Abstract: An object is to provide a gate valve capable of preventing operational deficiencies caused by particulate materials accumulating in a valve box, thus providing superior sealing properties and high durability, having a simple structure, and allowing inspection and maintenance to be performed easily.

Abstract: A method and a system for removing water from high water content solid such as high water content coal, which enables dewatering with small energy consumption. A liquefied material which is a gas at 25° C. under 1 atm. (hereinafter referred to as material D) is contacted with a solid containing water to allow the liquefied material D to dissolve the water contained in the solid, and to produce a liquefied material D having a high water content and simultaneously remove the water from the solid, and by vaporizing the material D in the liquefied material having a high water content, to thereby separate the water from the resulting gaseous material D, recovering the separated gaseous material D, and liquefying the recovered gaseous material by pressurizing, cooling or a combination thereof, to reuse the resulting liquefied material for removing water from a solid containing water.

Abstract: A method for producing a substrate having a carbon-doped titanium oxide layer, which is excellent in durability (high hardness, scratch resistance, wear resistance, chemical resistance, heat resistance) and functions as a visible light responding photocatalyst, is provided. The surface of a substrate, which has at least a surface layer comprising titanium, a titanium alloy, a titanium alloy oxide, or titanium oxide, is heat-treated in a combustion gas atmosphere of a gas consisting essentially of a hydrocarbon, or in a gas atmosphere consisting essentially of a hydrocarbon, such that the surface temperature of the substrate is 900 to 1,500° C.; or a combustion flame of a gas consisting essentially of a hydrocarbon, is directly struck against the surface of the substrate for heat treatment such that the surface temperature of the substrate is 900 to 1,500° C., thereby forming a carbon-doped titanium oxide layer, whereby the substrate having the carbon-doped titanium oxide layer is obtained.

Abstract: A silicon carbide Schottky barrier semiconductor device provided with a Ta electrode as a Schottky electrode, in which the Schottky barrier height is controlled to a desired value in a range where power loss is minimized without increasing the n factor. The method for manufacturing the silicon carbide Schottky barrier semiconductor device includes the steps of depositing Ta on a crystal face of an n-type silicon carbide epitaxial film, the crystal face having an inclined angle in the range of 0° to 10° from a (000-1) C face, and carrying out a thermal treatment at a temperature range of 300 to 1200° C. to form the Schottky electrode.

Abstract: A pressure sensor and a pressure measuring device are provided applicable to a variety of pressure detection targets and capable of measuring a surface pressure. The pressure sensor is configured by laminating a metal layer made of a metal film, an elastic member layer made of a non-metal material, and a coil layer including an exciting coil. Also, as for a sensor sheet on which sensors that each measure point pressure are arranged in an array, variable elements of the elastic member layer and the coil layer are appropriately changed, thereby forming sensors with a single sheet that are different in pressure detection accuracy or pressure detection range for predetermined areas. Also provided is a pressure measuring device that controls exciting timing or frequency of applied voltage of each exciting coil on a sensor sheet.

Abstract: A process for producing a Schottky junction type semiconductor device includes the steps of forming a Schottky electrode on a surface of a silicon carbide epitaxial layer, wherein a Schottky electrode made of molybdenum, tungsten, or an alloy thereof is formed on the surface of the silicon carbide epitaxial layer and is subjected to heat treatment so as to induce an alloying reaction at an interface of the silicon carbide epitaxial layer and the Schottky electrode, thereby forming an alloy layer at the interface, whereby the height of a Schottky barrier is controlled while maintaining an n-factor at a nearly constant low value.

Abstract: It is to provide a process of treating a selenium-containing liquid which can inexpensively treat the selenium-containing liquid. The formation of selenate is inhibited by adding at least one selected from a group consisting of Ti and Mn into the selenium-containing liquid.

Abstract: A flaw detection apparatus includes a coil for producing an alternating-current magnetic field for flowing eddy currents in a magnetic material; a magneto-optical element disposed at the center of an inner peripheral portion of the coil and having a reflective film at an end face thereof opposed to the face of the member to be flaw-detected; an optical fiber for entering light from a light source into the magneto-optical element toward the reflective film via a circulator; an optical fiber for entering reflected light reflected by the reflective film into an analyzer via the circulator; a photoelectric conversion element for converting output light of the analyzer into an electrical signal; and a computing device for processing an output signal of the photoelectric conversion element and detecting a flaw of the member to be flaw-detected, based on the rotation angle of the plane of polarization of the reflected light.

