Patents by Inventor Chie Harada
Chie Harada 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: 9685670Abstract: A method of operating a hydrogen generator includes: a step (a) of generating a hydrogen-containing gas by a hydrogen generation unit by using a raw material in the hydrogen generation unit; a step (b) of removing a sulfur compound from the raw material by a hydrodesulfurizer which is heated by heat transferred from the hydrogen generation unit; and a step (c) of performing an operation of supplying the raw material to the hydrogen generation unit after stopping the generating of the hydrogen-containing gas by the hydrogen generation unit. The step (c) is not performed unless, at least, a temperature of the hydrodesulfurizer is such a temperature at which carbon deposition from the raw material is suppressed.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2013Date of Patent: June 20, 2017Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Chie Harada, Hidenobu Wakita, Seiji Fujihara, Tomoyuki Nakajima, Takahiro Kusuyama, Kiyoshi Taguchi
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Patent number: 9634344Abstract: A hydrogen purifier includes: a CO remover configured to reduce carbon monoxide in a hydrogen-containing gas through an oxidation reaction, the hydrogen-containing gas containing ammonia and carbon monoxide; and an ammonia remover provided upstream from the CO remover, the ammonia remover being configured to cause a reaction between ammonia in the hydrogen-containing gas and oxygen by using a catalyst to decompose the ammonia.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2013Date of Patent: April 25, 2017Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Takahiro Kusuyama, Hidenobu Wakita, Chie Harada, Seiji Fujihara, Tomoyuki Nakajima
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Patent number: 9527055Abstract: A hydrogen generator includes a reformer configured to cause a reforming reaction using a material and steam to generate a hydrogen-containing gas; a shift converter configured to reduce CO in the hydrogen-containing gas by a shift reaction; an evaporator provided adjacent to the shift converter so as to perform heat exchange with an upstream side of the shift converter and configured to evaporate water; and a hydro-desulfurizer provided adjacent to the shift converter so as to perform heat exchange with a downstream side of the shift converter and configured to remove a sulfur compound in the material by a hydrodesulfurization reaction.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2013Date of Patent: December 27, 2016Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Seiji Fujihara, Tomoyuki Nakajima, Chie Harada, Takahiro Kusuyama, Hidenobu Wakita
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Patent number: 9492777Abstract: A hydrogen generation device of the present invention comprises a first path (31) used to supply a raw material to a reformer (1) through at least a first desulfurization unit (2); a second path (32) used to supply the raw material to the reformer (1) through only the second desulfurization unit (3); a switch unit (6); a flow control unit (8) which selectively enables or inhibits a flow of the hydrogen-containing gas generated in the reformer 1 toward the second desulfurization unit (3); and a controller (12) configured to execute processing in such a manner that in at least either a time point before generation of the hydrogen-containing gas is stopped, or start-up, the switch unit 6 performs switching to select the first path (31), and the flow control unit (8) enables the flow of the hydrogen-containing gas, while the reformer 1 is generating the hydrogen-containing gas.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2012Date of Patent: November 15, 2016Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Chie Harada, Hidenobu Wakita, Seiji Fujihara, Tomoyuki Nakajima, Kunihiro Ukai
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Patent number: 9090464Abstract: A hydrogen generation apparatus and a fuel cell system including: a reformer (1) configured to generate a hydrogen-containing gas by causing a reforming reaction of a raw material; a hydrodesulfurizer (4) configured to remove a sulfur compound from the raw material; an adsorption desulfurizer (3) configured to remove a sulfur compound from the raw material; a first raw material passage (15) through which the raw material that is supplied to the reformer not through the adsorption desulfurizer but through the hydrodesulfurizer flows; a second raw material passage (16) through which the raw material that is supplied to the reformer through the adsorption desulfurizer flows; a switch (17, 18) configured to switch, between the first raw material passage and the second raw material passage, a raw material flowing passage through which the raw material flows; and a controller (12) configured such that when the reformer is generating the hydrogen-containing gas, the controller sets the raw material flowing passage tType: GrantFiled: April 4, 2012Date of Patent: July 28, 2015Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Kunihiro Ukai, Seiji Fujihara, Tomoya Takeuchi, Chie Harada
