Patents Assigned to Nippon Steel Engineering Co., Ltd.
  • Patent number: 8597502
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a diesel fuel base stock improved in low-temperature flowability, including: fractionating in a first fractionator a synthetic oil obtained by Fisher-Tropsch synthesis into at least two fractions of a first middle fraction containing a component having a boiling range corresponding to diesel fuel oil, and a wax fraction containing a wax component heavier than the first middle fraction; hydroisomerizing the first middle fraction by bringing the first 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 component; and fractionating in a second fractionator a mixture of the produced hydroisomerized middle fraction and the produced wax-decomposition component, wherein rectification conditions in the first fractionator and/or rectification conditions in the second fractionator are adjusted
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    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: Yuichi Tanaka, Kazuhito Sato
  • Patent number: 8586640
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon synthesis reaction apparatus which synthesizes a hydrocarbon compound by a chemical reaction of a synthesis gas including hydrogen and carbon monoxide as the main components, and a slurry having solid catalyst particles suspended in a liquid, the hydrocarbon synthesis reaction apparatus is provided with: a reactor which contains the slurry; a synthesis gas introduction part which introduces the synthesis gas into the reactor; and a synthesis gas heating part which is provided in the synthesis gas introduction part to heat the synthesis gas introduced into the reactor to the decomposition temperature of carbonyl compounds or higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    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, Eiichi Yamada
  • Patent number: 8578582
    Abstract: A method for dismantling a furnace having a multilayered refractory structure including: a furnace shell; a containing layer that is formed of a containing refractory that contains asbestos, and covers the inner side of the furnace shell; and a multilayered non-containing layer that is formed of a non-containing refractory that contains no asbestos, and covers the inner side of the containing layer, the method includes: a primary dismantling process; and a secondary dismantling process conducted after the primary dismantling process. In the primary dismantling process, the non-containing layer is dismantled from a furnace-core side thereof but the containing layer and at least one layer of the layers forming the non-containing layer, which is in contact with the containing layer, are left as a remnant. In the secondary dismantling process, the remnant is dismantled while asbestos measures are implemented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Nippon Steel Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazumi Kurayoshi, Ryo Kato, Katsumi Mori, Yoshihito Doi
  • Patent number: 8569386
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon synthesis reaction apparatus which synthesizes a hydrocarbon compound by a chemical reaction of a synthesis gas including a hydrogen and a carbon monoxide as the main components, and a slurry having solid catalyst particles suspended in a liquid, the apparatus is provided with: a reactor in which the synthesis gas contacts with the slurry; and an unreacted gas supply device which draws unreacted gas from the reactor, then pressurizes the unreacted gas, and supplies the unreacted gas to a constituent device which constitutes the hydrocarbon synthesis reaction apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    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: 8569387
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon compound synthesis reaction unit which synthesizes a hydrocarbon compound by a chemical reaction of a synthesis gas including a hydrogen and a carbon monoxide as the main components, and a slurry having a solid catalyst suspended in liquid hydrocarbons, the hydrocarbon compound synthesis reaction unit is provided with: a reactor which contains the slurry inside, into which the synthesis gas is introduced, and from which the gas after the reaction is discharged from the top thereof; an internal separation device provided inside the reactor to separate the catalyst and the synthesized liquid hydrocarbons in the slurry; and an external separation device provided outside the reactor to separate the catalyst and the liquid hydrocarbons in the slurry which is extracted from the reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    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, Kentarou Morita
  • Patent number: 8524160
    Abstract: A catalyst separation system is provided with: a reactor where hydrocarbons are synthesized by a chemical reaction of a synthesis gas including carbon monoxide gas and hydrogen gas as main components, and a catalyst slurry having solid catalyst particles suspended in a liquid; filters which separate the hydrocarbons and the catalyst slurry; and a gas-liquid separator which separates the liquid hydrocarbons flowing out of the filter into gas hydrocarbons and liquid hydrocarbons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    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, Eiichi Yamada
  • Patent number: 8492004
    Abstract: The invention provides a friction joining structure comprising steel products, a friction joining steel plate inserted there between, and a fastening device, which are mutually friction joined by a compressive force derived from the fastening device. A portion of projected streaks on the friction joining steel plate is designed to have a Vickers hardness at least 3 times greater than the surface of the steel products, which allows the projected streaks to more easily enter the steel products thereby increasing the friction coefficient between the steel products. The friction joining structure is constituted by a slip resistance mechanism which can be easily validated from a theoretical or an experimental point of view and is also small in variance of the friction coefficient. Therefore, a friction coefficient used in design can be set at a high value with high accuracy to realize a rational design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignees: Nippon Steel Engineering Co., Ltd., Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Watanabe, Atsushi Tomimoto
