Patents by Inventor Shoji Imura

Shoji Imura 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: 8308844
    Abstract: A method of reduction treatment of metal oxides characterized by using as a material a powder containing metal oxides and containing alkali metals and halogen elements and further, in accordance with need, carbon, mixing the material with water to produce a slurry, then dehydrating this and charging the dehydrated material, mixed with another material in accordance with need, into a rotary hearth type reduction furnace for reduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Nippon Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ichikawa, Tetsuharu Ibaraki, Shoji Imura, Hiroshi Oda, Yoichi Abe, Shigeki Takahashi, Nobuyuki Kanemori, Satoshi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7964014
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and facility for preventing crumbling and powderization of green pellets when producing high strength green pellets using a powder feedstock and using the pellets in a rotary hearth reducing furnace and for efficiently reducing the same. It comprises kneading by a kneader 5 a feedstock of a powder of a fine particle size (20 to 80 wt % having size of not more than 10 ?m) including a metal oxide and carbon-bearing powder fed from a feed storage tank 1 and producing green pellets by a pan type pelletizer 7. The green pellets are screened by a pellet screen 9, then dried by a pellet dryer 11 and reduced by firing in a rotary hearth reducing furnace 13. At that time, the green pellets are continuously conveyed to prevent crumbling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Nippon Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Tetuharu Ibaraki, Hiroshi Oda, Shoji Imura, Masaharu Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20110113926
    Abstract: A method of reduction treatment of metal oxides characterized by using as a material a powder containing metal oxides and containing alkali metals and halogen elements and further, in accordance with need, carbon, mixing said material with water to produce a slurry, then dehydrating this and charging the dehydrated material, mixed with another material in accordance with need, into a rotary hearth type reduction furnace for reduction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Applicant: NIPPON STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ichikawa, Tetsuharu Ibaraki, Shoji Imura, Hiroshi Oda, Yoichi Abe, Shigeki Takahashi, Nobuyuki Kanemori, Satoshi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7879132
    Abstract: A method of reduction treatment of metal oxides characterized by using as a material a powder containing metal oxides and containing alkali metals and halogen elements and further, in accordance with need, carbon, mixing said material with water to produce a slurry, then dehydrating this and charging the dehydrated material, mixed with another material in accordance with need, into a rotary hearth type reduction furnace for reduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Nippon Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ichikawa, Tetsuharu Ibaraki, Shoji Imura, Hiroshi Oda, Yoichi Abe, Shigeki Takahashi, Nobuyuki Kanemori, Satoshi Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20100294079
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and facility for preventing crumbling and powderization of green pellets when producing high strength green pellets using a powder feedstock and using the pellets in a rotary hearth reducing furnace and for efficiently reducing the same. It comprises kneading by a kneader 5 a feedstock of a powder of a fine particle size (20 to 80 wt % having size of not more than 10 ?m) including a metal oxide and carbon-bearing powder fed from a feed storage tank 1 and producing green pellets by a pan type pelletizer 7. The green pellets are screened by a pellet screen 9, then dried by a pellet dryer 11 and reduced by firing in a rotary hearth reducing furnace 13. At that time, the green pellets are continuously conveyed to prevent crumbling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Applicant: Nippon Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Tetuharu Ibaraki, Hiroshi Oda, Shoji Imura, Masaharu Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7815710
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and facility for preventing crumbling and powderization of green pellets when producing high strength green pellets using a powder feedstock and using the pellets in a rotary hearth reducing furnace and for efficiently reducing the same. It comprises kneading by a kneader 5 a feedstock of a powder of a fine particle size (20 to 80 wt % having size of not more than 10 ?m) including a metal oxide and carbon-bearing powder fed from a feed storage tank 1 and producing green pellets by a pan type pelletized 7. The green pellets are screened by a pellet screen 9, then dried by a pellet dryer 11 and reduced by firing in a rotary hearth reducing furnace 13. At that time, the green pellets are continuously conveyed to prevent crumbling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Nippon Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Tetuharu Ibaraki, Hiroshi Oda, Shoji Imura, Masaharu Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7192552
