Patents by Inventor Koichi Chino
Koichi Chino 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: 6920759Abstract: An energy storage gas-turbine electric power generating system includes a liquid air storage tank for storing liquid air, a vaporizing facility for vaporizing the liquid air stored in the liquid air storage tank, a combustor for generating a combusted gas by combusting the air vaporized by the vaporizing facility and a fuel, a gas turbine driven by the combusted gas generated in the combustor, and a gas-turbine generator connected to the gas turbine for generating electric power. The system further includes a pressurizing unit for pressurizing the liquid air stored in the liquid air storage tank up to a pressure higher than a pressure of air supplied to the combustor to supply the liquid air to the vaporizing facility, an expansion turbine driven by expanding the air vaporized by the vaporizing facility and an expansion-turbine generator connected to the expansion turbine for generating electric power.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2002Date of Patent: July 26, 2005Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Harumi Wakana, Koichi Chino, Osamu Yokomizo
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Publication number: 20030101728Abstract: An energy storage gas-turbine electric power generating system includes a liquid air storage tank for storing liquid air, a vaporizing facility for vaporizing the liquid air stored in the liquid air storage tank, a combustor for generating a combusted gas by combusting the air vaporized by the vaporizing facility and a fuel, a gas turbine driven by the combusted gas generated in the combustor, and a gas-turbine generator connected to the gas turbine for generating electric power. The system further includes a pressurizing unit for pressurizing the liquid air stored in the liquid air storage tank up to a pressure higher than a pressure of air supplied to the combustor to supply the liquid air to the vaporizing facility, an expansion turbine driven by expanding the air vaporized by the vaporizing facility and an expansion-turbine generator connected to the expansion turbine for generating electric power.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2002Publication date: June 5, 2003Inventors: Harumi Wakana, Koichi Chino, Osamu Yokomizo
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Publication number: 20010004830Abstract: An energy storage gas-turbine electric power generating system comprises a liquid air storage tank for storing liquid air, a vaporizing facility for vaporizing the liquid air stored in the liquid air storage tank, a combustor for generating a combusted gas by combusting the air vaporized by the vaporizing facility and a fuel, a gas turbine driven by the combusted gas generated in the combustor, and a gas-turbine generator connected to the gas turbine for generating electric power, which further comprises a pressurizing unit for pressurizing the liquid air stored in the liquid air storage tank up to a pressure higher than a pressure of air supplied to the combustor to supply the liquid air to the vaporizing facility, and an expansion turbine driven by expanding the air vaporized by the vaporizing facility and an expansion-turbine generator connected to the expansion turbine for generating electric power.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 22, 2001Publication date: June 28, 2001Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Harumi Wakana, Koichi Chino, Osamu Yokomizo
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Patent number: 5489737Abstract: A processing system for radioactive waste is composed of an adjusting tank having a sampling port, a solidification processing system, and a package inspection apparatus, and a package, of which inventory per a package has been exactly grasped, is prepared by solidification of the waste with the processing system after determining radioactivity of the waste by measurement before the solidifying process.In accordance with the present invention, data on radioactivity before and after preparation of package of waste become clear, and management of each package at transportation and intermediate storage of the packages is facilitated.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 1992Date of Patent: February 6, 1996Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Tsutomu Baba, Masami Matsuda, Takashi Nishi, Koichi Chino, Makoto Kikuchi, Shin Tamata
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Patent number: 5481061Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of solidifying radioactive waste with cement, comprising forming a mixture comprising water, a hydrophilic material and cement substantially non-shrinkable or expansible with respect to volume change upon hardening, mixing said mixture with the radioactive waste, followed by hardening to form a solid body.The present invention enables the formation of a compact solid body having voids, such as capillary voids, of reduced volume, which makes it possible to reduce the leaching rate of hazardous materials. Further, since no shrinkage accompanies hardening, no tensile stress occurs in the cement surrounding minute waste particles within the hardened material, thereby enabling a decrease in the strength of the solid body to be minimized. This in turn enables an increase in the amount of packing of waste. Prior addition of a hydrophilic material enables the cement fluidity before hardening to be maintained even after complete absorption of water by a water absorptive waste.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 1993Date of Patent: January 2, 1996Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Kiyomi Funabashi, Koichi Chino, Osamu Kuriyama, Tsutomu Baba, Shunsuke Uchida, Makoto Kikuchi
