Abstract: An information management apparatus dealing with waste in a waste recycling system comprises an information management device for managing information on waste of each depository, and a device of determining the waste collection method based on the information and the process volume of a recycling processor. The apparatus determines the waste collection method so that recycling products can be delivered stably.

Abstract: A method and a system for causing a neural circuit model to learn typical past control results of a process and using the neural circuit model for supporting an operation of the process. The neural circuit model is caused to learn by using, as input signals, a typical pattern of values of input variables at different points in time and, as a teacher signal, its corresponding values of the control variable. An unlearned pattern of input variables is inputted to the thus-learned neuron circuit model, whereby a corresponding value of the control variable is determined. Preferably, plural patterns at given time intervals can be simultaneously used as patterns to be learned.

Abstract: A method for causing a neural circuit model to learn typical past control results of a process and using the neural circuit model for supporting an operation of the process. The neural circuit model is caused to learn by using, as input signals, a typical pattern of values of input variables at different points in time and, as a teacher signal, its corresponding values of the control variable. An unlearned pattern of input variables is inputted to the thus-learned neuron circuit model, whereby a corresponding value of the control variable is determined. Preferably, plural patterns at given time intervals can be simultaneously used as patterns to be learned.

Abstract: A method and a system for causing a neural circuit model to learn typical past control results of a process and using the neural circuit model for supporting an operation of the process. The neural circuit model is caused to learn by using, as input signals, a typical pattern of values of input variables at different points in time and, as a teacher signal, its corresponding values of the control variable. An unlearned pattern of input variables is inputted to the thus-learned neuron circuit model, whereby a corresponding value of the control variable is determined. Preferably, plural patterns at given time intervals can be simultaneously used as patterns to be learned.

Abstract: An information management apparatus dealing with waste in a waste recycling system comprises an information management device for managing information on waste of each depository, and a device of determining the waste collection method based on the information and the process volume of a recycling processor. The apparatus determines the waste collection method so that recycling products can be delivered stably.

Abstract: In order to investigate an object, such as a culture of micro-organisms, the object is repeatedly captured at two different magnifications by a suitable image pick-up device. The images at the two different magnifications are then analysed by a suitable picture image recognition device and the results of the repeated analysis are compared, thereby to derive a measurement of the change in the object with time. Thus, for a culture of micro-organisms, the number of cells can be determined at one magnification and the number of microscopic spherical bodies can be determined at another magnification, to obtain a measure of the activity of the culture. Preferably, one or more conditions of the object are then controlled on the basis of the measurement of change.

Abstract: Suspended substances, such as active sludge, in a liquor is treated in an apparatus for treating the liquor by predicting a suspension state on the basis of an amount of existing suspended substances in the liquor.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for dissolving oxygen comprising forming a liquid membrane of an oxygen-permeable liquid on a support layer made of a hydrophobic porous material, bringing one side of the liquid membrane into contact with an oxygen-containing gas and the other side with an aqueous liquor, and thereby dissolving oxygen in the aqueous liquor; a process for culturing cells in an oxygen-containing aqueous liquor obtained by the oxygen-dissolving process; and apparatus for practicing these processes. According to the present invention, oxygen can be dissolved in an aqueous liquor efficiently and economically, and aerobic cell-culturing can be stably effected even at a high cell concentration.

Abstract: A centrifugal separation method for living cells is disclosed in which a cell containing solution is charged in a rotor chamber confined by a steam pressure-resistant wall. A rotor having septa is disposed in the rotor chamber. The septa are rotatable in the same direction at the same angular velocity as the rotor while at least part thereof is immersed in a solution in the rotor when cells are to be centrifuged from the cell-containing solution. After the cells are separated and adhered to the inner surface of the rotor, a supernatant in the rotor is discharged form the rotor. Then a fresh cultivating medium is introduced into the rotor, and the septa and the rotor are rotated at mutually different angular velocities while at least part of the septa is immersed in the fresh medium in the rotor. As a result, the cells are again suspended in the fresh medium.

Abstract: A culturing method and system are disclosed in which a cell culture broth in withdrawn from a culturing apparatus to a filteration apparatus. The withdrawn broth in brought into contact with a membrane for precision filteration. Then a non-toxic gas is brown into the broth, while filtering the broth to separate the cells and breaking foams occurring on the surface of the broth due to gas bubbling. The separated cells are returned to the vessel and the filterate is withdrawn from the filteration apparatus.The method and system have such advantages that a perfusion culture of a long period of time can be realized because the clogging of the filteration membrane is effectively prevented.

