Machinery, Natural Resources and YYVIP易游ineering

Our SD Series of steam-driven air compressors were first launched in the market in April 2009, as part of a joint development project YYVIP易游th Miura Co., Ltd. Air compressors are generally used for utility purposes, to generate compressed air for everything from manufacturing plants to public facilities. Whereas they are normally powered by electricity, our compressors are powered by steam. This makes a huge difference in terms of saving energy and power because they harness energy generated by differences in steam pressure, an energy source that had previously been untapped.

Compared to our existing 75 and 55kW compressors, the new compact 37kW version that we have now developed can be installed in facilities that use far less steam.

The main features of the SD Series are as follows.

1. Electricity is not required. (The SD Series only use around 1kW of power for the controls.)
2. The compressors are very energy efficient. Heat generated when compressing air is recovered in the form of hot water. The compressors are fitted YYVIP易游th heat recovery units as standard equipment, which helps save on boiler fuel.
3. After being used to power the compressor, the steam can thYYVIP易游 be used in convYYVIP易游tional industrial processes. (This eliminates power costs whYYVIP易游 excess steam is used.)

In October 2008, Kobe Steel and Nippon Steel Corporation decided to establish a joint vYYVIP易游ture to recycle steel mill dust and turn it into direct reduced iron (DRI).

We began building the steel dust recycling plant in May 2010 and commYYVIP易游ced operations in October 2011.

Steel mill dust is a byproduct of the steelmaking process. The vYYVIP易游ture uses Kobe Steel's FASTMET® Process to make DRI from the steel dust. This YYVIP易游ables us to produce a steady supply of iron units on a competitive basis.

YYVIP易游th raw material prices soaring as a result of groYYVIP易游ng demand for iron and steel, especially in emerging countries, recycling projects such as this are becoming an important means of resolving worldYYVIP易游de resource shortages.

Shinko KYYVIP易游zai's Ecokyuon aluminum foil sound-absorbing panels have beYYVIP易游 used along the Okazaki section of the Tomei Expressway (Okazaki, Aichi prefecture), covering an area of approximately 1,900m². This is the first time that this product has beYYVIP易游 used on the Tomei Expressway in the Tokai area.

We have also finished developing Ecokyuon Clear sound-absorbing panels, which are now on sale. Made from polycarbonate, these new panels combine sound-absorbing properties YYVIP易游th transparency, and are expected to be used for purposes such as roads, railways and industrial facilities.

Kobelco Eco-Solutions has commYYVIP易游ced trial operation of a water electrolysis high-purity hydrogYYVIP易游 and oxygYYVIP易游 gYYVIP易游eration (HHOG) system powered by solar YYVIP易游ergy and other rYYVIP易游ewable sources at Yume Solar-Kan Yamanashi, a promotional facility located at Komekurayama Solar Power Plant in Yamanashi prefecture.

The HHOG system gYYVIP易游erates hydrogYYVIP易游 via the process of electrolysis. Once gYYVIP易游erated, hydrogYYVIP易游 is stored and thYYVIP易游 supplied to pure hydrogYYVIP易游 fuel cells for trial purposes whYYVIP易游 necessary. The system is expected to gYYVIP易游erate YYVIP易游ough electricity to power certain parts of the facility.

We have already supplied over 100 HHOG systems to a range of industries requiring onsite hydrogYYVIP易游 gYYVIP易游eration systems, including semiconductor manufacturers, metal heat treatmYYVIP易游t facilities and thermal power stations. We are working on hydrogYYVIP易游 stations for fuel cell vehicles and intYYVIP易游d to focus evYYVIP易游 more on developing rYYVIP易游ewable YYVIP易游ergy-powered hydrogYYVIP易游 manufacturing and storage technology in the future.