Sustainability Topics (Environment)

Taiyo Nippon Sanso Corporation (TNSC) has extended the range of raw material CO₂ concentrations applicable to CO₂ recovery equipment with a capacity of 10 tonnes per day, which it launched in April 2023, to enable CO₂ recovery from a wide range of CO₂ emission sources. We have extended the range of applicable CO₂ concentrations for the CO₂ recovery equipment from the original range of 20–40% to 20–60% by leveraging our accumulated gas separation and purification technologies, allowing us to provide decarbonization solutions to a wider range of customers. TNSC will contribute to achieving a carbon neutral society by distributing CO₂ recovery equipment to various customers.

Exterior view of small-scale CO₂ recovery equipment

Taiyo Nippon Sanso Corporation (TNSC) successfully conducted the world’s first trial demonstration of using fuel ammonia for combustion in a glass melting furnace under the development of ammonia combustion technology for industrial furnaces project commissioned by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). The trial demonstration of ammonia combustion technology was carried out using an ammonia-oxygen combustion* burner installed in the architectural glass production facility at AGC Inc.’s Yokohama Technical Center. The demonstration obtained the result that NOx concentration in the exhaust gas was below the environmental standard even while maintaining the glass furnace temperature. Going forward, testing will be conducted with scaled-up burners and through trial demonstrations in glass melting furnaces at other sites to determine the scope that ammonia fuel combustion technology can be used. We aim to see full-fledged introduction in glass melting furnaces from FYE2027 onward.

Glass furnace where the trial demonstration was conducted

Taiyo Nippon Sanso Corporation (TNSC) has developed a hydrogen-oxygen burner fueled by hydrogen gas for industrial furnaces. The development enables TNSC’s oxygen burner series (SCOPEJET^®, Innova-Jet^®, and Innova-Jet^®Swing) to use hydrogen as fuel. Hydrogen gas has drawn attention as a carbon-free fuel for industrial furnaces, and TNSC has been developing a hydrogen-oxygen burner since FYE2022. Approximately 1.12 billion tonnes of CO₂ is emitted annually in Japan, 35% of which comes from the industrial sector. CO₂ is emitted from many industrial furnaces. By deploying this technology, TNSC will contribute to the social implementation of hydrogen energy and the reduction of CO₂ emissions in the industrial furnaces field.

SCOPE-JET^Ⓡcombustion flames

Taiyo Nippon Sanso Corporation (TNSC) has developed an inorganic powder melting and spheroidizing technology that can contribute to the achievement of carbon neutrality in the semiconductor materials manufacturing process. The technology combines the CERAMELT® powder melting and spheroidizing system, which uses pure oxygen combustion, with hydrogen combustion technology. Spherical particles are used as resin filler for semiconductor sealant, and so forth, contributing significantly to performance increase and miniaturization of semiconductors. With the recent expansion of semiconductor use, requirements for reducing the environmental impact of the manufacturing process have become more demanding. This technology developed by TNSC uses hydrogen as the fuel, thus reducing CO₂ emissions in the exhaust gas to zero. This greatly contributes to the reduction of environmental impact in the manufacturing process, while also contributing to the manufacturing of high-quality spherical particles with reduced carbon impurities.

Appearance of alumina particles before and after melting and spheronization

Taiyo Nippon Sanso Corporation (TNSC) successfully demonstrated production of hydrogen meeting the standards required for hydrogen fuel for fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) (ISO 14687:2019 Grade D) from ammonia. We have been developing hydrogen gas purification technologies with a view to realizing carbon neutrality. Based on our accumulated knowledge of hydrogen gas purification, we conducted a hydrogen production test combining an ammonia cracking furnace and a hydrogen purification device that we developed. We were able to verify that the hydrogen produced meets the standards required for hydrogen fuel for FCVs. We will now proceed to commercialize the equipment for manufacturing hydrogen gas from ammonia.

