Patents by Inventor Tadashi Kataoka
Tadashi Kataoka 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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Publication number: 20060108988Abstract: A power supply system for supplying power to a load is provided. The system comprises power-line carriers for supplying power to the load, and a plurality of power supply units the outputs of which are parallelly connected to power-line carriers. Each of the power supply unit comprises a generator; an inverter for converting a voltage generated by the generator into an AC voltage and outputting the AC voltage; an inverter control unit for controlling the inverter, and a connection apparatus for connecting the AC voltage outputted from the inverter to the power-line carriers. The inverter controller comprises a load sharing adjuster for adjusting a shared load current supplied from the power supply unit, so that at least one of the power supply units in operation can operated at its rating condition, thereby realizing an efficiency operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2003Publication date: May 25, 2006Applicants: Ebara Corporation, Ebara Densan Ltd.Inventors: Terence McKelvey, Eishi Marui, Masahiro Miyamoto, Motoyasu Sato, Tadashi Kataoka, Tai Furuya, Seiichi Ishihara, Takahide Ozawa, Noboru Kinoshita, Shaojun Zheng
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Publication number: 20060087294Abstract: A gas turbine apparatus has an air compressor for compressing air, a combustor capable of combusting the air compressed by the air compressor, and a first fuel supply system configured to supply a fuel to the combustor. The gas turbine apparatus also has a turbine rotatable by a gas discharged from the combustor, a recuperator for exchanging heat between the air supplied from the air compressor to the combustor and an exhaust gas discharged from the turbine, and a gas introduction device configured to introduce a combustible gas into the exhaust gas discharged from the turbine.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2005Publication date: April 27, 2006Applicant: EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Tadashi Kataoka, Nobuhiko Hamano
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Patent number: 7000405Abstract: A gas turbine starting method, comprising the steps of rotatively driving a turbine by a motor coupled to the turbine, while at the same time supplying a compressed air to a combustor by an air compressor operating in interlocking motion with the turbine, starting a fuel supply to the combustor when a revolution speed of the turbine has reached up to a predetermined value, and simultaneously starting an igniting operation on an air-fuel mixture in the combustor, wherein at least during the igniting operation to the air-fuel mixture in the combustor, a quantity of fuel supply per unit time to the combustor is increased while increasing the revolution speed of the turbine, to thereby ensuring the ignition of the air-fuel mixture under various conditions, and depressing the temperature rise of the gas turbine, which may otherwise occur immediately after the ignition.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2003Date of Patent: February 21, 2006Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Terence McKelvey, Eishi Marui, Masahiro Miyamoto, Tadashi Kataoka, Tai Furuya
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Patent number: 6978597Abstract: A gas turbine apparatus is provided wherein a turbine is driven or rotated by burning a mixture of a fuel and compressed air and supplying a combustion gas generated by the combustion. A flameout determination unit is provided in the apparatus which is adapted to calculate the air/fuel ratio in the air/fuel mixture, correct the calculated air/fuel ratio to calculate a corrected air/fuel ratio which is substantially constant, compare the calculated corrected air/fuel ratio with a predetermined reference air/fuel ratio, and generate a signal indicative of occurrence of a flameout when the corrected air/fuel ratio is smaller than the reference air/fuel ratio.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2003Date of Patent: December 27, 2005Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Terence McKelvey, Eishi Marui, Masahiro Miyamoto, Tadashi Kataoka, Tai Furuya
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Patent number: 6979914Abstract: A power generating apparatus has a power generator 4 for generating AC power, a gas turbine engine 2 for driving the power generator 4, and an inverter device 5 for converting the AC power into commercial AC power. The power generating apparatus includes an interconnection switch S1 for connecting an output of the inverter device 5 with a commercial AC power supply system, a first voltage detector 46 for detecting a DC power supply voltage Vdc-in of the inverter device 5, and a second voltage detector 33, 45 for detecting a full-wave rectification voltage of the commercial AC power supply system. The power generating apparatus also includes an interconnection control part 18 for closing the interconnection switch S1 when the DC power supply voltage of the inverter device 5 exceeds the full-wave rectification voltage of the commercial AC power supply system.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2004Date of Patent: December 27, 2005Assignees: Ebara Corporation, Ebara Densan Ltd.Inventors: Terence McKelvey, Eishi Marui, Masahiro Miyamoto, Tai Furuya, Tadashi Kataoka, Motoyasu Sato, Seiichi Ishihara, Takahide Ozawa, Noboru Kinoshita, Shaojun Zheng
