Patents by Inventor Rolf Graf

Rolf Graf 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: 9579600
    Abstract: Sulfurous fuel and CaCO3-containing sorbent are combusted in a furnace of a circulating fluidized bed boiler. A dry circulating fluidized bed scrubber includes a reactor with water and Ca(OH)2 feeds for converting SO2 in the exhaust gas to CaSO3 and CaSO4 and a dust separator in gas flow connection with the reactor. A discharge removes CaO-containing bottom ash from the furnace. A classifier classifies a portion of the removed CaO-containing bottom ash into coarse and finer portions. A fine ash channel conveys some of the finer bottom ash portion from the classifier to a grinder. A ground ash channel conveys some of the ground bottom ash portion from the grinder to a hydrator to hydrate CaO in the ash to Ca(OH)2. A hydrated ash channel conveys some of the Ca(OH)2 from the hydrator to the dry circulating fluidized bed scrubber as a sorbent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: AMEC FOSTER WHEELER ENERGIA OY
    Inventors: Tobias Brand, Reijo Kuivalainen, Maria-Helena Möbs, Rolf Graf
  • Patent number: 9533257
    Abstract: A scrubber for removing pollutant compounds from a gas stream. At least one gas channel introduces the gas stream to a lower portion of the scrubber. An inlet chamber directs the gas stream upwards to form a vertical gas stream. A constriction section has a vertical axis of symmetry and includes a centrally arranged venturi nozzle, and is above and in flow connection with an upper end of the inlet chamber for accelerating the vertical gas stream. A reaction chamber is arranged above and in flow connection with the constriction section. A reagent in the reaction chamber converts pollutant compounds in the gas stream to reaction products. A discharge channel in flow connection with the reaction chamber discharges gas and particles including the reaction products from the reaction chamber. A particle separator separates particles from the gas. A return channel recycles a portion of the particles to the reaction chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: AMEC FOSTER WHEELER ENERGIA OY
    Inventors: Winfried Gutperl, Rolf Graf, Harald Kessler, Reijo Kuivalainen
  • Publication number: 20160332117
    Abstract: A scrubber for removing pollutant compounds from a gas stream. At least one gas channel introduces the gas stream to a lower portion of the scrubber. An inlet chamber directs the gas stream upwards to form a vertical gas stream. A constriction section has a vertical axis of symmetry and includes a centrally arranged venturi nozzle, and is above and in flow connection with an upper end of the inlet chamber for accelerating the vertical gas stream. A reaction chamber is arranged above and in flow connection with the constriction section. A reagent in the reaction chamber converts pollutant compounds in the gas stream to reaction products. A discharge channel in flow connection with the reaction chamber discharges gas and particles including the reaction products from the reaction chamber. A particle separator separates particles from the gas. A return channel recycles a portion of the particles to the reaction chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Publication date: November 17, 2016
    Inventors: Winfried Gutperl, Rolf Graf, Harald Kessler, Reijo Kuivalainen
  • Publication number: 20160265471
    Abstract: A method for controlling an electric motor of a vehicle pump used to deliver a medium. According to the method, a period required for at least one partial revolution of a rotor of the electric motor is determined. The fluctuations during the period can represent a measurement of the true running of the electric motor. The speed of the electric motor can be altered depending on the deviation of the period from a comparative value. As a result, the true running of the electric motor can be guaranteed once again.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Inventors: Rolf GRAF, Bernhard LUKAS
  • Publication number: 20160252032
    Abstract: A fuel pump of a motor vehicle includes: a pump stage configured to induce fuel from a fuel tank; an electric motor configured to drive the pump stage; and control electronics configured to supply the electric motor with electrical current. The control electronics includes a memory storing a low temperature start program and a standard start program. The control electronics are connected to a temperature sensor and a selector configured to select the start program depending on the sensed temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2014
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Applicant: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Rolf GRAF, Sebastian KOERNER
  • Publication number: 20160201903
    Abstract: Sulfurous fuel and CaCO3-containing sorbent are combusted in a furnace of a circulating fluidized bed boiler. A dry circulating fluidized bed scrubber includes a reactor with water and Ca(OH)2 feeds for converting SO2 in the exhaust gas to CaSO3 and CaSO4 and a dust separator in gas flow connection with the reactor. A discharge removes CaO-containing bottom ash from the furnace. A classifier classifies a portion of the removed CaO-containing bottom ash into coarse and finer portions. A fine ash channel conveys some of the finer bottom ash portion from the classifier to a grinder. A ground ash channel conveys some of the ground bottom ash portion from the grinder to a hydrator to hydrate CaO in the ash to Ca(OH)2. A hydrated ash channel conveys some of the Ca(OH)2 from the hydrator to the dry circulating fluidized bed scrubber as a sorbent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Publication date: July 14, 2016
    Inventors: Tobias Brand, Reijo Kuivalainen, Maria-Helena Möbs, Rolf Graf
  • Patent number: 9307668
    Abstract: A housing for an electronic circuit for a fuel pump includes a base and a cover which is connected to the base, a printed circuit board and, disposed on one side of the latter, electric and/or electronic components. Disposed on the side of the printed circuit board on which the components are disposed is a self-contained metal strip. The components are arranged in the region surrounded by the strip. A cover is soldered to the self-contained strip in such a way that the printed circuit board forms a base, the cover forms a housing, and the printed circuit board has at least one blocking layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Rolf Graf
  • Patent number: 9127611
    Abstract: During monitoring of an electromotively driven fuel pump of a fuel feed unit for a motor vehicle, a pump current is monitored as a function of a pump voltage or of a pump rotational speed. Through a comparison of the pump current with the pump voltage or the pump rotational speed, it is detected whether leakage or dry running of the fuel pump is present. The fuel feed unit does not require any pressure sensor for this purpose, and is therefore of particularly simple construction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Rolf Graf