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Patent number: 5256338Abstract: According to the present invention, a fibrous material having a property to adsorb radioactive nuclides in the form of ion or molecule onto its surface is added to a cement type hydraulic solidifying material used for a solidifying material, a waste container, a structure in disposal site and a back-filling material used for production of a waste form of radioactive wastes, whereby improvement of long-term endurance of the waste form, the structure and the like and diminishment of leaching of radioactivity from the waste form and the like can be simultaneously attained.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 1991Date of Patent: October 26, 1993Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Takashi Nishi, Masami Matsuda, Itaru Komori, Tsutomu Baba, Koichi Chino, Takashi Ikeda, Makoto Kikuchi
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Patent number: 5202062Abstract: The present invention adds carbonates or chlorides of alkaline earth metals to the radioactive wastes containing sodium sulfate and subjects sulfate group in the radioactive wastes to reduction treatment, thereby converts the sulfate group into sulfides of alkaline earth metals which are chemically stable substances while suppressing SOx generation, and solidifies the radioactive wastes stably for an extended period of time by applying to the converted radioactive wastes solidifying treatment.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 1991Date of Patent: April 13, 1993Assignee: Hitachi Ltd.Inventors: Tsutomu Baba, Koichi Chino, Masami Matsuda, Takashi Nishi, Kiyomi Funabashi, Takashi Ikeda, Akira Sasahiro, Makoto Kikuchi, Shin Tamada
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Patent number: 5143654Abstract: A method of solidifying a radioactive waste of an atomic power plant, for example, begins with concentrating the liquid waste to powder or pellet form to reduce its volume. Prior to reducing its volume, an estimation is made of what the concentration will be once the liquid waste is converted into powdered or pelletized form. The powdered or pelletized waste is charged into a container, and a solidifying agent is poured over the contents to form a solidified body. The solidifying agent is prepared to have a desired coefficient of distribution that is determined in accordance with the estimated concentration of the reduced volume solidified waste so that the amount of leaching of the solidified body that is produced will be less than or equal to a predetermined value, such as the known value of leaching for a conventional cement-solidified waste that is not processed to reduce its volume before being solidified.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 1990Date of Patent: September 1, 1992Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Makoto Kikuchi, Masato Ohura, Shin Tamata, Koichi Chino, Kiyomi Funabashi
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Patent number: 5114622Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of cementing a radioactive waste and a cemented body thereof which are less liable to bring about radioactivity leakage for a long period of time and suitable for disposal of cemented bodies of radioactive wastes in the land.The radioactivity leakage from a cemented body of a radioactive waste occurs due to the presence of the voids within the cemented body, and these voids are formed during hardening of the cemented body or by leaching of a soluble component from the cemented body during immersion in water.In the present invention, in order to minimize the amount of radioactivity leakage, the fraction of fine voids (1 .mu.m or less) is limited to 20% by volume or less. In order to attain such a void fraction, operating conditions, such as water to cement ratio, hardening time of a mixture of a solidifying material with a waste, and addition of an organic polymer, are properly determined.Further, in order to prevent formation of a soluble component, i.e., Ca(OH).sub.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 1989Date of Patent: May 19, 1992Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Kiyomi Funabashi, Osamu Kuriyama, Koichi Chino, Tsutomu Baba, Takashi Nishi, Makoto Kikuchi
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Patent number: 5045241Abstract: A method of solidifying radioactive wastes comprising the steps of substituting the atmosphere inside a container packed with radioactive waste with a condensable vapor, pouring a matrix material into said container and thereafter condensing said vapor. The condensable vapor can be steam and the matrix material can be alkaline organic material.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 1989Date of Patent: September 3, 1991Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Osamu Kuriyama, Kiyomi Funabashi, Tsutomu Baba, Masami Matsuda, Koichi Chino, Makoto Kikushi