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Publication number: 20150044583Abstract: A hydrogen purifier includes: a CO remover configured to reduce carbon monoxide in a hydrogen-containing gas through an oxidation reaction, the hydrogen-containing gas containing ammonia and carbon monoxide; and an ammonia remover provided upstream from the CO remover, the ammonia remover being configured to cause a reaction between ammonia in the hydrogen-containing gas and oxygen by using a catalyst to decompose the ammonia.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 7, 2013Publication date: February 12, 2015Inventors: Takahiro Kusuyama, Hidenobu Wakita, Chie Harada, Seiji Fujihara, Tomoyuki Nakajima
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Publication number: 20140212775Abstract: A hydrogen generator includes a reformer configured to cause a reforming reaction using a material and steam to generate a hydrogen-containing gas; a shift converter configured to reduce CO in the hydrogen-containing gas by a shift reaction; an evaporator provided adjacent to the shift converter so as to perform heat exchange with an upstream side of the shift converter and configured to evaporate water; and a hydro-desulfurizer provided adjacent to the shift converter so as to perform heat exchange with a downstream side of the shift converter and configured to remove a sulfur compound in the material by a hydrodesulfurization reaction.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 21, 2013Publication date: July 31, 2014Inventors: Seiji Fujihara, Tomoyuki Nakajima, Chie Harada, Takahiro Kusuyama, Hidenobu Wakita
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Publication number: 20140127597Abstract: A method of operating a hydrogen generator includes: a step (a) of generating a hydrogen-containing gas by a hydrogen generation unit by using a raw material in the hydrogen generation unit; a step (b) of removing a sulfur compound from the raw material by a hydrodesulfurizer which is heated by heat transferred from the hydrogen generation unit; and a step (c) of performing an operation of supplying the raw material to the hydrogen generation unit after stopping the generating of the hydrogen-containing gas by the hydrogen generation unit. The step (c) is not performed unless, at least, a temperature of the hydrodesulfurizer is such a temperature at which carbon deposition from the raw material is suppressed.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2013Publication date: May 8, 2014Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATIONInventors: Chie Harada, Hidenobu Wakita, Seiji Fujihara, Tomoyuki Nakajima, Takahiro Kusuyama, Kiyoshi Taguchi
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Publication number: 20140072888Abstract: A hydrogen generation device of the present invention comprises a first path (31) used to supply a raw material to a reformer (1) through at least a first desulfurization unit (2); a second path (32) used to supply the raw material to the reformer (1) through only the second desulfurization unit (3); a switch unit (6); a flow control unit (8) which selectively enables or inhibits a flow of the hydrogen-containing gas generated in the reformer 1 toward the second desulfurization unit (3); and a controller (12) configured to execute processing in such a manner that in at least either a time point before generation of the hydrogen-containing gas is stopped, or start-up, the switch unit 6 performs switching to select the first path (31), and the flow control unit (8) enables the flow of the hydrogen-containing gas, while the reformer 1 is generating the hydrogen-containing gas.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 25, 2012Publication date: March 13, 2014Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATIONInventors: Chie Harada, Hidenobu Wakita, Seiji Fujihara, Tomoyuki Nakajima, Kunihiro Ukai
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Publication number: 20130143136Abstract: A hydrogen generation apparatus and a fuel cell system including: a reformer (1) configured to generate a hydrogen-containing gas by causing a reforming reaction of a raw material; a hydrodesulfurizer (4) configured to remove a sulfur compound from the raw material; an adsorption desulfurizer (3) configured to remove a sulfur compound from the raw material; a first raw material passage (15) through which the raw material that is supplied to the reformer not through the adsorption desulfurizer but through the hydrodesulfurizer flows; a second raw material passage (16) through which the raw material that is supplied to the reformer through the adsorption desulfurizer flows; a switch (17, 18) configured to switch, between the first raw material passage and the second raw material passage, a raw material flowing passage through which the raw material flows; and a controller (12) configured such that when the reformer is generating the hydrogen-containing gas, the controller sets the raw material flowing passage tType: ApplicationFiled: April 4, 2012Publication date: June 6, 2013Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATIONInventors: Kunihiro Ukai, Seiji Fujihara, Tomoya Takeuchi, Chie Harada