Patents Assigned to Nippon Steel Engineering Co., Ltd.
  • Patent number: 8951408
    Abstract: A method for starting-up a naphtha fraction hydrotreating reactor which subjects a naphtha fraction obtained in a fractionator by fractional distillation of hydrocarbon compounds produced by a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction to hydrotreating, the method comprising: charging in advance an inactive hydrocarbon compound corresponding to the naphtha fraction into a vapor-liquid separator to which hydrogenated naphtha, which has been subjected to hydrotreating in the naphtha fraction hydrotreating reactor, is transferred; mixing the inactive hydrocarbon compound drawn from the vapor-liquid separator and the naphtha fractions being transferred from the fractionator to the naphtha fraction hydrotreating reactor, and supplying a mixture of the naphtha fractions and the inactive hydrocarbon compound to the naphtha fraction hydrotreating reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignees: JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation, Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation, Inpex Corporation, Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd., Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd., Nippon Steel Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuichi Tanaka, Hidekatsu Honda
  • Patent number: 8906222
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a management method for a wax fraction storage tank that stores a wax fraction produced by Fischer-Tropsch synthesis until the wax fraction is hydrocracked, the management method including maintaining the temperature inside the tank at 90° C. to 130° C. and maintaining the atmosphere inside the tank to be an inert gas atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignees: Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation, Inpex Corporation, Nippon Oil Corporation, Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd., Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd., Nippon Steel Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigenori Nakashizu, Yutaka Miyata, Kazuhito Sato
  • Patent number: 8906314
    Abstract: A bubble column reactor includes a reactor body which contains a slurry having solid catalyst particles suspended in a liquid, an inflow port which is provided at the bottom of the reactor body and allows a synthesis gas including a carbon monoxide gas and a hydrogen gas as the main components to flow into the slurry therethrough, and an outflow port which is provided at the top of the reactor body and allows gaseous hydrocarbons synthesized by a chemical reaction between the synthesis gas and the slurry, an unreacted synthesis gas, and the like to flow out therethrough. The distance in a vertical direction between the liquid surface of the slurry and the outflow port is 1.4 m or more and 10 m or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignees: Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation, Inpex Corporation, JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation, Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd., Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd., Nippon Steel Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Onishi, Yuzuru Kato, Eiichi Yamada, Atsushi Murata, Osamu Wakamura
  • Patent number: 8877821
    Abstract: Provided is a method for synthesizing liquid hydrocarbon compounds wherein synthesizing liquid hydrocarbon compounds from a synthesis gas by a Fisher-Tropsch synthesis reaction. The method includes a first absorption step of absorbing a carbon dioxide gas, which is contained in gaseous by-products generated in the Fisher-Tropsch synthesis reaction, with an absorbent, and a second absorption step of absorbing a carbon dioxide gas, which is contained in the synthesis gas, with the absorbent which is passed through the first absorption step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignees: Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation, INPEX Corporation, JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation, Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd., Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd., Nippon Steel Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Tasaka
  • Publication number: 20140322095
    Abstract: There is provided a method for recovering hydrocarbon compounds from gaseous by-products generated in a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction. The method includes absorbing light hydrocarbon compounds and a carbon dioxide gas from the gaseous by-products using an absorption solvent including liquid hydrocarbon compounds and a carbon dioxide gas absorbent, separating the absorption solvent which has absorbed the light hydrocarbon compounds and the carbon dioxide gas into the liquid hydrocarbon compounds and the carbon dioxide gas absorbent, heating the separated liquid hydrocarbon compounds to recover the light hydrocarbon compounds from the separated liquid hydrocarbon compounds, heating the separated carbon dioxide gas absorbent to strip the carbon dioxide gas from the separated carbon dioxide gas absorbent, and reusing the gaseous by-products from which the light hydrocarbon compounds and the carbon dioxide gas are absorbed as a feedstock gas for the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicants: Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation, INPEX Corporation, JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation, Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd., Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd., Nippon Steel Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Tasaka
  • Patent number: 8865079
