Patents by Inventor Yuzo SHIRAKAWA
Yuzo SHIRAKAWA 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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Patent number: 11888195Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a fuel cell power generation system that can attain a higher fuel utilization rate and can also attain higher power generation efficiency simultaneously. The fuel cell power generation system includes an oxide-ion-conducting first fuel cell 11 that performs reformation of a fuel containing hydrocarbon and power generation and a proton-conducting second fuel cell 12 that performs power generation by being supplied with hydrogen from the first fuel cell 11. The fuel utilization rate of the first fuel cell 11 can be set to 30% or lower, for example, and the fuel utilization rate of the second fuel cell 12 can be set to 70% or higher, for example. By adopting such a multi-stage configuration, it is possible to increase the power generation efficiency as a whole and to also attain a high fuel utilization rate simultaneously.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2020Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.Inventors: Yuzo Shirakawa, Takao Ishikawa
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Patent number: 11732624Abstract: Provided is a device that uses a high-temperature exhaust gas released from an internal combustion engine to produce a fuel. The present invention relates to the fuel production device including the internal combustion engine, an electrolysis device connected to the internal combustion engine, and a hydrogenation reactor connected to the electrolysis device, wherein the electrolysis device is a device for decomposing high-temperature water vapor contained in the exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine into hydrogen and oxygen, and the hydrogenation reactor is a device for converting the hydrogen resulting from the decomposition to the fuel.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2020Date of Patent: August 22, 2023Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.Inventors: Hiroaki Hasegawa, Yuzo Shirakawa, Hiroto Naito, Takao Ishikawa
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Patent number: 11506115Abstract: The invention provides a cogeneration system capable of adjusting a heat-to-electric power ratio not only in an increasing direction, but also in a decreasing direction. The cogeneration system includes: a power generation device configured to supply electric power; a first heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between exhaust of the power generation device and water, so as to lower a temperature of the exhaust and obtain steam from the water; a reformer configured to generate a reformed gas by the steam reacting with a fuel; a second heat exchanger configured to cool the reformed gas generated by the reformer by heat exchanging; a reformed gas supply device configured to supply the reformed gas cooled by the second heat exchanger to the power generation device; a distributor configured to supply the steam to at least one of the reformer and a heat utilization device; and a control device configure to adjust a heat-to-electric power ratio by changing a supply destination of the steam in the distributor.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2020Date of Patent: November 22, 2022Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Yuzo Shirakawa, Hiroto Naito, Takao Ishikawa
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Publication number: 20220333515Abstract: Provided is a device that uses a high-temperature exhaust gas released from an internal combustion engine to produce a fuel. The present invention relates to the fuel production device including the internal combustion engine, an electrolysis device connected to the internal combustion engine, and a hydrogenation reactor connected to the electrolysis device, wherein the electrolysis device is a device for decomposing high-temperature water vapor contained in the exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine into hydrogen and oxygen, and the hydrogenation reactor is a device for converting the hydrogen resulting from the decomposition to the fuel.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2020Publication date: October 20, 2022Inventors: Hiroaki HASEGAWA, Yuzo SHIRAKAWA, Hiroto NAITO, Takao ISHIKAWA
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Publication number: 20220336833Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a fuel cell power generation system that can attain a higher fuel utilization rate and can also attain higher power generation efficiency simultaneously. The fuel cell power generation system includes an oxide-ion-conducting first fuel cell 11 that performs reformation of a fuel containing hydrocarbon and power generation and a proton-conducting second fuel cell 12 that performs power generation by being supplied with hydrogen from the first fuel cell 11. The fuel utilization rate of the first fuel cell 11 can be set to 30% or lower, for example, and the fuel utilization rate of the second fuel cell 12 can be set to 70% or higher, for example. By adopting such a multi-stage configuration, it is possible to increase the power generation efficiency as a whole and to also attain a high fuel utilization rate simultaneously.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2020Publication date: October 20, 2022Inventors: Yuzo SHIRAKAWA, Takao ISHIKAWA
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Publication number: 20220292582Abstract: The present disclosure provides a fuel trading coordination technique that enables certification processes taking account of a supply chain for a fuel, such as hydrogen, and that meets fuel users' demands while ensuring their convenience. A fuel trading coordination device according to the present disclosure includes a storage device storing information of a plurality of fuel suppliers, and a controller that processes an order for purchasing a mix of a first type fuel and a second type fuel, the order being placed by a first type fuel user. The first type fuel and the second type fuel are fuels that are different in production method but can be used for the same purpose. The controller sends information of the order of the first type fuel user to a first supplier that supplies the first type fuel and to a second supplier that supplies the second type fuel.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2020Publication date: September 15, 2022Inventors: Hiroto NAITO, Yuzo SHIRAKAWA, Hiroaki HASEGAWA
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Patent number: 11035314Abstract: According to one embodiment, a machine control system includes: a selecting unit which acquires a state quantity of a machine converted from data acquired by a sensor provided in the machine to select two or more learning models according to the acquired state quantity; a composing unit which inputs the state quantity acquired by the selecting unit to each of the two or more learning models selected by the selecting unit to calculate a composed value using a command value output from each of the learning models; and a learning unit which outputs a command value with respect to the machine in a range based on the composed value calculated by the composing unit, acquires a state quantity of the machine, searches for a command value of a specific condition from a combination of the output command value and the acquired state quantity, and outputs the searched command value to the machine, thereby creating a new learning model.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2019Date of Patent: June 15, 2021Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Kanako Esaki, Kohsei Matsumoto, Kiyoto Ito, Yuzo Shirakawa, Hiroto Naito