    Abstract: The present invention provides a reducing furnace of the rotary hearth-type and a method for reducing a metal oxide simplified in the process from dehydration to molding, according to which a moisture-rich powdery raw material is reduced at low cost. The present invention also provides an operation method whereby dusts or sludge generated in the refining or processing of metal are economically recycled. A powdery mixture having a moisture content of 100% or higher relative to the total mass of a metal oxide-containing powder and a carbon-containing powder is made into a slurry and mixed by stirring. Thereafter, the slurry is dehydrated to a moisture content of 16 to 26% and compression-molded into articles. The cylindrical or granular shaped articles having a thickness or diameter of 30 mm or less thus obtained are fed to a zone the atmospheric temperature of which is 1170° C. or lower in the furnace and reduced through calcination by a rotary hearth reducing furnace thereby to provide a metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Nippon Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuharu Ibaraki, Takashi Hiromatsu, Satoshi Kondo, Shoji Imura, Yoichi Abe
  • Publication number: 20060096419
    Abstract: A method of reduction treatment of metal oxides characterized by using as a material a powder containing metal oxides and containing alkali metals and halogen elements and further, in accordance with need, carbon, mixing said material with water to produce a slurry, then dehydrating this and charging the dehydrated material, mixed with another material in accordance with need, into a rotary hearth type reduction furnace for reduction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2003
    Publication date: May 11, 2006
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ichikawa, Tetsuharu Ibaraki, Shoji Imura, Hiroshi Oda, Yoichi Abe, Shigeki Takahashi, Nobuyuki Kanemori, Satoshi Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20040201140
    Abstract: The present invention provides a reducing furnace of the rotary hearth-type and a method for reducing a metal oxide simplified in the process from dehydration to molding, according to which a moisture-rich powdery raw material is reduced at low cost. The present invention also provides an operation method whereby dusts or sludge generated in the refining or processing of metal are economically recycled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2004
    Publication date: October 14, 2004
    Inventors: Tetsuharu Ibaraki, Takashi Hiromatsu, Satoshi Kondo, Shoji Imura, Yoichi Abe
  • Patent number: 6755888
    Abstract: The present invention provides a reducing furnace of the rotary hearth-type and a method for reducing a metal oxide simplified in the process from dehydration to molding, according to which a moisture-rich powdery raw material is reduced at low cost. The present invention also provides an operation method whereby dusts or sludge generated in the refining or processing of metal are economically recycled. A powdery mixture having a moisture content of 100% or higher relative to the total mass of a metal oxide-containing powder and a carbon-containing powder is made into a slurry and mixed by stirring. Thereafter, the slurry is dehydrated to a moisture content of 16 to 26% and compression-molded into articles. The cylindrical or granular shaped articles having a thickness or diameter of 30 mm or less thus obtained are fed to a zone the atmospheric temperature of which is 1170° C. or lower in the furnace and reduced through calcination by a rotary hearth reducing furnace thereby to provide a metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Nippon Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuharu Ibaraki, Takashi Hiromatsu, Satoshi Kondo, Shoji Imura, Yoichi Abe
  • Publication number: 20040020326
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and facility for preventing crumbling and powderization of green pellets when producing high strength green pellets using a powder feedstock and using the pellets in a rotary hearth reducing furnace and for efficiently reducing the same. It comprises kneading by a kneader 5 a feedstock of a powder of a fine particle size (20 to 80 wt % having size of not more than 10 &mgr;m) including a metal oxide and carbon-bearing powder fed from a feed storage tank 1 and producing green pellets by a pan type pelletized 7. The green pellets are screened by a pellet screen 9, then dried by a pellet dryer 11 and reduced by firing in a rotary hearth reducing furnace 13. At that time, the green pellets are continuously conveyed to prevent crumbling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2003
    Publication date: February 5, 2004
    Inventors: Tetuharu Ibaraki, Hiroshi Oda, Shoji Imura, Masaharu Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20020174745
    Abstract: The present invention provides a reducing furnace of the rotary hearth-type and a method for reducing a metal oxide simplified in the process from dehydration to molding, according to which a moisture-rich powdery raw material is reduced at low cost. The present invention also provides an operation method whereby dusts or sludge generated in the refining or processing of metal are economically recycled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2001
    Publication date: November 28, 2002
    Inventors: Tetsuharu Ibaraki, Takashi Hiromatsu, Satoshi Kondo, Shoji Imura