Patents by Inventor Shoichi Kikuchi
Shoichi Kikuchi 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: 6602320Abstract: A method for producing reduced iron comprises agglomerating a raw material mixture containing a carbonaceous reducing agent and an iron oxide-containing material into small agglomerates, heating the agglomerate within a heat reduction furnace, thereby solid reducing the iron oxide in the agglomerate to produce solid reduced iron, or further heating the solid reduced iron, melting the metallic iron produced by the reduction, and coagulating the molten metallic iron while separating the slag component contained in the small agglomerates to provide granular metallic iron, which is characterized by using a agglomerate having a particle size of 10 mm or less or 3-7 mm, preferably less than 6 mm, more preferably 3 mm or more and less than 6 mm as the small agglomerates.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2001Date of Patent: August 5, 2003Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.), Midrex International B.V.Inventors: Kojiro Fuji, Hidetoshi Tanaka, Shoichi Kikuchi, Takaya Kitajima, Osamu Tsuchiya
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Patent number: 6592649Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing metallic iron nuggets with a high yield and good productivity, and more particularly a method which can produce metallic iron nuggets which have a high Fe purity and are excellent in transporting and handling due to a large grain diameter with a high yield and good productivity, when they are produced by reducing and melting raw material containing iron oxide such as iron ore and carbonaceous reducing agent such as coke.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2001Date of Patent: July 15, 2003Assignee: Midrex International B.V. Zurich BranchInventors: Shoichi Kikuchi, Yasuhiro Tanigaki, Koji Tokuda, Osamu Tsuchiya, Shuzo Ito
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Patent number: 6592647Abstract: A method for heating, reducing and melting a raw material mixture containing carbonaceous reducing agents and an iron oxide-contained substance to manufacture metallic iron, characterized in that a liquid fraction in a solid and liquid coexisting phase of produced slag containing a multi-component gangue is controlled to thereby accelerate melting of solid metallic iron produced.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2001Date of Patent: July 15, 2003Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)Inventors: Mitsutaka Hino, Isao Kobayashi, Shoichi Kikuchi
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Patent number: 6579505Abstract: A method for producing an iron oxide pellet including the steps of adding water to a raw material mixture comprising iron oxide which serves as a primary component, a carbonaceous material in an amount sufficient for reducing the iron oxide, an organic binder in an amount sufficient for binding the iron oxide and the carbonaceous material, and an inorganic coagulant in an amount of not less than 0.05 mass % and less than 1 mass %; pelletizing the resultant mixture to thereby obtain a green pellet; and drying the green pellet until the moisture content is reduced to equal to or less than 1.0 mass %. The thus-produced iron oxide pellet is charged in a reducing furnace for reduction to thereby obtain a reduced iron pellet.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2002Date of Patent: June 17, 2003Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko ShoInventors: Osamu Tsuchiya, Hidetoshi Tanaka, Takao Harada, Jun Jimbo, Shoichi Kikuchi, Yasuhiko Igawa
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Patent number: 6569223Abstract: A method of manufacturing a molten metal iron by charging a starting material at least comprising a carbonaceous reducing material and an iron oxide-containing material into a rotary hearth furnace, reducing under heating the charged starting material into a solid reducing iron, carburizing the metal iron in the solid reduced iron with the carbon ingredient in the carbonaceous reducing material, thereby melting the metal iron, separating the slag ingredient contained in the starting material by the melting, and discharging the molten metal alloy in the molten state as it is to the outside of the rotary hearth furnace for recovery, wherein a downward inclined surface is disposed at an angle 3 to 30° relative to the horizontal plane on the upper surface of a hearth of the rotary hearth furnace on which the starting material is placed, and the molten metal iron is discharged at the discharging position for the molten metal iron from the lowest portion of the inclined surface.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2001Date of Patent: May 27, 2003Assignee: Midrex International B.V. Zurich BranchInventors: Yasuhiro Tanigaki, Osamu Tsuge, Isao Kobayashi, Keisuke Honda, Koji Tokuda, Shoichi Kikuchi, Shuzo Ito
