Patents by Inventor Masahide Taniguchi
Masahide Taniguchi 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: 20210370235Abstract: The present invention provides a method for preparing a water quality profile that has (1) a step 1 for supplying water to be treated to a separation membrane module with a supply port for the water being treated and multiple permeate outlets and obtaining permeate, (2) a step 2 for varying the ratio of the flow rates of the respective permeates flowing out of the multiple permeate outlets, (3) a step 3 after step 2 for measuring the respective water qualities of the permeates, and (4) a step 4 for plotting the relationship between the ratio of the respective permeate flow rates varied in step 2 and the respective water qualities of the permeates measured in step 3 as a scatter diagram, steps 2-4 being repeated multiple times.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 3, 2019Publication date: December 2, 2021Applicant: Toray Industries, Inc.Inventors: Hiroshi Hamada, Masahide Taniguchi, Kazunori Tomioka
-
Publication number: 20180264410Abstract: Disclosed is a method of enhancing a rejection performance of a semipermeable membrane by pressurizing and feeding a liquid containing a rejection performance enhancer to a primary side of the semipermeable membrane to come into contact with a membrane surface thereof, the method including: a step of changing, at least once during the feeding, a pressure or an osmotic pressure of the liquid containing the rejection performance enhancer at a fluctuation rate of 0.05 MPa/s or more, or a feed flow rate to the semipermeable membrane, thereby changing at least either a pressure acting on the membrane surface or a permeation flow rate from that at the time of normal treatment, followed by maintaining.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 8, 2016Publication date: September 20, 2018Applicant: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INCInventors: Masahide Taniguchi, Hiroo Takabatake, Kazuya Sugita
-
Patent number: 9901878Abstract: A membrane separation device includes a separation membrane unit A that has a separation membrane unit component 8, feed stream side lines F1 and F2, and a permeate stream line P, and a unit for feeding a stream-to-be-treated, wherein a stream-to-be-treated sealing material is provided in the perimeter of an anti-telescoping plate of the separation membrane element, wherein the separation membrane elements can be moved within a cylindrical pressure vessel substantially in either direction, wherein the separation membrane unit is configured to feed the stream-to-be-treated through one of the feed stream side lines F1 and F2 and to discharge the concentrate stream through the other of the feed stream side lines, and wherein the separation membrane unit includes a mechanism that can switch the flow between the feed stream side lines.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2013Date of Patent: February 27, 2018Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.Inventors: Masahide Taniguchi, Kazunori Tomioka, Tomohiro Maeda
-
Patent number: 9878269Abstract: A fresh water generation method by which product water satisfying target water quality can be stably and efficiently obtained even when raw water quality fluctuates, is provided by branching at least a part of a water flow line through which raw water 1 flows into a plurality of branch lines including a branch line A1 and a branch line A2 and differentiating retention times from branching to joining together between the branch line A1 and the branch line A2, in a fresh water generation method for obtaining product water by treating raw water 1.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2012Date of Patent: January 30, 2018Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.Inventors: Masahide Taniguchi, Tomohiro Maeda
-
Publication number: 20170274325Abstract: The present invention relates to a water treatment method including: a filtration step of feeding water to be treated to a membrane filtration device having loaded therein a porous separation membrane and performing filtration treatment to obtain filtrate; a discharging step of discharging the water to be treated in the membrane filtration device, which has been separated and concentrated by the porous separation membrane; and a cleaning step of cleaning the porous separation membrane by at least one treatment of physical cleaning and chemical cleaning, in which a cycle including a combination of the filtration step, the discharging step and the cleaning step is repeated multiple times, thereby obtaining filtrate. In each cycle, the filtration step and the discharging step are repeated multiple times, and the cleaning step is then carried out.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2014Publication date: September 28, 2017Applicant: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.Inventors: Tomohiro Maeda, Masahide Taniguchi, Yohito Ito
