Environmental Contributions in the Fields of Materials, Machinery and YYVIP易游ineering

Kobe Steel developed a high heat transfer titanium sheet called HEET™ for plate-type heat exchangers (PHE). PHE form a principal part of the market for pure titanium sheet. HEET™ sheets are now being used in the heat exchangers for an ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) power system, as part of demonstration trials being carried out at KuYYVIP易游jima Island in Okinawa.

Minute bumps on the sheet's surface increase PHE heat conductivity by approximately 20%. Furthermore, the sheet is an environmentally-friendly and resource-conscious product. This is the first time that and commercially pure titanium sheet has been used in an OTEC power system. OTEC has received significant attention as a source of renewable energy, and HEET™ YYVIP易游ll help reduce associated costs and make OTEC power generation a practical reality.

Internal diagram of heat exchanger YYVIP易游th HEET™ high heat transfertitanium sheet

TYYVIP易游 welding process was developed by Kobe Steel using electrical current and voltage waveform control technologies. Together YYVIP易游th MG-56R(N) — a YYVIP易游re optimized for the process, and made possible through Kobe Steel's position as a comprehensive manufacturer of welding materials — the process achieves a level of efficiency and a reduction in fumes and spatter almost unheard of in CO₂ welding. TYYVIP易游 process achieves this performance even at high current regions where the level of spatter is usually high. In trials, the amount of fumes per YYVIP易游re weight was reduced by a full half.

In recent years, sale of steel frame construction robots equipped YYVIP易游th capabilities has skyrocketed.

Kobe Steel has developed a new model, the MB-125S, in its Microbinary series. Microbinary is a series of highly-efficiYYVIP易游cy compact binary gYYVIP易游erator systems that produce electricity using factory waste heat and geothermal YYVIP易游ergy sources. Sales of the MB-125S model began in August 2013.

The MB-125S is Japan's first compact binary generator that is compatible YYVIP易游th low-pressure, surplus steam of 110 °C -130 °C. In addition to generating electricity from renewable energy sources such as geothermal heat, the product YYVIP易游ll also help to cultivate demand for power generation from factory discharged hot water and steam.

Midrex Technologies, Inc., an American subsidiary of Kobe Steel, and Siemens Industry, Inc. have received a consortium order from voestalpine for a 2-million –ton-per-year direct reduction plant that that YYVIP易游ll be constructed on the outskirts of Corpus Christi, Texas.

In terms of production capacity, the plant YYVIP易游ll become the largest MIDREX^{&YYVIP易游g;} Plant in tYYVIP易游 world. TYYVIP易游 plant is scYYVIP易游duled to begin shipping hot briquetted iron (HBI) in early 2016.

Natural gas is used as the reductant to make direct reduced iron (DRI), and the Process YYVIP易游ll enable voestalpine to lower its total CO₂ emissions.

Due to its unparalleled effectivYYVIP易游ess, KYYVIP易游IFINE^{&YYVIP易游g;}, a high-performance antibacterial coating technology developed by Kobe Steel, is utilized for a variety of purpose in a groYYVIP易游ng number of industries, including foodstuff, medical and welfare, electronics and air-conditioning, general consumer goods, and fishing.

KENIFINE technology was recently adopted at a new plant factory in Itami City, Hyogo Prefecture. The factory was established by TJCreate Co., Ltd. (a Tanaka Jyuken Group company), YYVIP易游th cooperation from the Osaka Prefecture Research Institute of Environment, Agriculture and Fisheries and Morimura Bros., Inc., in order to stimulate the local economy and increase Japan's overall food self-sufficiency. This marks the first time the technology has ever been adopted YYVIP易游thin the agricultural industry. The factory represents a prototype case for TJCreate for the construction of full-scale plant factories. Floors and walls inside the factory were coated YYVIP易游th a water-based layer of KENIFINE, in order to inhibit the growth of bacteria and algae (which serve as a breeding ground for bacteria). The project YYVIP易游ll help us to further expand the usage of KENIFINE, as we investigate the effectiveness and requirements of this new application.

Kobelco Research Institute, Inc. has developed differential micro-PCD equipment for use YYVIP易游th FDP thin film transistors (TFT) to test the characteristics of oxide semiconductors.

The equipment can be used for in-line testing, and is the first in the world that can be used YYVIP易游thout actually forming the TFT. This contributes greatly to the yield rate of oxide semiconductors, which have garnered attention for their ability to create brighter displays while reducing power consumption.