Abstract: A medium for culturing Euglena includes a cell membrane-permeable electron mediator that includes a biocompatible moiety and a redox-active moiety. A method for culturing Euglena includes culturing Euglena in a medium including a cell membrane-permeable electron mediator that includes a biocompatible moiety and a redox-active moiety. The medium is placed in a fermenter system that includes a device for extracting electrons from the medium. A method for reducing photoinhibition in Euglena includes electrochemically culturing Euglena in a medium including a cell membrane-permeable electron mediator that includes a biocompatible moiety and a redox-active moiety. The medium is placed in a fermenter system that includes a device for extracting electrons from the medium.

Abstract: The present invention provides a production method for biofuel based on a technology to convert carbon-dioxide as a carbon source through photosynthesis by photosynthetic microorganisms to biomass and produce biofuel of the biomass. The production method for biofuel of the present invention comprises a culturing process (S1) of culturing in a culture solution photosynthetic microorganisms which store oils, fats and carbohydrates in cells of the photosynthetic microorganisms, an oil and fat conversion process (S2) of converting the carbohydrates stored in the cells of the photosynthetic microorganisms cultured in the culture apparatus to oils and fats, an extraction process (S3) of extracting the oils and fats out of the cells of the photosynthetic microorganisms, and a reforming process (S4) to reform the extracted oils and fats.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a hydrocarbon fuel, comprising a first step of holding a mixture containing an aliphatic compound produced by algae, and a hydrocarbon solvent in which critical temperature is 90° C. or higher, in a supercritical state, with temperature and pressure adjusted so that a solubility of the aliphatic compound in the hydrocarbon solvent is 15 g or less per 100 g of the hydrocarbon solvent, and then recovering a soluble portion of the aliphatic compound in the hydrocarbon solvent; and a second step of subjecting the soluble portion recovered in the first step to hydrotreatment using a catalyst.

Abstract: The present invention provides a production method for biofuel based on a technology to convert carbon-dioxide as a carbon source through photosynthesis by photosynthetic microorganisms to biomass and produce biofuel of the biomass. The production method for biofuel of the present invention comprises a culturing process (S1) of culturing in a culture solution photosynthetic microorganisms which store oils, fats and carbohydrates in cells of the photosynthetic microorganisms, an oil and fat conversion process (S2) of converting the carbohydrates stored in the cells of the photosynthetic microorganisms cultured in the culture apparatus to oils and fats, an extraction process (S3) of extracting the oils and fats out of the cells of the photosynthetic microorganisms, and a reforming process (S4) to reform the extracted oils and fats.

Abstract: A catalyst for hydrogenolytic dealkylation comprising rhodium on a crystalline metallo-silicate carrier and a process for hydrogenolytically dealkylating a hydrocarbon mixture mainly comprising alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons in the presence of such a catalyst are disclosed. The catalyst exhibits catalytic activity at low temperatures and high reaction selectivity and has a prolonged duration.

Abstract: Sewage treatment is carried out at high performance from a treatment at high load to a treatment at low load at all times, irrespective of seasonal change and region where sewage treatment equipment is installed, and no excess sludge is discharged outside the equipment at all. Whirl water flow generating means and a heating pipe are disposed in sewage treatment tanks in which a number of activated sludge process beds and aeration pipes are disposed. A sewage water under treatment is returned from a third sewage treatment tank, to first and second treatment tanks, for example. A sedimentation tank and a sludge digestion tank are also disposed so as to supply the supernatant obtained after the sludge treatment to the first sewage treatment.

Abstract: A waste water treatment equipment adapted to treat, with high removal performance at all times, waste water drained from various sources such as sewage containing solid wastes left after crushing garbage sent out from cooking room, home kitchen, etc. The equipment is provided with a pretreatment device in which chemical is supplied to a treatment tank so as to accellerate decomposition of the solid waste left after crushing garbage by fermentation and putrefaction, and digestion of the solid wastes and water pollution materials by anaerobic bacteria. The sewage pretreated in the pretreatment device is introduced in a sewage treatment device in which sewage is caused to flow in a plurality of sewage treament tanks sequentially in order, and the pollution materials such as BOD, COD, etc. in the sewage are subject to oxidation decomposition and removal by activated sludge process beds of specific configuration in which arrangement of activated sludge varies for each tank.

