Patents by Inventor Hideo Kitamura

Hideo Kitamura 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: 20140301928
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a carbon dioxide recovery apparatus includes a heat exchanger which heats a first rich liquid, a flow divider which divides the first rich liquid heated by the heat exchanger into a second rich liquid and a third rich liquid, a first release device which heats the second rich liquid and discharges a first semi-lean liquid, a second release device which heats the third rich liquid and discharges a second semi-lean liquid, and a regeneration tower which heats the first and second semi-lean liquids to generate a lean liquid. The first release device heats the second rich liquid, using the lean liquid. The second release device heats the third rich liquid, using a carbon dioxide-containing steam discharged at the regeneration tower. The heat exchanger heats the first rich liquid, using the lean liquid which has passed through the first release device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hideo KITAMURA, Satoshi SAITO, Mitsuru UDATSU
  • Patent number: 8806870
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a carbon-dioxide-recovery-type thermal power generation system includes an absorption column allows carbon dioxide contained in exhaust gas from a boiler to be absorbed in an absorption liquid, a regeneration column that discharges a carbon dioxide gas from the absorption liquid supplied from the absorption column, a reboiler that heats the absorption liquid discharged from the regeneration column and supplies steam generated, to the regeneration column, a condenser that generates condensate by cooling the steam exhausted from a turbine, a heater that heats the condensate, a water supply pump that supplies the condensate to the boiler, a line through the steam extracted from the turbine is supplied to the reboiler and the heater, and a steam flow rate adjusting unit. The steam flow rate adjusting unit maintains an amount of steam, which is extracted from the turbine through the line, to be constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Haruhiko Hirata, Hideo Kitamura, Takashi Ogawa, Yukio Ohashi
  • Publication number: 20140208749
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a carbon-dioxide-recovery-type steam power generation system comprises a boiler that produces steam and generates an exhaust gas, a first turbine that is rotationally driven by the steam, an absorption tower allows carbon dioxide contained in the exhaust gas to be absorbed into an absorption liquid, a regeneration tower that discharges the carbon dioxide gas from the absorption liquid supplied from the absorption tower, a condenser that removes moisture from the carbon dioxide gas, discharged from the regeneration tower, by condensing the carbon dioxide gas using cooling water, a compressor that compresses the carbon dioxide gas from which the moisture is removed by the condenser, and a second turbine that drives the compressor. The steam produced by the cooling water recovering the heat from the carbon dioxide gas in the condenser is supplied to the first turbine or the second turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Yuya MURAKAMI, Nobuo OKITA, Takeo TAKAHASHI, Mikio TAKAYANAGI, Takeo SUGA, Takeshi SASANUMA, Toshihisa KIYOKUNI, Hideo KITAMURA
  • Patent number: 8741028
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a carbon dioxide separating and recovering system includes an absorption tower to cause carbon dioxide to be absorbed in an absorbing solution, a regeneration tower to release the carbon dioxide from the absorbing solution, and at least one measuring apparatus to measure an ultrasound propagation speed in the absorbing solution. Each of the at least one measuring apparatus calculates a dissolved carbon dioxide concentration in the absorbing solution, based on a temperature measured by a temperature measuring unit, the ultrasound propagation speed measured by an ultrasound propagation speed measuring unit, and a correlation expression which shows a relationship between the dissolved carbon dioxide concentration and the ultrasound propagation speed in the absorbing solution, and is changed according to the temperature of the absorbing solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Daigo Muraoka, Koshito Fujita, Takashi Ogawa, Hideo Kitamura, Satoshi Saito, Masatoshi Hodotsuka
  • Patent number: 8726662
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a carbon-dioxide-recovery-type steam power generation system comprises a boiler that produces steam and generates an exhaust gas, a first turbine that is rotationally driven by the steam, an absorption tower allows carbon dioxide contained in the exhaust gas to be absorbed into an absorption liquid, a regeneration tower that discharges the carbon dioxide gas from the absorption liquid supplied from the absorption tower, a condenser that removes moisture from the carbon dioxide gas, discharged from the regeneration tower, by condensing the carbon dioxide gas using cooling water, a compressor that compresses the carbon dioxide gas from which the moisture is removed by the condenser, and a second turbine that drives the compressor. The steam produced by the cooling water recovering the heat from the carbon dioxide gas in the condenser is supplied to the first turbine or the second turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yuya Murakami, Nobuo Okita, Takeo Takahashi, Mikio Takayanagi, Takeo Suga, Takeshi Sasanuma, Toshihisa Kiyokuni, Hideo Kitamura