Abstract: A method for improving the quality of a SiC layer by effectively reducing or eliminating the carrier trapping centers in the as-grown SiC crystal. The method includes the steps of: (a) carrying out ion implantation of carbon atoms, silicon atoms, hydrogen atoms, or helium atoms into a shallow surface layer of the SiC crystal layer to introduce carbon interstitials into the surface layer, and (b) growing the SiC layer upward from the edge face of the surface layer into which the carbon interstitials have been introduced, and diffusing out the carbon interstitials that have been introduced into the surface layer from the surface layer into the grown layer and combining the carbon interstitials and point defects to make the electrically active point defects in the grown layer inactive.

Abstract: In a SiC bipolar semiconductor device with a mesa structure having a SiC drift layer of a first conductive type and a SiC carrier injection layer of a second conductive type that are SiC epitaxial layers grown from a surface of a SiC single crystal substrate, the formation of stacking faults and the expansion of the area thereof are prevented and thereby the increase in forward voltage is prevented. Further, a characteristic of withstand voltage in a reverse biasing is improved. An forward-operation degradation preventing layer is formed on a mesa wall or on a mesa wall and a mesa periphery to separate spatially the surface of the mesa wall from a pn-junction interface. In one embodiment, the forward-operation degradation preventing layer is composed of a silicon carbide low resistance layer of a second conductive type that is equipotential during the application of a reverse voltage.

Abstract: A method for improving the quality of a SiC layer by effectively reducing or eliminating the carrier trapping centers by high temperature annealing and a SiC semiconductor device fabricated by the method. The method for improving the quality of a SiC layer by eliminating or reducing some carrier trapping centers includes the steps of: (a) carrying out ion implantation of carbon atom interstitials (C), silicon atoms, hydrogen atoms, or helium atoms into a shallow surface layer (A) of the starting SiC crystal layer (E) to introduce excess carbon interstitials into the implanted surface layer, and (b) heating the layer for making the carbon interstitials (C) to diffuse out from the implanted surface layer (A) into a bulk layer (E) and for making the electrically active point defects in the bulk layer inactive. After the above steps, the surface layer (A) can be etched or mechanically removed. The SiC semiconductor device is fabricated by the method.

Abstract: To provide an oxide superconductor thick film formation method that can enhance adhesiveness of a Bi2223 thick film to a body to be processed on which the Bi2223 thick film is formed, and increase a cross-sectional area of the Bi2223 thick film, without a decrease in Jc of the Bi2223 thick film. A mixture of a compound oxide having composition Bi2212 and Pb is applied to a surface of the body to be processed, and burned to form a first thick film. An oxide superconductor thick film expressed by a general formula (Bi, Pb)2+aSr2Ca2Cu3OZ (where ?0.1?a?0.5) is formed on the first thick film.

Abstract: It is an object to solve a bypass line corrosion problem effectively, enable prompt supply of a fuel gas into a bypass line in the event of an emergency, and provide an inexpensive coal gasification plant. An integrated coal gasification combined cycle power generation plant includes a coal gasification furnace, a dust remover, a gas refiner, a gas turbine and the like, a main system line connecting therebetween, and a bypass line connecting between the outlet side of the coal gasification furnace in the main system line and a flare stack, wherein a dust remover bypass valve which is disposed in an upstream portion of the bypass line and which opens and closes the bypass line, a treatment gas control valve which is disposed in a downstream portion of the bypass line and which controls the flow rate, and a first inert gas input line which is disposed downstream from the dust remover bypass valve and which supplies the inert gas to the bypass line are provided.

Abstract: Biomass, including waste biomass, is gasified by a process in which the biomass is first carbonized, and the char and pyrolysis gas from the carbonizer are respectively fed to a high temperature gasifying part and a gas reformer part of a two-stage gasifier A gasifying agent is continuously fed to the gasifying part, and intermittently fed to the gas reformer, to maintain the temperature required to avoid tar formation in the gas reformer stage. Multiple carbonization chambers are operated in rotation. When the carbonization/gasification apparatus is used to provide fuel to an electric power generator set, exhaust heat from the generator power plant is fed back to the carbonizer, and can be supplemented by exchange of heat from the gas delivered to generator power plant from the outlet of the gasifier.