-
Publication number: 20170266618Abstract: The present invention relates to a fresh water generation method including: feeding raw water or pretreated water thereof as feed water into a semipermeable membrane module in a pressurized state using a booster pump, thereby separating the feed water into a concentrate and a permeate having a low concentration, in which a scale inhibitor having a reducing function is dosed intermittently or continuously upstream from the semipermeable membrane module, thereby inhibiting scale generation and maintaining an oxidation-reduction potential of at least either the feed water or the concentrate to a threshold value or lower.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 26, 2015Publication date: September 21, 2017Applicant: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.Inventors: Masahide Taniguchi, Jean-Jacques Lagref, Klaus Kallenberg
-
Patent number: 9309138Abstract: Provided is a fresh water production method applying a combined water-treatment technology employing a plurality of semi-permeable membrane units, the method enabling prevention of problems caused by growth of a biofilm and allowing effective use of an injected chemical agent and an injected neutralizing agent. The fresh-water production method produces fresh water by treatment of source water by a semi-permeable membrane treatment device, the concentrated water resulting from the treatment by the semi-permeable membrane treatment device is mixed with other source water, and the water mixture is treated by a second semi-permeable membrane treatment device. A first chemical agent is injected continuously or intermittently into the source water and a second chemical agent is injected continuously or intermittently into the source water.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2010Date of Patent: April 12, 2016Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.Inventors: Wakako Ogiwara, Hiroo Takabatake, Masahide Taniguchi
-
Patent number: 9259686Abstract: A water producing system which is provided with a semi-permeable membrane treatment process A100 to produce membrane permeate A3 and concentrate A, a semi-permeable membrane treatment processB200 which is equipped with a treatment target water B branching means for branching treatment target water B2 into two or more to produce a membrane B5 and concentrate B6, and a semi-permeable membrane treatment process C300 which is equipped with a first water mixing means for mixing one of the treatment target water B with at least part of the concentrate A, and subjects the mixed water to the semi-permeable membrane treatment to produce membrane permeate C7 and concentrate C8, thereby producing fresh water from a plurality of kinds of raw water which differ in osmotic pressure.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2010Date of Patent: February 16, 2016Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.Inventors: Wakako Ogiwara, Hiroo Takabatake, Masahide Taniguchi
-
Publication number: 20150344339Abstract: Provided is a water treatment method in which impurities such as suspended substances in raw water are efficiently removed using a separation membrane, and in particular clarified water with sufficiently high water quality is stably produced as supplied water of a reverse osmosis membrane unit using a microfiltration membrane or an ultrafiltration membrane. The water treatment method, includes dosing a cationic coagulant to raw water a to form primary coagulated water, using the primary coagulated water as it is as final coagulated water when the zeta potential of the primary coagulated water b is less than 0 mV, or using final coagulated water obtained by dosing an anionic substance so that the zeta potential is less than 0 mV when the zeta potential of the primary coagulated water b is 0 mV or more, and treating the final coagulated water with a separation membrane of which the surface zeta potential is less than 0 mV, to obtain treated water d.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2013Publication date: December 3, 2015Applicant: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.Inventors: Masahide Taniguchi, Tomohiro Maeda
-
Publication number: 20150158744Abstract: A fresh water producing apparatus for producing fresh water from raw water containing solutes is disclosed. The fresh water producing apparatus comprises a first semipermeable membrane unit and a second semipermeable membrane unit. A first raw water supply line for supplying the raw water is connected to the first semipermeable membrane unit. A second raw water supply line for supplying the raw water is connected to the second semipermeable membrane unit. The first semipermeable membrane unit and the second semipermeable membrane unit are connected by a concentrated water line for supplying concentrated water of the first semipermeable membrane unit to the second semipermeable membrane unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 23, 2015Publication date: June 11, 2015Applicant: Toray Industries, Inc.Inventors: Masahide Taniguchi, Tomohiro Maeda