  • Patent number: 8720203
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a carbon-dioxide-recovery-type steam power generation system comprises a boiler that generates steam and an exhaust gas, an absorption tower that allows carbon dioxide contained in the exhaust gas to be absorbed in an absorption liquid, a regeneration tower that regenerates discharges a carbon dioxide gas from the absorption liquid, a reboiler that heats the absorption liquid of the regeneration tower, a turbine that is rotationally driven by the steam, a condenser that generates condensate by cooling steam exhausted from the turbine, a compressor that compresses the carbon dioxide gas, and a cooler that cools the carbon dioxide gas, which has been compressed by the compressor, while using a part of the condensate as cooling water. The reboiler is supplied with steam from the turbine and steam generated by the cooling of the carbon dioxide gas at the cooler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Takeshi Sasanuma, Nobuo Okita, Takeo Takahashi, Mikio Takayanagi, Takeo Suga, Yuya Murakami, Toshihisa Kiyokuni, Hideo Kitamura
  • Patent number: 8721177
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an X-ray CT scanner including: a gantry; a revolving body provided inside the gantry; an X-ray tube assembly provided in the revolving body; a heat radiator provided inside the revolving body so as to be connected to the X-ray tube assembly; a heat storage material provided in the heat radiator and capable of accumulating a heat generated by the X-ray tube assembly; and an X-ray detector provided inside the revolving body so as to oppose the X-ray tube assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Tomohiko Jimbo, Tomonao Takamatsu, Hideo Kitamura, Rika Hosaka, Hitoshi Hattori, Harunobu Fukushima, Hideo Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 8707700
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a carbon-dioxide-recovery-type steam power generation system comprises a boiler that generates steam and an exhaust gas, an absorption tower that allows carbon dioxide contained in the exhaust gas to be absorbed in an absorption liquid, a regeneration tower that discharges a carbon dioxide gas from the absorption liquid supplied from the absorption tower, a reboiler that heats the absorption liquid of the regeneration tower, a turbine that is rotationally driven by the steam, a first condenser, a second condenser, and a desuperheater. The first condenser generates condensate by cooling steam exhausted from the turbine. The second condenser condenses the carbon dioxide gas while using a part of the condensate as cooling water, and generates hot water. The desuperheater lowers the temperature of the steam exhausted from the turbine by spraying the hot water, and supplies the steam at lowered temperature to the reboiler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Takeshi Sasanuma, Nobuo Okita, Takeo Takahashi, Mikio Takayanagi, Takeo Suga, Yuya Murakami, Toshihisa Kiyokuni, Hideo Kitamura
  • Publication number: 20140086811
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a carbon dioxide recovering apparatus includes a flow distributor dividing the first rich solution discharged from an absorbing tower into a second rich solution and a third rich solution, a reheat exchanger heating the second rich solution with a lean solution discharged from a releasing tower as a heat source, a heating unit heating the third rich solution with a carbon dioxide containing steam to be released from the releasing tower as a heat source, a gas-liquid separator separating the carbon dioxide containing steam used to heat the third rich solution into carbon dioxide and condensate water, a measuring unit measuring an amount of the condensate water in the gas-liquid separator, and a controller. The controller controls a flow dividing ratio in the flow distributor based on a change in the amount of the condensate water measured by the measuring unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Satoshi SAITO, Hideo Kitamura, Mitsuru Udatsu, Toshihisa Kiyokuni
  • Publication number: 20130343976
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a carbon dioxide recovery device includes an absorption tower configured to cause carbon dioxide-containing gas to come in contact with absorbing solution and to generate rich solution absorbing the carbon dioxide, a regeneration tower configured to heat the rich solution, to disperse steam containing the carbon dioxide, and to generate lean solution from which the carbon dioxide is removed, a heat exchanging device configured to exchange heat between the lean solution and the rich solution, to supply the rich solution after the heat exchange to the regeneration tower, and to supply the lean solution after the heat exchange to the absorption tower, and a cooling device configured to cool a part of the rich solution discharged from a first place of the absorption tower and to supply the cooled rich solution to a second place higher than the first place of the absorption tower.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Inventors: Mitsuru UDATSU, Hideo KITAMURA, Masatoshi HODOTSUKA, Satoshi SAITO, Kensuke SUZUKI, Noriko CHIBA, Haruki FUJIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20130233015
