Abstract: Pressure-operable microfluidic structure for the bubble-free combining of two liquid volumes with a fluid chamber that has a feed opening, as well as an inlet and outlet channel emerging into the fluid chamber, wherein the fluid chamber has a cross section that broadens out relative to the inlet channel in the direction of flow from the inlet to the outlet channel and is designed, thanks to the broadened cross section, to broaden a first liquid volume that is essentially pressure-driven and conducted through the inlet channel and through the fluid chamber to a cross section at least approximately corresponding to the full cross section of the fluid chamber, while the fluid chamber has a holding position and is configured so that a second liquid volume, placed in the fluid chamber through the feed opening, can be held in the region of the holding position and the second liquid volume when the first liquid volume is moved through by pressure can be taken up by the latter and delivered as a combined liquid volum

Abstract: A method for converting biomass into higher-energy-density solids, in particular carbon, humus or peat, is described. In the method, organic substances from the biomass are suspended in water to form a suspension and at least a part of the suspension to be converted is heated to a reaction temperature and is converted into higher-energy-density solids by hydrothermal carbonization at elevated pressure. The conversion is carried out in a reaction volume which is located underneath the Earth's surface. Uniformity of the product quality and an increase in the economic efficiency of the process are achieved by the method.

Abstract: A method for ciphering multimedia includes the entering of an ciphering index in a definition data block of the multimedia data, this index pointing to an ciphering algorithm which is to be used. In response to the ciphering index in the definition data block one of a plurality of ciphering algorithms is selected. The multimedia data are ciphered using the selected ciphering algorithm. Various additional entries in the definition data block which is assigned to the multimedia data permit the clearing or enabling of a deciphering device, rapid access to a database of ciphered multimedia data and a customer- and data-specific use of the multimedia data while taking copyright aspects into account.