Patents by Inventor Susumu Horiuchi

Susumu Horiuchi 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: 5232085
    Abstract: A distillation system has a degassing tank, a distiller for generating vapor of raw water taken from the degassing tank, a heater for heating the vapor from the distiller to convert the vapor into a high temperature and pressure vapor, a hydrophobic porous membrane through which the vapor from the heater flows, and a heat transfer unit provided in the distiller for effecting heat exchange between the vapor from the membrane member and the raw water from the degassing tank. The structural elements such as the heat exchange unit, piping, etc., with which the vapor from the membrane or the condensate thereof is brought into contact are made of titanium or titanium alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1993
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuatsu Hayashi, Susumu Horiuchi, Hiroaki Yoda
  • Patent number: 5110559
    Abstract: A hydrogen generating apparatus has, at least, a material gas supply system, steam generator, an air supply system, a reforming system including a reformer and a shift converter each incorporating a catalyst, a product hydrogen transporting system, and a reformer combustion gas exhaust system. The apparatus is characterized by further having a shift converter jacket surrounding the catalyst of said shift converter, a branch pipe branching from said reformer combustion gas exhaust system and leading to said shift converter jacket, and a change-over valve provided at a portion of said reformer combustion gas exhaust system where said branch pipes branches off said reformer combustion gas exhaust system. During the start-up of the apparatus, the combustion gas exhausted from the reformer is introduced into the shift converter jacket to heat the shift converter thereby realizing a quick start-up, i.e., temperature rise, of the reformer system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1992
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yumihito Kondo, Yoshiaki Amamo, Shinjiro Kimura, Susumu Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 4710318
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method of processing radioactive waste, comprising the steps of converting organic radioactive waste into inorganic waste, pulverizing the inorganic waste, and solidifying the pulverized product with an inorganic hardening agent. According to the present invention, a solidified body having money-saving characteristics and a high volume reducing effect and capable of standing all kinds of weather condition excellently for a long period of time can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1987
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Susumu Horiuchi, Shin Tamata
  • Patent number: 4654172
    Abstract: A method of processing radioactive waste resin by pyrolyzing radioactive waste ion exchange resin generated in a nuclear plant such as a nuclear power station. First, the ion exchange resin is pyrolyzed at a low temperature, and the resulting decomposition gas is separated. Second, the ion exchange resin at a high temperature, and the resulting decomposition gas is separated. Finally, the residue of the ion exchange resin is hot-pressed into a molded article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1984
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1987
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masami Matsuda, Yoshiyuki Aoyama, Fumio Kawamura, Hideo Yusa, Makoto Kikuchi, Shin Tamata, Susumu Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 4632779
    Abstract: The invention is concerned with radioactive waste pellets in solidified form in which radioactive waste pellets including light waste pellets having specific gravities smaller than that of a filler are solidified with the filler in a container. A cover disposed in an opening portion of the container is provided with filler injection ports which do not permit the passage of the light waste pellets. The invention is further related to a process for forming radioactive waste pellets in solidified form by injecting the filler through the filler injection ports formed in the cover, so that the radioactive waste pellets and the filler are uniformly solidified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1984
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1986
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroko Mizuno, Makoto Kikuchi, Susumu Horiuchi, Shin Tamata
  • Patent number: 4629587
    Abstract: A system for disposing radioactive waste by solidifying the waste. The system has a lifting/lowering device for causing a relative vertical movement to bring a thin-walled container made of an inorganic material and a filling cap into contact with and away from each other. Supplying means are provided for supplying the container with the radioactive waste, solidifier and the post-filling solidifier, respectively, through the filling cap when the latter is held in contact with the container. The system further has a capping means for capping the container after filling with the radioactive waste and the solidifier. According to the invention, it is possible to conduct the essential steps such as the filling with the radioactive waste, filling with the solidifier, capping and the post-filling with minimal equipment and space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1983
    Date of Patent: December 16, 1986
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Keishi Monden, Ryozo Kikkawa, Susumu Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 4622175
    Abstract: A process for solidifying a radioactive waste by using an alkali silicate composition prepared by using as silicate source amorphous reactive silica obtained from acid earth by acid treatment as solidifying agent can give a solidified body excellent in weather resistance for a long period of time and excellent in resistance to leaching of radioactive materials with a low cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1983
