Abstract: The present invention provides a method for making a microporous ceramic material and includes the steps of (a) preparing a starting material for firing comprising a nonoxide ceramic precursor containing silicon as an essential component; (b) heating the starting material for firing in an atmosphere containing at least 1 mol % of hydrogen so as to form microporous ceramic product; and (c) cooling the microporous ceramic product.

Abstract: There is provided is a method of manufacturing a superconductor layer, including preparing a coating solution by dissolving trifluoroacetates of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of yttrium and lanthanoids, barium, and copper in a solvent, coating a main surface of a substrate with the coating solution to form a coating film, subjecting the coating film to a calcining process in an atmosphere containing oxygen, and subjecting the coating film after the calcining process to a firing process in an atmosphere containing water vapor at a temperature higher than that at the calcining process. The calcining process is carried out such that the coating film after the calcining process and before the firing process have an average CuO particle diameter equal to or less than 25 nm.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for making a microporous ceramic material using a metal silicon powder and including a reaction sintering process of the silicon. A material for forming a microporous ceramic material used in these methods includes a metal silicon powder, a silicon nitride powder and/or a silicon carbide powder, and if desired, a yttrium oxide powder and/or an aluminum oxide powder. These methods can make a microporous ceramic material that can be used preferably as a gas or liquid filter, a catalyst carrier or a support of a gas separation membrane.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for making a microporous ceramic material and includes the steps of (a) preparing a starting material for firing comprising a nonoxide ceramic precursor containing silicon as an essential component; (b) heating the starting material for firing in an atmosphere containing at least 1 mol % of hydrogen so as to form microporous ceramic product; and (c) cooling the microporous ceramic product.

Abstract: A generating system having a rotating type generator to interconnect a power system in order to output power of the generator to the power system comprises a generator, an exciting circuit and an excitation control section. It also comprises short-cycle stabilizing sections for outputting a short-cycle stabilizing signal for suppressing short-cycle power fluctuations according to at least one of an electric parameter and a mechanical parameter of the generator and a long-cycle stabilizing section for outputting a long-cycle stabilizing signal for suppressing long-cycle power fluctuations having a cycle time longer than short-cycle power fluctuations according to the mechanical parameter of the generator. The outputs of the short-cycle stabilizing sections and the long-cycle stabilizing section are sent to the excitation control section.

Abstract: A harmonic injection point a is set on a power line extending downstream from a harmonic measuring point b in an electric power system. The currents of interharmonics are injected to the harmonic injection point a by a current injection device. The frequencies of the interharmonics are located on both sides of the frequency of an n-th targeted harmonic in frequency spectrum and each of the frequencies is a nonintegral multiple of the frequency of a fundamental wave of an electric power transmitted by the electric power system. The current values and voltage values of the interharmonics at the harmonic measuring point are detected to thereby obtain admittance values of an equivalent circuit of a power line extending upstream from the harmonic measuring point b when the interharmonics flow therethrough. An admittance value of the equivalent circuit of the power line when the targeted harmonic flows therethrough is determined by interpolating the admittance values for the interharmonics.

Abstract: A power source unit for use in vehicle is disclosed that effectively transfers energy between two power sources. The power source unit includes a main power source connected to input terminals of a current control circuit, such as insulation type power transfer circuit. In addition, a terminal of the main power source is connected to an output terminal of the current control circuit. The other terminal of the main power source is connected to a terminal of a parallel connection of a secondary power source and an electric power unit. The other terminal of the parallel connection is connected with a second output terminal of the current control circuit. Hence, energy from the main power source is transferred to the parallel connection of the secondary power source and electric power unit under the control of the current control circuit.

Abstract: An oxide superconductor which has high mechanical strength and exhibits favorable magnetic properties and high resistance to environment. Further, a method of manufacturing this oxide superconductor, namely, a method of manufacturing a RE--Ba--Cu--O oxide superconductor (RE is one or more kinds of rare earth elements including Y) by performing a treatment, which includes at least a burning process to be performed in a range of temperatures that are higher than the melting point of a raw material mixture containing a RE-compound raw material, a Ba-compound raw material and a Cu-compound raw material, on the aforesaid raw material mixture. This method further comprises the addition step of adding 1 to 30 in percent by weight (wt %) of Ag to the raw material mixture, and the crystallization step of melting the raw material mixture, to which Ag is added, at a temperature that is not lower than a temperature at which the raw material mixture is decomposed and fused into the RE.sub.2 BaCuO.sub.

Abstract: Crystalline titania of which the crystal shape is a novel nanotube. This crystalline titania is produced by treating crystalline titania with an alkali. This crystalline titania is used as an ultraviolet absorber, a masking agent, an adsorbent and an optically active catalyst.

Abstract: A ground fault current limiter, in which reactors are connected in series to a neutral point for compensating for capacitances to ground of a power switches capable of turning ON/OFF at a high speed are connected in parallel with respective reactors, occurrence of a ground fault is detected from a phase difference between a zero-phase sequence current and a zero-phase sequence voltage at time of sampling, an optimal compensation quantity of capacitances to ground is computed based on the zero-phase sequence current and the zero-phase sequence voltage at time of occurrence of a ground fault, and ON/OFF of the switches are controlled thereby to alter the reactor quantity so as to correspond to the compensation quantity.