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Publication number: 20030061909Abstract: A method of making metallic iron in which a compact, containing iron oxide such as iron ore or the like and a carbonaceous reductant such as coal or the like, is used as material, and the iron oxide is reduced through the application of heat, thereby making metallic iron. In the course of this reduction, a shell composed of metallic iron is generated and grown on the surface of the compact, and slag aggregates inside the shell. This reduction continues until substantially no iron oxide is present within the metallic iron shell. Subsequently, heating is further performed to melt the metallic iron and slag. Molten metallic iron and molten slag are separated one from the other, thereby obtaining metallic iron with a relatively high metallization ratio.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 7, 2002Publication date: April 3, 2003Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA KOBE SEIKO SHOInventors: Takuya Negami, Kazuo Kunii, Shinichi Inaba, Masataka Shimizu, Isao Kobayashi, Yoshimichi Takenaka, Toshihide Matsumura, Akira Uragami, Takashi Kujirai, Osamu Tsuchiya, Kimio Sugiyama, Shuzo Ito, Shoichi Kikuchi
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Patent number: 6506231Abstract: A method of making metallic iron in which a compact, containing iron oxide such as iron ore or the like and a carbonaceous reductant such as coal or the like, is used as material, and the iron oxide is reduced through the application of heat, thereby making metallic iron. In the course of this reduction, a shell composed of metallic iron is generated and grown on the surface of the compact, and slag aggregates inside the shell. This reduction continues until substantially no iron oxide is present within the metallic iron shell. Subsequently, heating is further performed to melt the metallic iron and slag. Molten metallic iron and molten slag are separated one from the other, thereby obtaining metallic iron with a relatively high metallization ratio.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2001Date of Patent: January 14, 2003Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko ShoInventors: Takuya Negami, Kazuo Kunii, Shinichi Inaba, Masataka Shimizu, Isao Kobayashi, Yoshimichi Takenaka, Toshihide Matsumura, Akira Uragami, Takashi Kujirai, Osamu Tsuchiya, Kimio Sugiyama, Shuzo Ito, Shoichi Kikuchi
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Publication number: 20020175441Abstract: A method for producing an iron oxide pellet including the steps of adding water to a raw material mixture comprising iron oxide which serves as a primary component, a carbonaceous material in an amount sufficient for reducing the iron oxide, an organic binder in an amount sufficient for binding the iron oxide and the carbonaceous material, and an inorganic coagulant in an amount of not less than 0.05 mass % and less than 1 mass %; pelletizing the resultant mixture to thereby obtain a green pellet; and drying the green pellet until the moisture content is reduced to equal to or less than 1.0 mass %. The thus-produced iron oxide pellet is charged in a reducing furnace for reduction to thereby obtain a reduced iron pellet.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 11, 2002Publication date: November 28, 2002Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA KOBE SEIKO SHOInventors: Osamu Tsuchiya, Hidetoshi Tanaka, Takao Harada, Jun Jimbo, Shoichi Kikuchi, Yasuhiko Igawa
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Patent number: 6432533Abstract: A method of making metallic iron in which a compact, containing iron oxide such as iron ore or the like and a carbonaceous reductant such as coal or the like, is used as material, and the iron oxide is reduced through the application of heat, thereby making metallic iron. In the course of this reduction, a shell composed of metallic iron is generated and grown on the surface of the compact, and slag aggregates inside the shell. This reduction continues until substantially no iron oxide is present within the metallic iron shell. Subsequently, heating is further performed to melt the metallic iron and slag. Molten metallic iron and molten slag are separated one from the other, thereby obtaining metallic iron with a relatively high metallization ratio.Type: GrantFiled: January 6, 2000Date of Patent: August 13, 2002Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko ShoInventors: Takuya Negami, Kazuo Kunii, Shinichi Inaba, Masataka Shimizu, Isao Kobayashi, Yoshimichi Takenaka, Toshihide Matsumura, Akira Uragami, Takashi Kujirai, Osamu Tsuchiya, Kimio Sugiyama, Shuzo Ito, Shoichi Kikuchi
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Patent number: 6413295Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus and method for the direct reduction of iron oxide utilizing a rotary hearth furnace to form a high purity carbon-containing iron metal button. The hearth layer may be a refractory or a vitreous hearth layer of iron oxide, carbon, and silica compounds. Additionally, coating materials may be introduced onto the refractory or vitreous hearth layer before iron oxide ore and carbon materials are added, with the coating materials preventing attack of the molten iron on the hearth layer. The coating materials may include compounds of carbon, iron oxide, silicon oxide, magnesium oxide, and/or aluminum oxide. The coating materials may be placed as a solid or a slurry on the hearth layer and heated, which provides a protective layer onto which the iron oxide ores and carbon materials are placed. The iron oxide is reduced and forms molten globules of high purity iron and residual carbon, which remain separate from the hearth layer.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 1999Date of Patent: July 2, 2002Assignee: Midrex International B.V. Rotterdam, Zurich BranchInventors: David C. Meissner, Glenn E. Hoffman, Kyle J. Shoop, Takuya Negami, Akira Uragami, Yasuhiro Tanigaki, Shuzo Ito, Isao Kobayashi, Osamu Tsuge, Koji Tokuda, Shoichi Kikuchi
