Patents by Inventor Yuka Asahi

Yuka Asahi 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: 11413582
    Abstract: A filtration device includes a continuous first unit including a first membrane that separates a liquid into first permeated and non-permeated liquids, a first adjuster that adjusts a flow rate of the first permeated liquid to be substantially constant, and a first liquid scale that detects a liquid amount, a second unit including a second membrane that separates another liquid into second permeated and non-permeated liquids, a second adjuster that adjusts a flow rate of the second permeated liquid to be substantially constant, and a second liquid scale that detects another liquid amount, a first controller that controls the liquid amount in the first storage tank based on measurement values from continuous two first units or from the continuous first and second units, and a second controller that controls the another liquid amount based on a measurement value from the second unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuka Asahi, Atsushi Minamino, Hiroyuki Kurihara, Katsushige Yamada
  • Publication number: 20210069647
    Abstract: A filtration device includes a continuous first unit including a first membrane that separates a liquid into first permeated and non-permeated liquids, a first adjuster that adjusts a flow rate of the first permeated liquid to be substantially constant, and a first liquid scale that detects a liquid amount, a second unit including a second membrane that separates another liquid into second permeated and non-permeated liquids, a second adjuster that adjusts a flow rate of the second permeated liquid to be substantially constant, and a second liquid scale that detects another liquid amount, a first controller that controls the liquid amount in the first storage tank based on measurement values from continuous two first units or from the continuous first and second units, and a second controller that controls the another liquid amount based on a measurement value from the second unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventors: Yuka Asahi, Atsushi Minamino, Hiroyuki Kurihara, Katsushige Yamada
  • Patent number: 10844444
    Abstract: A method of producing a sugar liquid derived from a cellulose-containing biomass includes (a) saccharifying a pretreated product having alignin content of not more than 8.5% obtained by pretreatment of a cellulose-containing biomass, to obtain a saccharified liquid; (b) filtering the saccharified liquid obtained in Step (a) through a microfiltration membrane to allow formation of a cake on a membrane surface in a feed side while obtaining a sugar liquid from a permeate side; and (c) collecting the cake formed on the membrane surface in Step (b) by peeling from the membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuka Asahi, Atsushi Minamino, Hiroyuki Kurihara, Masashi Higasa, Katsushige Yamada
  • Patent number: 10781466
    Abstract: A method of producing a sugar liquid includes: (A) reacting mannanase with a liquid component obtained by hydrolysis treatment of woody biomass to obtain a saccharified liquid; and (B) filtering the saccharified liquid in Step (A) through a microfiltration membrane and/or ultrafiltration membrane to collect a sugar liquid from a permeate side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Atsushi Minamino, Yuka Asahi, Hiroyuki Kurihara, Jumpei Kishimoto, Masashi Higasa, Katsushige Yamada
  • Patent number: 10767236
    Abstract: A method of producing a sugar liquid includes a step of filtering a saccharified liquid derived from cellulose-containing biomass, through a nanofiltration membrane and/or reverse osmosis membrane; and a two-step washing step of washing the nanofiltration membrane and/or reverse osmosis membrane after the filtration, with an acid washing liquid and then with an alkali washing liquid; is provided. The method of producing a sugar liquid in which a cellulose-derived sugar liquid is processed through a nanofiltration membrane and/or reverse osmosis membrane is/are effectively washed in a contaminated separation membrane(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuka Asahi, Atsushi Minamino, Jumpei Kishimoto, Masashi Higasa
  • Patent number: 10519093
    Abstract: A method efficiently produces hydroxycinnamic acids having a high quality, from a cellulose-containing biomass. More specifically, the method includes the steps of: obtaining an alkaline filtrate by allowing an alkaline aqueous medium to pass through a cellulose-containing biomass; obtaining a hydroxycinnamic acid extraction liquid by allowing the alkaline filtrate to repeatedly pass through the cellulose-containing biomass; and separating the hydroxycinnamic acid from the hydroxycinnamic acid extraction liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Atsushi Minamino, Shigeyuki Funada, Hiroyuki Kurihara, Yuka Asahi, Takuya Kasahara, Katsushige Yamada
  • Publication number: 20190112254
    Abstract: A method efficiently produces hydroxycinnamic acids having a high quality, from a cellulose-containing biomass. More specifically, the method includes the steps of: obtaining an alkaline filtrate by allowing an alkaline aqueous medium to pass through a cellulose-containing biomass; obtaining a hydroxycinnamic acid extraction liquid by allowing the alkaline filtrate to repeatedly pass through the cellulose-containing biomass; and separating the hydroxycinnamic acid from the hydroxycinnamic acid extraction liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2017
    Publication date: April 18, 2019
    Inventors: Atsushi Minamino, Shigeyuki Funada, Hiroyuki Kurihara, Yuka Asahi, Takuya Kasahara, Katsushige Yamada
  • Publication number: 20190112624
    Abstract: A method efficiently produces a sugar liquid having a high quality from a cellulose-containing biomass. More specifically, the method includes: the step of obtaining an alkaline filtrate by allowing an alkaline aqueous medium to pass through a cellulose-containing biomass; the recirculation filtration step of allowing the alkaline filtrate to repeatedly pass through the cellulose-containing biomass to produce a cellulose-containing solid component; and the step of hydrolyzing the cellulose-containing solid component to obtain the sugar liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2017
    Publication date: April 18, 2019
    Inventors: Atsushi Minamino, Shigeyuki Funada, Hiroyuki Kurihara, Yuka Asahi, Takuya Kasahara, Katsushige Yamada
  • Publication number: 20180051350
    Abstract: A method of producing a sugar liquid derived from a cellulose-containing biomass includes (a) saccharifying a pretreated product having alignin content of not more than 8.5% obtained by pretreatment of a cellulose-containing biomass, to obtain a saccharified liquid; (b) filtering the saccharified liquid obtained in Step (a) through a microfiltration membrane to allow formation of a cake on a membrane surface in a feed side while obtaining a sugar liquid from a permeate side; and (c) collecting the cake formed on the membrane surface in Step (b) by peeling from the membrane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Publication date: February 22, 2018
    Inventors: Yuka Asahi, Atsushi Minamino, Hiroyuki Kurihara, Masashi Higasa, Katsushige Yamada
  • Publication number: 20170275663
    Abstract: A method of producing a sugar liquid includes: (A) reacting mannanase with a liquid component obtained by hydrolysis treatment of woody biomass to obtain a saccharified liquid; and (B) filtering the saccharified liquid in Step (A) through a microfiltration membrane and/or ultrafiltration membrane to collect a sugar liquid from a permeate side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2015
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Inventors: Atsushi Minamino, Yuka Asahi, Hiroyuki Kurihara, Jumpei Kishimoto, Masashi Higasa, Katsushige Yamada
  • Publication number: 20170058369
    Abstract: A method of producing a sugar liquid includes a step of filtering a saccharified liquid derived from cellulose-containing biomass, through a nanofiltration membrane and/or reverse osmosis membrane; and a two-step washing step of washing the nanofiltration membrane and/or reverse osmosis membrane after the filtration, with an acid washing liquid and then with an alkali washing liquid; is provided. The method of producing a sugar liquid in which a cellulose-derived sugar liquid is processed through a nanofiltration membrane and/or reverse osmosis membrane is/are effectively washed in a contaminated separation membrane(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventors: Yuka Asahi, Atsushi Minamino, Jumpei Kishimoto, Masashi Higasa