Patents by Inventor Takao Harada

Takao Harada 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).

  • Patent number: 8790420
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a high-quality reduced metal using an upgraded coal as a carbonaceous material to be incorporated. In the method, coal is first aged by heating in an organic solvent to produce upgraded coal for metallurgy having higher thermal plasticity than that of the coal. Then, a mixture of the upgraded coal for metallurgy and a metal oxide-containing raw material is agglomerated by an agglomerator, and the resultant agglomerates are reduced by heating in a furnace and then melted by further heating to produce a reduced melt. The reduced melt is cooled and solidified in the furnace to produce a reduced solid. The reduced solid is discharged to the outside of the furnace and slag is removed using a screen to recover a metal as a reduced metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Harada, Hidetoshi Tanaka, Isao Kobayashi, Noriyuki Okuyama, Takuo Shigehisa
  • Patent number: 8636824
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to provide a production method for carbonaceous material-containing metal oxide briquettes, capable of ensuring sufficient strength of briquettes while using a metal oxide material containing a large amount of fine particles, such as steel mill dust. This method comprises a mixing step of mixing a metal oxide material A containing a large amount of fine particles with a carbonaceous material B in a mixer 15, to form a powdery mixture E, a compacting step of compacting the powdery mixture E using a briquette machine 17 to form compacts F, a classifying step of classifying the compacts F into an oversize fraction G and an undersize fraction H, using a sieve 18, and collecting the oversize fraction G as product briquettes, and a compact circulating step of returning a part of the compacts F to the mixer 15 or the briquette machine 17, as a recycle material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Takao Harada, Hiroshi Sugitatsu
  • Publication number: 20130306176
    Abstract: The invention provides an electrically operated valve which can control a flow rate precisely at a small flow rate distributing time and can circulate a fluid so as to prevent a pressure loss as much as possible at a large flow rate distributing time without an increase of a working and assembling cost. A movable valve seat body forming a main valve port for forming a small flow rate flow path extending from a first inlet and outlet to a second inlet and outlet is arranged between a valve chamber and a lower chamber. The movable valve seat body is structured such that its lower portion is slidably fitted and inserted to the lower chamber, and such as to serve as a float type check valve body for opening and blocking a large flow rate flow path extending from the second inlet and outlet to the first inlet and outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2013
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: FUJIKOKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takao HARADA, Masaya SATOU, Masaharu ITOH, Bunta NARUKAWA
  • Patent number: 8439987
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to providing a production method capable of producing carbon composite briquettes having sufficient strength without excessively reducing a production capacity, even using steel mill dust containing oil. This method comprises: adding at least a carbonaceous material and a binder to steel mill dust containing oil and mixing them to form a powdery mixture; compacting the powdery mixture by means of a pressure roll to produce briquettes; and recognizing an increase/decrease in an oil content of the powdery mixture to adjust a rotation speed of the pressure roll so as to lower the rotation speed along with an increase in the oil content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Harada, Hideaki Fujimoto, Hidetoshi Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20130055853
    Abstract: Disclosed is a technique for preventing the adhesive of metallic iron and/or wustite (which is a material produced by the heat reduction of iron oxide contained in a powder derived from an agglomerate that comprises, as a raw material, a mixture containing a iron-oxide-containing substance and a carbonaceous reducing material) on a heath of a movable furnace heath type heating furnace without largely changing the design of a facility for the production, in the production of metallic iron by placing the agglomerate on the heath and heating the agglomerate in the heating furnace to reduce iron oxide contained in the agglomerate. A heath-forming material for preventing the cohesive of metallic iron and/or wustite (which is a material produced by the heat reduction of iron oxide contained in the powder derived from the agglomerate) on the heath is charged into the furnace together with the agglomerate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2011
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Takeshi Sugiyama, Takao Harada
  • Publication number: 20120248355
    Abstract: To provide a small motor-operated valve which can control a high flow, there is provided a motor-operated valve of which a body has an orifice, seat and a valve element provided opposite to the seat. The valve element is operated by a driver which is driven to rotate by an output gear to which the rotation of a rotor having been reduced by means of a mechanical paradox planetary gear mechanism is transmitted. To force the valve element in the direction in which the valve is opened, a coil spring is disposed in a bore formed in the upper portion of the body oppositely to a bush.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2011
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: FUJIKOKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takao HARADA, Kensuke Tabuchi, Tatsuya Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8277536
