Patents by Inventor Youji Kawaguchi

Youji Kawaguchi 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).

  • Hydrogen generation apparatus and fuel cell power generation system
    Patent number: 9240604
    Abstract: A hydrogen generation apparatus 200 includes: an evaporating part 7; a reforming reaction part 9A connected to the downstream side of the evaporating part; a carbon monoxide reducing part 20 provided downstream from the reforming reaction part; and a gas guiding part 21 disposed between the reforming reaction part and the carbon monoxide reducing part and configured to guide a gas that has passed through the reforming reaction part to the carbon monoxide reducing part. The evaporating part and the carbon monoxide reducing part are arranged to be adjacent to each other such that, at least, a part of the evaporating part and a part of the carbon monoxide reducing part are heat exchangeable with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akira Maenishi, Yuji Mukai, Youji Kawaguchi, Masataka Ozeki
  • Hydrogen generation apparatus, fuel cell system including the same, and method of operating hydrogen generation apparatus
    Patent number: 9005829
    Abstract: A hydrogen generation apparatus including: a first desulfurizer; a second desulfurizer; a reformer to generate a hydrogen-containing reformed gas from a raw material gas from which sulfur has been removed by at least one of the first desulfurizer and the second desulfurizer; and a recycle passage through which a part of the reformed gas generated by the reformer is mixed into the raw material gas to be supplied to the second desulfurizer. After installation or maintenance of the hydrogen generation apparatus, the raw material gas is supplied to the reformer through the first desulfurizer until a catalyst in the second desulfurizer is activated by a mixed gas of the reformed gas supplied through the recycle passage and the raw material gas, and after the catalyst in the second desulfurizer is activated, the raw material gas is supplied to the reformer through the second desulfurizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Maenishi, Hidenobu Wakita, Seiji Fujihara, Masaki Nobuoka, Youji Kawaguchi, Kiyoshi Taguchi, Satoru Narita, Kunihiro Ukai
  • HYDROGEN GENERATION APPARATUS, FUEL CELL SYSTEM INCLUDING THE SAME, AND METHOD OF OPERATING HYDROGEN GENERATION APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20140072892
    Abstract: A hydrogen generation apparatus including: a first desulfurizer; a second desulfurizer; a reformer to generate a hydrogen-containing reformed gas from a raw material gas from which sulfur has been removed by at least one of the first desulfurizer and the second desulfurizer; and a recycle passage through which a part of the reformed gas generated by the reformer is mixed into the raw material gas to be supplied to the second desulfurizer. After installation or maintenance of the hydrogen generation apparatus, the raw material gas is supplied to the reformer through the first desulfurizer until a catalyst in the second desulfurizer is activated by a mixed gas of the reformed gas supplied through the recycle passage and the raw material gas, and after the catalyst in the second desulfurizer is activated, the raw material gas is supplied to the reformer through the second desulfurizer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Inventors: Akira Maenishi, Hidenobu Wakita, Seiji Fujihara, Masaki Nobuoka, Youji Kawaguchi, Kiyoshi Taguchi, Satoru Narita, Kunihiro Ukai
  • HYDROGEN GENERATOR AND FUEL CELL POWER GENERATION SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20120321971
    Abstract: A hydrogen generation apparatus 200 includes: an evaporating part 7; a reforming reaction part 9A connected to the downstream side of the evaporating part; a carbon monoxide reducing part 20 provided downstream from the reforming reaction part; and a gas guiding part 21 disposed between the reforming reaction part and the carbon monoxide reducing part and configured to guide a gas that has passed through the reforming reaction part to the carbon monoxide reducing part. The evaporating part and the carbon monoxide reducing part are arranged to be adjacent to each other such that, at least, a part of the evaporating part and a part of the carbon monoxide reducing part are heat exchangeable with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Inventors: Akira Maenishi, Yuji Mukai, Youji Kawaguchi, Masataka Ozeki