Patents by Inventor Katsumi Ohsumi

Katsumi Ohsumi 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: 6487265
    Abstract: Surfaces of the structural components of a nuclear power plant exposed to reactor water are wetted with an electroless plating solution containing an electrical insulating substance. The electrical insulating substance has a high resistivity about 105 (100000) times those of the structural components of the nuclear power plant or above. A metal film containing the electrical insulating substance is formed on the surfaces of the structural components exposed to the reactor water by wetting the surfaces of the structural components with the electroless plating solution. Thus, the electrochemical corrosion potential of the structural components is reduced regardless of whether hydrogen is injected into the reactor water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masato Nakamura, Yamato Asakura, Yoshiyuki Takamori, Kazuhiko Akamine, Katsumi Ohsumi, Masanori Sakai, Yoichi Wada
  • Publication number: 20020136344
    Abstract: Surfaces of the structural components of a nuclear power plant exposed to reactor water are wetted with an electroless plating solution containing an electrical insulating substance. The electrical insulating substance has a high resistivity about 105 (100000) times those of the structural components of the nuclear power plant or above. A metal film containing the electrical insulating substance is formed on the surfaces of the structural components exposed to the reactor water by wetting the surfaces of the structural components with the electroless plating solution. Thus, the electrochemical corrosion potential of the structural components is reduced regardless of whether hydrogen is injected into the reactor water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2002
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Applicant: Hitachi, LTD.
    Inventors: Masato Nakamura, Yamato Asakura, Yoshiyuki Takamori, Kazuhiko Akamine, Katsumi Ohsumi, Masanori Sakai, Yoichi Wada
  • Patent number: 5892805
    Abstract: A reactor water clean-up system is provided with a first filter demineralizer having a filter resin containing an alkali substance and a second filter demineralizer with a filter resin not containing an alkali substance. The reactor water is supplied to the first filter demineralizer during the term from the starting operation of the preoperating test of the nuclear reactor and of each fuel cycle to 2000 EFPH. The alkali substance contained in the filter resin is guided into the nuclear reactor to change the pH of the reactor water in the nuclear reactor to the weak alkali side. The Cr quantity which is taken in the oxide film of the fuel cladding tube surface is reduced. After 2000 EFPH from the starting operation, the supply of the reactor water to the first filter demineralizer is stopped, and then, the reactor water is supplied to the second filter demineralizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouichi Yamane, Yamato Asakura, Katsumi Ohsumi, Kenichi Ito, Noriyuki Ohnaka, Naohito Uetake, Motohiro Aizawa, Akira Ichimura
  • Patent number: 5761263
    Abstract: In a nuclear fuel rod having a zirconium liner and a method of manufacturing the same, the outer surface of a zircaloy cladding tube in which fuel pellets are filled has an oxide film having fine irregularities of which the pitch is 1 .mu.m or less. The fine irregularities are formed by oxidizing the surface in high temperature steam or polishing the surface of the cladding tube. The surface of the fuel rod can effectively trap radioactive substances in the reactor water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naohito Uetake, Masayoshi Kondoh, Katsumi Ohsumi, Akira Maru, Yamato Asakura
  • Patent number: 5715290
    Abstract: In reactor water control for a BWR power plant during an operation cycle after loading new fuel rods in the BWR power plant, an operation is performed which accelerates deposition of crud on the fuel rods until the deposition amount of the crud on the fuel rods reaches a predetermined target value within the operation cycle concerned. After the deposition amount of the crud has reached the predetermined target value, the crud deposition accelerating operation is terminated, whereby even when loading new fuel rods such as Zr liner type fuel rods having a surface on which metal ion deposition has been difficult, radioactivity in the reactor water is efficiently reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1998
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naohito Uetake, Masayoshi Kondoh, Makoto Nagase, Hideyuki Hosokawa, Teruo Hara, Yamato Asakura, Katsumi Ohsumi, Kazuhiko Akamine, Kouichi Yamane
  • Patent number: 5398268
    Abstract: A water chemistry factor which is specific to a specific portion of a primary cooling system and universal is decided to be a standard target. The concentration of an agent for mitigating corrosion damage of structural material of the primary cooling system is controlled so that the target will be in a desirable range. All sensor groups provided in the primary cooling system are separated into sensor groups in different lines, of which a specific sensor group are connected to an arithmetic unit and a data base and are for always monitoring a plant process. For example, concentration distribution agreed with measured value oxidation component in the reactor water at the measurement points is selected from the data base, and it is used to estimate the standard target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1995
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidefumi Ibe, Masanori Takahashi, Yasuko Aoki, Yamato Asakura, Makoto Nagase, Noriyuki Ohnaka, Masanori Sakai, Takashi Saito, Katsumi Ohsumi, Kazuhiko Akamine, Makoto Hayashi, Kiyotomo Nakata
  • Patent number: 5398269
