Patents by Inventor Harunori Hirao

Harunori Hirao 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).

  • Publication number: 20040249199
    Abstract: A method for producing acrylic acid by using an acrylic acid-containing solution of high concentration without azeotropic distillation is provided. This method of producing acrylic acid comprises introducing an acrylic acid-containing gas obtained by catalytic gas phase oxidation reaction into an absorption column and supplying the acrylic acid-containing solution to crystallization step thereby separating the solution into acrylic acid and residual mother liquid, and distilling at least part of the residual mother liquid and circulating the distillate obtained by the distillation to the absorption column.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2004
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Inventors: Kouji Ueno, Harunori Hirao, Naoki Serata, Takeshi Yokogoshiya
  • Patent number: 6825381
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a method to suppress changes the concentration of (meth)acrylic acid in the bottom solution discharged from the absorption column, and to enable stable operation for separating and purifying (meth)acrylic acid in the subsequent steps onward. The above-mentioned object can be achieved by way of changing the water amount contained in the gas exhausted from the top portion of the absorption column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Nippon Shokubai Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Harunori Hirao
  • Publication number: 20040181090
    Abstract: A method for managing the operation of an apparatus for the reaction of gas phase partial oxidation of an unsaturated hydrocarbon with a molecular oxygen-containing gas for the purpose of omitting wasteful emergency stop of the operation and ensuring execution of necessary emergency measure and a method for producing (meth) acrylic acid by utilizing the method mentioned above are provided. The operation of the apparatus is brought to emergency stop exclusively when thee values of concentrations of various gases obtained by calculation from the flow rates of the gases being introduced at the inlet port of the reactor and the measured values obtained by analysis with gas analyzing instruments both deviate from the ranges of the present values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2004
    Publication date: September 16, 2004
    Inventors: Kenji Sanada, Yukihiro Matsumoto, Takeshi Nishimura, Harunori Hirao
  • Publication number: 20040176641
    Abstract: There are disclosed a catalyst and a process for production of acrylic acid using this catalyst, wherein, even under conditions where hot spots are formed, the catalyst is excellent in activity, selectivity, and catalyst life time and displays stable performances for a long time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2004
    Publication date: September 9, 2004
    Applicant: Nippon Shokubai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Michio Tanimoto, Harunori Hirao
  • Publication number: 20040063998
    Abstract: A method is disclosed which produces acrylic acid in a high yield as maintaining the conditions for purifying acrylic acid in constant ranges and preventing the acrylic, acid from polymerization. By using single a single reactor, propylene concentration adjusting in the range of 7-15 vol. % and water concentration adjusting in the range of 0-10 vol. % are introduced thereinto thereby obtaining an acrylic acid-containing gas. Then the gas is introduced to an acrylic acid absorption column to adjust water concentration in the range of 1-45 wt. %, thereby preventing from polymerization.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventors: Harunori Hirao, Yukihiro Matsumoto, Kenji Sanada, Takeshi Nishimura
  • Patent number: 6713648
    Abstract: This invention concerns a method for absorbing acrylic acid, characterized by supplying an acrylic acid-containing reaction gas component obtained by the reaction of catalytic gas phase oxidation to an acrylic acid absorption column and advancing a high boiling inert hydrophobic organic liquid into counter-flow contact with said reaction gas in said acrylic acid absorption column with the mass flow rate of the organic liquid fixed in the range of 0.2-4.5 times the mass flow rate of the acrylic acid in the reaction gas thereby absorbing acrylic acid in said organic liquid and obtaining an acrylic acid-containing solution and a method for purifying acrylic acid, comprising a step for purifying the acrylic acid-containing organic liquid obtained by the step mentioned above. By this invention, a product of acrylic acid containing a low boiling substance at a low concentration can be produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: Nippon Shokubai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Harunori Hirao, Yoshitake Ishii, Yukihiro Matsumoto, Takeshi Nishimura
  • Publication number: 20040055970
    Abstract: This invention is providing a method for efficient treatment of the waste material from a process for production of acrylic acid and an acrylic ester. This is a method for the disposal of waste material, which at least one waste material selected from the group consisting of waste oil, waste water, and waste gas emitted from a process for production of acrylic acid is/are purified with at least one waste material selected from the group consisting of waste oil, waste water, and waste gas emitted from a process for production of an acrylic ester jointly. The efficiency of the treatment is enhanced by simultaneously treating the waste material from an adjoining process for the productions each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2003
    Publication date: March 25, 2004
    Inventors: Yukihiro Matsumoto, Takeshi Nishimura, Kenji Sanada, Harunori Hirao
  • Publication number: 20040030185
    Abstract: A method is disclosed which produces acrylic acid in a high yield as maintaining the conditions for purifying acrylic acid in constant ranges and preventing the acrylic acid from polymerization. By using a reactor which has first reaction zone and second reaction zone formed of different reaction tubes, propylene concentration adjusting in the range of 7-15 vol. % and water concentration adjusting in the range of 0-10 vol. % are introduced thereto thereby obtaining an acrylic acid-containing gas. Then the gas is introduced to an acrylic acid absorption column to adjust water concentration in the range of 1-45 wt. %, thereby preventing from polymerization.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventors: Harunori Hirao, Michio Tanimoto
  • Publication number: 20040015014
    Abstract: A method for the production of acrylic acid comprises (i) a step for introducing a polymerization inhibitor to a stage other than a stage for supplying a raw material and a stage for supplying a reflux of said distilling column or (ii) a step for supplying the acrylic acid recovered by thermally decomposing said oligomer to said stage for dehydration. Thus, the present invention enjoys effective utilization of acrylic acid and exalts the efficiency of production.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2003
