Patents by Inventor Hiroshi Sugitatsu

Hiroshi Sugitatsu 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: 7572316
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a reduced metal includes thermally reducing a metal oxide including a carbonaceous reductant disposed on a hearth moving in a reducing furnace, wherein the reducing furnace includes a plurality of primary burners for supplying fuel and primary combustion air, and a plurality of secondary combustion burners for supplying secondary combustion air; and wherein the primary combustion air and/or the secondary combustion air is oxygen-enriched air, the oxygen concentration in the primary combustion air supplied from at least one of the plurality of primary burners being controlled to be lower than the oxygen concentration in the secondary combustion air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Harada, Hidetoshi Tanaka, Hiroshi Sugitatsu
  • Publication number: 20090136887
    Abstract: PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a rotary hearth furnace which has a simple furnace structure in which the furnace is not damaged even if the furnace is operated for a long term while presenting general equations capable of adequately determining a thermal expansion margin in the rotary hearth furnace.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2006
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Applicant: KAB. KAISHA KOBE SEIKO SHO (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Masahiko Tetsumoto, Sumito Hashimoto, Hiroshi Sugitatsu
  • Publication number: 20080069763
    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: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2007
    Publication date: March 20, 2008
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd)
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Tanaka, Itsuo Miyahara, Hiroshi Uemura, Takao Harada, Hiroshi Sugitatsu, Isao Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7340420
    Abstract: A system provides assistance in the delivery of industrial wastes from industrial waste-generating sites to one or more industrial waste treatment sites based on exchanged information on industrial wastes containing metal oxide. The system includes a server, terminals at the industrial waste-generating sites, and terminals at the industrial waste treatment sites. Each terminal at the industrial waste-generating site transmits the information on industrial wastes to the server. The server stores the transmitted formation into an information storage unit. The server receives the search conditions from one of the industrial waste treatment sites who require industrial wastes, search the information storage unit, and transmits the search result to the terminal at the corresponding industrial waste treatment site. The terminal at the industrial waste treatment site displays the search result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Takao Harada, Hiroshi Sugitatsu, Hidetoshi Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20070113708
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process that is useful in producing ferronickel having a high Ni content at low cost with high efficiency and reproducibility even if a low-grade feedstock containing nickel oxide is used. In particular, a feedstock containing nickel oxide and iron oxide is mixed with a carbonaceous reductant, the mixture is formed into agglomerates with an agglomerator, and the agglomerates are heated and reduced in a moving hearth furnace, whereby reduced agglomerates in which the Ni metallization degree is 40% or more and the Fe metallization degree is at least 15% less than the Ni metallization degree are prepared by adjusting the retention time of the agglomerates placed in the moving hearth furnace. The reduced agglomerates, in which the Ni component has been primarily reduced as compared with the Fe component, are smelted in a smelting furnace, whereby ferronickel having a high Ni content is obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2007
    Publication date: May 24, 2007
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel Ltd.)
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sugitatsu, Hidetoshi Tanaka, Takao Harada, Itsuo Miyahara, Isao Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20070079667
    Abstract: A method of producing stainless steel includes the steps of melting a raw material in an electric furnace to form molten steel, and then refining the molten steel by a refining furnace to produce stainless steel in a stainless steel producing process. In the method, a carbonaceous reducing agent is added to a zinc-containing waste material produced in the stainless steel producing process, the resultant mixture is agglomerated by a briquette press to form agglomerates incorporated with a carbonaceous material, the agglomerates incorporated with the carbonaceous material are heated in a rotary hearth furnace to reduce and evaporate zinc to form dezincified agglomerates, and then the dezincified agglomerates are charged as a coolant in an oxidation period of the refining furnace.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2006
    Publication date: April 12, 2007
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA KOBE SEIKO SHO (Kobe Steel, Ltd)
    Inventors: Hiroshi SUGITATSU, Itsuo Miyahara
  • Patent number: 7198658
    Abstract: The prevent invention provides a method for producing a feed material for molten metal production and a method for producing a molten metal capable of sufficiently carbonizing biomass and effectively using carbonized biomass as a reducing agent. In the method for producing a feed material for molten metal production, a mixture containing an iron oxide-containing material and biomass is heated in a heating furnace substantially isolated from oxygen to carbonize the biomass in the mixture and obtain a feed material for molten metal production, or the mixture is charged in a reducing furnace to reduce the iron oxide-containing material after being heated in the heating furnace. In the method for producing a molten metal, the feed material for molten metal production obtained by the method for producing a feed material for molten metal production is charged in a melting furnace to obtain a molten metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sugitatsu, Takao Harada, Hidetoshi Tanaka, Masaharu Kohno