    Abstract: A water quality control method for a nuclear power plant comprising the steps of maintaining the iron concentration in the feed water below 0.05 ppb by increasing iron removing rate at a condensed water purifying loop, shifting the pH of the reactor water below a pH of 6.8 determined at a room temperature by injecting carbon dioxide gas in the primary cooling system and further optionally reducing the dissolved oxygen concentration in the reactor water below 20 ppb by injecting hydrogen gas into the primary cooling system, whereby .sup.60 Co ion concentration in the primary cooling system is maintained low for a long interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1995
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Nagase, Yamato Asakura, Naohito Uetake, Toshio Sawa, Shunsuke Uchida, Renzo Takeda, Katsumi Ohsumi
  • Patent number: 5203984
    Abstract: A plant operational status monitoring supervisory system comprising; means for extracting information directly relating to water quality of an objective portion consecutively for a period of time by means of an electrochemical water quality sensor installed in an objective portion to monitor in-situ in a plant; means for evaluating water quality based on thus extracted information; means for comparing an obtained water quality evaluation result with a reference value for a predetermined plant operation procedure; and means for displaying or storing necessary portion out of said comparison results; is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1993
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masanori Sakai, Katsumi Mabuchi, Toshiaki Arato, Takuya Takahashi, Masakiyo Izumiya, Isao Masaoka, Yoshitaka Kojima, Masahisa Inagaki, Katsumi Ohsumi, Makoto Hayashi, Fumio Sato, Masateru Suwa, Kimihiko Akahori
  • Patent number: 5186798
    Abstract: This invention comprises electrochemical analytical devices capable of performing electrolysis in multiple pulse modes. It relates to a method of quantitative analysis and equipment for performing quantitative analysis which uses a combination of these pulse modes to realize the measurement of concentrations of multiple substances to be measured, occurring in the test solution to be measured and also a nuclear reactor water quality control system employing such a quantitative analysis method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1993
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masanori Sakai, Katsumi Ohsumi, Noriyuki Ohnaka, Eiji Kikuchi, Katsumi Mabuchi, Takuya Takahashi
  • Patent number: 5084235
    Abstract: A direct cycle type atomic power plant provided with a means for suppressing transfer of radioactive nitrogen compounds generated by nuclear reaction in the core from the reactor water to steam, where an increase in the dose rate in the main steam system and the turbine system due to carry-over of radioactive nitrogen atom, .sup.16 N, generated in the core can be suppressed, and the radioactivity therein can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1992
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eishi Ibe, Hidetoshi Karasawa, Maroto Nagase, Masaharu Sakagami, Shunsuke Uchida, Minoru Miki, Yamato Asakura, Motoaki Utamura, Fumio Kawamura, Katsumi Ohsumi, Yoshinori Chiba
  • Patent number: 4940564
    Abstract: In a boiling water-type, nuclear power plant, deposition of radioactive substances on the surfaces of out-of-core components in the primary cooling water system in the nuclear power plant is suppressed by injecting an alkaline element into reactor water in the presence of more than an amount of the oxygen formed by nuclear fission of the reactor water and dissolved in the reactor water, particularly without hydrogen gas injection, during the nuclear heatup operation period of a boiling water type, nuclear power plant and circulating the injected alkaline element through the primary cooling water system of a nuclear reactor, thereby forming an oxide film on the surfaces of out-of-core components in the primary cooling water system of the nuclear reactor. Exposure of plant personnel to radioactivity can be reduced thereby. The present boiling water-type, nuclear power plant is provided with a means for forming such oxide film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 10, 1990
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Motohiro Aizawa, Katsumi Ohsumi, Takashi Honda, Hisao Itow
  • Patent number: 4937038
    Abstract: This invention comprises electrochemical analytical devices capable of performing electrolysis in multiple pulse modes. It relates to a method of quantitative analysis and equipment for performing quantitative analysis which uses a combinaiton of these pulse modes to realize the measurement of concentrations of multiple substances to be measured, occurring in the test solution to be measured and also a nuclear reactor water quality control system employing such a quantitative analysis method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 26, 1990
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masanori Sakai, Katsumi Ohsumi, Noriyuki Ohnaka, Eiji Kikuchi, Katsumi Mabuchi, Takuya Takahashi
  • Patent number: 4927598
    Abstract: The primary cooling water in a primary cooling water recirculation path of a nuclear power plant is heated and recirculated in the presence of beryllium, and a film of nickel ferrite and/or cobalt ferrite is formed on the surface of pipings and various apparatus and devices connecting with the primary cooling water. The beryllium is injected in the form of beryllium ion into the primary cooling water, or is disposed in the form of beryllium or beryllium-containing alloy in the piping and/or the various apparatus and devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 22, 1990
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Nishino, Toshio Sawa, Katsumi Ohsumi, Hisao Itow
  • Patent number: 4894202