-
Publication number: 20150144559Abstract: A membrane separation device includes a separation membrane unit A that has a separation membrane unit component 8, feed stream side lines F1 and F2, and a permeate stream line P, and a unit for feeding a stream-to-be-treated, wherein a stream-to-be-treated sealing material is provided in the perimeter of an anti-telescoping plate of the separation membrane element, wherein the separation membrane elements can be moved within a cylindrical pressure vessel substantially in either direction, wherein the separation membrane unit is configured to feed the stream-to-be-treated through one of the feed stream side lines F1 and F2 and to discharge the concentrate stream through the other of the feed stream side lines, and wherein the separation membrane unit includes a mechanism that can switch the flow between the feed stream side lines.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2013Publication date: May 28, 2015Inventors: Masahide Taniguchi, Kazunori Tomioka, Tomohiro Maeda
-
Publication number: 20150144560Abstract: There is provided a separation membrane unit wherein a plurality of separation membrane subunits (11a-c) communicate with raw water lines A (9a-c) that comprise raw water supply valves W (10a-c), water discharge lines B (12a-c) that comprise water discharge valves X (13a-c), raw water lines C (16a-c) that comprise first raw water communication valves Y (17a-c), raw water lines D (19a-c) that comprise second raw water communication valves Z (20a-c), and permeate water lines E (21a-c); and wherein the raw water lines A communicate with the water discharge lines B, the raw water lines C communicate with the raw water lines D, the raw water lines A communicate with a main raw water line 7, the water discharge lines B communicate with a main water discharge line 14, the raw water lines C and the raw water lines D communicate with a collection line 18, and the permeate water lines E communicate with a main permeate water line 22.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2013Publication date: May 28, 2015Applicant: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.Inventors: Masahide Taniguchi, Kazunori Tomioka, Tomohiro Maeda
-
Publication number: 20150096930Abstract: The present invention relates to a separation membrane module in which a plurality of spiral-type separation membrane elements for use in separating and removing ingredients present in a fluid to be treated are loaded. The present invention provides a separation membrane module in which a plurality of spiral-type separation membrane elements are loaded in a cylindrical pressure-resistant vessel and which allows easy loading and removal of the separation membrane elements while maintaining sealing property even when high-hardness foreign particles are present on sealing surfaces and fully achieving its performance, thereby ensuring reductions in maintenance time and labor, and provides a replacement method for such separation membrane elements.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2013Publication date: April 9, 2015Applicant: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.Inventors: Masahide Taniguchi, Tomohiro Maeda
-
Publication number: 20150021264Abstract: A plant effluent treatment method includes a mixing treatment step that mixes a microorganism activating agent into plant effluent containing organic compounds as discharged from a chemical plant, petroleum plant or petrochemical plant and discharges it as mixing treatment effluent, and an aerobic treatment step that subjects the mixing treatment effluent to aerobic biological treatment and solid-liquid separation treatment in a membrane bioreactor tank.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 10, 2013Publication date: January 22, 2015Applicants: Chiyoda Corporation, Toray Industries, Inc.Inventors: Kanako Tsuda, Yusuke Shinoda, Masayo Shinohara, Kazuyuki Tejima, Atsushi Kitanaka, Masahide Taniguchi
-
Patent number: 8900456Abstract: A method of treating wastewater containing an organic compound includes feeding wastewater to an anoxic tank, adding compounds containing nitrogen and phosphorus components to wastewater, performing anaerobic treatment on wastewater, and discharging treated wastewater as pre-treated water; introducing pre-treated water into an anaerobic treatment tank, performing anaerobic treatment on pre-treated water, thereby decomposing the organic compound into organic compounds of smaller molecular size and a mixture gas containing methane and carbon dioxide, and discharging treated water as primary water; introducing primary water into an aerobic treatment tank, performing aerobic treatment on primary water, and discharging treated water through a solid-liquid separator as secondary water; and introducing at least a part of secondary water into a reverse osmosis membrane separation unit, and separating part of secondary water into RO permeated water and RO concentrated brine, wherein at least a part of RO concentratedType: GrantFiled: September 1, 2010Date of Patent: December 2, 2014Assignees: Chiyoda Corporation, Toray Industries, Inc.Inventors: Masayo Shinohara, Kazuhige Kawamura, Hiromi Satoh, Toshinobu Imahama, Atsushi Kitanaka, Masahide Taniguchi