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon synthesis reaction apparatus includes a reactor, and a synthesis gas supply line through which a synthesis gas is supplied to the reactor, and syntheses hydrocarbons by contacting the synthesis gas and the catalyst slurry in the reactor. The hydrocarbon synthesis reaction apparatus includes a spare supply line which is connected to the synthesis gas supply line, and supplies inert gas or hydrogen gas to the reactor through the synthesis gas supply line when supply of the synthesis gas to the synthesis gas supply line from the synthesis gas supply device is stopped, and a fluid heating device which heats at least one of a fluid which flows through a flowing line of the synthesis gas supply line located closer to the reactor than a portion connected with the spare supply line, and a fluid which flows through the spare supply line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignees: Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation, Inpex Corporation, JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation, Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd., Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd., Nippon Steel Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Onishi, Yuzuru Kato, Eiichi Yamada
  • Patent number: 8832967
    Abstract: A situation where sulfur compounds originating from a castable are mixed into synthesis gas produced by way of a reforming reaction and the mixed sulfur compounds are separated and collected with carbon dioxide and further fed into a reformer to thereby degrade the reforming catalyst of the reformer by sulfur poisoning is avoided. Purge gas that is steam or steam-containing gas is made to flow into the piping to be used for a synthesis gas production apparatus and dried out to remove the sulfur compounds contained in the castable prior to the start-up of operation of the synthesis gas production apparatus, in order to prevent the sulfur compounds from being released by hot synthesis gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignees: Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation, Inpex Corporation, JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation, Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd., Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd., Nippon Steel Engineering Co., Ltd., Chiyoda Corporation
    Inventors: Shinya Hodoshima, Fuyuki Yagi, Shuhei Wakamatsu, Kenichi Kawazuishi
  • Publication number: 20140250946
    Abstract: There is provided a method for recovering hydrocarbon compounds from a gaseous by-products generated in the Fisher-Tropsch synthesis reaction, the method comprising a pressurizing step in which the gaseous by-products are pressurized, a cooling step in which the pressurized gaseous by-products are pressurized to liquefy hydrocarbon compounds in the gaseous by-products, and a separating step in which the hydrocarbon compounds liquefied in the cooling step are separated from the remaining gaseous by-products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicants: Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation, INPEX Corporation, JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation, Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd., Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd., Nippon Steel Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Tasaka
  • Patent number: 8777521
    Abstract: A steel pipe pile having pile bearing capacity without disturbing the surrounding ground during installation. The steel pipe pile including a first steel pipe pile that has a hollow steel pipe and a first helical fin on the outer periphery thereof from one end toward the other end at a constantly equal pitch; and a second steel pipe pile that has a hollow steel pipe and a helical fin on the outer periphery thereof from one end toward the other end at a constantly equal pitch and that is joined at an end to the other end of the first steel pipe pile, the pitch of the first helical fin and the pitch of the second helical fin being equal, and the first helical fin and second helical fin being continuous along an imaginary helix at the joint between the first steel pipe pile and the second steel pipe pile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Nippon Steel Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Nagata, Masamichi Sawaishi, Masatoshi Wada
  • Patent number: 8758692
    Abstract: There is provided a synthesis reaction system which synthesizes a hydrocarbon compound by a chemical reaction of a synthesis gas including hydrogen and carbon monoxide as main components, and a slurry having solid catalyst particles suspended in liquid and which extracts the hydrocarbon compound from the slurry. The synthesis reaction system includes a reactor main body which accommodates the slurry, a separator which separates the hydrocarbon compound included in the slurry from the slurry, a first flow passage which allows the slurry including the hydrocarbon compound to flow to the separator from the reactor main body, a second flow passage which allows the slurry to flow to the reactor main body from the separator, and a fluid supply nozzle which supplies a fluid toward at least any one of the separator, the first flow passage, and the second flow passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignees: Nippon Steel Engineering Co., Ltd., Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation, Inpex Corporation, Nippon Oil Corporation, Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd., Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Onishi
  • Patent number: 8734636
    Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing diesel fuel, including: fractionating in a first fractionator a synthetic oil obtained by Fisher-Tropsch synthesis into at least two fractions of a middle fraction, and a wax fraction containing a wax component heavier than the middle fraction; hydroisomerizing the middle fraction by bringing the middle fraction into contact with a hydroisomerizing catalyst to produce a hydroisomerized middle fraction; hydrocracking the wax fraction by bringing the wax fraction into contact with a hydrocracking catalyst to produce a wax decomposition compound; fractionating in a second fractionator a mixture of the hydroisomerized middle fraction and the hydrocracked wax fraction into at least two fractions including a kerosene fraction and a gas oil fraction; and mixing the at least two fractions at a predetermined blend ratio to produce a diesel fuel having a kinematic viscosity at 30° C. of 2.5 mm2/s or more and a pour point of ?7.5° C. or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignees: Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation, Inpex Corporation, Nippon Oil Corporation, Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd., Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd., Nippon Steel Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuichi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8729142
    Abstract: There is provided a method for recovering hydrocarbon compounds from a gaseous by-products generated in the Fisher-Tropsch synthesis reaction, the method comprising a pressurizing step in which the gaseous by-products are pressurized, a cooling step in which the pressurized gaseous by-products are pressurized to liquefy hydrocarbon compounds in the gaseous by-products, and a separating step in which the hydrocarbon compounds liquefied in the cooling step are separated from the remaining gaseous by-products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignees: Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation, Inpex Corporation, JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation, Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd., Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd., Nippon Steel Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Tasaka
  • Patent number: 8729139
    Abstract: There is provided a method for recovering hydrocarbon compounds from gaseous by-products generated in a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction. The method includes absorbing light hydrocarbon compounds and a carbon dioxide gas from the gaseous by-products using an absorption solvent including liquid hydrocarbon compounds and a carbon dioxide gas absorbent, separating the absorption solvent which has absorbed the light hydrocarbon compounds and the carbon dioxide gas into the liquid hydrocarbon compounds and the carbon dioxide gas absorbent, heating the separated liquid hydrocarbon compounds to recover the light hydrocarbon compounds from the separated liquid hydrocarbon compounds, heating the separated carbon dioxide gas absorbent to strip the carbon dioxide gas from the separated carbon dioxide gas absorbent, and reusing the gaseous by-products from which the light hydrocarbon compounds and the carbon dioxide gas are absorbed as a feedstock gas for the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignees: Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation, Inpex Corporation, JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation, Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd., Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd., Nippon Steel Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Tasaka
  • Patent number: 8722748
    Abstract: In a process for producing hydrocarbons according to the present invention, estimated production rates for a light hydrocarbon oil and a heavy hydrocarbon oil are respectively determined based on a set reaction temperature used when the hydrocarbons are synthesized by a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction, and the discharge flow rates of the light hydrocarbon oil and the heavy hydrocarbon oil from temporary storage buffer tanks (91, 92) during supply to a fractionator (40) are respectively controlled so as to be equal to the respective estimated production rates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignees: Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation, Inpex Corporation, JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation, Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd., Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd., Nippon Steel Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Tasaka
  • Patent number: 8722372
    Abstract: To provide a method for producing an ethanol which facilitates the processing of a solid component as a residue generated upon processing, while improving the recovery rate of heat energy contained in leftover food. The method for recovering and producing ethanol and oil is a method for producing ethanol by saccharification, fermentation, and distillation of leftover food. In this method, a three-phase centrifuge for performing separation into three phases of an oil component, an aqueous solution component, and a solid component is used in a step of solid-liquid separation of any one of a saccharified liquid, a fermented liquid, and a distillation waste liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignees: Nippon Steel Engineering Co., Ltd., Nittetsu Plant Designing Corporation
    Inventors: Takafumi Kiuchi, Yasuhiko Kato, Yasufumi Hajima, Norio Yoshitake, Shigeru Mitarai
  • Patent number: 8702969