  • Patent number: 9049775
    Abstract: A housing for an electronic circuit for a fuel pump includes a base and a cover which is connected to the base, a printed circuit board and, disposed on one side of the latter, electric and/or electronic components. Disposed on either side of the printed circuit board in each case is a cover in such a way that each component is arranged in a region covered by a cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmnH
    Inventor: Rolf Graf
  • Publication number: 20130203612
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a reliable method of prediction of sepsis in humans after a trauma, wherein the level of pancreatic stone protein/regenerating protein (PSP/reg) is determined in serum, and a high level is indicative of the development of sepsis at early stages of the disease. Furthermore a method of determination of PSP/reg levels in serum is described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: UNIVERSITAET ZUERICH
    Inventors: Rolf Graf, Daniel Bimmler, Marius Keel
  • Publication number: 20130165345
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a reliable method of prediction of infectious peritonitis in humans, wherein the level of pancreatic stone protein/regenerating protein (PSP/reg) is determined in serum or plasma, and a high level is indicative of the development and the severity of peritonitis, allowing the classification of patients according to risk.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: Universitaet Zuerich
    Inventors: Walter Halangk, Rolf Graf, Raphael Gukasjan, Hans-Ulrich Schulz
  • Publication number: 20130120944
    Abstract: A housing for an electronic circuit for a fuel pump includes a base and a cover which is connected to the base, a printed circuit board and, disposed on one side of the latter, electric and/or electronic components. Disposed on either side of the printed circuit board in each case is a cover in such a way that each component is arranged in a region covered by a cover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Inventor: Rolf Graf
  • Publication number: 20130114221
    Abstract: A housing for an electronic circuit for a fuel pump includes a base and a cover which is connected to the base, a printed circuit board and, disposed on one side of the latter, electric and/or electronic components. Disposed on the side of the printed circuit board on which the components are disposed is a self-contained metal strip. The components are arranged in the region surrounded by the strip. A cover is soldered to the self-contained strip in such a way that the printed circuit board forms a base, the cover forms a housing, and the printed circuit board has at least one blocking layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventor: Rolf Graf
  • Patent number: 8435755
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a reliable method of prediction of sepsis in humans after a trauma, wherein the level of pancreatic stone protein/regenerating protein (PSP/reg) is determined in serum, and a high level is indicative of the development of sepsis at early stages of the disease. Furthermore a method of determination of PSP/reg levels in serum is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Universitaet Zuerich
    Inventors: Rolf Graf, Daniel Bimmler, Marius Keel
  • Publication number: 20120245819
    Abstract: During monitoring of an electromotively driven fuel pump of a fuel feed unit for a motor vehicle, a pump current is monitored as a function of a pump voltage or of a pump rotational speed. Through a comparison of the pump current with the pump voltage or the pump rotational speed, it is detected whether leakage or dry running of the fuel pump is present. The fuel feed unit does not require any pressure sensor for this purpose, and is therefore of particularly simple construction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Rolf GRAF
  • Patent number: 7886720
    Abstract: In a method for operating a fuel pump in order to guide fuel from the fuel container of an internal combustion engine, the electric energy, which is in the form of pulses, is periodically guided to the fuel pump and the duration of the pulses is controlled according to the fuel required by the internal combustion engine. The frequency of the pulses is controlled in such a manner that, in the event of low pump rate of the fuel pump, the frequency is controlled to a higher level than in the even of a high pump rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Rolf Graf
  • Patent number: 7808784
    Abstract: A flange (3) for sealing an opening (1) of a fuel container (2) of a motor vehicle maintains an electronic component (9) which is arranged on the external side (5) on a carrier (12). The carrier (12) is embodied as a single piece and has a heat-conducting element (13) which can penetrate the wall (4) of a flange (3). The heat-conducting element (13) dissipates the heat which is produced by the electronic component (9) to the inside (7) of the fuel container (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Rolf Graf
  • Publication number: 20100222223
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a reliable method of prediction of sepsis in humans after a trauma, wherein the level of pancreatic stone protein/regenerating protein (PSP/reg) is determined in serum, and a high level is indicative of the development of sepsis at early stages of the disease. Furthermore a method of determination of PSP/reg levels in serum is described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2008
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: UNIVERSITAET ZUERICH
    Inventors: Rolf Graf, Daniel Bimmler, Marius Keel
  • Publication number: 20080246227
    Abstract: A flange (3) for sealing an opening (1) of a fuel container (2) of a motor vehicle maintains an electronic component (9) which is arranged on the external side (5) on a carrier (12). The carrier (12) is embodied as a single piece and has a heat-conducting element (13) which can penetrate the wall (4) of a flange (3). The heat-conducting element (13) dissipates the heat which is produced by the electronic component (9) to the inside (7) of the fuel container (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Inventor: Rolf Graf
  • Publication number: 20080245343
    Abstract: In a method for operating a fuel pump in order to guide fuel from the fuel container of an internal combustion engine, the electric energy, which is in the form of pulses, is periodically guided to the fuel pump and the duration of the pulses is controlled according to the fuel required by the internal combustion engine. The frequency of the pulses is controlled in such a manner that, in the event of low pump capacity of the fuel pump, the frequency is controlled to a higher level than in the even of a high pump capacity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2006
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Inventor: Rolf Graf