-
Publication number: 20140284929Abstract: A concentration-difference power generation apparatus in which high-concentration water and low-concentration water which differ in their concentrations are brought into contact with each other through a semi-permeable membrane unit including a semi-permeable membrane, and a resultant increase in an amount of the high-concentration water due to permeation of water from a low-concentration side to a high-concentration side caused by a forward osmotic pressure is utilized to drive an electric generator to generate electricity, in which the semi-permeable membrane unit is divided into a plurality of subunits and the concentration-difference power generation apparatus includes a pressure change mechanism disposed on a high-concentration-side channel extending from the preceding-stage subunit to the next-stage subunit or a low-concentration-side channel.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2012Publication date: September 25, 2014Applicant: Toray Industries, Inc.Inventors: Masahide Taniguchi, Tomohiro Maeda
-
Publication number: 20140190909Abstract: A fresh water generation method by which product water satisfying target water quality can be stably and efficiently obtained even when raw water quality fluctuates, is provided by branching at least a part of a water flow line through which raw water 1 flows into a plurality of branch lines including a branch line A1 and a branch line A2 and differentiating retention times from branching to joining together between the branch line A1 and the branch line A2, in a fresh water generation method for obtaining product water by treating raw water 1.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2012Publication date: July 10, 2014Applicant: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INCInventors: Masahide Taniguchi, Tomohiro Taniguchi
-
Publication number: 20130292333Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for separating and recovering a purified alkali metal salt from an aqueous alkali metal salt solution, the method including a treatment step of removing a purification-inhibiting substance from an aqueous alkali metal salt solution with a separation membrane having a glucose removal ratio and an isopropyl alcohol removal ratio simultaneously satisfying the following expressions (I) and (II) when each of a 1000 ppm aqueous glucose solution having a temperature of 25° C. and pH of 6.5 and a 1000 ppm aqueous isopropyl alcohol solution having a temperature of 25° C. and pH of 6.5 is permeated through the separation membrane at an operating pressure of 0.75 MPa: Glucose removal ratio?90% . . . (I), Glucose removal ratio—Isopropyl alcohol removal ratio?30% . . . (II).Type: ApplicationFiled: December 1, 2011Publication date: November 7, 2013Applicant: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.Inventors: Takao Sasaki, Masahide Taniguchi, Hiroo Takabatake, Saburo Sone
-
Publication number: 20130140233Abstract: A fresh water producing apparatus for producing fresh water from raw water containing solutes is disclosed. The fresh water producing apparatus comprises a first semipermeable membrane unit and a second semipermeable membrane unit. A first raw water supply line for supplying the raw water is connected to the first semipermeable membrane unit. A second raw water supply line for supplying the raw water is connected to the second semipermeable membrane unit. The first semipermeable membrane unit and the second semipermeable membrane unit are connected by a concentrated water line for supplying concentrated water of the first semipermeable membrane unit to the second semipermeable membrane unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 10, 2011Publication date: June 6, 2013Inventors: Masahide Taniguchi, Tomohiro Maeda
-
Publication number: 20130001163Abstract: A method is provided for producing fresh water, the method including feeding raw water to a semipermeable membrane to obtain fresh water, in which water having a solute concentration different from that of the raw water is fed and mixed with the raw water according to changes of a flow rate of fresh water of the semipermeable membrane unit and/or operating pressure of the semipermeable membrane unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 9, 2011Publication date: January 3, 2013Applicant: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INCInventors: Masahide Taniguchi, Hiroo Takabatake, Tomohiro Maeda