  • Patent number: 8479572
    Abstract: There is provided a bubble column type hydrocarbon synthesis reactor 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. The hydrocarbon synthesis reactor includes a reactor main body which accommodates the slurry, a synthesis gas supplying section which supplies the synthesis gas to the slurry; one pressure sensor which is arranged higher than the liquid level of the slurry to measure the pressure of the synthesis gas above the liquid level, another pressure sensor which is arranged lower than the liquid level of the slurry to measure the pressure of the slurry, and a liquid level detecting device which detects a liquid level position of the slurry on the basis of measurement results of the pressure sensors. A plurality of the other pressure sensors are provided at arbitrary intervals in an axial direction of the reactor main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    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.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Onishi, Yuzuru Kato, Eiichi Yamada
  • Publication number: 20130171707
    Abstract: [Problem] To provide an alcoholic fermentation yeast having resistance to limonene, which is a fermentation inhibitor, and a method for producing ethanol using the alcoholic fermentation yeast. [Solution] An alcoholic fermentation yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Deposition No. NITE BP-890), which has resistance to limonene and can grow in the presence of limonene at a concentration of 0.1-0.5 wt %, and a method for producing ethanol using the alcoholic fermentation yeast.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicants: Ehime Prefecture, Nippon Steel Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Natusuki Maekawa, Yasuhiko Katoh, Takafumi Kiuchi, Praneetrattananon Suthasinee, Shinji Okamoto, Kazuko Hirayama, Syunsuke Miyaoka, Hideaki Tadanobu, Masahiko Sudo
  • Patent number: 8398340
    Abstract: A method of extracting the contents from the inside of a reactor kept at high temperature and high pressure includes the steps of introducing the contents of the reactor into a pipe having an internal space which communicates with the reactor, closing the pipe to enclose the contents in the internal space, removing unnecessary gas from the internal space, and supplying an inert gas to the internal space, thereby replacing the contents enclosed in the internal space with the inert gas. The contents are discharged from the internal space by replacing the contents enclosed in the internal space with the inert gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignees: Nippon Steel Engineering Co., Ltd., Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation, Inpex Corporation, JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation, Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd., Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Onishi, Yuzuru Kato, Atsushi Murata, Eiichi Yamada
  • Patent number: 8367883
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing naphtha, wherein, in hydrogenation of a naphtha fraction which is fractionated from synthetic oil (FT synthetic oil) obtained by Fisher-Tropsch synthesis, the hydrogenised component is recycled and the recycled amount thereof is adjusted to reduce a olefin content in a hydro-refining apparatus whereby heat generation is suppressed and unstable operation of the hydro-refining apparatus can be stabilized. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method of manufacturing naphtha, wherein a cut point for fractionating a naphtha fraction from FT synthetic oil is adjusted to reduce the amount of olefin in a hydro-refining apparatus whereby unstable operation of the hydro-refining apparatus can be stabilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    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: 8354456
    Abstract: In a so-called GTL process for producing liquid hydrocarbons containing fuel oil by producing synthesis gas from natural gas, subsequently producing Fischer-Tropsch oil from the obtained synthesis gas by way of Fischer-Tropsch synthesis and upgrading the produced Fischer-Tropsch oil, the synthesis gas produced from a synthesis gas production step is partly branched at a stage prior to getting to a Fischer-Tropsch oil production step and high-purity hydrogen is separated and produced from the synthesis gas entering the branch line. All the separated high-purity hydrogen is supplied to an upgrading reaction step and consumed as hydrogen for an upgrading reaction. Additionally, the synthesis gas entering the branch line is subjected to a water gas shift reaction to raise the hydrogen concentration before the step of separating and producing high-purity hydrogen and the residual gas left after the separation may be circulated to the synthesis gas production step as raw material for producing synthesis gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    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: Fuyuki Yagi, Kenichi Kawazuishi
  • Patent number: 8338495
    Abstract: In a GTL process of producing various kinds of hydrocarbon oils from natural gas, provided is improved heat efficiency in the case of using a steam reforming process or a carbon dioxide reforming process in the reforming. The process includes producing a synthesis gas by converting the natural gas and at least one of steam and carbon dioxide into a synthesis gas through a tubular reformer filled with a reforming catalyst, producing Fischer-Tropsch oil by subjecting the produced synthesis gas to a Fischer-Tropsch reaction, and upgrading in which the Fischer-Tropsch oil is subjected to hydrotreatment and distillation to produce various kinds of hydrocarbon oils, in which excess heat generated in the synthesis gas production is recovered, and the recovered heat is used as heat for at least one of hydrotreatment and distillation in the upgrading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    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., Chiyoda Corporation
    Inventors: Fuyuki Yagi, Kenichi Kawazuishi
  • Publication number: 20120317833