    Date of Patent: November 11, 1986
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shin Tamata, Susumu Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 4569787
    Abstract: A radioactive waste is treated by supplying a liquid concentrate of at least one of a radioactive liquid waste and a radioactive waste slurry to a centrifugal film dryer, thereby drying and pulverizing insoluble and soluble solid matters contained in the concentrate, washing the centrifugal film drier with hot water after the drying and pulverization, settling the effluent washing water together with a condensate containing solid matters generated in the drying and pulverization, and supplying a slurry of insoluble solid matters separated by the settling to the centrifugal film drier, thereby drying and pulverizing the solid matters. The dried powder from the centrifugal film drier can be pelletized in a pelletizer, and effluent washing water generated by washing the pelletizer with hot water after the pelletization can be subjected to the settling together with the effluent washing water and the condensate from the centrifugal film drier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1982
    Date of Patent: February 11, 1986
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Susumu Horiuchi, Mikio Hirano, Toru Saito
  • Patent number: 4526712
    Abstract: A process for treating radioactive sludge waste wasted in a nuclear power plant comprises the steps of pulverizing the radioactive sludge waste into dry powder which is combustible, burning the powder into ashes, and pelletizing the ashes. The radioactive sludge waste including granular ion-exchange resins, powder resins, filter sludge, etc. is reduced in volume by subjecting to combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1979
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1985
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mikio Hirano, Susumu Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 4507390
    Abstract: Process for analyzing anions in a liquid by means of an ion exchanger and by complex formation with specific anions by addition of polyhydric alcohol. Sensitivity is increased owing to the fact that the complex of specific anions with polyhydric alcohol has a high activity as acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1981
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1985
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Susumu Horiuchi, Taiji Hiraoka, Toru Saito
  • Patent number: 4452733
    Abstract: An equipment for the volume-reducing treatment of a radioactive waste is disclosed. The equipment comprises means for drying and milling radioactive waste liquor, waste sludge, waste resin and the like generated from an atomic power plant, means for pelletizing the powder obtained from the drying and milling means and means for charging the pellet thus formed into a drum. The pelletizing means is a roller press consisting of a pair of press rolls, each having plural pockets formed on the surface thereof. Air vent grooves are also formed on the surface of each press roll so as to extend from the pocket in the rotating direction of the roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1984
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Susumu Horiuchi, Mikio Hirano, Satoshi Hirayama, Ryoichi Ishikawa, Hajime Iinuma
  • Patent number: 4432894
    Abstract: A detergent-containing radioactive liquid waste originating from atomic power plants is concentrated to have about 10 wt. % detergent concentration, then dried in a thin film evaporator, and converted into powder. Powdered activated carbon is added to the radioactive waste in advance to prevent the liquid waste from foaming in the evaporator by the action of surface active agents contained in the detergent. The activated carbon is added in accordance with the COD concentration of the radioactive liquid waste to be treated, and usually at a concentration 2-4 times as large as the COD concentration of the liquid waste to be treated. A powdery product having a moisture content of not more than 15 wt. % is obtained from the evaporator, and pelletized and then packed into drums to be stored for a predetermined period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1981
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1984
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kunio Kamiya, Kenji Motojima, Kiyomi Funabashi, Koichi Chino, Susumu Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 4341595
    Abstract: A rotary vane type evaporator has a cylindrical vessel and a rotor rotatable therein. The rotor has vane supports fixed to a rotor shaft and vanes each pivotally mounted at the radially inner end to a vane support and having a radially outer end connected with a shoe extending in the circumferential direction of the vessel. Each vane is provided with a balance weight acting to keep constant, irrespective of the wear of the shoe, the pressing force which urges the shoe against the vessel inner peripheral surface. The rotor vanes are disposed in a plurality of stages arranged in axial direction of the rotor. The rotor is so constructed as to uniformalize the wear of the vane shoes over all the stages, whereby the frequency of the interruption of the evaporator operation for the renewal of vanes is lowered to improve the rate of the operation of the evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1980
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1982
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichi Chino, Hideo Yusa, Akira Oda, Hideichi Miura, Susumu Horiuchi, Yoshiyuki Takamura
  • Patent number: 4299721
    Abstract: Provided is a method of producing radio-active waste package. By evaporating and drying, the radio-active waste is reduced to a radio-active powder which is formed into pellets in order to ease its disposal. The pellets are received in a container and then impregnated therein with a thermoplastic composition so as to be integrally solidify in the container. The prior technical method cannot fully impregnate the pellets with the thermoplastic material. The present invention improves the prior art technical method of producing radio-active waste package thereby to eliminate the above disadvantage. The present invention also provides a device for carrying out the above method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1978