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Publication number: 20020050187Abstract: When a mixture containing an iron oxide source and carbonaceous reducing agents is heated and reduced to manufacture metallic iron, carburizing and melting of solid metallic iron produced by heating and reducing are progressed efficiently so that metallic iron particles can be manufactured efficiently under high thermal energy efficiency.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2001Publication date: May 2, 2002Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)Inventors: Mitsutaka Hino, Isao Kobayashi, Shoichi Kikuchi
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Publication number: 20020033075Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing metallic iron nuggets with a high yield and good productivity, and more particularly a method which can produce metallic iron nuggets which have a high Fe purity and are excellent in transporting and handling due to a large grain diameter with a high yield and good productivity, when they are produced by reducing and melting raw material containing iron oxide such as iron ore and carbonaceous reducing agent such as coke.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2001Publication date: March 21, 2002Applicant: MIDREX INTERNATIONAL B.V.Inventors: Shoichi Kikuchi, Yasuhiro Tanigaki, Koji Tokuda, Osamu Tsuchiya, Shuzo Ito
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Publication number: 20020005089Abstract: A method of manufacturing reduced iron at high Fe purity efficiently with less intrusion of a slag components using less carbonaceous reducing agent and fuel, comprising charging a compact of the iron oxide containing a carbonaceous reducing agent in a packed bed, reducing the iron oxide to 90% or more while keeping in a solid state by a heat source formed from the lower portion of the furnace and then melting the same, as well as an apparatus for manufacturing the metallic iron, comprising a fire grate disposed in the inside of a packed bed, a compact charged layer on the fire grate, a charging product charging mechanism for supplying the compact and a mechanism for discharging an exhaust gas in the furnace, and a fuel charging mechanism, a fuel combustion space and a molten product stores bath disposed below the fire grate.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 1, 2001Publication date: January 17, 2002Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA KOBE SEIKO SHO (KOBE STEEL, LTD.)Inventors: Kazuhiro Nagata, Isao Kobayashi, Takuya Negami, Akira Uragami, Yasuhiro Tanigaki, Koji Tokuda, Shoichi Kikuchi
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Publication number: 20010052273Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus and method for the direct reduction of iron oxide utilizing a rotary hearth furnace to form a high purity carbon-containing iron metal button. The hearth layer may be a refractory or a vitreous hearth layer of iron oxide, carbon, and silica compounds. Additionally, coating materials may be introduced onto the refractory or vitreous hearth layer before iron oxide ore and carbon materials are added, with the coating materials preventing attack of the molten iron on the hearth layer. The coating materials may include compounds of carbon, iron oxide, silicon oxide, magnesium oxide, and/or aluminum oxide. The coating materials may be placed as a solid or a slurry on the hearth layer and heated, which provides a protective layer onto which the iron oxide ores and carbon materials are placed. The iron oxide is reduced and forms molten globules of high purity iron and residual carbon, which remain separate from the hearth layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 12, 1999Publication date: December 20, 2001Inventors: DAVID C. MEISSNER, GLENN E. HOFFMAN, KYLE J. SHOOP, TAKUYA NEGAMI, AKIRA URAGAMI, YASHUHIRO TANIGAKI, SHUZO ITO, ISAO KOBAYASHI, OSAMU TSUGE, KOJI TOKUDA, SHOICHI KIKUCHI
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Publication number: 20010049980Abstract: A method of making metallic iron in which a compact, containing iron oxide such as iron ore or the like and a carbonaceous reductant such as coal or the like, is used as material, and the iron oxide is reduced through the application of heat, thereby making metallic iron. In the course of this reduction, a shell composed of metallic iron is generated and grown on the surface of the compact, and slag aggregates inside the shell. This reduction continues until substantially no iron oxide is present within the metallic iron shell. Subsequently, heating is further performed to melt the metallic iron and slag. Molten metallic iron and molten slag are separated one from the other, thereby obtaining metallic iron with a relatively high metallization ratio.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 26, 2001Publication date: December 13, 2001Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA KOBE SEIKO SHOInventors: Takuya Negami, Kazuo Kunii, Shinichi Inaba, Masataka Shimizu, Isao Kobayashi, Yoshimichi Takenaka, Toshihide Matsumura, Akira Uragami, Takashi Kujirai, Osamu Tsuchiya, Kimio Sugiyama, Shuzo Ito, Shoichi Kikuchi