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Publication number: 20050179420Abstract: A gas turbine generating apparatus according to the present invention comprises a gas turbine capable of a high-speed operation, a permanent-magnet-type generator driven at a high speed by the gas turbine, an inverter device (5) for converting alternating-current power generated by the generator into commercial alternating-current power, and a system-interconnection device (9) for interconnecting output of the inverter device to a commercial AC power supply system (10). The system-interconnection device controls the inverter device based on voltage of the commercial AC power supply system as a criterion such that output current of the inverter device is in phase with the voltage or out of phase with the voltage by a constant phase difference.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2005Publication date: August 18, 2005Applicants: Ebara Corporation, EBARA DENSAN LTD.Inventors: Motoyasu Satoh, Seiichi Ishihara, Noboru Kinoshita, Takahide Ozawa, Shao-Jun Zheng, Terence Mckelvey, Tadashi Kataoka
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Patent number: 6888263Abstract: A gas turbine generating apparatus according to the present invention comprises a gas turbine capable of a high-speed operation, a permanent-magnet-type generator driven at a high speed by the gas turbine, an inverter device (5) for converting alternating-current power generated by the generator into commercial alternating-current power, and a system-interconnection device (9) for interconnecting output of the inverter device to a commercial AC power supply system (10). The system-interconnection device controls the inverter device based on voltage of the commercial AC power supply system as a criterion such that output current of the inverter device is in phase with the voltage or out of phase with the voltage by a constant phase difference.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2002Date of Patent: May 3, 2005Assignees: Ebara Corporation, Ebara Densan Ltd.Inventors: Motoyasu Satoh, Seiichi Ishihara, Noboru Kinoshita, Takahide Ozawa, Shao-jun Zheng, Terence Mckelvey, Tadashi Kataoka
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Publication number: 20040264089Abstract: To provide an interconnecting power generation system which can detect an abnormality in the utility power supply and can be isolated from a utility power system and can prevent damage to a turbogenerator.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2003Publication date: December 30, 2004Applicants: EBARA CORPORATION, EBARA DENSAN LTD.Inventors: Tai Furuya, Tadashi Kataoka, Terence McKelvey, Eishi Marui, Motoyasu Sato, Takahide Ozawa, Shaojun Zheng, Seiichi Ishihara, Noboru Kinoshita
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Publication number: 20040237537Abstract: A gas turbine apparatus is provided which comprises a turbine, a combustor for burning a mixture of air and fuel and providing the turbine with a combustion gas to drive it, a generator connected to the turbine to receive rotational force therefrom to generate electric power, a temperature sensor for measuring a temperature of an exhaust gas from the turbine, a temperature setting unit and a power setting unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 7, 2004Publication date: December 2, 2004Inventors: Terence McKelvey, Eishi Marui, Masahiro Miyamoto, Tadashi Kataoka, Tai Furuya
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Publication number: 20040237538Abstract: A gas turbine starting method, comprising the steps of rotatively driving a turbine by a motor coupled to the turbine, while at the same time supplying a compressed air to a combustor by an air compressor operating in interlocking motion with the turbine, starting a fuel supply to the combustor when a revolution speed of the turbine has reached up to a predetermined value, and simultaneously starting an igniting operation on an air-fuel mixture in the combustor, wherein at least during the igniting operation to the air-fuel mixture in the combustor, a quantity of fuel supply per unit time to the combustor is increased while increasing the revolution speed of the turbine, to thereby ensuring the ignition of the air-fuel mixture under various conditions, and depressing the temperature rise of the gas turbine, which may otherwise occur immediately after the ignition.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2004Publication date: December 2, 2004Inventors: Terence McKelvey, Eishi Marui, Masahiro Miyamoto, Tadashi Kataoka, Tai Furuya