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a carbon dioxide recovery apparatus includes a heat exchanger which heats a first rich liquid, a flow divider which divides the first rich liquid heated by the heat exchanger into a second rich liquid and a third rich liquid, a first release device which heats the second rich liquid and discharges a first semi-lean liquid, a second release device which heats the third rich liquid and discharges a second semi-lean liquid, and a regeneration tower which heats the first and second semi-lean liquids to generate a lean liquid. The first release device heats the second rich liquid, using the lean liquid. The second release device heats the third rich liquid, using a carbon dioxide-containing steam discharged at the regeneration tower. The heat exchanger heats the first rich liquid, using the lean liquid which has passed through the first release device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hideo KITAMURA, Satoshi SAITO, Mitsuru UDATSU
  • Publication number: 20120325089
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a carbon dioxide capturing device includes an absorption tower, a regeneration tower, and a cooling unit. A gas containing carbon dioxide and a lean liquid is introduced to the absorption tower which brings the gas and the lean liquid into contact with each other to generate a rich liquid. The regeneration tower generates a lean liquid by diffusing vapor containing carbon dioxide from the rich liquid from the absorption tower, and then returns the lean liquid to the absorption tower. The cooling unit cools at least one of the gas, the lean liquid, and the rich liquid. The cooling unit includes first and second coolers connected in series to each other, by first and second cooling mediums, respectively. The first cooling medium is generated outside the device without using power for cooling in the device. The first cooler is located upstream of the second cooler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Mitsuru UDATSU, Kensuke Suzuki, Satoshi Saito, Masatoshi Hodotsuka, Hideo Kitamura, Norihide Egami
  • Publication number: 20120240579
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a carbon-dioxide-recovery-type thermal power generation system includes an absorption column allows carbon dioxide contained in exhaust gas from a boiler to be absorbed in an absorption liquid, a regeneration column that discharges a carbon dioxide gas from the absorption liquid supplied from the absorption column, a reboiler that heats the absorption liquid discharged from the regeneration column and supplies steam generated, to the regeneration column, a condenser that generates condensate by cooling the steam exhausted from a turbine, a heater that heats the condensate, a water supply pump that supplies the condensate to the boiler, a line through the steam extracted from the turbine is supplied to the reboiler and the heater, and a steam flow rate adjusting unit. The steam flow rate adjusting unit maintains an amount of steam, which is extracted from the turbine through the line, to be constant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Haruhiko Hirata, Hideo Kitamura, Takashi Ogawa, Yukio Ohashi
  • Publication number: 20120230875
    Abstract: After absorbing oxygen together with carbon dioxide in an absorber 103, absorbing liquid 104a is supplied to oxygen collecting units 13 and 14. The oxygen collecting units 13 and 14 include silver to collect the oxygen in the absorbing liquid 104a and eliminate the oxygen from the absorbing liquid 104a. A regenerating unit 15 separates and recovers the oxygen collected in one of the two oxygen collecting units 13 and 14 to regenerate the oxygen collecting unit when the other oxygen collecting unit is supplied with the absorbing liquid 104a. A continuous operation can be achieved by switching and using the two oxygen collecting units 13 and 14.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2010
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Takashi Ogawa, Manabu Sakurai, Yukio Ohashi, Hideo Kitamura
  • Publication number: 20120167760
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a carbon dioxide separating and recovering system includes an absorption tower to cause carbon dioxide to be absorbed in an absorbing solution, a regeneration tower to release the carbon dioxide from the absorbing solution, and at least one measuring apparatus to measure an ultrasound propagation speed in the absorbing solution. Each of the at least one measuring apparatus calculates a dissolved carbon dioxide concentration in the adsorbing solution, based on a temperature measured by a temperature measuring unit, the ultrasound propagation speed measured by an ultrasound propagation speed measuring unit, and a correlation expression which shows a relationship between the dissolved carbon dioxide concentration and the ultrasound propagation speed in the absorbing solution, and is changed according to the temperature of the absorbing solution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2012
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Daigo MURAOKA, Koshito Fujita, Takashi Ogawa, Hideo Kitamura, Satoshi Saito, Masatoshi Hodotsuka
  • Publication number: 20120118162