Exterior view of demonstration test equipment

Taiyo Nippon Sanso Corporation (TNSC) and Nippon Sanso (Thailand) Co., Ltd. are supporting initiatives for hydrogen utilization promoted by Toyota Motor Corporation in Thailand to achieve a carbon neutral society. (1) Through our self-developed “Hydro Shuttle”, a package-type hydrogen refueling station that can fill and supply hydrogen, we supplied hydrogen directly to fuel cell trucks in demonstrative experiments in logistics conducted by Toyota. (2) At IDEMITSU SUPER ENDURANCE SOUTHEAST ASIA TROPHY 2023 (a 10-hour endurance race), held over two days from December 22 to 23, 2023 in Buriram, Thailand, we supplied hydrogen to Toyota’s hydrogen-powered Corolla, “ORC ROOKIE GR Corolla H2 Concept”, supporting it to complete the race.

Hydrogen being supplied by a Hydro Shuttle (left)

JGC Holdings Corporation, Kubota Corporation, and Taiyo Nippon Sanso Corporation (TNSC) jointly submitted an application for a New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) “Development of Technologies for Building a Competitive Hydrogen Supply Chain” project and the application was selected. The project involves the “research and development of large-scale external thermal ammonia decomposition hydrogen production technology,” in which hydrogen will be obtained from the thermal decomposition of imported ammonia, in anticipation of participation in a large-scale hydrogen production project with an annual output of 110,000 tonnes. The research and development aims to optimize the entire process, from the gasification of imported liquid ammonia to the thermal decomposition of preheated ammonia, and the refining of the cracked gases to manufacture purified hydrogen. JGC Holdings will develop the cracking furnace and the entire process as well as provide overall supervision for the demonstration, while Kubota will research and develop ammonia cracking tubes. TNSC will research and develop hydrogen purification systems. In this way, the three companies will contribute to the development of technology for the large-scale production of hydrogen, an essential element for realizing a carbon neutral society.

Process flow of the R&D and cracking furnace concept image 

Four companies—Taiyo Nippon Sanso Corporation (TNSC), MOL Techno-Trade, Ltd., SESO inc, and MOTENA-Sea, Ltd. (a 90% subsidiary of MOL Techno-Trade, Ltd.), —were selected by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and Tokyo Environmental Public Service Corporation to participate in “The Subsidy Project for New Energy Technology Development in Tokyo” with the proposal titled “Establishment of an Offshore Hydrogen Supply Chain for the Introduction of Electric Propulsion Sightseeing Ships Using Hydrogen Fuel.” In this project, we will establish an offshore hydrogen supply chain, incorporating offshore hydrogen production using seawater (on-site hydrogen station on a barge), and delivering hydrogen to hydrogen-fueled ships, aiming to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and achieve an energy business continuity plan in Tokyo.

Conceptual image of an onsite hydrogen station on a barge

Taiyo Nippon Sanso Corporation (TNSC), Kyushu University Research Institute of Advanced Electric Propulsion Aircrafts, the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), and several companies have jointly developed a high-efficiency, high-output electric propulsion system utilizing superconducting technology for next-generation aircraft in a project commissioned by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). The development group has been developing technologies for predicting and reducing alternating current losses in superconducting wire and for increasing current capacity. By applying these technologies, the group has developed a fully superconducting motor that uses superconductors for both the field winding and the armature winding. Combining this with a cooling system that circulates liquid nitrogen using a pump, the group successfully conducted the world’s first rotational test of this type of motor. This achievement is a significant step forward in realizing electric propulsion and next-generation aircraft. The group will continue development for practical application and aims to apply the system for flying cars as well.

400 kW-class fully superconducting synchronous motor

Taiyo Nippon Sanso Corporation (TNSC) and the Innovation Center for Multi-Business of Nitride Semiconductors of Nagoya Institute of Technology jointly proposed “the development of metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) equipment for gallium nitride (GaN)-based power semiconductors on silicone (Si) substrates with excellent productivity” in response to the call for a Program to Develop and Promote the Commercialization of Energy Conservation Technologies to Realize a Decarbonized Society by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), and the proposal was accepted. The proposal aims to complete one of the world’s largest next-generation mass produced MOCVD equipment that can stably supply GaN/Si epi substrates with high electrical energy conversion efficiency. In doing so, the project will contribute to the realization of a decarbonized society and the revitalization of Japanese industries.