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1981
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mikio Hirano, Susumu Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 4290907
    Abstract: Granular ion exchange resins in a desalter provided in a nuclear power plant are taken out from the desalter as used ion exchange resins when their capacities are lowered. The used ion exchange resins in a slurry state are led to a thin film drier. A rotating shaft provided with rotating blades is inserted in the thin film drier. When the slurry of the used ion exchange resins is led thereto, the rotating shaft is driven to rotate, and the side wall of the thin film drier is heated. The used ion exchange resins led to the thin film drier are heated and pulverized to powder by the action of rotating blades. The powder is taken out of the thin film drier to the outside and shaped into pellets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1978
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1981
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Susumu Horiuchi, Mikio Hirano, Hideo Yusa, Koichi Chino, Tatsuo Hayashi
  • Patent number: 4290908
    Abstract: A radioactive waste discharged from a radioactive substance handling equipment is dried and powdered, and the powder is pelletized. The resulting pellets are stored in an inner vessel of a store vessel having a double structure for a predetermined period to attenuate the radioactivity of the pellets. Then, the pellets are taken out from the store vessel and packed into a sealing vessel. A binder is injected into the sealing vessel to effect solidification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1979
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1981
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Susumu Horiuchi, Takashi Taniguchi, Masaki Takeshima, Mikio Hirano, Hideo Yusa
  • Patent number: 4279692
    Abstract: A rotary vane type evaporator has a cylindrical vessel and a rotor rotatable therein. The rotor has vane supports fixed to a rotor shaft and vanes each pivotally mounted at the radially inner end to a vane support and having a radially outer end connected with a shoe extending in the circumferential direction of the vessel. Each vane is provided with a balance weight acting to keep constant, irrespective of the wear of the shoe, the pressing force which urges the shoe against the vessel inner peripheral surface. The rotor vanes are disposed in a plurality of stages arranged in axial direction of the rotor. The rotor is so constructed as to uniformalize the wear of the vane shoes over all the stages, whereby the frequency of the interruption of the evaporator operation for the renewal of vanes is lowered to improve the rate of the operation of the evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 1979
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1981
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichi Chino, Hideo Yusa, Akira Oda, Hideichi Miura, Susumu Horiuchi, Yoshiyuki Takamura
  • Patent number: 4278104
    Abstract: A system for controlling the number of waste liquid disposal units in operation is disclosed in which the amount of waste liquid to be produced during a predetermined period of time is forecast, and the forecast result is used to calculate the required minimum number N of the waste liquid disposal units according to a predetermined formula, thereby to control the operation of the required minimum number N of the units among a plurality of waste liquid disposal units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1978
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1981
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yajima, Norihisa Komoda, Susumu Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 4268409
    Abstract: An aqueous solution containing granular ion exchange resin and filter aid as a radioactive waste generated from a nuclear power plant is supplied to the casing of a centrifugal film dryer, which comprises a casing, a rotating shaft inserted in the casing, rotating blades fixed to the rotating shaft within the casing, and a heating means for heating the wall surface of the casing. The aqueous solution flows down along the heated inside wall of the casing while the rotating shaft is rotated. Water of the aqueous solution is evaporated, while the granular ion exchange resin and the filter aid are turned into powder by the action of rotating blades in rotation. The powder is led to a pelletizer, and shaped into pellets. The pellets are filled in a drum, and asphalt is then filled in the drum. After the solidification of the asphalt, the drum is tightly sealed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1979
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1981
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiichi Ga, Koichi Chino, Makoto Kikuchi, Akira Oda, Susumu Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 4234448
    Abstract: In treatment of aqueous solutions and suspensions of radioactive waste through a step of drying and pulverizing the aqueous solutions and suspensions and a successive step of compressing and solidifying the resulting powders of radioactive waste, a step of measuring a water content of the powders is provided between the step of drying and pulverizing and the step of compressing and solidifying. When the measured water content of the powders fails to satisfy a predetermined water content, the powders are eliminated from a system of the treatment without passing through the step of compressing and solidifying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1977
    Date of Patent: November 18, 1980
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mikio Hirano, Susumu Horiuchi