    Abstract: The present invention provides a carbon dioxide recovery apparatus capable of recovering heat energy of carbon-dioxide-containing gas which includes an absorbing tower 101 to generate and discharge a rich liquid 301 absorbing carbon dioxide as carbon-dioxide-containing gas 111 is introduced and contacted to an absorbing liquid to absorb carbon dioxide, carbon dioxide release devices 103, 104 to discharge semi-lean liquids 320, 306 which have steam containing a part of carbon dioxide released by heating the rich liquid 301 discharged from the absorbing tower 101, and a regeneration tower 102A to generate a lean liquid 316 which has steam containing remaining carbon dioxide released and separated by heating the semi-lean liquids 320, 306 discharged from the carbon dioxide release devices 103, 104 and to return the lean liquid 316 to the absorbing tower 101.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2011
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Takashi OGAWA, Yukio OHASHI, Hideo KITAMURA
  • Publication number: 20120101767
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a carbon dioxide separation recovery system includes an absorption tower that allows carbon dioxide to be absorbed to an absorption liquid, a regeneration tower that regenerates the absorption liquid, a reboiler that heats the absorption liquid of the regeneration tower, using a heating medium, and a measuring device that measures an amount of heat supplied to the absorption liquid from the heating medium. The measuring device includes a cooler that cools the heating medium discharged from the reboiler, and obtains the amount of heat that is supplied to the absorption liquid from the heating medium by subtracting an amount of heat that is retained by the heating medium cooled by the cooler and an amount of heat, which is removed from the heating medium in the cooler, from an amount of heat that is retained by the heating medium supplied to the reboiler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2011
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yukio OHASHI, Takashi OGAWA, Hideo KITAMURA, Haruhiko HIRATA
  • Publication number: 20120096865
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a carbon-dioxide-recovery-type steam power generation system comprises a boiler that produces steam and generates an exhaust gas, a first turbine that is rotationally driven by the steam, an absorption tower allows carbon dioxide contained in the exhaust gas to be absorbed into an absorption liquid, a regeneration tower that discharges the carbon dioxide gas from the absorption liquid supplied from the absorption tower, a condenser that removes moisture from the carbon dioxide gas, discharged from the regeneration tower, by condensing the carbon dioxide gas using cooling water, a compressor that compresses the carbon dioxide gas from which the moisture is removed by the condenser, and a second turbine that drives the compressor. The steam produced by the cooling water recovering the heat from the carbon dioxide gas in the condenser is supplied to the first turbine or the second turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2011
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yuya MURAKAMI, Nobuo OKITA, Takeo TAKAHASHI, Mikio TAKAYANAGI, Takeo SUGA, Takeshi SASANUMA, Toshihisa KIYOKUNI, Hideo KITAMURA
  • Publication number: 20120096861
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a carbon-dioxide-recovery-type steam power generation system comprises a boiler that generates steam and an exhaust gas, an absorption tower that allows carbon dioxide contained in the exhaust gas to be absorbed in an absorption liquid, a regeneration tower that regenerates discharges a carbon dioxide gas from the absorption liquid, a reboiler that heats the absorption liquid of the regeneration tower, a turbine that is rotationally driven by the steam, a condenser that generates condensate by cooling steam exhausted from the turbine, a compressor that compresses the carbon dioxide gas, and a cooler that cools the carbon dioxide gas, which has been compressed by the compressor, while using a part of the condensate as cooling water. The reboiler is supplied with steam from the turbine and steam generated by the cooling of the carbon dioxide gas at the cooler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Takeshi SASANUMA, Nobuo Okita, Takeo Takahashi, Mikio Takayanagi, Takeo Suga, Yuya Murakami, Toshihisa Kiyokuni, Hideo Kitamura
  • Publication number: 20120096863
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a carbon-dioxide-recovery-type steam power generation system comprises a boiler that generates steam and an exhaust gas, an absorption tower that allows carbon dioxide contained in the exhaust gas to be absorbed in an absorption liquid, a regeneration tower that discharges a carbon dioxide gas from the absorption liquid supplied from the absorption tower, a reboiler that heats the absorption liquid of the regeneration tower, a turbine that is rotationally driven by the steam, a first condenser, a second condenser, and a desuperheater. The first condenser generates condensate by cooling steam exhausted from the turbine. The second condenser condenses the carbon dioxide gas while using a part of the condensate as cooling water, and generates hot water. The desuperheater lowers the temperature of the steam exhausted from the turbine by spraying the hot water, and supplies the steam at lowered temperature to the reboiler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Takeshi Sasanuma, Nobuo Okita, Takeo Takahashi, Mikio Takayanagi, Takeo Suga, Yuya Murakami, Toshihisa Kiyokuni, Hideo Kitamura