Taiyo Nippon Sanso Corporation (TNSC), Taiyo Nippon Sanso ATI Corporation (TNATI), and the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology have achieved the high-speed growth of high-purity β-gallium oxide (β-Ga2O3) thick films using the metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) method, which has been considered difficult. β-Ga2O3 is attracting attention as an important semiconductor for next-generation power devices, which are essential for increasing the efficiency of power control and conversion systems. Based on the reaction analysis result inside a proprietary crystal-growing reactor, we verified high-speed growth of high-purity β-Ga2O3 free from carbon impurities. This achievement is expected to lead to the practical application of mass production technology for β-Ga2O3 power devices for the realization of an energy-saving society in the future.

Low-pressure hot-wall MOVPE reactor
(FR2000-OX)

Taiyo Nippon Sanso Corporation (TNSC) has developed an equipment that can reconcentrate the used heavy water that were previously disposed of in the past, and has established a system for recycling heavy water at the Tsukuba Laboratory. Heavy water is water that contains a large amount of deuterium, a stable isotope of hydrogen. It is used in a variety of research fields including nuclear energy and the research of solvent for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis. Japan now relies on imports from abroad for all of its domestic needs for heavy water, and it is not an easy substance to obtain on a stable basis, as it is susceptible to overseas supply and demand conditions and the export policies of the countries from which it is sourced. TNSC is the first Japanese company to commercialize heavy water reconcentration. By using this recycling system, a portion of the heavy water used for deuterium-labeled compounds^*2 can be sourced in-house, and the amount of waste heavy water is expected to be reduced by half compared to our previous system. Going forward, we will continue to maintain stable operation of the reconcentration equipment, explore heavy water reuse needs outside the company, and study ways to increase production in response to demand.

(Notes) 
^*1 Based on research by TNSC
^*2 Deuterium-labeled compounds is a general term for compounds in which some or all of the hydrogen atoms in the compound are replaced by deuterium (D).

Nippon Sanso Vietnam (NSVN) opened its first industrial gas filling station in Northern Vietnam. The new station boasts a filling capacity of up to 1,920 cylinders each per month for nitrogen, argon, and up to five types of gas mixtures. Notably, it is the only station in Vietnam capable of supplying MG Shield gas, a safe and environmentally friendly alternative to sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). The facility has an industry-leading filling pressure of up to 300 barG, allowing for more efficient gas storage and transportation to benefit customers across diverse industries. NSVN is committed to supporting the growth and development of industries in Northern Vietnam by providing reliable, high-quality gas solutions.

Exterior view of the filling station

Supagas is working on a productivity project to reduce CO₂ gas losses, and a new storage vessel has been installed to replace the ISO container used previously. The new storage tank is fitted with a CO₂ condenser to control the pressure inside the vessel and reduce gas venting due to pressure build up. The project is expected to reduce CO₂ losses by 60,000kg per year. Additionally, a new LPG recovery system has been designed, which allows the residual product in LPG cylinders undergoing periodic inspection to be recovered and stored, and then used for filling new SupaSwap cylinders.* This recovery system can recover 26,000kg of LPG per year.

*SupaSwap cylinder:
Portable 3.5kg and 8.5kg LPG cylinders used by residential customers. Customers bring in their empty cylinders to swap for full ones.

New storage vessel (The ISO container is on the right.)

MATHESON’s new Johnsonville, Tennessee electronic and specialty gas site was recently the recipient of the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry Association 2023 Environment and Energy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Solid Waste Management. The award is designed to recognize businesses and industries that have demonstrated outstanding achievement in environmental protection and enhancement as well as proactive and innovative energy projects. The facility was recognized for its dedication to continuous reduction of solid wastes (both non-hazardous and hazardous) and to large-scale recycling efforts. Its recycling rate increased by 20% from 2019 to 2022, and it has achieved a 43% landfill diversion rate. This facility continues to find new opportunities to improve and demonstrate its commitment to environmental excellence.