    Abstract: A process for producing molten iron with a combination of a moving-hearth reducing furnace and an iron bath-type melting furnace that includes charging a bedding carbonaceous material on a hearth of the moving-hearth reducing furnace and placing carbonaceous material-containing agglomerates containing a powdery iron oxide source and a powdery carbonaceous reductant on the bedding carbonaceous material; thermally reducing the carbonaceous material-containing agglomerates while moving the hearth in the moving-hearth reducing furnace to generate solid reduced iron and simultaneously thermally carbonizing the bedding carbonaceous material to generate char; hot-forming the solid reduced iron and the char into agglomerates without substantial cooling; continuously charging the agglomerates into the iron bath-type melting furnace from thereabove; and blowing oxygen-containing gas into the iron bath-type melting furnace to melt the solid reduced iron and to thereby generate molten iron.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Harada, Hidetoshi Tanaka, Kiminori Hajika, Tadashi Yaso, Toshiyuki Kurakake
  • Patent number: 8262766
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for reducing a chromium-containing material at a high chromium reduction degree. In the method of the present invention, a mixture of a feedstock containing chromium oxide and a carbonaceous reductant is heated and reduced by radiation heating in a moving hearth furnace. The average rate of raising the temperature of the mixture in the reduction is preferably 13.96° C./s or higher in the period from the initiation of the radiation heating of the mixture until the mixture reaches 1,114° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sugitatsu, Hidetoshi Tanaka, Takao Harada, Itsuo Miyahara, Isao Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20120186395
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for producing briquettes, by which briquettes having enhanced strength can be produced even when the amount of a binder used therefor is reduced as much as possible. Specifically disclosed is a method for producing briquettes, which comprises: a step of forming a primary granular material having an apparent density of 1,000 to 4,000 kg/m3 using a powder of metal oxides including iron oxide and one or more oxides selected from among of zinc oxide, lead oxide, and titanium oxide; and a step of forming a secondary granular material by compressing a plurality of primary granular materials, while having the primary granular materials contain one or more metal oxides selected from among the zinc oxide, lead oxide, and titanium oxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Takao Harada, Haruyasu Michishita, Yutaka Miyakawa, Koijiro Fuji, Noriaki Mizutani
  • Patent number: 8088195
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for efficiently manufacturing a titanium oxide-containing slag from a material including titanium oxide and iron oxide, wherein a reduction of titanium dioxide is suppressed and the electric power consumption is minimized. The method includes the steps of: heating a raw material mixture including titanium oxide, iron oxide, and a carbonaceous reductant, or the raw material mixture further including a calcium oxide source, in a reducing furnace; reducing the iron oxide in the mixture to form reduced iron; feeding the resultant mixture to a heating melting furnace; heating the resultant mixture in the heating melting furnace to melt the reduced iron and separate the reduced iron from a titanium oxide-containing slag; and discharging and recovering the titanium oxide-containing slag out of the furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Kobe Steel Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Tanaka, Itsuo Miyahara, Hiroshi Uemura, Takao Harada, Hiroshi Sugitatsu, Isao Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20110226092
    Abstract: A process for producing molten iron with a combination of a moving-hearth reducing furnace and an iron bath-type melting furnace includes a step of charging a bedding carbonaceous material having an average particle diameter of 1 to 5 mm on a hearth of the moving-hearth reducing furnace and placing carbonaceous material-containing agglomerates containing a powdery iron oxide source and a powdery carbonaceous reductant on the bedding carbonaceous material; a step of thermally reducing the carbonaceous material-containing agglomerates while moving the hearth in the moving-hearth reducing furnace to generate solid reduced iron and simultaneously thermally carbonizing the bedding carbonaceous material to generate char; a step of continuously charging the solid reduced iron and the char into the iron bath-type melting furnace from thereabove without substantial cooling; and a step of blowing oxygen-containing gas into the iron bath-type melting furnace to melt the solid reduced iron and to thereby generate molt
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Takao HARADA, Hidetoshi Tanaka, Kiminori Hajika, Tadashi Yaso, Toshiyuki Kurakake
  • Patent number: 8012237
    Abstract: A process for producing molten iron is a process in which while an inert gas is blown into a molten iron layer in an iron bath type melting furnace through bottom-blown tuyeres provided in a hearth bottom thereof to stir the molten iron layer, a carbon material, an additive flux, and solid reduced iron obtained by heating reduction of carbon composite iron oxide briquettes are charged into the above melting furnace, and top blowing of an oxygen-containing gas is performed through a top-blown lance provided for the melting furnace, so that the solid reduced iron is melted by combustion heat obtained by combusting the carbon material and/or carbon in molten iron to form molten iron.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Fujimoto, Tsuyoshi Mimura, Takao Harada, Masataka Tateishi, Kiminori Hajika, Hiroshi Sugitatsu
  • Patent number: 7993428