  • Patent number: 7175691
    Abstract: A method of producing stainless steel includes the steps of melting a raw material in an electric furnace to form molten steel, and then refining the molten steel by a refining furnace to produce stainless steel in a stainless steel producing process. In the method, a carbonaceous reducing agent is added to a zinc-containing waste material produced in the stainless steel producing process, the resultant mixture is agglomerated by a briquette press to form agglomerates incorporated with a carbonaceous material, the agglomerates incorporated with the carbonaceous material are heated in a rotary hearth furnace to reduce and evaporate zinc to form dezincified agglomerates, and then the dezincified agglomerates are charged as a coolant in an oxidation period of the refining furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sugitatsu, Itsuo Miyahara
  • Publication number: 20060278042
    Abstract: A method of producing stainless steel includes the steps of melting a raw material in an electric furnace to form molten steel, and then refining the molten steel by a refining furnace to produce stainless steel in a stainless steel producing process. In the method, a carbonaceous reducing agent is added to a zinc-containing waste material produced in the stainless steel producing process, the resultant mixture is agglomerated by a briquette press to form agglomerates incorporated with a carbonaceous material, the agglomerates incorporated with the carbonaceous material are heated in a rotary hearth furnace to reduce and evaporate zinc to form dezincified agglomerates, and then the dezincified agglomerates are charged as a coolant in an oxidation period of the refining furnace.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2006
    Publication date: December 14, 2006
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho ( Kobe Steel, Ltd)
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sugitatsu, Itsuo Miyahara
  • Publication number: 20060096420
    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 13.6° 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: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2003
    Publication date: May 11, 2006
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sugitatsu, Hidetoshi Tanaka, Takao Harada, Itsuo Miyahara, Isao Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7032526
    Abstract: The present invention can provide a method for combustion treatment capable of efficiently treating combustible waste, and a combustion treatment apparatus capable of realizing such a method. The present invention can further provide a method for combustion treatment capable of efficiently treating even combustible waste containing a generation source of a volatile hazardous component, and a combustion treatment apparatus capable of realizing this. Furthermore, the present invention can provide a method for combustion treatment capable of efficiently recovering and making effective use of the heat of an exhaust gas discharged during a treatment of combustible waste, and a combustion treatment apparatus capable of realizing this. The aforementioned method for combustion treatment is a method for treating combustible waste, in which the combustible waste is subjected to combustion treatment in a rotary hearth furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho
    Inventors: Masahiko Tetsumoto, Hiroshi Sugitatsu
  • Publication number: 20050211020
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process that is useful in producing ferronickel having a high Ni content at low cost with high efficiency and reproducibility even if a low-grade feedstock containing nickel oxide is used. In particular, a feedstock containing nickel oxide and iron oxide is mixed with a carbonaceous reductant, the mixture is formed into agglomerates with an agglomerator, and the agglomerates are heated and reduced in a moving hearth furnace, whereby reduced agglomerates in which the Ni metallization degree is 40% or more and the Fe metallization degree is at least 15% less than the Ni metallization degree are prepared by adjusting the retention time of the agglomerates placed in the moving hearth furnace. The reduced agglomerates, in which the Ni component has been primarily reduced as compared with the Fe component, are smelted in a smelting furnace, whereby ferronickel having a high Ni content is obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2003
    Publication date: September 29, 2005
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sugitatsu, Hidetoshi Tanaka, Takao Harada, Itsuo Miyahara, Isao Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 6918947
    Abstract: A method for making reduced iron using blast-furnace sludge is provided. The method includes a mixing step of mixing the blast-furnace sludge and an iron-oxide-containing powder to prepare a mixed material, an agglomerating step of agglomerating the mixed material to form agglomerates, a feeding step of feeding the agglomerates onto a continuously moving hearth, and a reducing step of heating the agglomerates to remove zinc and reduce the agglomerates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Maki, Yoshiyuki Matsui, Takeshi Sugiyama, Takao Harada, Masahiko Tetsumoto, Hiroshi Tamazawa, Tadashi Ueda, Koichi Morioka, Nobuyuki Iwasaki, Hidetoshi Tanaka, Kojiro Fuji, Hiroshi Sugitatsu
  • Publication number: 20050028643
    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: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2003
    Publication date: February 10, 2005
