Abstract: A process for removing residues from the microstructure of an object is provided, which comprises steps of preparing a remover including CO2, an additive for removing the residues and a co-solvent dissolving the additive in said CO2 at a pressurized fluid condition; and bringing the object into contact with the remover so as to remove the residues from the object. An apparatus for implementing the process is also provided.

Abstract: A mixing valve assembly 42 is communicated with a dedicated tank 51D, storing therein a compatibilizer D, via an inlet valve 43 and is also communicated with dedicated tanks 51A-51C via three injection valves, the tanks storing therein auxiliaries A-C respectively. A chemical formulation is prepared by selectively injecting any one(s) of four chemical agents into the mixing valve assembly 42 by way of on-off control of the inlet valve 43 and the injection valves and blending together the injected chemical agents. Then, the chemical formulation is pumped into SCF by a high-pressure pump 45 such that the SCF and the chemical formulation are mixed together to form a process fluid. Thus, the number of components of a high-pressure portion can be reduced to achieve a cost reduction of an apparatus. Furthermore, a pipe line for pumping the chemical agents is simplified.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for processing a waste high-pressure fluid, which is yielded by bringing a high-pressure fluid into contact with a processing object in a high-pressure processing vessel to make unnecessary materials on the processing object accompany it. In accordance with the present invention, a novel processing method is provided which includes the steps of draining liquid ingredients, which is obtained from a preliminarily refined waste medium-pressure fluid, having been decompressed from the waste high-pressure fluid and provided to a separating means filled with packing materials, out of a system with unnecessary materials, and refining gas ingredients, which is also obtained from the preliminarily refined waste medium-pressure fluid, in an adsorbing means including adsorbents.

Abstract: A process for hydrolyzing and recycling polyurethanes as target compounds to be hydrolyzed into raw materials or derivatives thereof for the target compounds, comprising bringing pressurized water in a liquid state at a temperature of 190 to 370° C. into contact with the target compounds in a reactor to hydrolyze the target compound; followed by post-processings, such as dewatering, addition, distillation, separation, and liquid separation for a hydrolyzed reaction product discharged from the reactor.

Abstract: Disclosed is a drying method constituted such that, in a case of including the cleaning step using the water-containing solvent, substituting a water on a microstructure by a fluorocarbon type solvent having the water substitution solvent proper value X of from 0.01 to 10 defined by the formula (1) and further substituting by a fluorocarbon type solvent which may be identical with or different from the fluorocarbon type solvent described above, enabling steps up to the drying with liquefied/critical carbon dioxide to be conducted rapidly and to prevent collapse or swell of a photoresist pattern.

Abstract: A process for removing residues from the microstructure of an object is provided, which comprises steps of preparing a remover including CO2, an additive for removing the residues and a co-solvent dissolving the additive in said CO2 at a pressurized fluid condition; and bringing the object into contact with the remover so as to remove the residues from the object. An apparatus for implementing the process is also provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for hydrolyzing and recycling polyisocyanate derivatives having at least one isocyanato group and/or a group derived from an isocyanato group as target compounds to be hydrolyzed into raw materials or derivatives thereof for the target compounds, the apparatus including: a hydrolyzer for bringing only pressurized water in a liquid state at a temperature of 190 to 370° C. into contact with the target compounds in the reactor to hydrolyze the target compound; and a post-processor for conducting post-processings such as dewatering, addition, distillation, separation, and liquid separation for a hydrolyzed reaction product discharged from the reactor.

Abstract: A high-pressure processing apparatus includes a processing vessel including a processing chamber formed therein to perform a certain process onto an object in the processing chamber; fluid feeding means which feeds a high-pressure fluid into the processing chamber; fluid discharging means which discharges the high-pressure fluid from the processing chamber; an agitating unit which is arranged in the processing chamber and is operative to flow the high-pressure fluid over the object by relative rotation to the processing vessel; a communicating channel which is formed in the processing vessel to communicate inside and outside of the processing chamber; a rotary driving member which is coupled to the agitating unit via a shaft portion provided in the communicating channel; and a sealing portion which is provided between the shaft portion and the processing vessel to disconnect the processing chamber from the rotary driving member.

Abstract: When the hatch of a substrate washing chamber 5 is opened to place a substrate therein, valves V1, V2, V3, V4 and V6 are closed, only a valve V5 being opened. Thus, gaseous CO2 is supplied into the substrate washing chamber 5 to perform a chamber purge for preventing surrounding air components from straying in. As the hatch of the substrate washing chamber 5 is closed, the valve V6 is further closed to form a vent line for the substrate washing chamber 5. Thus, the gas residing within the substrate washing chamber 5 and the conduits is expelled by CO2 gas, into the surrounding air, thereby performing a chamber purge to prevent any unwanted surrounding air components from being left. Thereafter, super critical CO2 is used to wash the substrate.

Abstract: A process for removing residues from the microstructure of an object is provided, which comprises steps of preparing a remover including CO2, an additive for removing the residues and a co-solvent dissolving the additive in said CO2 at a pressurized fluid condition; and bringing the object into contact with the remover so as to remove the residues from the object. An apparatus for implementing the process is also provided.

Abstract: A high-pressure processing apparatus for removing unnecessary matters on objects to be processed by bringing a high-pressure fluid and a chemical liquid other than the high-pressure fluid into contact with the objects to be processed in a pressurized state is provided with a plurality of high-pressure processing chambers, a common high-pressure fluid supply unit for supplying the high-pressure fluid to each one of the high-pressure processing chambers, a common chemical liquid supply unit for supplying the chemical liquid to the each high-pressure processing chambers, and a separating unit for separating gaseous components from a mixture of the high-pressure fluid and the chemical liquid discharged from the high-pressure processing chambers after the objects are processed.

Abstract: An automatic paper feeder for feeding a sheet of paper from a paper supply bin to a platen of a printer, comprises: a paper feed roller by which an outermost one of the sheets of paper stacked in the paper supply bin is fed toward the platen while being separated from the rest of sheets of paper; at least one conveyance roller provided between the platen and the paper feed roller train, the conveyance roller receiving a forward turning power from a drive shaft of the printer through a drive gear train having a gear unit; and a one-way torque transmission member provided between the gear unit and a shaft of the conveyance roller nearest to the platen, for transmitting the forward turning powr from the gear unit to the conveyance roller shaft only when the drive shaft of the printer is rotated in the forward direction, wherein a lost motion member is provided to the gear unit and the one-way torque member for preventing the forward turning power of the drive shaft from transmitting to the conveyance roller shaf