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing molten iron comprises charging a carbonaceous material, a flux, and solid reduced iron obtained by thermally reducing carbon composite iron oxide agglomerates into an arc melting furnace and melting the solid reduced iron using arc heating in the melting furnace while an inert gas is blown into a molten iron layer from a bottom blowing tuyere on a bottom of the melting furnace, wherein: a carbonaceous material suspending slag layer is formed in an upper portion of a slag layer formed on the molten iron layer when the solid reduced iron is melted into the molten iron; a carbonaceous material coating layer having the carbonaceous material is formed on the carbonaceous material suspending slag layer; and the molten iron and the slag stored in the melting furnace are tapped from a tap hole formed in a lower portion of a furnace wall of the melting furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Fujimoto, Tsuyoshi Mimura, Itsuo Miyahara, Takao Harada, Masataka Tateishi, Hiroshi Sugitatsu
  • Patent number: 7993430
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to improvements of technology for producing metallic iron by thermally reducing an iron source such as iron ore with a carbonaceous reductant such as coke by including efficiently reducing iron oxides into metallic iron at a lower operation temperature while conducting carburization, and efficiently separating the generated metallic iron from slag-forming components such as gangue components contained in raw material ore whereby metallic iron with controlled carbon concentrations can be produced in high yield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Harada, Hidetoshi Tanaka, Kiminori Hajika, Tadashi Yaso, Toshiyuki Kurakake
  • Publication number: 20100300247
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a high-quality reduced metal using an upgraded coal as a carbonaceous material to be incorporated. In the method, coal is first aged by heating in an organic solvent to produce upgraded coal for metallurgy having higher thermal plasticity than that of the coal. Then, a mixture of the upgraded coal for metallurgy and a metal oxide-containing raw material is agglomerated by an agglomerator, and the resultant agglomerates are reduced by heating in a furnace and then melted by further heating to produce a reduced melt. The reduced melt is cooled and solidified in the furnace to produce a reduced solid. The reduced solid is discharged to the outside of the furnace and slag is removed using a screen to recover a metal as a reduced metal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Takao Harada, Hidetoshi Tanaka, Isao Kobayashi, Noriyuki Okuyama, Takuo Shigehisa
  • Patent number: 7799100
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for upgrading low-rank coal unsuitable for production of a reduced metal by a conventional carbon composite method to produce an upgraded coal suitable for the carbon composite method. The prevent invention also provides a method for producing a high-quality reduced metal using the upgraded coal as a carbonaceous material to be incorporated. In these methods, coal is first aged by heating in an organic solvent to produce upgraded coal for metallurgy having higher thermal plasticity than that of the coal. Then, a mixture of the upgraded coal for metallurgy and a metal oxide-containing raw material is agglomerated by an agglomerator, and the resultant agglomerates are reduced by heating in a moving hearth furnace and then melted by further heating to produce a reduced melt. The reduced melt is cooled and solidified in the moving hearth furnace to produce a reduced solid, and then the reduced solid is discharged to the outside of the furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Harada, Hidetoshi Tanaka, Isao Kobayashi, Noriyuki Okuyama, Takuo Shigehisa
  • Publication number: 20100229685
    Abstract: A process for producing molten iron is a process in which while an inert gas is blown into a molten iron layer in an iron bath type melting furnace through bottom-blown tuyeres provided in a hearth bottom thereof to stir the molten iron layer, a carbon material, an additive flux, and solid reduced iron obtained by heating reduction of carbon composite iron oxide briquettes are charged into the above melting furnace, and top blowing of an oxygen-containing gas is performed through a top-blown lance provided for the melting furnace, so that the solid reduced iron is melted by combustion heat obtained by combusting the carbon material and/or carbon in molten iron to form molten iron.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA KOBE SEIKO SHO (KOBE STEEL, LTD.)
    Inventors: Hideaki Fujimoto, Tsuyoshi Mimura, Takao Harada, Masataka Tateishi, Kiminori Hajika, Hiroshi Sugitatsu
  • Publication number: 20100218420
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to providing a production method capable of producing carbon composite briquettes having sufficient strength without excessively reducing a production capacity, even using steel mill dust containing oil. This method comprises: adding at least a carbonaceous material and a binder to steel mill dust containing oil and mixing them to form a powdery mixture; compacting the powdery mixture by means of a pressure roll to produce briquettes; and recognizing an increase/decrease in an oil content of the powdery mixture to adjust a rotation speed of the pressure roll so as to lower the rotation speed along with an increase in the oil content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2008
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel Ltd.)
    Inventors: Takao Harada, Hideaki Fujimoto, Hidetoshi Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20100186644
    Abstract: Provided are an exhaust gas processing system and method capable of effectively utilizing the sensible heat of an exhaust gas for preheating air for burner combustion in a rotary hearth type reducing furnace while preventing troubles caused by adhesion of dust such as blockage in an exhaust gas processing facility for a rotary hearth type reducing furnace and corrosive deterioration in the facility without increasing the facility costs excessively. The system comprises a radiant heat exchanger 2 for heat exchange between an exhaust gas exhausted from the rotary hearth type reducing furnace and air.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2008
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel Ltd.)
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sugitatsu, Takao Harada, Hideaki Fujimoto
  • Patent number: D634335
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Fujikoki Corporation
    Inventors: Takao Harada, Masaharu Ito, Yoshinori Uchida