device to operate when the fuel cell system is activated and the temperature detected by the air intake temperature detector is equal to or lower than a first predetermined temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Tatsui, Junji Morita, Akinori Yukimasa, Hidetoshi Wakamatsu, Atsutaka Inoue
  • Publication number: 20130266881
    Abstract: A power generation system has a power generation unit (1), a casing (2) accommodating the power generation unit (1), a ventilator (3) configured to ventilate the interior of the casing (2), and a first exhaust gas passage (4) configured to pass therethrough an exhaust gas from the ventilator (3) which is discharged out of the casing (2). The first exhaust gas passage (4) merges with a second exhaust gas passage (6) connected to a duct (11) open to outside air before the second exhaust gas passage (6) is connected to the duct (11), the second exhaust gas passage (6) being configured to pass a combustion exhaust gas from a combustion device (5) configured to generate heat to be supplied to a heat load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akinori Yukimasa, Junji Morita, Shigeki Yasuda, Atsutaka Inoue, Hiroshi Tatsui
  • Publication number: 20130252125
    Abstract: A power generation system of the present invention comprises a fuel cell system (101), a gas supply device, a controller (102), a combustion device (103), an exhaust passage (70), a gas passage used to supply a gas supplied from the gas supply device to the exhaust passage (70), and a back-flow preventing device (20) placed in the gas passage or the exhaust passage (70), and the controller (102) executes an operation for relieving a state in which a valve element remains incapable of moving away from a valve seat in the back-flow preventing device (20) in such a manner that the gas supply device is operated so that a differential pressure between an upstream side and a downstream side of the back-flow preventing device (20) becomes a value equal to or greater than the predetermined time which can relieve the state in which valve element remains incapable of moving away from the valve seat, during a shut-down state or at start-up of the fuel cell system (101).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keisuke Shiosaki, Hiroshi Tatsui, Junji Morita, Akinori Yukimasa, Hidetoshi Wakamatsu, Atsutaka Inoue
  • Publication number: 20130252535
    Abstract: A power generation system of the present invention comprises: a power generation unit (1); a casing (2) that accommodates the power generation unit (1); a ventilator (3) that ventilates the interior of the casing (2); a first gas flow passage (5), arranged inside the casing (2), for a flow therethrough of gas which flows as the ventilator (3) operates; and a second gas flow passage (6), arranged inside the casing (2), for a flow therethrough of combustion exhaust gas from the power generation unit (1), wherein within the casing (2), the second gas flow passage (6) merges into the first gas flow passage (5).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akinori Yukimasa, Shigeki Yasuda, Junji Morita, Atsutaka Inoue, Hiroshi Tatsui
  • Publication number: 20130252122
    Abstract: A power generator according to the present invention includes a fuel cell system (101), a combustion system (102), and a controller (103). The fuel cell system (101) includes: a fuel cell (11); a reformer (10) configured to generate a fuel through a reforming reaction between a first raw material containing a hydrocarbon and a second raw material which is water or an oxidant; a first raw material supply device (12); a second raw material supply device (13); and an oxidant supply device (14). The combustion system (102) includes: a first combustor (21); a third raw material supply device (22); a first air supply device (23); and a frame rod (24).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junji Morita, Hiroshi Tatsui, Akinori Yukimasa, Atsutaka Inoue, Hidetoshi Wakamatsu
  • Publication number: 20130236802
    Abstract: A power generation system according to the present invention includes: a fuel cell system (101) including a fuel cell (11), a case (12), a reformer (14a), and a combustor (14b); a ventilator; a controller (102); a combustion device (103); and a discharge passage (70) formed to cause the case (12) and an exhaust port (103A) of the combustion device (103) to communicate with each other and configured to discharge an exhaust gas from the fuel cell system (101) and an exhaust gas from the combustion device (103) to the atmosphere through an opening of the discharge passage (70), the opening being open to the atmosphere, and the controller (102) is configured to cause the combustion device (103) to operate when the ventilator is in a stop state and then cause the ventilator to operate when the fuel cell system (101) is activated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsutaka Inoue, Hiroshi Tatsui, Junji Morita, Shigeki Yasuda, Akinori Yukimasa
  • Publication number: 20130189599
    Abstract: A power generation system includes: a fuel cell (11); a casing (12) accommodating the fuel cell (11); a controller (102); a supply and exhaust mechanism (104) including an exhaust passage (70) and an air supply passage (78); and a damage detector, provided in at least one of the supply and exhaust mechanism (104) and the casing (12), configured to detect damage to the exhaust passage (70). The controller (102) performs control to stop operation of the power generation system when the damage detector detects damage to the exhaust passage (70).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Tatsui, Junji Morita, Shigeki Yasuda, Akinori Yukimasa, Atsutaka Inoue
  • Publication number: 20130177825
    Abstract: A power generation system of the present invention includes: a fuel cell unit (101) including a fuel cell (11) and a case (12); a controller (102); a combustion unit (103) provided outside the case (12) and configured to combust a combustible gas to supply heat; and a discharge passage (70) configured to cause the fuel cell unit (101) and the combustion unit (103) to communicate with each other, wherein in a case where an exhaust gas is being discharged to the discharge passage (70) from one of the fuel cell unit (101) and the combustion unit (103) and the controller (102) changes the flow rate of the exhaust gas discharged from the other unit, the controller (102) controls at least the flow rate of the exhaust gas discharged from the other unit such that the flow rate of the exhaust gas discharged from the one unit becomes constant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Tatsui, Junji Morita, Shigeki Yasuda, Akinori Yukimasa, Atsutaka Inoue
  • Publication number: 20130137006
    Abstract: A power generation system according to the present invention includes: a fuel cell system (101) including a fuel cell (11) and a case (12); a ventilation fan (13); a controller (102); a combustion device (103); and a discharge passage (70) formed to cause the case (12) and an exhaust port (103A) of the combustion device (103) to communicate with each other and configured to discharge an exhaust gas from the fuel cell system (101) and an exhaust gas from the combustion device (103) to the atmosphere through an opening of the discharge passage (70), the opening being open to the atmosphere, and the ventilation fan (13) is configured to discharge a gas in the case (12) to the discharge passage (70) to ventilate the inside of the case (12), and the controller (102) causes the ventilation fan (13) to generate predetermined pressure or higher when the fuel cell system (101) is in a power generation stop state and the combustion device (103) is operating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junji Morita, Hiroshi Tatsui, Shigeki Yasuda, Akinori Yukimasa, Atsutaka Inoue
  • Publication number: 20130115538
    Abstract: A power generation system according to the present invention includes: a fuel cell system (101) including a fuel cell (11) and a case (12); a ventilation fan (13); a controller (102); a combustion device (103); and a discharge passage (70) formed to cause the case (12) and an exhaust port (103A) of the combustion device (103) to communicate with each other and configured to discharge an exhaust gas from the fuel cell system (101) and the combustion device (103) to an atmosphere from an opening of the discharge passage (70), the opening being open to the atmosphere. The ventilation fan (13) is configured to ventilate an inside of the case (12). In a case where the controller (102) determines that the combustion device (103) has operated when the ventilation fan (13) is operating, the controller (102) increases the operation amount of the ventilation fan (13).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigeki Yasuda, Akinori Yukimasa, Atsutaka Inoue, Junji Morita, Hiroshi Tatsui