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Patent number: 5028298Abstract: The present invention relates to a technique of concentrating waste water whereby the water content of the waste water is removed with a high decontamination factor, employs a porous membrane having a property allowing gas such as steam to permeate but not allowing a liquid such as water to do, as a membrane for concentrating the waste water, and adopts a method wherein the waste water is turned into a vapor flow and this vapor flow is made to contact the porous membrane so as for the waste water to be concentrated on the occasion when the waste water is to be concentrated by means of this porous membrane. By turning the waste water into the vapor flow, most of various metal ions, a surfactant, etc. existing in the waste water are separated from the vapor flow. Mist, metal ions in the mist and others contained in the vapor flow are removed by the aforesaid porous membrane from the steam while permeating the same.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 1988Date of Patent: July 2, 1991Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Tsutomu Baba, Koichi Chino, Shunsuke Uchida, Toshio Sawa, Makoto Kikuchi
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Patent number: 4931222Abstract: The present invention provides drying and pulverization of a radioactive liquid waste containing sodium borate as a main component by heating, where the liquid waste is heated, dried and pulverized to substantially crystalline, homogeneous powder of sodium borate while suppressing occurrence of a foaming phenomenon of the powder. The susbtantially crystalline powder is obtained by heating, drying and pulverizing the liquid waste at a temperature outside the temperature range where the salt powder takes an amorphous state in the course of releasing water of crystallization from the salt powder. In the drying and pulverization of a liquid waste containing sodium borate by a thin film evaporator, occurrence of the foaming phenomenon can be suppressed by maintaining the temperature on the heat transfer surface of the evaporator at a temperature lower than 150.degree. C.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 1989Date of Patent: June 5, 1990Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Tsutomu Baba, Fumio Kawamura, Koichi Chino, Kiroyuki Tsuchiya, Makoto Kikuchi, Shin Tamata
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Patent number: 4872948Abstract: Disclosed is a control system for a centrifugal thin film dryer wherein a slurry including solid matter is fed to a tubular heating surface and the a slurry is heated while blades are rotating inside the heating tube so that the a slurry turns into dry powder, the system comprising a plurality of thermal sensors located on the heating surface, a dry-up point calculator which measures the temperature distribution along the heating surface in accordance with the signals provided by the thermal sensors and calculates the point at which the temperature rise begins to saturate, a flow rate setting device which calculates the quantity of a slurry to be supplied in accordance with the output of the dry-up point calculator, and a flow rate regulator which controls a pump in accordance with the signal provided by the flow rate setting device.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 1983Date of Patent: October 10, 1989Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Mitsuo Kinoshita, Tetsuo Ito, Hiroji Mikawa, Koichi Chino
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Patent number: 4636335Abstract: A method for processing spent radioactive ion exchange resin formed in a nuclear power plant by a two-step pyrolysis method. First, the spent resin is heated at 350.degree. C. to decompose functional groups selectively. Then the base polymer, formed as residue, is decomposed at a temperature above 350.degree. C., e.g. 600.degree. C. After the thermal decomposition, exhaust gases which require a special exhaust gas disposal means, such as NO.sub.x and SO.sub.x can be reduce to below 1/20.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 1983Date of Patent: January 13, 1987Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Fumio Kawamura, Masami Matsuda, Yoshiyuki Aoyama, Koichi Chino, Mamoru Mizumoto
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Patent number: 4526713Abstract: In a treatment system of radioactive waste solution including sodium sulfate generated from a boiling water type nuclear reactor, waste solution is fed into a thin film evaporator where the waste solution is evaporated and made into powder while precipitating in a peripheral surface of the evaporator vessel. The surface of the precipitated solid is wiped by rotating wiper blades and removed off as radioactive solid powder. The rotational speed of a rotor to which the wiper blades are secured is controlled at a minimum and necessary rotational speed which contributes to make the waste solution into the powder so that the rate of worn out of the wiper blade is decreased.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 1981Date of Patent: July 2, 1985Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Koichi Chino, Kazuhiko Kudo, Akira Oda, Hideichi Mura, Yoshiyuki Takamura
