Patents by Inventor Jaakko Larjola

Jaakko Larjola 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: 10326334
    Abstract: An electrical turbo-machine includes a stator (101), a rotor (102), and a turbine section (110) driven with a working flow containing vaporizable material, for example water, in vaporized form. The rotor includes cooling channels (106-109) for conducting, through the rotor, a cooling flow containing the vaporizable material in liquid form. The rotor is arranged to conduct the cooling flow through an area where an impeller or impellers (111-114) of the turbine section are directly connected to the rotor and conduct the cooling flow to a same room to which the working flow comes out from the turbine section. The above-presented cooling system facilitates constructing the electrical turbo-machine as a hermetic structure in a power plant where bearings of the electrical turbo-machine are lubricated by the vaporizable material, a supply pump is directly connected to the rotor, and the vaporizable material in gaseous form fills the gas spaces of the stator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: LAPEENRANNAN-LAHDEN TEKNILLINEN YLIOPISTO LUT
    Inventors: Jaakko Larjola, Juha Pyrhonen, Jari Backman
  • Patent number: 9765695
    Abstract: A gas turbine arrangement, including a gas generator section (A), a power turbine section (B), and a generator section (C) coupled on a common shaft (10). The power turbine has its bearing block (12) provided with a copper cooling cup (9), which possesses a high thermal conductivity and conveys heat flux away from the side and block of the bearing and which has a design that enables the effect of a penetrating airflow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: LAPPEENRANNAN TEKNILLINEN YLIOPISTO
    Inventors: Esa Saari, Jaakko Larjola, Juha Honkatukia
  • Publication number: 20170054344
    Abstract: An electrical turbo-machine includes a stator (101), a rotor (102), and a turbine section (110) driven with a working flow containing vaporizable material, for example water, in vaporized form. The rotor includes cooling channels (106-109) for conducting, through the rotor, a cooling flow containing the vaporizable material in liquid form. The rotor is arranged to conduct the cooling flow through an area where an impeller or impellers (111-114) of the turbine section are directly connected to the rotor and conduct the cooling flow to a same room to which the working flow comes out from the turbine section. The above-presented cooling system facilitates constructing the electrical turbo-machine as a hermetic structure in a power plant where bearings of the electrical turbo-machine are lubricated by the vaporizable material, a supply pump is directly connected to the rotor, and the vaporizable material in gaseous form fills the gas spaces of the stator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2015
    Publication date: February 23, 2017
    Inventors: Jaakko LARJOLA, Juha PYRHĂ–NEN, Jari BACKMAN
  • Publication number: 20150285146
    Abstract: A gas turbine arrangement, including a gas generator section (A), a power turbine section (B), and a generator section (C) coupled on a common shaft (10). The power turbine has its bearing block (12) provided with a copper cooling cup (9), which possesses a high thermal conductivity and conveys heat flux away from the side and block of the bearing and which has a design that enables the effect of a penetrating airflow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2013
    Publication date: October 8, 2015
    Inventors: Esa Saari, Jaakko Larjola, Juha Honkatukia
  • Patent number: 6880338
    Abstract: The invention relates to a lead-in structure for coupling of a turbo generator in a circulating process of a circulating medium. The turbo generator includes a turbine and a generator as well as possibly also a feed pump enclosed in a common casing structure. The casing structure also includes at least a first duct for hot, steam-like circulating medium entering the turbine, a second duct for circulating medium exiting the turbine, and a third duct for cooled liquid circulating medium, which, for example, enters the feed pump. The third duct includes an annular channel that is placed, preferably concentrically, around the second duct, which includes an annular channel. The first duct includes an annular channel that is placed, preferably concentrically, between the second duct and the annular channel of the third duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: High Speed Tech Oy Ltd
    Inventor: Jaakko Larjola
  • Publication number: 20040093869
    Abstract: The invention relates to a lead-in structure for coupling of a turbo generator in a circulating process of a circulating medium. The turbo generator includes a turbine and a generator as well as possibly also a feed pump enclosed in a common casing structure. The casing structure also includes at least a first duct for hot, steam-like circulating medium entering the turbine, a second duct for circulating medium exiting the turbine, and a third duct for cooled liquid circulating medium, which, for example, enters the feed pump. The third duct includes an annular channel that is placed, preferably concentrically, around the second duct, which includes an annular channel. The first duct includes an annular channel that is placed, preferably concentrically, between the second duct and the annular channel of the third duct.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2003
    Publication date: May 20, 2004
    Inventor: Jaakko Larjola
  • Patent number: 6450780
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for generating over-pressure gas by means of a kinetic compressor which is coupled to a high-speed electric machine located on the same shaft with the compressor and comprising a rotor whose rotational speed is over 20,000 rpm. The compressor is provided with at least two stages. The shaft of the rotor is mounted on a magnetic and/or gas bearings, and the high-speed electric machine is placed centrally on the shaft with respect to the compressor stage of the compressor. The rotor is mounted on a magnetic bearing at least in the axial direction, and the ends of the rotor are used at least partly as counter surfaces for the axial magnetic bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Sundyne Corporation
    Inventor: Jaakko Larjola
  • Patent number: 5570579
    Abstract: A method is provided for improving the efficiency of a small-size power plant based on an ORC process. The plant comprises at least one energy converter unit, with a power range below 500 kW, and at least one burner for combustion of fuel for producing energy for the energy converter unit. The energy converter unit includes a high-speed machine which comprises first and second turbines and a generator mounted on a common rotor having rotational speed exceeding 8000 rpm. An ORC medium is vaporized in a vaporizer by utilizing energy derived from the combustion of the fuel in the burner, and then expanded in the first turbine of the high-speed machine to produce electric energy. The ORC medium leaving the first turbine is then reheated by a superheater of the vaporizer utilizing energy derived from the combustion of the fuel in the burner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 5, 1996
    Assignee: High Speed Tech Oy Ltd.
    Inventor: Jaakko Larjola
  • Patent number: 5329771
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for operating a hermetic, small-size power plant in which a primary circulation is conducted in a main line connecting a high-speed machine including at least a turbine and a generator installed on a joint rotor, a vaporizer and a condenser. Fluid lubrication of bearings of the rotor during the continuing operation is effected by fluid medium passing through the condenser and along the main line of the primary circulation. The vaporizer is connected to the high-speed machine through medium flow paths defining a circulating medium circuit bypassing the condenser and at least partly bypassing the main line of the primary circulation to secure passage of circulating medium accumulated in the vaporizer for lubrication of the bearings of the rotor during stopping of the primary circulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1994
    Assignee: Oy High Speed Tech Ltd.
    Inventors: Timo Kytomaki, Olli Lindgren, Jarmo Alamaki, Jaakko Larjola
  • Patent number: 4558228
    Abstract: The invention concerns an energy converter, comprising a boiler, a turbine (11), a condenser, a feed pump (16) and a generator (17) and, if required, a recuperator and a pre-feeding pump. The thermal energy to be supplied to the boiler has been arranged to maintain a Rankine process driving the generator (17) and thus to produce electricity. The turbine (11), the generator (17) and the feed pump (16) have a joint rotor shaft (36). The rotor (36) is rotatably carried with gas-dynamic bearings (24) utilizing the circulating fluid's vapor. The lower surface of the rotor (21) of the turbine (11) has been disposed to serve as one abutment surface of a gas-static thrust bearing (22). The gas-dynamic bearings (24) are bearings of tilting pad type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1983
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1985
    Inventor: Jaakko Larjola