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Publication number: 20040222640Abstract: A power generating apparatus has a power generator 4 for generating AC power, a gas turbine engine 2 for driving the power generator 4, and an inverter device 5 for converting the AC power into commercial AC power. The power generating apparatus includes an interconnection switch S1 for connecting an output of the inverter device 5 with a commercial AC power supply system, a first voltage detector 46 for detecting a DC power supply voltage Vdc-in of the inverter device 5, and a second voltage detector 33, 45 for detecting a full-wave rectification voltage of the commercial AC power supply system. The power generating apparatus also includes an interconnection control part 18 for closing the interconnection switch S1 when the DC power supply voltage of the inverter device 5 exceeds the full-wave rectification voltage of the commercial AC power supply system.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 20, 2004Publication date: November 11, 2004Applicants: EBARA CORPORATION, Ebara Densan Ltd.Inventors: Terence McKelvey, Eishi Marui, Masahiro Miyamoto, Tai Furuya, Tadashi Kataoka, Motoyasu Sato, Seiichi Ishihara, Takahide Ozawa, Noboru Kinoshita, Shaojun Zheng
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Publication number: 20040200206Abstract: A gas turbine apparatus is provided wherein a turbine is driven or rotated by burning a mixture of a fuel and compressed air and supplying a combustion gas generated by the combustion. A flameout determination unit is provided in the apparatus which is adapted to calculate the air/fuel ratio in the air/fuel mixture, correct the calculated air/fuel ratio to calculate a corrected air/fuel ratio which is substantially constant, compare the calculated corrected air/fuel ratio with a predetermined reference air/fuel ratio, and generate a signal indicative of occurrence of a flameout when the corrected air/fuel ratio is smaller than the reference air/fuel ratio.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 1, 2004Publication date: October 14, 2004Inventors: Terrence McKelvey, Fishi Marui, Masahiro Miyamoto, Tadashi Kataoka, Tai Furuya
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Publication number: 20040200207Abstract: A gas turbine apparatus is provided which prevents a sudden rise in temperature in the event of changing a speed such as upon start-up, thereby obviating a reduction in lifetime. The apparatus comprises a rotational speed control unit, acceleration control unit, low signal selector, and an opening operating unit. The rotational speed control unit receives a current rotational speed and a predetermined target rotational speed of a turbine, and processes them to output a control signal indicative of an opening degree of a fuel control valve to make the turbine rotate at the target rotational speed. The target rotational speed is set as a predetermined downwardly convex monotone increasing function having an elapsed time as a variable during a start-up period to rated condition.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 4, 2004Publication date: October 14, 2004Inventors: Terence McKelvey, Eishi Marui, Masahiro Miyamoto, Tadashi Kataoka, Tai Furuya
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Publication number: 20040178640Abstract: A gas turbine generating apparatus according to the present invention comprises a gas turbine capable of a high-speed operation, a permanent-magnet-type generator driven at a high speed by the gas turbine, an inverter device (5) for converting alternating-current power generated by the generator into commercial alternating-current power, and a system-interconnection device (9) for interconnecting output of the inverter device to a commercial AC power supply system (10). The system-interconnection device controls the inverter device based on voltage of the commercial AC power supply system as a criterion such that output current of the inverter device is in phase with the voltage or out of phase with the voltage by a constant phase difference.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 6, 2004Publication date: September 16, 2004Inventors: Motoyasu Satoh, Seiichi Ishihara, Noboru Kinoshita, Takahide Ozawa, Shao-jun Zheng, Terence Mckelvey, Tadashi Kataoka
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Patent number: 6767657Abstract: This invention relates to a hard coating developed for applications involving high-temperature corrosion by improving the performance of TiN coatings while retaining the superior wear resistance and low friction coeffident of TiN itself. The nitride-based sliding material has a face-centered cubic crystalline structure with lattice constant of between 0.414 and 0.423 nm, and is made of mostly TiN but contains at least one element selected from the group containing Al, Cr, Zr and Hf; or comprises a nitride-based material containing substantially titanium nitride and at least one element selected from a group consisting of B and Si, and having a face-centered cubic crystalline structure comprising crystallites of an average size of not more than 9 nm.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2001Date of Patent: July 27, 2004Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Hiroshi Nagasaka, Momoko Kakutani, Matsuho Miyasaka, Tadashi Kataoka