Abstract: A cooling system for a superconducting power apparatus including a reservoir tank for reserving a liquefied gas, a circulating pump, a heat exchanger for cooling the liquefied gas, and a circulation loop through which the liquefied gas is circulated, the superconducting power apparatus being cooled by circulating the liquefied gas in a subcooled state using the circulating pump. The cooling system further includes a pressurizing mechanism for pressurizing the liquefied gas in the reservoir tank with the same type of gas as the liquefied gas, wherein a liquid level in the reservoir tank for reserving the liquefied gas in a pressurized state is located above an outlet of a return piping of a circulating liquefied gas at least by a dissolving depth of the pressurizing gas+(plus) a liquid level movement correction amount.

Abstract: Method for producing a multifunctional material includes thermally treating a substrate having a surface layer formed of titanium, titanium oxide, a titanium alloy, or a titanium alloy oxide so that the temperature of the surface layer is raised to 600° C. or higher, to thereby provide, in the interior of the surface layer, a second layer formed of forest microcolumns of titanium oxide or a titanium alloy oxide; and subsequently cutting the second layer in parallel with the surface layer, to yield a material including the substrate and a layer formed of titanium-oxide- or titanium-alloy-oxide-formed forest microcolumns exposed on at least a portion of the substrate, as well as a material including a thin film, numerous continuous small-width with protrusions thereon, and forest microcolumns formed on the protrusions.

Abstract: A gas flux measuring device measures a region, such as a forest, as a measuring object with no influence by concomitants and with high responsiveness and excellent measuring stability. The device includes a laser beam source, laser output controller, wavelength modulation controller, first light receiver, first direct current component detector, first wavelength modulation demodulator, optical system, reference cell, second light receiver, second direct current component detector, second wavelength modulation demodulator, third wavelength modulation demodulator, analyzer, adder, temperature measurement and pressure measurement. A flow velocity measuring device directly measures horizontal 2-directional flow velocity components and a vertical directional flow velocity component of a gas flow in the measuring region and puts out these measurement signals into the analyzer.

Abstract: It is to prevent calcium contained in a material for interconnector from flowing out under a high temperature and humid atmosphere. Onto a fuel electrode 2 which includes zirconia in its composition, an interconnector film 5 made of lanthanum chromite-based perovskite type oxide which includes calcium in its composition is formed, and then onto the interconnector film 5, a protective layer 7 is formed with using La0.6Sr0.4MnO3.

Abstract: It is an object to provide a method for improving the quality of an SiC layer by effectively reducing or eliminating the carrier trapping centers by high temperature annealing and an SiC semiconductor device fabricated by the method. A method for improving the quality of an SiC layer by eliminating or reducing some carrier trapping centers comprising the steps of: (a) carrying out ion implantation of carbon atoms (C), silicon atoms, hydrogen atoms, or helium atoms into a shallow surface layer (A) of the starting SiC crystal layer (E) to introduce excess carbon interstitials into the implanted surface layer, and (b) heating the layer for making the carbon interstitials (C) to diffuse out from the implanted surface layer (A) into a bulk layer (E) and for making the electrically active point defects in the bulk layer inactive. After the above steps, the surface layer (A) can be etched or mechanically removed. A semiconductor device according to the invention is fabricated by the method.

Abstract: An organic electrolyte battery that through inhibition of any oxidative decomposition of organic electrolyte under high voltage, attains an enhancement of cycle characteristics and is further capable of attaining a realization of high energy density. There is provided organic electrolyte battery (10) comprising positive electrode material (2) and negative electrode material (4) and, interposed therebetween, organic electrolyte (6), wherein positive electrode active material particles (8) as a constituent of the positive electrode have surfaces at least partially coated with attachment (12) with electronic conductance and ionic conductance not easily oxidized even when supplied with oxygen from the positive electrode active material. The above attachment (12) is composed of microparticles of inorganic solid electrolyte with ionic conductance (14) and microparticles of conductive material with electronic conductance (16).