Abstract: A waste heat recovery device with a first heat medium side inlet; a first heat medium side outlet; a first heat medium flow path; a second heat medium side inlet; a second heat medium side outlet; a second heat medium flow path; a heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the first heat medium and second heat medium; an expansion tank in the first heat medium flow path; a bypass flow path that causes the first heat medium to flow and bypass the heat exchanger; and a mixer where the bypass flow path and first heat medium flow path merge together. The mixer is configured to adjust a ratio of a flow rate of the first heat medium in the bypass flow path and a flow rate of the first heat medium in the heat exchanger, such that the temperature of the first heat medium after merging approaches a predetermined temperature.

Abstract: Realized are a high-performance electrochemical element and solid oxide fuel cell in which the contact properties between a dense and highly-gastight electrolyte layer and an electrode layer are improved while the treatment temperature during formation of the electrolyte layer is suppressed to a low temperature, and methods for producing the same. An electrochemical element includes an electrode layer 3, and an electrolyte layer 4 arranged on the electrode layer 3, wherein the electrode layer 3 has a plurality of pores that are open on a face thereof in contact with the electrolyte layer 4, and the pores are filled with fine particles made of the same components as the electrolyte layer 4.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for producing 3-hydroxybutyric acid or a salt thereof, the process comprising culturing one or more halophilic bacteria belonging to the genus Halomonas under specific conditions.

Abstract: Provided herein is a method for improving a gas recovery rate during generation of a high-purity gas. The method includes providing three or more adsorption towers filled with an adsorbent that adsorbs an adsorption target gas. Performing a pressure lowering equalization process in a first adsorption tower in which an adsorption process has been finished, and in a source gas supply state in which a source gas is supplied to at least a second adsorption tower in which a pressure increasing equalization process has been finished and the adsorption process is to be subsequently performed; and transferring a non-adsorbed gas from an upper portion of the first adsorption tower to the upper portion of the second adsorption tower, thereby performing an adsorption and pressure lowering equalization process in the first adsorption tower and an adsorption and pressure increasing equalization process in the second adsorption tower.

Abstract: A cooling device for an internal combustion engine includes a circulation path, a coolant temperature sensor, a coolant pump, and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to execute processing for performing feedback control on power of the coolant pump such that the output of the coolant temperature sensor becomes a target temperature, micelle determination processing for determining whether or not micelles are added to a coolant based on pump work of the coolant pump and the flow rate of the coolant flowing through the circulation path, Toms determination processing for determining whether or not the flow rate of the coolant satisfies a Toms effect expression condition, and correction processing for increasing a relative value of the output of the coolant temperature sensor with respect to the target temperature when the micelles is added and the Toms effect expression condition is established.

Abstract: Realized are an electrochemical element and a solid oxide fuel cell that have a dense electrolyte layer and that have excellent durability and robustness, and methods for producing the same. An electrochemical element includes: a metal substrate 2 having a plurality of through holes 21; an electrode layer 3 provided over a front face of the metal substrate 2; and an electrolyte layer 4 provided over the electrode layer 3, wherein the through holes 21 are provided passing through the front face and a back face of the metal substrate 2, the electrode layer 3 is provided in a region larger than a region, of the metal substrate 2, in which the through holes 21 are provided, and the electrolyte layer 4 has a first portion 41 coating the electrode layer 3, and a second portion 42 that is in contact with the front face of the metal substrate 2.

Abstract: A solar light (heat) absorption material which has an excellent solar light (heat) absorbing ability and a simple structure, and may be used as a low-cost and high-performance heat absorption/accumulation material. Also, a solar light (heat) absorption/control building component including the solar light (heat) absorption material that allows for easy change of its solar light (heat) absorption/control ability. The material includes particles dispersed into a liquid medium having a specific heat ranging from 0.4 to 1.4 cal/g/° C. and a melting point of 5° C. or lower. The dispersed particles have L*value of 30 or less as determined by the CIE-Lab color system (light source D65).

Abstract: Adsorption towers are filled with adsorbents that adsorb methane gas in coal mine gas and perform a PSA cycle. For each of adsorption towers, a plurality of different pressure states of the internal pressure of the adsorption tower are set as an intermediate pressure state. As a pressure equalization step, an initial pressure equalization step of transferring the gas in one of the adsorption towers that is in a high pressure state to another one of the adsorption towers that is in an intermediate pressure state, and a final pressure equalization step of transferring the gas in one of the adsorption towers that is in the high pressure-side intermediate pressure state to another one of the adsorption towers that is in the low pressure state are performed.

Abstract: When an AC line of one local system and a power system are in a parallel-off state, a control device included in a power supply system causes local inverter devices of the local systems to operate in a parallel-off operation mode in which control is performed such that the voltage and frequency of power on the AC line is at a target voltage and a target frequency determined according to the state of charge of a power storage device. When a condition for switching to the connected state has been satisfied, the control device stops operation of the local inverter device in the parallel-off operation mode and causes a switch to the connected state by operating the interrupting device, and thereafter causes the local inverter device to operate in a charging operation mode used in charging the power storage device with supplementary power received from the power system.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a combustion device which does not cause an increase in the amount of generated NOx or a degradation in efficiency due to a lower flame luminance, even when the combustion space is limited in the lengthwise direction of the flame. A fuel ejector is configured so as to be provided with at least a first fuel ejector and a second fuel ejector lined up in a specific direction as viewed in the lengthwise direction of fuel ejection, and is configured so that a first ejection stream ejected from the first fuel ejector and the second fuel ejector collide on the downstream side of ejection.