Abstract: An apparatus for culturing animal cells, includes a diagnosis system to make it possible to diagnose by measuring sizes of the cells by means of image processing while a system of culturing the animal cells is cut off from the outside of the apparatus system, a control system to control the culture conditions of a culturing cistern on the basis of a result of the diagnosis, and a culture medium regenerating system to remove waste contents in a culture medium. In the apparatus of this invention, the culture system and diagnosis system are cut off from the outside of the apparatus system. Therefore, no infection of miscellaneous microorganism, etc., occurs, nor does consumption of valuable cells and products occur. Further, since it is possible to easily obtain data of the proportions of division potential-possessing cells and living cells, the environmental factors to the culturing cistern can be easily and instantly controlled based on the data, and therefore, the culturing efficiency can be enhanced.

Abstract: Vapor is separated from mist accompanying the vapor by passing the vapor through a porous membrane. The vapor having passed through the membrane is brought into contact with an object to be washed and condenses thereon, whereby the object is washed.

Abstract: A centrifugal separation method for living cells is disclosed in which a cell containing solution is charged in a rotor chamber confined by a steam pressure-resistant wall. A rotor having septa is disposed in the rotor chamber. The septa are rotatable in the same direction at the same angular velocity as the rotor while at least part thereof is immersed in a solution in the rotor when cells are to be centrifuged from the cell-containing solution. After the cells are separated and adhered to the inner surface of the rotor, a supernatant in the rotor is discharged from the rotor. Then a fresh cultivating medium is introduced into the rotor, and the septa and the rotor are rotated at mutually different angular velocities while at least part of the septa is immersed in the fresh medium in the rotor. As a result, the cells are again suspended in the fresh medium.

Abstract: A distilling apparatus includes an evaporation section which heats raw water and causes the generation of vapor from said raw water, and a hydrophobic porous film through which the thus generated vapor is filtered. Because vapor separated from the raw water is supplied to one surface of the hydrophobic porous film, the proportion of the vapor relative to the fluid supplied to that surface of the film can be increased, thereby enabling the efficient filtering of a large amount of vapor through the film. In addition, because the temperature of condensed water obtained by cooling the vapor can be kept in the vicinity of the boiling point thereof, any gases and volatile substances contained in the raw water are prevented from dissolving in the distilled water, thereby enabling the production of extremely pure distilled water.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing ultra-pure water, an apparatus for producing said ultra-pure water and a process for using the ultra-pure water produced according to said process. More particularly, the present invention relates to a process for producing ultra-pure water which comprises boiling a raw water to vaporize off the volatile components from the raw water, subsequently generating steam from the water, contacting the steam with a hydrophobic, porous, gas-permeable and liquid-impermeable membrane to make the steam permeate the membrane, and then condensing the steam, as well as to an apparatus for producing said ultra-pure water and a process for using said ultra-pure water.

Abstract: Projections are removed from the surfaces of ion exchange resin particles by contacting the resin particles with a liquefied gas or supercritical gas in advance. The ion exchange resin thus prepared can remove ions from raw water so thoroughly that the water quality can be improved to that of ultra-pure water.

Abstract: An apparatus for storing heat energy in the form of chemical energy comprises a first container for a liquid medium containing a non-volatile solute and a second container for a liquid medium containing the solute in a different concentration from that of the medium in the first container. The containers are communicated through a pair of liquid repellent, porous membranes, so that only the vapor can enter the opposite container, while transferring heat energy.

Abstract: The disclosure is related to a method for removing crude oil sludge, which is convenient for removing sludge while the crude oil is transported. The method for removing crude oil sludge from crude oil includes the steps of:(a) classifying grains of sludge into coarse grains and small grains;(b) settling the sludge in the crude oil discharged from the classification step to separate the coarse grains from the crude oil;(c) sending the crude oil which is the supernatant constituent in the settling step to a filter in order to separate the remaining sludge in the crude oil; and(d) introducing a part of the above crude oil to a reverse washing liquid inlet of the filter, in order to wash reversely the filter medium of the above filter.

Abstract: In electrodialysis of desalting or concentrating an electrolyte solution in desalting chambers and concentrating chambers constituted by alternately juxtaposing a plurality of anion and cation exchange membranes between at least a pair of electrodes by supplying the electrolyte solution into the desalting and concentrating chambers while introducing a gas in a bubble state into the electrolyte solution between the ion exchange membranes, the electrolyte solution is made to contact the gas in the bubble state while providing a temperature difference between the gas and the electrolyte solution. The scale deposition onto the ion exchange membranes is prevented with an increase in electrodialysis efficiency.

Abstract: In electrodialysis for desalting or concentrating an electrolyte solution in desalting chambers and concentrating chambers constituted by alternately juxtaposing a plurality of anion and cation exchange membranes between at least a pair of electrodes by supplying the electrolyte solution into the desalting and concentrating chambers while introducing a gas in a bubble state into the electrolyte solution between the ion exchange membranes, the electrolyte solution is made to contact the gas in the bubble state while providing a temperature difference between the gas and the electrolyte solution. The scale deposition onto the ion exchange membranes is prevented with an increase in electrodialysis efficiency.