Abstract: Methods and apparatuses process sensing signals. A method for redrawing a sensing image when a range is or has been changed, according to one aspect of the present invention, records the sensing image and outputs the sensing image to a display; records additional information displayed upon a screen and outputs the additional information to the display; computes a new image from the recorded sensing image using an image manipulation computer function, so that the computed image fits a new scale of the changed range, and recording the computed image; and computes changes to the recorded additional information to adjust the additional information to the new scale of the changed range, and records the computed additional information.

Abstract: A hearth material is laid in the form of a layer on the hearth prior to supply of a mixture containing a carbonaceous reducing agent and iron oxides onto a hearth of a reduction melting furnace, thereby forming a renewable hearth capable of being renewed, and the metallic iron is produced while renewing a part or the whole of the renewable hearth, which has deteriorated during operation, with the hearth material.

Abstract: A rotary hearth furnace includes an exhaust gas eductor. The exhaust gas eductor includes a compartment-defining portion and an exhaust duct. The compartment-defining portion is provided on part of a ceiling of the rotary hearth furnace in an exhaust gas discharge region, and an exhaust duct is connected to the compartment-defining portion. The lower surface of the compartment-defining portion lies higher than the lower surface of the other portion of the ceiling. The compartment-defining portion defines a compartment where the exhaust gas stays. The exhaust duct can include a cooling medium injection nozzle. The furnace increases fuel efficiency by completely burning combustible components remaining in exhaust gas generated in the rotary hearth furnace so as to use the combustible components efficiently for the heating and reduction reaction in the rotary hearth furnace, without problems in producing reduced iron.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses perform image processing for blending image and/or data layers. The method according to one embodiment accesses data representing a first layer and data representing a second layer; and generates a blended layer by adjusting a transparency of said first layer relatively to said second layer based on data associated with said first or second layer.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing granulated metallic iron superior in rust resistance. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing such granulated metallic iron. In the method, the granulated metallic iron is produced by agglomerating a material mixture including an iron-oxide-containing material and a carbonaceous reducing agent; charging and heating the agglomerated material mixture in a moving hearth-type reducing furnace to reduce the iron oxide in the material mixture with the carbonaceous reducing agent to obtain hot granulated metallic iron; and cooling the hot granulated metallic iron, wherein the hot granulated metallic iron is cooled while its relative position is changed; and an oxide coating is formed on the surface of the hot granulated metallic iron by bringing moisture into contact with almost the entire surface of the hot granulated metallic iron.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses process sensing signals. A method for redrawing a sensing image when a range is or has been changed, according to one aspect of the present invention, records the sensing image and outputs the sensing image to a display; records additional information displayed upon a screen and outputs the additional information to the display; computes a new image from the recorded sensing image using an image manipulation computer function, so that the computed image fits a new scale of the changed range, and recording the computed image; and computes changes to the recorded additional information to adjust the additional information to the new scale of the changed range, and records the computed additional information.

Abstract: A hearth material is laid in the form of a layer on the hearth prior to supply of a mixture containing a carbonaceous reducing agent and iron oxides onto a hearth of a reduction melting furnace, thereby forming a renewable hearth capable of being renewed, and the metallic iron is produced while renewing a part or the whole of the renewable hearth, which has deteriorated during operation, with the hearth material.

Abstract: A method producing metallic iron by reducing raw materials including an iron-oxide containing material and a carbonaceous reducing agent under heating, which can minimize re-oxidization of the metallic iron and can efficiently produce metallic iron having a high metallization ratio and high iron purity at high yield. The method produces metallic iron, by heating raw materials including a carbonaceous reducing agent and an iron-oxide containing material in a reduction melting furnace of the moving hearth type, and reducing and melting iron oxides in the raw materials. The reduction melting furnace is partitioned into at least three zones in a hearth moving direction, at least one partitioned zone upstream in the hearth moving direction is a solid-state reducing zone, at least one downstream partitioned zone is a carburization melting zone, and a reduction aging zone is between the solid-state reducing zone and the carburization melting zone.

Abstract: A high purity of molten iron is produced efficiently at a higher productivity, by feeding a raw material mixture containing a carbonaceous reducing agent, an iron oxide-containing material and a CaO-containing material onto a hearth of a moving-hearth reducing furnace, heat-reducing the raw material mixture in the reducing furnace, and melting it in a melting furnace melting, wherein a blending amount of the CaO-containing material in the raw material mixture is adjusted in such a manner that another feeding of the CaO-containing material into the melting furnace makes a basicity of a slag generated in the melting furnace 1.1 or more an feeding amount of the CaO-containing material becomes 40 kg or less per ton of the molten iron obtained in the melting furnace.