    Publication date: January 22, 2004
    Inventors: Takeshi Nishimura, Yukihiro Matsumoto, Kenji Sanada, Harunori Hirao
  • Publication number: 20030120112
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a method to suppress changes the concentration of (meth)acrylic acid in the bottom solution discharged from the absorption column, and to enable stable operation for separating and purifying (meth)acrylic acid in the subsequent steps onward.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Publication date: June 26, 2003
    Inventor: Harunori Hirao
  • Publication number: 20030111216
    Abstract: In an apparatus provided with a plate type heat exchanger as a heater and/or a cooler and operated to treat a gas containing an easily blocking substance, a method for preventing the plate type heat exchanger from being blocked is disclosed which is characterized by i) setting the width of a flow path on a plate of the plate type heat exchanger in the apparatus in a range of 6-25 mm and ii) setting the average flow rate of the gas passing the plate type heat exchanger in the apparatus per unit cross-sectional area of the flow path on the plate in the range of 3-15 m/s. In the exchange of heat of an easily blocking substance by the use of a plate type heat exchanger, a method for preventing the plate type heat exchanger from blockage is disclosed which has the plate type heat exchanger provided in the port for introducing a gas containing an easily blocking substance with a gas dispersion plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2003
    Publication date: June 19, 2003
    Inventors: Harunori Hirao, Yukihiro Matsumoto, Sei Nakahara, Osamu Dodo, Tetsuji Mitsumoto, Takeshi Nishimura, Kazuhiko Sakamoto, Hiroo Iwato
  • Patent number: 6566551
    Abstract: For use in a process for the production of (meth)acrylic acid comprising at least a step for the reaction of (meth)acrylic acid by catalytic gas phase oxidation and a step for the absorption thereof, a method for preventing an effluent gas pipe from blocking is disclosed, which method is characterized by causing part or the whole of the gas discharged from the step for absorption, while being circulated via the effluent gas pipe to the step for the reaction or being discarded, to be subjected to temperature elevation and application of pressure and/or mist separation. Particularly by setting the temperature of the waste gas from the absorption column at a level in the range of 30-70° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Nippon Shokubai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Nishimura, Yukihiro Matsumoto, Sei Nakahara, Misao Inada, Harunori Hirao, Mamoru Takamura
  • Publication number: 20030028052
    Abstract: This invention concerns a method for absorbing acrylic acid, characterized by supplying an acrylic acid-containing reaction gas component obtained by the reaction of catalytic gas phase oxidation to an acrylic acid absorption column and advancing a high boiling inert hydrophobic organic liquid into counter-flow contact with said reaction gas in said acrylic acid absorption column with the mass flow rate of the organic liquid fixed in the range of 0.2-7.0 times the mass flow rate of the acrylic acid in the reaction gas thereby absorbing acrylic acid in said organic liquid and obtaining an acrylic acid-containing solution including a low boiling substance in the range of 0.7-7.5 wt % based on the weight of bottom liquid of absorption column.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2002
    Publication date: February 6, 2003
    Inventors: Harunori Hirao, Yoshitake Ishii, Yukihiro Matsumoto, Takeshi Nishimura
  • Publication number: 20020037488
    Abstract: In the reaction of catalytic gas phase oxidation induced by the supply of at least a raw material to be oxidized and a molecular oxygen-containing gas to a reactor for catalytic gas phase oxidation, a method for starting up the reactor for catalytic gas phase oxidation is disclosed which is characterized by causing the raw material and the molecular oxygen-containing gas to pass a range in which the concentration of the raw material is less than the lower explosion limit of the raw material and the concentration of oxygen is not less than the limiting oxygen concentration, but excluding the concentration of the raw material of 0 vol. %. The method enables the reactor to be started up economically and safely by avoiding the explosion range induced by the composition of a raw material and a molecular oxygen-containing gas supplied to the reactor and decreasing the amount of a diluting gas to be supplied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2001
    Publication date: March 28, 2002
    Inventors: Harunori Hirao, Yukihiro Matsumoto, Sei Nakahara, Kunihiko Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20010025122
    Abstract: This invention concerns a method for absorbing acrylic acid, characterized by supplying an acrylic acid-containing reaction gas component obtained by the reaction of catalytic gas phase oxidation to an acrylic acid absorption column and advancing a high boiling inert hydrophobic organic liquid into counter-flow contact with said reaction gas in said acrylic acid absorption column with the mass flow rate of the organic liquid fixed in the range of 0.2-4.5 times the mass flow rate of the acrylic acid in the reaction gas thereby absorbing acrylic acid in said organic liquid and obtaining an acrylic acid-containing solution and a method for purifying acrylic acid, comprising a step for purifying the acrylic acid-containing organic liquid obtained by the step mentioned above. By this invention, a product of acrylic acid containing a low boiling substance at a low concentration can be produced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2001
    Publication date: September 27, 2001
    Inventors: Harunori Hirao, Yoshitake Ishii, Yukihiro Matsumoto, Takeshi Nishimura
  • Publication number: 20010003783
    Abstract: For use in a process for the production of (meth)acrylic acid comprising at least a step for the reaction of (meth)acrylic acid by catalytic gas phase oxidation and a step for the absorption thereof, a method for preventing an effluent gas pipe from blocking is disclosed, which method is characterized by causing part or the whole of the gas discharged from the step for absorption, while being circulated via the effluent gas pipe to the step for the reaction or being discarded, to be subjected to temperature elevation and application of pressure and/or mist separation. Particularly by setting the temperature of the waste gas from the absorption column at a level in the range of 30-70° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2000
    Publication date: June 14, 2001
    Inventors: Takeshi Nishimura, Yukihiro Matsumoto, Sei Nakahara, Misao Inada, Harunori Hirao, Mamoru Takamura