Patents by Inventor Erkki Aura

Erkki Aura 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: 11512272
    Abstract: An active solid state fermentation bioreactor for producing gases, liquid(s) or solids from gaseous or gaseous and liquid starting materials and a fermentation process using the reactor are disclosed, The bioreactor includes three major phases; a solid phase including the porous solid support, a liquid phase comprising liquid, and a gaseous phase. The solid phase includes a porous solid support, in which at least 20% of the pore volumes have a size resulting in a liquid suction of about 0.01 to about 0.1 bars if these pores are filled with liquid, the porous solid support is inoculated with desired micro-organisms, the volume of the gaseous phase is 20% to 60% of the volume of the bioreactor, and the liquid phase is at least 20% of the reactor volume, The unsaturated capillary conductivity of filling/packing solid material of the bioreactor is at least 0.1 cm/ h.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Q POWER OY
    Inventors: Anni Alitalo, Marko Niskanen, Erkki Aura
  • Patent number: 10731117
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a solid state fermentation process for producing hydrogen, and to a bioreactor and solid support for use in the fermentation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Q POWER OY
    Inventors: Anni Alitalo, Erkki Aura, Marko Niskanen
  • Patent number: 10508290
    Abstract: A solid state fermentation process for producing methane, and a bioreactor and solid support for use in the process are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: QVIDJA KRAFT AB
    Inventors: Anni Alitalo, Erkki Aura
  • Publication number: 20190241848
    Abstract: An active solid state fermentation bioreactor for producing gases, liquid(s) or solids from gaseous or gaseous and liquid starting materials and a fermentation process using the reactor are disclosed. The bioreactor includes three major phases; a solid phase including the porous solid support, a liquid phase comprising liquid, and a gaseous phase. The solid phase includes a porous solid support, in which at least 20% of the pore volumes have a size resulting in a liquid suction of about 0.01 to about 0.1 bars if these pores are filled with liquid, the porous solid support is inoculated with desired micro-organisms, the volume of the gaseous phase is 20% to 60% of the volume of the bioreactor, and the liquid phase is at least 20% of the reactor volume. The unsaturated capillary conductivity of filling/packing solid material of the bioreactor is at least 0.1 cm/h.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Publication date: August 8, 2019
    Applicant: Qvidja Kraft AB
    Inventors: Anni ALITALO, Marko NISKANEN, Erkki AURA
  • Publication number: 20170342362
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a solid state fermentation process for producing hydrogen, and to a bioreactor and solid support for use in the fermentation process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Inventors: Anni Alitalo, Erkki Aura, Marko Niskanen
  • Patent number: 9527759
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for treating and/or pre-treating liquid manure or biogas plant reject for eliminating harmful substances, particularly nitrogen, phosphorus, and odor molecules. Process tanks (5), which include inlet means (4) for supplying a process tank (5) with a substance to be treated, outlet means for passing a post-treatment matter out of the tank, and air inlet means (2) for supplying the process tank with air required by a biological process, are used for conducting a biological treatment on the matter to be treated. The process tanks (5) are first provided with a microbe population adapted for treating the matter to be treated. The matter to be treated is supplied gradually into the first process tank and then further into a subsequent process tank, such that the microbe population initially provided in the process tanks displaces in a step-by-step manner the original microbe population present in the matter to be treated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Pellon Group Oy
    Inventors: Anni Alitalo, Erkki Aura, Risto Seppälä
  • Publication number: 20150099286
    Abstract: A solid state fermentation process for producing methane, and a bioreactor and solid support for use in the process are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2013
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Inventors: Anni Alitalo, Erkki Aura
  • Publication number: 20110113840
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for treating and/or pre-treating liquid manure or biogas plant reject for eliminating harmful substances, particularly nitrogen, phosphorus, and odor molecules. Process tanks (5), which include inlet means (4) for supplying a process tank (5) with a substance to be treated, outlet means for passing a post-treatment matter out of the tank, and air inlet means (2) for supplying the process tank with air required by a biological process, are used for conducting a biological treatment on the matter to be treated. The process tanks (5) are first provided with a microbe population adapted for treating the matter to be treated. The matter to be treated is supplied gradually into the first process tank and thence further into a subsequent process tank, such that the microbe population initially provided in the process tanks displaces in a step-by-step manner the original microbe population present in the matter to be treated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Inventors: Anni Alitalo, Erkki Aura, Risto Seppälä