Abstract: An acoustic transducer 1 has a first cylindrical portion 1A and a second hemispherical portion 1B on which a plurality of transducer elements 10a, 10b are arranged. The transducer elements on the cylindrical portion are arranged to have six nearest neighbors. The arrangement may be such that the six transducer elements surrounding a given element describe the vertices of a regular hexagon. The hexagons thus described may be aligned so that two of their sides are parallel to the axis of the cylinder. The elements on the hemispherical portion may be arranged so that some elements have five nearest neighbors and others have six (the neighboring elements describing, for example, the vertices of hexagons and pentagons respectively). An underwater sounding apparatus may be constructed using the transducer.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for the production of tasteful mead that has an unheard-of dry taste, wherein honey with rice koji for shochu and yeast added thereto is subjected to primary fermentation. Preferably, a particular flavor may have been pickled in the honey for the extraction of the flavor therein, and black koji or white koji is used as the rice koji for shochu. Preferably, the weight of the rice koji for shochu is 1% to 10% of the weight of the honey plus the water added, and the amount of the water added is determined such that the sugar content of the honey amounts to 10% to 20%.

Abstract: Metallic iron nuggets made by reducing-melt of a material containing a carbonaceous reductant and a metal-oxide-containing material, the metallic iron nuggets comprising at least 94% by mass, hereinafter denoted as “%”, of Fe and 1.0 to 4.5% of C, and having a diameter of 1 to 30 mm are disclosed.

Abstract: Metallic iron nuggets made by reducing-melt of a material containing a carbonaceous reductant and a metal-oxide-containing material, the metallic iron nuggets comprising at least 94% by mass, hereinafter denoted as “%”, of Fe and 1.0 to 4.5% of C, and having a diameter of 1 to 30 mm are disclosed.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a technique for solving the following problem by properly controlling the flow of gas such as air (oxidizing gas): a problem that the degree of reduction cannot be increased due to the air entering a feedstock-feeding zone or a discharging zone. The technique is a method for producing reduced iron. The method includes a feedstock-feeding step of feeding a feedstock containing a carbonaceous reductant and an iron oxide-containing material into a rotary hearth furnace, a heating/reducing step of heating the feedstock to reduce iron oxide contained in the feedstock into reduced iron, a melting step of melting the reduced iron, a cooling step of cooling the molten reduced iron, and a discharging step of discharging the cooled reduced iron, these steps being performed in that order in the direction that a hearth is moved.

Abstract: A method for making molten iron includes the steps of feeding a raw material mixture containing an iron oxide material and a carbonaceous reductant into a heating reduction furnace to reduce iron oxide in the raw material mixture with the carbonaceous reductant into solid reduced iron; transporting the solid reduced iron to a melting furnace; and combustion of a carbonaceous material supplied as fuel to melt the solid reduced iron in the melting furnace for producing molten iron. After the metallization of the solid reduced iron is enhanced to at least 60%, the solid reduced iron is transported to the melting furnace. The amounts of oxygen and the carbonaceous material supplied to the melting furnace are controlled so that the secondary combustion ratio of CO gas in the melting furnace is reduced to 40% or less. The heat transfer efficiency of the secondary combustion heat to the molten iron is preferably increased to at least 60%.

Abstract: Metallic iron nuggets made by reducing-melt of a material containing a carbonaceous reductant and a metal-oxide-containing material, the metallic iron nuggets comprising at least 94% by mass, hereinafter denoted as “%”, of Fe and 1.0 to 4.5% of C, and having a diameter of 1 to 30 mm are disclosed.

Abstract: An acoustic transducer has an upper cylindrical portion and a lower hemispherical portion on which a plurality of transducer elements are arranged. The transducer elements on the cylindrical portion are arranged in such a way that six transducer elements adjacent to any one of the transducer elements are located at vertices of a regular hexagon and regular hexagons adjoining in a horizontal direction have sides which are oriented parallel to an axial direction (vertical direction) of the cylindrical portion.

Abstract: Metallic iron nuggets made by reducing-melt of a material containing a carbonaceous reductant and a metal-oxide-containing material, the metallic iron nuggets comprising at least 94% by mass, hereinafter denoted as “%”, of Fe and 1.0 to 4.5% of C, and having a diameter of 1 to 30 mm are disclosed.

Abstract: A high purity of molten iron is produced efficiently at a higher productivity, by feeding a raw material mixture containing a carbonaceous reducing agent, an iron oxide-containing material and a CaO-containing material onto a hearth of a moving-hearth reducing furnace, heat-reducing the raw material mixture in the reducing furnace, and melting it in a melting furnace melting, wherein a blending amount of the CaO-containing material in the raw material mixture is adjusted in such a manner that another feeding of the CaO-containing material into the melting furnace makes a basicity of a slag generated in the melting furnace 1.1 or more an feeding amount of the CaO-containing material becomes 40 kg or less per ton of the molten iron obtained in the melting furnace.

Abstract: A method producing metallic iron by reducing raw materials including an iron-oxide containing material and a carbonaceous reducing agent under heating, which can minimize re-oxidization of the metallic iron and can efficiently produce metallic iron having a high metallization ratio and high iron purity at high yield. The method produces metallic iron, by heating raw materials including a carbonaceous reducing agent and an iron-oxide containing material in a reduction melting furnace of the moving hearth type, and reducing and melting iron oxides in the raw materials. The reduction melting furnace is partitioned into at least three zones in a hearth moving direction, at least one partitioned zone upstream in the hearth moving direction is a solid-state reducing zone, at least one downstream partitioned zone is a carburization melting zone, and a reduction aging zone is between the solid-state reducing zone and the carburization melting zone.