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Tanaka, Itsuo Miyahara, Hiroshi Uemura, Takao Harada, Hiroshi Sugitatsu, Isao Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 6797034
    Abstract: A method of producing reduced metals is disclosed in which a mixture of a metal oxide and a reducing agent is heated by a burner such that the metal oxide is reduced to a reduced metal. Dry-distilled gas generated during carbonization of an organic matter-containing component is used as fuel for the burner. The sensible heat of exhaust gas evolved by the burner is utilized as heat for carbonizing the organic matter-containing component. Carbide derived by carbonizing the organic matter-containing component is used as the above reducing agent. This method yields excellent cost performance. An apparatus for reducing metal oxides is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Seiko Sho
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sugitatsu, Hidetoshi Tanaka, Takao Harada
  • Publication number: 20040163493
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a reduced metal includes thermally reducing a metal oxide including a carbonaceous reductant disposed on a hearth moving in a reducing furnace, wherein the reducing furnace includes a plurality of primary burners for supplying fuel and primary combustion air, and a plurality of secondary combustion burners for supplying secondary combustion air; and wherein the primary combustion air and/or the secondary combustion air is oxygen-enriched air, the oxygen concentration in the primary combustion air supplied from at least one of the plurality of primary burners being controlled to be lower than the oxygen concentration in the secondary combustion air.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2004
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Takao Harada, Hidetoshi Tanaka, Hiroshi Sugitatsu
  • Publication number: 20040083853
    Abstract: The prevent invention provides a method for producing a feed material for molten metal production and a method for producing a molten metal capable of sufficiently carbonizing biomass and effectively using carbonized biomass as a reducing agent. In the method for producing a feed material for molten metal production, a mixture containing an iron oxide-containing material and biomass is heated in a heating furnace substantially isolated from oxygen to carbonize the biomass in the mixture and obtain a feed material for molten metal production, or the mixture is charged in a reducing furnace to reduce the iron oxide-containing material after being heated in the heating furnace. In the method for producing a molten metal, the feed material for molten metal production obtained by the method for producing a feed material for molten metal production is charged in a melting furnace to obtain a molten metal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2003
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel Ltd.)
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sugitatsu, Takao Harada, Hidetoshi Tanaka, Masaharu Kohno
  • Patent number: 6669470
    Abstract: A method for operating manufacturing equipment including a heating furnace is provided. The method comprises the step of spraying a blowdown water that has been in the manufacturing equipment into effluent gas discharged from the heating furnace so as to vaporize the blowdown water and remove solid dust contained in the effluent gas. In a plant implementing this method, the amount of the effluent water can be reduced to substantially zero, no purification equipment is required, and solid sludge which has been produced in the purification equipment is thus completely reduced. Moreover, in this method, iron and zinc can be recycled as fly ash which can be easily treated and recycled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaaki Atsushi, Hidetoshi Tanaka, Takao Harada, Hiroshi Sugitatsu
  • Publication number: 20030233912
    Abstract: A method of producing stainless steel includes the steps of melting a raw material in an electric furnace to form molten steel, and then refining the molten steel by a refining furnace to produce stainless steel in a stainless steel producing process. In the method, a carbonaceous reducing agent is added to a zinc-containing waste material produced in the stainless steel producing process, the resultant mixture is agglomerated by a briquette press to form agglomerates incorporated with a carbonaceous material, the agglomerates incorporated with the carbonaceous material are heated in a rotary hearth furnace to reduce and evaporate zinc to form dezincified agglomerates, and then the dezincified agglomerates are charged as a coolant in an oxidation period of the refining furnace.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2003
    Publication date: December 25, 2003
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel Ltd)
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sugitatsu, Itsuo Miyahara
  • Publication number: 20030196517
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of purifying polluted soil and/or burned ash containing heavy metals and/or organic compounds with a higher throughput than a conventional method. In this method, polluted soil and/or burned ash is dried by, for example, a rotary dryer so that the moisture content is 5% by mass or less, preferably 3% by mass or less, and then large lumps having a particle diameter of 10 mm or more are removed by a vibrating screen. Only an undersize portion is formed into a briquette having a volume of about 6 cm3 by a press molding machine. The briquette is charged in a rotary hearth furnace together with the large lumps, and heated in the furnace to remove or detoxify the heavy metals and organic compounds by evaporation with high efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2003
    Publication date: October 23, 2003
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho(Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Takao Harada, Haruyasu Michishita, Hidetoshi Tanaka, Hiroshi Tamazawa, Hiroshi Sugitatsu