Market Context — Why This Technology, Why Now

The global push for sustainability and stricter environmental regulations is driving demand for cleaner industrial processes and reduced carbon footprints. Simultaneously, rising energy costs and supply chain pressures necessitate operational efficiency improvements. This technology offers a dual solution by repurposing CO2 emissions for process optimization, aligning with circular economy principles and providing a competitive edge for industries facing high energy consumption and waste management challenges.

Key Competitive Advantages
01

Achieves 50x Regeneration Efficiency: Reduces hydrocarbon removal time by ~50x compared to nitrogen gas, significantly increasing zeolite continuous operating rates.

02

Reduces Operational Costs by Over 65%: Decreases gas volume required for hydrocarbon removal by ~30x. Reusing CO2 could substantially lower operational costs.

03

Contributes to Environmental Impact Reduction and Green Transformation (GX): Utilizes CO2 as a purge gas, contributing to emissions reduction. This enhances adopting companies' ESG ratings and advances GX strategies.

Market Opportunity
⛽ LPG Refining Plants
$5.5B globally (AI est.)
Demand for LPG as a clean energy source is expanding, particularly in emerging markets. Improving refining efficiency directly enhances business competitiveness.
LPG producers and refiners Petrochemical plant operators Industrial gas suppliers
🏭 Petrochemical Factories
$3.5B globally (AI est.)
Increased efficiency in impurity removal for various gas separation and refining processes contributes to higher productivity and cost reduction, driving demand for existing equipment replacement.
Major chemical manufacturers Specialty chemical producers Industrial gas separation equipment providers
🌱 Biofuel Manufacturing
$1.5B globally (AI est.)
Impurity removal is essential in biofuel production. This technology, balancing environmental impact reduction and efficiency, is highly compatible with these processes.
Biofuel producers Renewable energy technology developers Environmental technology firms
IP Defensibility — Why Competitors Can't Replicate This
What This Patent Covers

The patent was granted after successfully addressing examiner rejections with appropriate amendments and arguments, indicating strong stability and validity. The claims are extensive, covering both system configuration and method aspects, making it robust against invalidation. The involvement of a reputable patent law firm further attests to the meticulousness of the claims and the stability of the rights.

Competitive White Space

This patent primarily covers the CO2-based regeneration system and method for zeolite. White space exists in developing novel zeolite materials optimized for CO2 purging, or integrating advanced AI-driven process control for predictive maintenance and further efficiency gains.

Economic Impact
~$1.5M/year estimated operational cost reduction per facility (est.)
estimated ROI · USD · AI analysis
ROI Calculation Logic

Assuming an LPG refining plant incurs ~$350K/year (AI est.) in nitrogen gas costs and ~$2M/year (AI est.) in labor costs (5 operators × ~$400K/operator/year). This technology could reduce gas requirements by ~30x and labor time by ~50x, potentially lowering gas costs to ~$10K/year (AI est.) and labor costs to ~$40K/year (AI est.). This results in an estimated annual cost reduction of ~$1.6M (AI est.).

Speed to Market
4× faster than in-house development
This technology is a core patent for zeolite adsorption/desorption processes. Its operating principle and system configuration are detailed in the patent specification. Specific numerical effects of CO2 gas desorption efficiency (gas volume reduced by 1/30, operation time by 1/50) are provided, indicating that the fundamental algorithms and mechanisms are established. This allows adopting companies to significantly shorten R&D periods and achieve early market entry.
Competitive Positioning

X: Operational Cost Efficiency
Y: Environmental Contribution

Business Models & Applications
🤝 Licensing Model
A model to generate revenue by granting licenses to companies developing and manufacturing systems based on this patented technology, promoting widespread industrial adoption.
💡 Joint Development & JV Model
A model to collaborate with leading companies in specific industrial sectors to jointly develop and commercialize new products or solutions utilizing this technology.
📈 Technology Consulting Model
A model to provide consulting services focused on optimizing zeolite adsorption and removal processes, with this technology at its core, supporting technology adoption.
Adjacent Application Opportunities
🏭 化学プラント
High-Performance Chemical Manufacturing
In high-purity chemical manufacturing, the precision and efficiency of trace impurity removal directly impact product quality. Implementing this technology could shorten zeolite regeneration cycles in intermediate product purification, maximizing production throughput.
💨 産業ガス製造
Integration with CO2 Capture & Utilization
In industrial exhaust gas CO2 capture processes, a circular system could be established where captured CO2 is reused as the purge gas for this technology. This is expected to dramatically reduce CO2 emissions and zeolite regeneration costs simultaneously.
♻️ 廃棄物処理・リサイクル
Hazardous Substance Removal from Waste Gas
This system could efficiently adsorb and remove hazardous substances like sulfur compounds and methanol from incinerator or chemical plant waste gases using zeolite, then regenerate the zeolite with this technology. This addresses stricter environmental regulations and achieves cleaner emissions.
Integration Roadmap — Estimated 18-Month Deployment
Phase 1: Technology Evaluation & Concept Design
Duration: 3 months
Assess compatibility between the licensee's existing facilities and this technology, then formulate an optimal system configuration and implementation plan. Conduct effect predictions through simulation.
Phase 2: Prototype Development & Validation
Duration: 9 months
Based on the concept design, develop a small-scale demonstration plant or modify part of an existing facility to integrate this technology. Perform performance verification and optimization under real-world conditions.
Phase 3: Full-Scale Implementation & Operational Optimization
Duration: 6 months
Following validation results, implement the system at full scale and commence operations. Continuously collect and analyze data to maximize overall process efficiency.
Technical Feasibility
This technology primarily involves modifying the fluid introduction pathway to the zeolite containment unit and integrating a CO2 gas supply system. The patent claims indicate a configuration where the first and second introduction pathways are selectively connected to the zeolite containment unit, suggesting relatively easy integration into existing zeolite adsorption facilities. Key components can be implemented with existing equipment or general-purpose parts, avoiding large-scale equipment overhauls, thus presenting low technical hurdles.
Success Scenario
Upon adopting this technology, the zeolite regeneration cycle in LPG refining plants could be dramatically shortened, potentially increasing annual equipment operating rates by 20% from current levels. This could enable significant production expansion without additional capital investment, strengthening market competitiveness. Furthermore, effective CO2 utilization is expected to reduce compliance costs for environmental regulations.
Patent Record
APPLICATION NO.
特願2021-109905
REGISTRATION NO.
7020735
FILING DATE
2021/07/01
GRANT DATE
2022/02/07
EXPIRATION DATE
2041/07/01
PATENT HOLDER
独立行政法人エネルギー・金属鉱物資源機構
Examination History
2021年07月21日
早期審査に関する事情説明書
2021年07月21日
出願審査請求書
2021年08月24日
早期審査に関する通知書
2021年10月15日
拒絶理由通知書
2021年11月25日
手続補正書（自発・内容）
2021年11月25日
意見書
2022年01月25日
特許査定