Abstract: The rate of recovery of a purification target gas from a gas purification apparatus that uses a PSA device is improved, and both a high purity and a high recovery rate are achieved with good power efficiency. The present invention is directed to a gas purification method using the PSA method, in which a carbon molecular sieve having a pore volume, at a pore diameter of 0.38 nm or more, of not exceeding 0.05 cm3/g and a pore volume, at a pore diameter of 0.34 nm, of 0.15 cm3/g or more, in a pore diameter distribution measured by the MP method is used as an adsorbent, and, in an adsorption step, a miscellaneous gas is adsorbed from a source gas by bringing the source gas into contact with the adsorbent for 10 seconds or more and 6000 seconds or less so as to obtain a concentrated methane.

Abstract: A power consumption mode guiding device includes a local system wherein the frequency of power on an AC line, is controlled at a target frequency determined according to the state of charge of a power storage device. The power consumption mode guiding device includes a frequency detection unit that detects the actual frequency of power on the AC line, an information storage unit in which guidance information for guiding the mode of use of a power consumption device by a power consumer (D) to a prescribed mode are stored in advance in association with frequency information obtained from detection results from the frequency detection unit, and a guidance information output unit that reads out, from the information storage unit, the guidance information associated with the frequency information obtained from the detection result from the frequency detection unit, and outputs the guidance information to the power consumer (D).

Abstract: A furnace-heating combustion apparatus that allows adjustment of a ratio between the amount of primary air and the amount of secondary air. A double-tube elongate burner extends through a rear wall portion of an air box disposed away from a furnace wall. The leading end portion of the burner is disposed inside a tube section such that a secondary air conduit is formed between an outer circumferential face of the leading end portion and an inner circumferential face of the tube section. A primary air conduit is provided at the leading end portion of the burner to introduce the air inside the air box from the rear end portion and cause it to flow toward the leading end portion. A burner supporting means is provided for to allow adjustment of the position of the burner in the longitudinal direction relative to the rear wall of the air box.

Abstract: A method for hydrogen production by pressure swing adsorption that can increase the recovery efficiency of an adsorption target component while enabling an off-gas to be appropriately supplied to a combustion device is provided that can achieve a cost reduction and an increase in the efficiency of the combustion operation.

Abstract: A gas mixing device capable of safely mixing flammable gas containing, for example, methane or the like and combustion supporting gas such as oxygen-containing gas, and a synthesis gas producing device using this gas mixing device. Flammable gas containing methane or the like and combustion supporting gas such as oxygen-containing gas are supplied into a mixing vessel via a first gas supplying section and a second gas supplying section respectively, and these gases are mixed within a combustion range in the vessel to be discharged via a discharge section. In the mixing vessel, packings for forming a large number of narrow gas flow passages in the vessel are packed so that velocity of the mixed gas flowing in the vessel becomes higher than burning velocity of the flammable gas and the combustion supporting gas.

Abstract: To derive a feasible solution for an operation plan problem for storage tanks for storing liquefied natural gas, which is a complicated mixed-integer non-linear problem, given tank initial state information, reception plan information, and feed plan information, two solving processes are executed alternately two or more times, respectively: a first solving process that replaces a mixed-integer non-linear programming problem with a mixed-integer linear programming problem by linear approximation of a non-linear expression in non-linear constraints containing the non-linear expression, and solves the problem to derive provisional solutions or final solutions for a reception pattern that prescribes a storage tank that is to receive liquefied natural gas, and a discharge pattern that prescribes a storage tank that is to discharge liquefied natural gas, and a second solving process that replaces a mixed-integer non-linear programming problem with a continuous non-linear programming problem by provisionally fixing

Abstract: The invention provides a process for producing 3-hydroxybutyric acid or a salt thereof, the process comprising culturing one or more halophilic bacteria belonging to the genus Halomonas under specific conditions.

Abstract: With a view to realizing a titanium oxide structure that has a large surface area and enables efficient transfer of ions and electrons by virtue of titanium oxide particles connected to one another, an object of the invention is to develop a material useful as an active material for dye-sensitized solar cells, and a process for producing the material; a porous titanium oxide composition and a process for producing the composition; and a photoelectric conversion element comprising the titanium oxide structure or porous titanium oxide composition.

Abstract: A primary object of the present invention is to provide a polylactic acid decomposition method that efficiently decomposes polylactic acid so that the polylactic acid can readily undergo degradation by a biological treatment such as methane fermentation. Specifically, the present invention provides a polylactic acid decomposition method involving a step of impregnating a polylactic acid-containing organic material with a treatment solution containing an organic acid salt and/or inorganic acid salt of an amine compound.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a reformed gas production apparatus that includes a reaction chamber containing a reforming catalyst, a supply route to the reaction chamber, a reformed gas conduction route from the reaction chamber, and a reaction chamber temperature control means that controls a temperature of the reaction chamber. The supply route supplies a fluid that includes a fuel containing a hydrocarbon having at least two carbon atoms, at least one of steam and a carbon dioxide-containing gas, and an oxygen-containing gas. The fuel can be a mixed fuel that includes a plurality of types of hydrocarbons that each have at least two carbon atoms. The reaction chamber temperature control means relates to the thermal decomposition index temperature of the fuel, which defines an upper limit temperature of the reforming reaction region.