Abstract: A sludge processing apparatus is provided that includes a processing tank, in which sludge flowing in through a sluge inflow pipe is deposited and processed, a submersible pump disposed in the center of bottom of the processing tank to take in the sludge laid on the bottom of the tank and spout it upward to a liquid surface, a circulation guide plate for circulating the sludge spouted by the submersible pump through the whole tank, a chemical feeder for feeding to the processing tank a selected chemical for promoting activity of anaerobic bacteria carrying out anaerobic digestion, a hot water pipe disposed in the vicinity of the bottom of the processing tank, a heating-and-circulating device for heating a heating medium and circulating it through the hot water pipe, temperature control means for controlling a temperature of sludge in the processing tank to be required value, and a drain pump for pumping supernatant water left after processing of the sludge out of the tank through a drain pipe.

Abstract: An apparatus for continuously producing a tube having helical grooves in its surface comprises a first drum, a flier having an axis intersecting the axis of the first drum at right angles therewith and rotatable around the first drum, and a second drum. One of the two drums serves as a pay-off drum for paying off a tube having straight grooves in its inner surface, while the other drum serves as a take-up drum for winding thereon the helically grooved tube obtained. At one side of the pay-off drum where the paid-off straight-grooved tube is to be transferred to the flier, a device is provided for preventing the torsion of the tube produced by the rotation of the flier from being transmitted toward the pay-off drum. A correcting device is provided between the flier and the take-up drum for remedying deformation of the helically grooved tube. With the rotation of the flier, the straight-grooved tube is twisted, whereby the straight grooves are deformed to helical grooves to afford a helically grooved tube.

Abstract: An apparatus for continuously producing a tube having helical grooves in its inner surface comprising a tube twising rotary frame, a pay-off drum mounted on the rotary frame for paying off a tube having straight grooves in its inner surface, a nozzle provided at the front end of the rotary frame and having an adjustable inside diameter for sending out the paid-off tube forwardly of the rotary frame, and at least one pair of catching rollers provided in front of the rotary frame and disposed close to the nozzle for holding the sent-out tube. Each of the catching rollers is formed in its peripheral surface with a groove of semicircular cross section in conformity with approximately one-half of the outer periphery of the tube. With the rotation of the rotary frame, the straight-grooved tube is twisted between the nozzle and the catching rollers, whereby the straight grooves are deformed to helical grooves.

Abstract: A sewage treatment equipment with activated sludge process beds comprising a plurality of treatment tanks arranged in a row, each communicating with an adjacent tank through a passage and being provided with an aeration tank connected with an air in-flow pipe and a plurality of activated sludge process beds disposed vertically above the aeration pipe and in each of which a mesh-like or grid-like outer periphery of a cylindrical core is wrapped with a porous member of a certain thickness and further tightened with tightening belts, characterized in that an outer peripheral area of the cylindrical core is increased tank by tank to give variety to kind of bacteria, bredding ratio between bacterias and distribution thereof.

Abstract: An activated sludge process bed in which an outer periphery of a cylindrical core is wrapped with a porous member of a certain thickness and tightened with belts, characterized in that the outer periphery is partially exposed.

Abstract: A double twisting machine for winding a wire around a take-up roll has two motors for directly and separately driving each end of a flyer thereby eliminating the need for a driving shaft, driving pulleys and timing belts which substantially reduces the amount of noise generated by the machine and reduces its overall size.

Abstract: A bearing device having a boundary layer of pressurized gas comprises an enclosed member of a box type, which has a semi-cylindrical surface of a semi-circular shape in its transverse cross section. The enclosed member has a plurality of minute holes in the aforesaid semi-cylindrical surface, which holes are directed towards the imaginary center of the aforesaid semi-cylindrical surface, and a pressurized air inlet provided in one wall of the enclosed member. A boundary layer of pressurized air is formed between the semi-cylindrical surface and an outer surface of a rotary shaft mounted thereon due to the injection of air therebetween through a plurality of minute holes defined in the semi-cylindrical surface of the enclosed member. Thus, the rotary shaft is supported by the pressurized air thus introduced, so that the rotary shaft may be rotated in a stable condition, with its center of rotation in coincidence with the imaginary center of the aforesaid semi-cylindrical curved surface.