Patents by Inventor Mitsuhiro IWAFUNE

Mitsuhiro IWAFUNE 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: 12654114
    Abstract: A multi-tower liquid-liquid extraction apparatus having two or more extraction towers arranged in parallel. Each tower has a heavy-liquid supplying port at the top and a heavy-liquid discharging port at the bottom. Additionally, each tower has a light-liquid supplying port at the bottom and a light-liquid discharging port at the top. The heavy-liquid channels of the extraction towers are connected in series. Furthermore, at least two of the extraction towers are connected to respective diaphragm chambers through their respective piping. These diaphragm chambers have a closed space, part of the wall of which is formed by a diaphragm whose volume is changed by an operating drive section. The piping between each extraction tower and its respective diaphragm chamber is equipped with a pressure-regulating chamber and an on/off valve to regulate the internal pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2026
    Assignee: REFINE HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junya Ohno, Hideki Ishizawa, Tomokiyo Takeyama, Akiyoshi Oda, Hiroaki Takahashi, Kouji Nakashima, Tadashi Noumi, Tomoya Fujita, Mitsuhiro Iwafune, Takao Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20260078138
    Abstract: Provided is a method for efficiently removing the butanol, dibutyl phosphate, etc., contained as impurities in tributyl phosphate. The technique of the disclosure is a method for producing tributyl phosphate characterized by having a step that brings crude tributyl phosphate into contact with an aluminosilicate compound in which the molar ratio (SiO2/Al2O3) of silica and alumina in the zeolite framework is 10 or more. Also disclosed is a method for producing an extractant that contains tributyl phosphate and, as a diluent, C6 or higher hydrocarbon, wherein the tributyl phosphate is mixed with the diluent after the impurities contained in the component have been removed by contact with an aluminosilicate compound in which the molar ratio of silica and alumina in the zeolite framework is 10 or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2023
    Publication date: March 19, 2026
    Applicant: REFINE HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoya FUJITA, Takao SUZUKI, Tomokiyo TAKEYAMA, Mitsuhiro IWAFUNE
  • Patent number: 12249717
    Abstract: The disclosed is a method for producing a dispersion of carbonaceous material in a nonaqueous solvent comprising a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic amide compound with a solvent purity of 99.9% or higher, which comprises: confirming an amine-controlled concentration, in which the concentration of amine components in the nonaqueous solvent is confirmed to be less than 3×10?6 in mass fraction; confirming a moisture-controlled concentration, in which the concentration of the moisture concentration in the nonaqueous solvent is confirmed to be less than 5×10?4 in mass fraction; and dispersing a carbonaceous material added to the nonaqueous solvent that satisfies the conditions in the amine-controlled concentration confirmation and the moisture-controlled concentration confirmation so that the carbonaceous material concentration is 15 to 30% by mass based on the total mass of the dispersion, by stirring and mixing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: REFINE HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaru Nakajo, Mitsuhiro Iwafune, Kensuke Fukasawa, Takao Suzuki, Tomokiyo Takeyama
  • Publication number: 20240367177
    Abstract: The disclosed is a method for producing a carbon material dispersion which removes efficiently and reliably metallic components from carbon materials, and that provides a carbon material dispersion of a high product quality and stable electrical properties. The method comprises a first magnetic separation step in which the powdered and/or granulated carbon material C is applied to the surface of a rotating magnetic roll 130 to remove the metallic component M from the carbon material in the dry state of the powdered and granulated carbon material C; and a second magnetic separation step in which a magnet element 310 is placed in a carbon material dispersion D, in which the carbon material from which the metallic component has been removed in the first magnetic separation step is dispersed in a dispersing medium, in advance of the second magnetic separation step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2024
    Publication date: November 7, 2024
    Applicant: REFINE HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaru NAKAJO, Mitsuhiro IWAFUNE, Kensuke FUKASAWA, Tomokiyo TAKEYAMA
  • Patent number: 12076730