    Abstract: A hydrocracking process that includes a wax fraction hydrocracking step of hydrocracking the wax fraction contained within a Fischer-Tropsch synthetic oil to obtain a hydrocracked product, a gas-liquid separation step of using a multi-stage gas-liquid separator to separate the hydrocracked product into a gas component, a heavy oil component and a light oil component, a specific component content estimation step of determining the flow rate ratio between the heavy oil component and the light oil component, and using this flow rate ratio to determine an estimated value for the content of a specific hydrocarbon component contained within the hydrocracked product, and a control step of controlling the operation of the wax fraction hydrocracking step on the basis of this estimated value, so that the content of the specific hydrocarbon component falls within a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignees: Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation, Inpex Corporation, JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation, Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd., Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd., Nippon Steel Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Tasaka, Yuichi Tanaka, Marie Iwama
  • Patent number: 8701856
    Abstract: A charging device capable of moving a distribution chute with a simple structure and easy control is provided. The charging device includes: a frame; a rotation axis set in the frame; a rotor supported by the frame and being rotatable around the rotation axis; an adjustment axis set in the rotor and intersecting with the rotation axis at a first angle; a holder supported by the rotor and being rotatable around the adjustment axis; a distribution chute fixed to the holder and extending in a direction intersecting with the adjustment axis at a second angle; a rotation drive motor fixed to the frame and rotating the rotor against the frame; a transmission-side bevel gear supported by the frame and being rotatable around the rotation axis; a holder-side bevel gear fixed to the holder and being meshed with the transmission-side bevel gear; and an adjustment drive motor fixed to the frame and rotating the holder against the rotor by rotating the transmission-side bevel gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Nippon Steel Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shin Tomisaki
  • Patent number: 8685212
    Abstract: A start-up method of a fractionator which fractionally distills FT synthesized hydrocarbons produced by the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction, the method includes: discharging light FT synthesized hydrocarbons which exist in a gaseous state in an FT reactor performing the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction from the FT reactor to the outside; cooling down the light FT synthesized hydrocarbons discharged from the FT reactor for liquefaction; supplying the liquefied light FT synthesized hydrocarbons to the fractionator; and heating the light FT synthesized hydrocarbons and circulating the light FT synthesized hydrocarbons to the fractionator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignees: JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation, Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation, Inpex Corporation, Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd., Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd., Nippon Steel Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuichi Tanaka, Hidekatsu Honda
  • Patent number: 8628655
    Abstract: A hydrocracking process that includes a wax fraction hydrocracking step of hydrocracking the wax fraction contained within a Fischer-Tropsch synthetic oil to obtain a hydrocracked product, a gas-liquid separation step of using a multi-stage gas-liquid separator to separate the hydrocracked product into a gas component, a heavy oil component and a light oil component, a specific component content estimation step of determining the flow rate ratio between the heavy oil component and the light oil component, and using this flow rate ratio to determine an estimated value for the content of a specific hydrocarbon component contained within the hydrocracked product, and a control step of controlling the operation of the wax fraction hydrocracking step on the basis of this estimated value, so that the content of the specific hydrocarbon component falls within a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignees: Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation, Inpex Corporation, JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation, Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd., Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd., Nippon Steel Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Tasaka, Yuichi Tanaka, Marie Iwama
  • Patent number: 8615969
    Abstract: Disclosed is a reinforcement structure of a rectangular flat metal plate, which is provided with: a rectangular flat metal plate that is predominantly subjected to in-plane shear, and supports a compressive load as necessary; strip-like rectangular section members that are spliced in parallel with both side edges of the flat plate in the longitudinal direction so as to reinforce the flat plate; and a plurality of square tube-like members that are parallelly arranged for each constant interval in the shorter side direction of the flat plate, and are spliced on one side surface of the flat plate, or are spliced so as to overlap one another across the flat plate between both surfaces of the front and back of the flat plate, wherein the torsional rigidity and torsional strength of the rectangular flat metal plate are increased to ensure a yield shear load, and shear yield strength can be stably maintained even in the transition of shear deformation after the yield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignees: Suzuki Laboratory of Material and Structure Co. Ltd., Nippon Steel Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshiro Suzuki