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Publication number: 20010037703Abstract: A method for producing reduced iron comprises agglomerating a raw material mixture containing a carbonaceous reducing agent and an iron oxide-containing material into small agglomerates, heating the agglomerate within a heat reduction furnace, thereby solid reducing the iron oxide in the agglomerate to produce solid reduced iron, or further heating the solid reduced iron, melting the metallic iron produced by the reduction, and coagulating the molten metallic iron while separating the slag component contained in the small agglomerates to provide granular metallic iron, which is characterized by using a agglomerate having a particle size of 10 mm or less or 3-7 mm, preferably less than 6 mm, more preferably 3 mm or more and less than 6 mm as the small agglomerates.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 10, 2001Publication date: November 8, 2001Applicant: K. K. Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)Inventors: Kojiro Fuji, Hidetoshi Tanaka, Shoichi Kikuchi, Takaya Kitajima, Osamu Tsuchiya
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Publication number: 20010027701Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of producing granular metallic iron, including: heating a formed raw material comprising a carbonaceous reductant and a substance containing iron oxide in a reduction melting furnace to subject the iron oxide contained in the formed raw material to solid-state reduction; and carburizing reduced iron resulting from the solid-state reduction with carbon contained in the carbonaceous reductant to cause the reduced iron to melt, while separating off gangue components contained in the formed raw material and causing resulting molten metallic iron to coalesce into the granular metallic iron, wherein an atmospheric gas present in proximity to the formed raw material in the carburizing and melting step has a reduction degree of not less than 0.5.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2001Publication date: October 11, 2001Applicant: MIDREX INTERNATIONAL B. V.Inventors: Shuzo Ito, Yasuhiro Tanigaki, Shoichi Kikuchi, Osamu Tsuge, Isao Kobayashi, Keisuke Honda, Koji Tokuda, Hidekazu Okamoto
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Publication number: 20010025549Abstract: A method of manufacturing a molten metal iron by charging a starting material at least comprising a carbonaceous reducing material and an iron oxide-containing material into a rotary hearth furnace, reducing under heating the charged starting material into a solid reducing iron, carburizing the metal iron in the solid reduced iron with the carbon ingredient in the carbonaceous reducing material, thereby melting the metal iron, separating the slag ingredient contained in the starting material by the melting, and discharging the molten metal alloy in the molten state as it is to the outside of the rotary hearth furnace for recovery, wherein a downward inclined surface is disposed at an angle 3 to 30° relative to the horizontal plane on the upper surface of a hearth of the rotary hearth furnace on which the starting material is placed, and the molten metal iron is discharged at the discharging position for the molten metal iron from the lowest portion of the inclined surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2001Publication date: October 4, 2001Applicant: MIDREX INTERNATIONAL B.V. Zurich BranchInventors: Yasuhiro Tanigaki, Osamu Tsuge, Isao Kobayashi, Keisuke Honda, Koji Tokuda, Shoichi Kikuchi, Shuzo Ito
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Patent number: 6210462Abstract: A method of making metallic iron includes heating a mixed powder containing iron oxide and a carbonaceous reducing agent on a hearth to reduce the iron oxide and melt the reduced iron. Preliminary molding of the mixed powder starting material into pellets is not required. The resulting metallic iron contains extremely low concentrations of slag ingredients, even when the mixed powder starting material contains only low concentrations of iron oxide.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 1998Date of Patent: April 3, 2001Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko ShoInventors: Shoichi Kikuchi, Akira Uragami, Isao Kobayashi, Yasuhiro Tanigaki, Eiichi Ito, Koji Tokuda, Osamu Tsuchiya, Shuzo Ito
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Patent number: 6036744Abstract: A method of making metallic iron in which a compact, containing iron oxide such as iron ore or the like and a carbonaceous reductant such as coal or the like, is used as material, and the iron oxide is reduced through the application of heat, thereby making metallic iron. In the course of this reduction, a shell composed of metallic iron is generated and grown on the surface of the compact, and slag aggregates inside the shell. This reduction continues until substantially no iron oxide is present within the metallic iron shell. Subsequently, heating is further performed to melt the metallic iron and slag. Molten metallic iron and molten slag are separated one from the other, thereby obtaining metallic iron with a relatively high metallization ratio.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 1997Date of Patent: March 14, 2000Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko ShoInventors: Takuya Negami, Kazuo Kunii, Shinichi Inaba, Masataka Shimizu, Isao Kobayashi, Yoshimichi Takenaka, Toshihide Matsumura, Akira Uragami, Takashi Kujirai, Osamu Tsuchiya, Kimio Sugiyama, Shuzo Ito, Shoichi Kikuchi