    Abstract: The disclosed is a method for producing a carbon material dispersion which removes efficiently and reliably metallic components from carbon materials, and that provides a carbon material dispersion of a high product quality and stable electrical properties. The method comprises a first magnetic separation step in which the powdered and/or granulated carbon material C is applied to the surface of a rotating magnetic roll 130 to remove the metallic component M from the carbon material in the dry state of the powdered and granulated carbon material C; and a second magnetic separation step in which a magnet element 310 is placed in a carbon material dispersion D, in which the carbon material from which the metallic component has been removed in the first magnetic separation step is dispersed in a dispersing medium, in advance of the second magnetic separation step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: REFINE HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaru Nakajo, Mitsuhiro Iwafune, Kensuke Fukasawa, Tomokiyo Takeyama
  • Publication number: 20240269580
    Abstract: A multi-tower liquid-liquid extraction apparatus having two or more extraction towers arranged in parallel. Each tower has a heavy-liquid supplying port at the top and a heavy-liquid discharging port at the bottom. Additionally, each tower has a light-liquid supplying port at the bottom and a light-liquid discharging port at the top. The heavy-liquid channels of the extraction towers are connected in series. Furthermore, at least two of the extraction towers are connected to respective diaphragm chambers through their respective piping. These diaphragm chambers have a closed space, part of the wall of which is formed by a diaphragm whose volume is changed by an operating drive section. The piping between each extraction tower and its respective diaphragm chamber is equipped with a pressure-regulating chamber and an on/off valve to regulate the internal pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Publication date: August 15, 2024
    Applicant: REFINE HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junya OHNO, Hideki ISHIZAWA, Tomokiyo TAKEYAMA, Akiyoshi ODA, Hiroaki TAKAHASHI, Kouji NAKASHIMA, Tadashi NOUMI, Tomoya FUJITA, Mitsuhiro IWAFUNE, Takao SUZUKI
  • Publication number: 20240270674
    Abstract: Provided is a method for recovering a carboxylic acid, by which method the carboxylic acid is separated from an aqueous solution containing water and the carboxylic acid and the separated carboxylic acid is obtained as a carboxylic acid anhydride.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2022
    Publication date: August 15, 2024
    Inventors: Tomoya FUJITA, Mitsuhiro IWAFUNE, Takao SUZUKI, Tomokiyo TAKEYAMA, Hideki ISHIZAWA, Akiyoshi ODA, Hiroaki TAKAHASHI, Junya OHNO, Kouji NAKASHIMA, Tadashi NOUMI, Hideto ISHII
  • Publication number: 20220006093
    Abstract: The disclosed is a method for producing a dispersion of carbonaceous material in a nonaqueous solvent comprising a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic amide compound with a solvent purity of 99.9% or higher, which comprises: confirming an amine-controlled concentration, in which the concentration of amine components in the nonaqueous solvent is confirmed to be less than 3×10?6 in mass fraction; confirming a moisture-controlled concentration, in which the concentration of the moisture concentration in the nonaqueous solvent is confirmed to be less than 5×10?4 in mass fraction; and dispersing a carbonaceous material added to the nonaqueous solvent that satisfies the conditions in the amine-controlled concentration confirmation and the moisture-controlled concentration confirmation so that the carbonaceous material concentration is 15 to 30% by mass based on the total mass of the dispersion, by stirring and mixing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Applicant: REFINE HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaru NAKAJO, Mitsuhiro IWAFUNE, Kensuke FUKASAWA, Takao SUZUKI, Tomokiyo TAKEYAMA
  • Publication number: 20210387205
    Abstract: The disclosed is a method for producing a carbon material dispersion which removes efficiently and reliably metallic components from carbon materials, and that provides a carbon material dispersion of a high product quality and stable electrical properties. The method comprises a first magnetic separation step in which the powdered and/or granulated carbon material C is applied to the surface of a rotating magnetic roll 130 to remove the metallic component M from the carbon material in the dry state of the powdered and granulated carbon material C; and a second magnetic separation step in which a magnet element 310 is placed in a carbon material dispersion D, in which the carbon material from which the metallic component has been removed in the first magnetic separation step is dispersed in a dispersing medium, in advance of the second magnetic separation step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2021
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Applicant: REFINE HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaru NAKAJO, Mitsuhiro IWAFUNE, Kensuke FUKASAWA, Tomokiyo TAKEYAMA