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Patent number: 4432894Abstract: A detergent-containing radioactive liquid waste originating from atomic power plants is concentrated to have about 10 wt. % detergent concentration, then dried in a thin film evaporator, and converted into powder. Powdered activated carbon is added to the radioactive waste in advance to prevent the liquid waste from foaming in the evaporator by the action of surface active agents contained in the detergent. The activated carbon is added in accordance with the COD concentration of the radioactive liquid waste to be treated, and usually at a concentration 2-4 times as large as the COD concentration of the liquid waste to be treated. A powdery product having a moisture content of not more than 15 wt. % is obtained from the evaporator, and pelletized and then packed into drums to be stored for a predetermined period.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 1981Date of Patent: February 21, 1984Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Kunio Kamiya, Kenji Motojima, Kiyomi Funabashi, Koichi Chino, Susumu Horiuchi
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Patent number: 4424016Abstract: A granulating apparatus comprising a device which adds a binder of an epoxy resin or the like into a powder to-be-treated, a screw feeder which conveys the powder to-be-treated containing the binder, and rolls which compression-molds it. By rotating the screw feeder and the rolls, the powder to-be-treated is caused to induce internal friction and to generate heat, thereby to temporarily dissolve the binder, whereupon the powder to-be-treated is pelletized. In order to temporarily dissolve the binder, the granulating apparatus is equipped with a device for measuring the temperature of the powder to-be-treated, and a controller for controlling the stirring speed of the screw feeder and the molding speed of the rolls on the basis of the measured value so as to establish a desired temperature.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 1981Date of Patent: January 3, 1984Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Masami Matsuda, Koichi Chino, Kazuhiko Kudo
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Patent number: 4383888Abstract: In the concentration of radioactive combustible waste comprising evaporating and drying a radioactive combustible waste slurry by a thin film drier, the radioactive combustible wastes and an incombustible material, such as sodium sulfate, etc. obtained from a nuclear reactor effluent are mixed together in an amount of not more than 70% by weight, preferably 43 to 70% by weight, of radioactive combustible waste on the basis of a mixture on dry basis, and the mixture is fed to the thin film drier and evaporated and dried therein. A risk of powder explosion and fire is prevented in the drying step thereby.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 1980Date of Patent: May 17, 1983Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Koichi Chino, Hideo Yusa, Kunio Kamiya
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Patent number: 4361505Abstract: N-.beta.-(aminoethyl)-.gamma.-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane [NH.sub.2 (CH.sub.2).sub.2 NH(CH.sub.2).sub.3 Si(OCH.sub.3).sub.3 ] as a silane coupling agent and SiO.sub.(2-x) (ONa).sub.x/2 (OH).sub.x/2 as colloidal silica are mixed into a radioactive liquid waste containing sodium sulfate as a main component, coming from a boiling water-type, nuclear power plant as an effluent. The resulting mixed radioactive liquid waste is supplied into a vessel provided with a rotating shaft with blades. The rotating shaft is revolved while heating the radioactive liquid waste in the vessel, thereby making the radioactive liquid waste into powder. The resulting powder containing the silane coupling agent and the colloidal silica is shaped into pellets by a pelletizer. The pellets having a low hygroscopicity and a high strength are obtained.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 1980Date of Patent: November 30, 1982Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Makoto Kikuchi, Koichi Chino, Fumio Kawamura, Hideo Yusa
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Patent number: 4341595Abstract: A rotary vane type evaporator has a cylindrical vessel and a rotor rotatable therein. The rotor has vane supports fixed to a rotor shaft and vanes each pivotally mounted at the radially inner end to a vane support and having a radially outer end connected with a shoe extending in the circumferential direction of the vessel. Each vane is provided with a balance weight acting to keep constant, irrespective of the wear of the shoe, the pressing force which urges the shoe against the vessel inner peripheral surface. The rotor vanes are disposed in a plurality of stages arranged in axial direction of the rotor. The rotor is so constructed as to uniformalize the wear of the vane shoes over all the stages, whereby the frequency of the interruption of the evaporator operation for the renewal of vanes is lowered to improve the rate of the operation of the evaporator.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 1980Date of Patent: July 27, 1982Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Koichi Chino, Hideo Yusa, Akira Oda, Hideichi Miura, Susumu Horiuchi, Yoshiyuki Takamura