Patents by Inventor Esa Vihavainen

Esa Vihavainen 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: 12134859
    Abstract: A method to determine a reduction rate of a recovery boiler using optical information from a chemical smelt sample. A processor is used to read a digital frame at least part of which represents the chemical smelt sample of the recovery boiler. An area of interest is determined from the digital frame read comprising at least part of the area in the digital frame representing the chemical smelt sample. Of the pixel values of the area of interest, one or more spectral characteristic values correlating with the change of reduction rate are determined. The reduction rate of the recovery boiler is determined using a reduction rate function of one or more of the determined spectral characteristic values weighted at predetermined weights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Assignee: Andritz Oy
    Inventors: Heikki Lappalainen, Juho Nurmi, Sauli Rissanen, Esa Vihavainen
  • Publication number: 20220220671
    Abstract: A method to determine a reduction rate of a recovery boiler using optical information from a chemical smelt sample. A processor is used to read a digital frame at least part of which represents the chemical smelt sample of the recovery boiler. An area of interest is determined from the digital frame read comprising at least part of the area in the digital frame representing the chemical smelt sample. Of the pixel values of the area of interest, one or more spectral characteristic values correlating with the change of reduction rate are determined. The reduction rate of the recovery boiler is determined using a reduction rate function of one or more of the determined spectral characteristic values weighted at predetermined weights.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventors: Heikki LAPPALAINEN, Juho NURMI, Sauli RISSANEN, Esa VIHAVAINEN
  • Patent number: 8640634
    Abstract: An arrangement is disclosed for supplying an air jet form to the furnace of a recovery boiler, where the furnace has a front wall, a rear wall and side walls. Black liquor spraying devices are disposed on the furnace walls on one or several levels of the furnace. A plurality of air ports are located at several horizontal elevations for introducing air into the furnace from an air supply. In the arrangement for the secondary air flows, at least two horizontal air levels at different elevations are arranged above the lower primary levels and below the black liquor sprayer. Secondary air is supplied from two opposite walls. The secondary air ports on each of said first and second horizontal elevations comprise air ports for each horizontal elevation that project a pattern of large air jets into the furnace from said opposite walls and said secondary air ports further comprise a plurality of secondary air ports on at least one of the elevations that project smaller air jets into the furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Andritz Oy
    Inventors: Kari Saviharju, Jorma Simonen, Raimo Paju, Jukka Savolainen, Esa Vihavainen
  • Publication number: 20100101463
    Abstract: An arrangement is disclosed for supplying an air jet form to the furnace of a recovery boiler, where the furnace has a front wall, a rear wall and side walls. Black liquor spraying devices are disposed on the furnace walls on one or several levels of the furnace. A plurality of air ports are located at several horizontal elevations for introducing air into the furnace from an air supply. In the arrangement for the secondary air flows, at least two horizontal air levels at different elevations are arranged above the lower primary levels and below the black liquor sprayer. Secondary air is supplied from two opposite walls. The secondary air ports on each of said first and second horizontal elevations comprise air ports for each horizontal elevation that project a pattern of large air jets into the furnace from said opposite walls and said secondary air ports further comprise a plurality of secondary air ports on at least one of the elevations that project smaller air jets into the furnace.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2005
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Applicant: ANDRITZ OY
    Inventors: Kari Saviharju, Jorma Simonen, Raimo Paju, Jukka Savolainen, Esa Vihavainen