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Publication number: 20040119293Abstract: A gas turbine apparatus has a combustor 2 for combusting fuel to produce a combustion gas, a turbine 1 which is rotated by the combustion gas, an electric generator 5 coupled to the turbine 1, and a fuel flow control valve 10 configured to change an opening thereof The gas turbine apparatus includes a first PID processing unit 16 to adjust the opening of the fuel flow control valve 10 so as to maintain a rotational speed of the turbine 1 substantially at a constant value, and a second PID processing unit 17 to adjust the opening of the fuel flow control valve 10 so as to maintain a temperature of a discharged combustion gas at temperatures lower than a predetermined temperature. The gas turbine apparatus has an electric power controller 21 to control electric power to be generated by the electric generator 5 based on output values of the first PID processing unit 16 and the second PID processing unit 17.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2003Publication date: June 24, 2004Applicant: EBARA CORPORATIONInventors: Terence McKelvey, Eishi Marui, Masahiro Miyamoto, Tadashi Kataoka, Tai Furuya
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Patent number: 6558822Abstract: The invention aims to provide a hard film which is improved in high-temperature corrosion resistance without impairing high sliding characteristics (wear resistance, low frictional coefficient) inherent in a titanium nitride thin film and which is suitable for a slide member such as a bearing or a seal used in rotary machines operated at a high temperature, such as a steam turbine and a gas turbine. For attaining this aim, the invention provides a Cr-containing titanium nitride film which is composed of a nitride containing Ti and Cr as main components, the crystal particles thereof having a face-centered cubic crystal structure, and the crystal thereof being highly oriented toward (200) face.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2001Date of Patent: May 6, 2003Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Hiroshi Nagasaka, Momoko Kakutani, Matsuho Miyasaka, Tadashi Kataoka
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Publication number: 20020017235Abstract: The invention aims to provide a hard film which is improved in high-temperature corrosion resistance without impairing high sliding characteristics (wear resistance, low frictional coefficient) inherent in a titanium nitride thin film and which is suitable for a slide member such as a bearing or a seal used in rotary machines operated at a high temperature, such as a steam turbine and a gas turbine. For attaining this aim, the invention provides a Cr-containing titanium nitride film which is composed of a nitride containing Ti and Cr as main components, the crystal particles thereof having a face-centered cubic crystal structure, and the crystal thereof being highly oriented toward (200) face.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2001Publication date: February 14, 2002Inventors: Hiroshi Nagasaka, Momoko Kakutani, Matsuho Miyasaka, Tadashi Kataoka
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Patent number: 5322369Abstract: A dynamic pressure bearing is provided with a moving side bearing member and a fixed side bearing member so as to support a rotor for rotation by generating a fluid dynamic pressure between the moving side bearing member and the fixed side bearing member. The dynamic pressure bearing includes a high-frequency exciting device for applying a high-frequency vibration to the fixed side bearing member at the time of at least one of start-up and shutdown of the rotor. In this way, both bearing members are kept almost free from contact with each other and a frictional resistance at start-up and/or shutdown is minimized.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 1993Date of Patent: June 21, 1994Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Tadashi Kataoka, Shunsuke Mimura, Yoichi Kanemitsu, Yoshiyuki Maruta, Tatsuo Hinata, Mamoru Suzuki, Manabu Toshimitsu, Shunichi Aiyoshizawa
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Patent number: 5041989Abstract: A method and an apparatus for observing operating state of a mechanical seal are disclosed. The apparatus comprises a sensor 1, amplifier 2,4, a root mean square value voltmeter 5 and a computer 7. Root mean square values of outputs of high frequency acoustic emission generated by a mechanical seal provided on a rotary machine are inputted in the computer 7 which performs operations to obtain a maximum value, a minimum value, a mean value and deviation of the continously measured root mean square values. The computer also computes the magnitude of each of the values, any tendency for variation thereof and their mutual relationships, whereby the operating state of the mechanical seal is judged in terms of damage of and the possibility of leakage of sealed fluid from the sliding surfaces of the mechanical seal.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 1988Date of Patent: August 20, 1991Assignees: Ebara Corporation, Cosmo Oil CompanyInventors: Tadashi Kataoka, Yashuhide Hisada, Masahiro Komatu