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for inhibiting radioactive substances eluting into cooling water of a nuclear plant. The method uses an index consisting of an amount of iron adhered onto the fuel cladding surface, that is calculated from the iron concentration of the cooling water and the operation time. A formation of a layer of the iron oxide on the fuel cladding surface is confirmed based upon the covering ratio of 100%. When the covering ratio is smaller than 100%, the iron concentration in the cooling water is controlled to remain constant at a maximum concentration. The Fe/Ni molar concentration ratio in the cooling water is adjusted to be set from about 2 to 10 after the layer of iron oxide reaches a covering ratio of 100%. .sup.58 Co ion and .sup.60 Co ion concentrations in the cooling water can be decreased without greatly increasing the concentration of precipitating radioactive crud, and the surface dosage in the primary system can be decreased at the time of regular checking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1990
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Nagase, Yamato Asakura, Hidetoshi Karasawa, Masaharu Sakagami, Shunsuke Uchida, Toshio Sawa, Katsumi Ohsumi
  • Patent number: 4880595
    Abstract: A process and an apparatus for cleaning nuclear reactor cooling water with cation exchange resin whose ion-exchanging groups have a bonding energy of not more than 300 KJ/mole are disclosed, whereby the radiation exposure of operators in an atomic power plant can be considerably reduced, and the waste ion exchange resin can be readily disposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1989
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masami Matsuda, Kiyomi Funabashi, Takashi Nishi, Itaru Komori, Tsutomu Baba, Hideo Yusa, Shunsuke Uchida, Tetsuro Adachi, Katsumi Ohsumi, Tomohiro Sato
  • Patent number: 4853638
    Abstract: Electric conductivities of an aqueous solution under measurement are measured at two or more different temperatures in a range To to Tn, and a relationship between the electrical conductivity and the temperatures is obtained. A solute substance in the aqueous solution is determined by applying this relationship against a known temperature and electrical conductivity relationship of an individual substance. A concentration of the determined substance is estimated by applying the electrical conductivity at the lowest temperature To to a known relationship between an electrical conductivity and a concentration at the same temperature To with respect to an individual substance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 1, 1989
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masao Endou, Yamato Asakura, Atsushi Watanabe, Masaharu Sakagami, Shunsuke Uchida, Makoto Nagase, Tsutomu Baba, Katsumi Ohsumi
  • Patent number: 4828790
    Abstract: A nuclear power plant wherein surfaces of components contacting with nuclear reactor cooling water containing radioactive substances are coated with an oxide film, preferably being charged positively and/or containing chromium in an amount of 12% by weight or more, is prevented effectively from the deposition of radioactive substances thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1989
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Honda, Yasumasa Furutani, Kenya Ohashi, Eiji Kashimura, Akira Minato, Katsumi Ohsumi, Hisao Itou
  • Patent number: 4820473
    Abstract: The present invention is concerned with a method of reducing radioactivity in a nuclear plant by preliminarily forming oxide films on the surfaces of metallic structural members to be in contact with high-temperature and high-pressure reactor water containing radioactive substances before said metallic members are exposed to said reactor water. The method is characterized by the steps of subjecting said structural members to a first-step oxidation treatment of heating said structural members in an environment of a high temperature, and further subjecting the thus treated structural members to a second step oxidation treatment of heating said treated structural members in an environment having a higher oxidizing capacity than that of said environment in said first-step oxidation treatment to form a denser oxide film than an oxide film obtained in said first step oxidation treatment. According to the present invention, radioactivity in the nuclear plant can be reduced remarkably.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1985
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1989
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenya Ohashi, Takashi Honda, Yasumasa Furutani, Eizi Kashimura, Akira Minato, Katsumi Ohsumi
  • Patent number: 4764338
    Abstract: In operation of a boiling water-type, atomic power plant, rated operation is conducted while adjusting the pH of core water in the nuclear reactor to 7.0 to 8.5 by adding an alkali thereto, thereby controlling dissolution of radioactive corrosion products attached to fuel rods into the core water. An increase in the radioactive corrosion products in the core water and in the dose rate can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1985
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1988
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunsuke Uchida, Katsumi Ohsumi
  • Patent number: 4722823
    Abstract: A nuclear power plant using a structural material consisting of metal which comes into contact with a liquid in which radioactive substances are dissolved has a function to suppress the deposition of the radioactive substances. In this function, metal elements constituting the surface layer of the structural material which comes into contact with the liquid are oxidized by injecting oxidizing agents from outside, thereby preliminarily producing an oxide film. The oxidizing agents comprise at least one kind selected from the group consisting of oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, chromate, nitrite, molybdate, tungstate and ferrate. Particularly, by suppressing the deposition of radioactive substances on a stainless steel, the dose rate of exposure of workers is effectively reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1983
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1988
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Honda, Toshio Kawakami, Masakiyo Izumiya, Akira Minato, Katsumi Ohsumi