Patents by Inventor Yasuhiro Tanigaki

Yasuhiro Tanigaki 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: 7806959
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Midrex International B.V. Zurich Branch
    Inventors: Shuzo Ito, Yasuhiro Tanigaki, Isao Kobayashi, Osamu Tsuge, Keisuke Honda, Koji Tokuda, Shoichi Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 7674316
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Midrex International B.V. Zurich Branch
    Inventors: Osamu Tsuge, Yasuhiro Tanigaki, Isao Kobayashi, Koji Tokuda, Shoichi Kikuchi, Shuzo Ito
  • Publication number: 20090031859
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: MIDREX INTERNATIONAL B. V. Zurich Branch
    Inventors: Osamu TSUGE, Yasuhiro Tanigaki, Isao Kobayashi, Koji Tokuda, Shoichi Kikuchi, Shuzo Ito
  • Publication number: 20070258843
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2007
    Publication date: November 8, 2007
    Applicant: MIDREX INTERNATIONAL B. V. Zurich
    Inventors: Shuzo Ito, Yasuhiro Tanigaki, Isao Kobayashi, Osamu Tsuge, Keisuke Honda, Koji Tokuda, Shoichi Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20070227301
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2007
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Applicant: MIDREX INTERNATIONAL B.V. Zurich Branch
    Inventors: Shuzo Ito, Yasuhiro Tanigaki, Isao Kobayashi, Osamu Tsuge, Keisuke Honda, Koji Tokuda, Shoichi Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20060248981
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2006
    Publication date: November 9, 2006
    Applicant: MIDREX INTERNATIONAL B.V. Zurich Branch
    Inventors: Shuzo Ito, Yasuhiro Tanigaki, Isao Kobayashi, Osamu Tsuge, Keisuke Honda, Koji Tokuda, Shoichi Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20060070495
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2005
    Publication date: April 6, 2006
    Applicant: MIDREX INTERNATIONAL B. V. Zurich Branch
    Inventors: Shuzo Ito, Yasuhiro Tanigaki, Isao Kobayashi, Osamu Tsuge, Keisuke Honda, Koji Tokuda, Shoichi Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20040173054
    Abstract: The present invention is intended to provide a method for producing metallic iron, which comprises the steps of supplying a mixture containing a carbonous reducing agent and iron oxides onto a hearth of a reduction melting furnace of the moving hearth type, heating the mixture for reduction melting of the iron oxides, cooling thus-obtained metallic iron, and discharging the metallic iron to the outside of the furnace for recovery. The method can easily remove or repair the surface of a hearth even when metallic iron powder is buried in the hearth surface or even when the hearth surface suffers from slag infiltration and erosion, can increase an availability factor and maintainability of the hearth, and is suitably practiced for long-term continuous operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2004
    Publication date: September 9, 2004
    Inventors: Osamu Tsuge, Yasuhiro Tanigaki, Isao Kobayashi, Koji Tokuda, Shoichi Kikuchi, Shuzo Ito
  • Publication number: 20040076539
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2003
    Publication date: April 22, 2004
    Inventors: Shuzo Ito, Yasuhiro Tanigaki, Isao Kobayashi, Osamu Tsuge, Keisuke Honda, Koji Tokuda, Shoichi Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 6630010
    Abstract: 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 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. The present invention is also directed to a method of producing metallic iron, including forming a deposit layer containing slag produced in the reduction melting process on hearth refractories, thereby protecting the hearth refractories while producing the metallic iron.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: Midrex International B.V. Zurich Branch
    Inventors: Shuzo Ito, Yasuhiro Tanigaki, Shoichi Kikuchi, Osamu Tsuge, Isao Kobayashi, Keisuke Honda, Koji Tokuda, Hidekazu Okamoto
  • Patent number: 6592649
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignee: Midrex International B.V. Zurich Branch
    Inventors: Shoichi Kikuchi, Yasuhiro Tanigaki, Koji Tokuda, Osamu Tsuchiya, Shuzo Ito
  • Patent number: 6569223
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: Midrex International B.V. Zurich Branch
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Tanigaki, Osamu Tsuge, Isao Kobayashi, Keisuke Honda, Koji Tokuda, Shoichi Kikuchi, Shuzo Ito
  • Patent number: 6503289
    Abstract: A process comprising: charging a raw material compacting substance containing a carbonaceous reducing agent and an iron oxide contained substance into a moving hearth type furnace; reducing the raw material compacting substance to a reducing ratio 30 to 80% within the reducing furnace to thereby form a shell formed of metal iron or forming a state that a shell formed of metal iron or metal iron are stretched around in a network fashion and a carbonaceous reducing agent remains in a clearance therebetween; agglomerating produced slag containing FeO therein; charging the compacting substance reduced into a melting furnace in a state maintaining a high temperature, and carrying out final reducing and melting to obtain molten meal iron.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2003
    Assignee: Midrex International B.V. Zurich Branch
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Tanigaki, Akira Uragami
  • Patent number: 6413295
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2002
    Assignee: Midrex International B.V. Rotterdam, Zurich Branch
    Inventors: 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
  • Publication number: 20020033075
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2001
    Publication date: March 21, 2002
    Applicant: MIDREX INTERNATIONAL B.V.
    Inventors: Shoichi Kikuchi, Yasuhiro Tanigaki, Koji Tokuda, Osamu Tsuchiya, Shuzo Ito
  • Publication number: 20020005089
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2001
    Publication date: January 17, 2002
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA KOBE SEIKO SHO (KOBE STEEL, LTD.)
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Nagata, Isao Kobayashi, Takuya Negami, Akira Uragami, Yasuhiro Tanigaki, Koji Tokuda, Shoichi Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20010027701
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2001
    Publication date: October 11, 2001
    Applicant: MIDREX INTERNATIONAL B. V.
    Inventors: Shuzo Ito, Yasuhiro Tanigaki, Shoichi Kikuchi, Osamu Tsuge, Isao Kobayashi, Keisuke Honda, Koji Tokuda, Hidekazu Okamoto
  • Publication number: 20010025550
    Abstract: A process comprising: charging a raw material compacting substance containing a carbonaceous reducing agent and an iron oxide contained substance into a moving hearth type furnace; reducing the raw material compacting substance to a reducing ratio 30 to 80% within the reducing furnace to thereby form a shell formed of metal iron or forming a state that a shell formed of metal iron or metal iron are stretched around in a network fashion and a carbonaceous reducing agent remains in a clearance therebetween; agglomerating produced slag containing FeO therein; charging the compacting substance reduced into a melting furnace in a state maintaining a high temperature, and carrying out final reducing and melting to obtain molten meal iron.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2001
    Publication date: October 4, 2001
    Applicant: MIDREX INTERNATIONAL B.V. Zurich Branch
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Tanigaki, Akira Uragami
  • Publication number: 20010025549
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2001
    Publication date: October 4, 2001
    Applicant: MIDREX INTERNATIONAL B.V. Zurich Branch
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Tanigaki, Osamu Tsuge, Isao Kobayashi, Keisuke Honda, Koji Tokuda, Shoichi Kikuchi, Shuzo Ito
  • Patent number: 6210462
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho
    Inventors: Shoichi Kikuchi, Akira Uragami, Isao Kobayashi, Yasuhiro Tanigaki, Eiichi Ito, Koji Tokuda, Osamu Tsuchiya, Shuzo Ito