    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: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicants: JAPAN OIL, GAS AND METALS NATIONAL CORPORATION, INPEX CORPORATON, JX NIPPON OIL & ENERGY CORPORATION, CHIYODA CORPORATION, COSMO OIL CO., LTD., NIPPON STEEL ENGINEERING CO., LTD., JAPAN PETROLEUM EXPLORATION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinya Hodoshima, Fuyuki Yagi, Shuhei Wakamatsu, Kenichi Kawazuishi
  • Publication number: 20120316252
    Abstract: It is avoided that the sulfur compounds originating from the castable is mixed into produced synthesis gas, the mixed sulfur compounds are separated and collected with carbon dioxide, the collected carbon dioxide is recycled as raw material gas and then the sulfur compounds is directly supplied to the reformer to consequently degrade the reforming catalyst in the reformer by sulfur poisoning. The carbon dioxide separated and collected in the carbon dioxide removal step is introduced into the desulfurization apparatus of the desulfurization step or the sulfur compounds adsorption apparatus before being recycled to the reformer to remove the sulfur compounds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2011
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicants: JAPAN OIL, GAS AND METALS NATIONAL CORPORATION, INPEX CORPORATON, JX NIPPON OIL & ENERGY CORPORATION, CHIYODA CORPORATION, COSMO OIL CO., LTD., NIPPON STEEL ENGINEERING CO., LTD., JAPAN PETROLEUM EXPLORATION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinya Hodoshima, Fuyuki Yagi, Shuhei Wakamatsu, Kenichi Kawazuishi
  • Patent number: 8303848
    Abstract: An operation method of a synthesis gas reformer of a GTL (gas to liquids) plant is provided with: setting an operation condition of the synthesis gas reformer; determining control target values of a flow rate of the light hydrocarbon gas, the steam, and the CO2, and an amount of heat needed for the synthesis gas reformer; controlling operation load of the synthesis gas reformer; setting a furnace efficiency of the synthesis gas reformer; calculating a combustion load of a burner of the synthesis gas reformer; calculating a lower heating value of the fuel gas based on a composition measurement of the fuel gas of the burner; determining a control target value of the pressure of the fuel gas; calculating a deviation between the control target value of the pressure of the fuel gas and a measured value of the pressure of the fuel gas; and controlling the temperature of the synthesis gas at the outlet of the synthesis gas reformer by adjusting a pressure control valve provided at an inlet of the burner to compensat
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    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: Yasumasa Morita, Kenichi Kawazuishi
  • Patent number: 8268898
    Abstract: In a so-called GTL process of producing synthesis gas from natural gas, producing Fischer-Tropsch oil by way of Fischer-Tropsch synthesis of the obtained synthesis gas and producing liquid hydrocarbons containing fuel oil by upgrading, the synthesis gas produced from the synthesis gas production step is partly branched off prior to getting to the Fischer-Tropsch oil production step and the synthesis gas entering the branch line is subjected to a water gas shift reaction to raise the hydrogen concentration thereof. Subsequently, high-purity hydrogen is isolated from the synthesis gas and the residual gas left after the isolation is circulated to the synthesis gas production step and used as raw material for synthesis gas production. As a result, a significant improvement can be achieved in terms of raw material consumption per product of the entire process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    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: Fuyuki Yagi, Kenichi Kawazuishi
  • Publication number: 20120183801
    Abstract: The invention provides a friction joining structure comprising steel products, a friction joining steel plate inserted there between, and a fastening device, which are mutually friction joined by a compressive force derived from the fastening device. A portion of projected streaks on the friction joining steel plate is designed to have a Vickers hardness at least 3 times greater than the surface of the steel products, which allows the projected streaks to more easily enter the steel products thereby increasing the friction coefficient between the steel products. The friction joining structure is constituted by a slip resistance mechanism which can be easily validated from a theoretical or an experimental point of view and is also small in variance of the friction coefficient. Therefore, a friction coefficient used in design can be set at a high value with high accuracy to realize a rational design.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicants: NIPPON STEEL CORPORATION, NIPPON STEEL ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Atsushi Watanabe, Atsushi Tomimoto
  • Publication number: 20120181140
    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: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2010
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: NIPPON STEEL ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shin Tomisaki
  • Publication number: 20120144644
    Abstract: A method for dismantling a furnace having a multilayered refractory structure including: a furnace shell; a containing layer that is formed of a containing refractory that contains asbestos, and covers the inner side of the furnace shell; and a multilayered non-containing layer that is formed of a non-containing refractory that contains no asbestos, and covers the inner side of the containing layer, the method includes: a primary dismantling process; and a secondary dismantling process conducted after the primary dismantling process. In the primary dismantling process, the non-containing layer is dismantled from a furnace-core side thereof but the containing layer and at least one layer of the layers forming the non-containing layer, which is in contact with the containing layer, are left as a remnant. In the secondary dismantling process, the remnant is dismantled while asbestos measures are implemented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: NIPPON STEEL ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazumi Kurayoshi, Ryo Kato, Katsumi Mori, Yoshihito Doi