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Publication number: 20200248617Abstract: The invention provides a cogeneration system capable of adjusting a heat-to-electric power ratio not only in an increasing direction, but also in a decreasing direction. The cogeneration system includes: a power generation device configured to supply electric power; a first heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between exhaust of the power generation device and water, so as to lower a temperature of the exhaust and obtain steam from the water; a reformer configured to generate a reformed gas by the steam reacting with a fuel; a second heat exchanger configured to cool the reformed gas generated by the reformer by heat exchanging; a reformed gas supply device configured to supply the reformed gas cooled by the second heat exchanger to the power generation device; a distributor configured to supply the steam to at least one of the reformer and a heat utilization device; and a control device configure to adjust a heat-to-electric power ratio by changing a supply destination of the steam in the distributor.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2020Publication date: August 6, 2020Inventors: Yuzo SHIRAKAWA, Hiroto NAITO, Takao ISHIKAWA
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Patent number: 10605188Abstract: The control device includes: an observation unit that calculates an amount relating to a state of a control target detected by a sensor; an abnormality predictor detection unit that detects an abnormality predictor of the control target; a reward calculation unit that calculates a reward which is an amount obtained by evaluating pass or fail of an operation of the control target; a basic control amount calculation unit that calculates data relating to the state during an operation and a basic control amount serving as a reference to control the control target; a control amount search unit that searches for a control amount at which the reward satisfies a predetermined condition based on the basic control amount, the data relating to the state during the operation and the reward; and a control unit that generates a command value to the control target.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2019Date of Patent: March 31, 2020Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Kohsei Matsumoto, Kanako Esaki, Kiyoto Ito, Hiroto Naito, Yuzo Shirakawa
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Publication number: 20190242319Abstract: The control device includes: an observation unit that calculates an amount relating to a state of a control target detected by a sensor; an abnormality predictor detection unit that detects an abnormality predictor of the control target; a reward calculation unit that calculates a reward which is an amount obtained by evaluating pass or fail of an operation of the control target; a basic control amount calculation unit that calculates data relating to the state during an operation and a basic control amount serving as a reference to control the control target; a control amount search unit that searches for a control amount at which the reward satisfies a predetermined condition based on the basic control amount, the data relating to the state during the operation and the reward; and a control unit that generates a command value to the control target.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2019Publication date: August 8, 2019Inventors: Kohsei MATSUMOTO, Kanako ESAKI, Kiyoto ITO, Hiroto NAITO, Yuzo SHIRAKAWA
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Publication number: 20190242326Abstract: According to one embodiment, a machine control system includes: a selecting unit which acquires a state quantity of a machine converted from data acquired by a sensor provided in the machine to select two or more learning models according to the acquired state quantity; a composing unit which inputs the state quantity acquired by the selecting unit to each of the two or more learning models selected by the selecting unit to calculate a composed value using a command value output from each of the learning models; and a learning unit which outputs a command value with respect to the machine in a range based on the composed value calculated by the composing unit, acquires a state quantity of the machine, searches for a command value of a specific condition from a combination of the output command value and the acquired state quantity, and outputs the searched command value to the machine, thereby creating a new learning model.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 4, 2019Publication date: August 8, 2019Inventors: Kanako ESAKI, Kohsei MATSUMOTO, Kiyoto ITO, Yuzo SHIRAKAWA, Hiroto NAITO
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Patent number: 10197019Abstract: An ethanol engine system stabilizes components of reformed gas generated by a reformer and a calorific value of fuel supplied to an engine. The ethanol engine system includes a reservoir tank for an aqueous ethanol solution, a first supply device that supplies the aqueous ethanol solution to the reformer, a separator that cools mixed gas fed from the reformer, including the reformed gas, condenses water vapor included in the mixed gas and separates into gas and liquid, a reformed gas supply device that supplies the reformed gas separated by the separator to the engine, a recovery tank that collects a recovery solution separated by the separator, and a first recovery solution supply device that supplies the recovery solution in the recovery tank to the reformer or a second recovery solution supply device that supplies the recovery solution in the recovery tank to a combustion chamber of the engine.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2015Date of Patent: February 5, 2019Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.Inventors: Atsushi Shimada, Takao Ishikawa, Yuzo Shirakawa
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Publication number: 20170089306Abstract: An ethanol engine system stabilizes components of reformed gas generated by a reformer and a calorific value of fuel supplied to an engine. The ethanol engine system includes a reservoir tank for an aqueous ethanol solution, a first supply device that supplies the aqueous ethanol solution to the reformer, a separator that cools mixed gas fed from the reformer, including the reformed gas, condenses water vapor included in the mixed gas and separates into gas and liquid, a reformed gas supply device that supplies the reformed gas separated by the separator to the engine, a recovery tank that collects a recovery solution separated by the separator, and a first recovery solution supply device that supplies the recovery solution in the recovery tank to the reformer or a second recovery solution supply device that supplies the recovery solution in the recovery tank to a combustion chamber of the engine.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 18, 2015Publication date: March 30, 2017Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.Inventors: Atsushi SHIMADA, Takao ISHIKAWA, Yuzo SHIRAKAWA