Abstract: An organic waste disposal system capable of speeding up drying and fermenting speeds and of continuously treating raw materials, and furthermore capable of operating in a clean working environment and reducing a running cost. The organic waste disposal system has a crusher for changing the organic wastes into flowing material, a preparatory fermentor including an agitating blade wherein the crusher and the preparatory fermentor are connected by a pump, and it further has a fermentor with a heating mechanism and a plurality of agitating blades. A hot air circulation pipe, on which a water heater utilizing accumulated heat and dehumidifier, is provided. The preparatory fermentor and the fermentor are both connected to the pump. A suction portion of a cyclone having a suction function is connected to the fermentor by a suction pipe. Each device of the system set forth above, is connected to a deodorizer.

Abstract: In a superconducting energy storage apparatus including an AC-DC converter unit, a superconducting coil, a quench protection unit and a mechanical type persistent current switch, a self-firing type thyristor switch is connected in parallel to the mechanical type persistent current switch to be first operated in the event of an occurrence of trouble in an associated electric power system, and a control unit generates an ON instruction signal for turning on the persistent current switch so as to immediately establish a persistent current mode.

Abstract: A three dimensional object under test is measured to obtain shape data representing a shape of the three dimensional object. The object under test is measured using, for example, an ultrasonic probe LED to obtain defect test data. A processing mechanism forms a three-dimensional graphic image of a defect zone from the defect test data and a three-dimensional graphic image of the object under test from the shape data. A display mechanism is provided for displaying the three-dimensional graphic image of the defect zone superimposed over the three-dimensional graphic image of the object under test.

Abstract: A floor surface blasting apparatus is used for removing rustproof coating (blasting ) on a tank bottom surface to inspect weld lines on the bottom surface of high-capacity fuel tank. The floor surface blasting apparatus comprises a work arm which has weld line detecting sensors for detecting a weld line at the tip end and also has a blast head incorporating a suction nozzle; a work carriage which has the work arm and magnet devices incorporating a magnetic substance and travels arbitrarily on the floor surface; a transfer carriage which has a blast device for supplying blasting material to the blast head and travels arbitrarily on the floor surface; and a control device which controls the blast head so that the blast head is positioned on a weld line in accordance with the detection signal from the weld line detecting sensors and the signal of a position detecting device for detecting the position of the blast head and also makes the transfer carriage follow the work carriage.

Abstract: A three-phase collected type optical current transformer having a common hermetically sealed container miniaturized in its radial direction. The common hermetically sealed container incorporating central conductors and optical current transformers corresponding to three phases has a branch tube or flange in its radial direction. The flange incorporates optical spacial transmission members for three phases which guide the signals sent from the optical current transformers through optical fibers to the exterior of the common hermetically container. The optical spatial transmission members are arranged collectively. The common hermetically sealed container, when it has a branching portion protruding in its radial direction at its end, incorporates no flange but a concentrated optical spacial transmission member for three phases at the end in the axial direction of the common hermetically sealed container having the branching member.

Abstract: A floor surface blasting apparatus is used for removing rustproof coating (blasting) on a tank bottom surface to inspect weld lines on the bottom surface of high-capacity fuel tank. The floor surface blasting apparatus comprises a work arm which has weld line detecting sensors for detecting a weld line at the tip end and also has a blast head incorporating a suction nozzle; a work carriage which has the work arm and magnet devices incorporating a magnetic substance and travels arbitrarily on the floor surface; a transfer carriage which has a blast device for supplying blasting material to the blast head and travels arbitrarily on the floor surface; and a control device which controls the blast head so that the blast head is positioned on a weld line in accordance with the detection signal from the weld line detecting sensors and the signal of a position detecting device for detecting the position of the blast head and also makes the transfer carriage follow the work carriage.

Abstract: A radiographic test is conducted on a welded portion of a pipe or the like to form a radiographic image, which is introduced into a computer. Volumetric defects and planar defects in the radiographic image are emphasized and extracted by separate methods to obtain a volumetric candidate defect image and a planar candidate defect image. The candidate defect images are then combined to form a single image in which defects can be easily identified. Features of defects in the images are measured, and a set of interference rules is applied to the measured features. Each inference rule gives a degree of certainty that a defect is of a certain type. The degrees of certainty determined by a plurality of the rules are collated to obtain a total degree of certainty, and the type of a defect is inferred from the total degree of certainty.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring grindability of a powder material comprises a chute for feeding particles to be measured one at a time, a pair of opposed rolls arranged under the chute so as to receive the particle from the chute in a gap between the opposed rolls, one of the opposed rolls having a stationary shaft which is rotatably supported at a fixed position and the other roll having a movable roll shaft which is rotatably supported on the upper end of an L-shaped arm which is pivoted at the corner thereof to a frame, a rigid base opposed to the other end of the L-shaped arm, a device for adjusting the level of the rigid base, and a load cell interposed between the other end of the arm and the rigid base.

Abstract: A number of sound detectors are provided on an external enclosure of a pressure vessel of a nuclear reactor. Output signals produced from the individual detectors are combined into a pattern in terms of time difference of the detector output signals relative to the time point at which the detected signal is first produced in response to the sound signal and relative peak values of the detector output signals relative to the magnitude of the output signal produced by the detector which detects the sound signal with the highest sensitivity. The pattern thus obtained is then compared with patterns which have been previously prepared by intentionally producing the sound signals at locations in interest within the pressure vessel, to thereby estimate the location within the pressure vessel at which the sound is produced.

Abstract: An annular guide rail is detachably mounted in enclosing relation around a tubular member of piping to be probed for any flaws that might be present therein, and a flaw detecting unit, a circumferentially driving unit and an axially driving unit are movably arranged on the annular guide rail and interconnected by connecting means. The flaw detecting means includes an arm movable axially of the tubular member and supporting ultrasonic flaw detecting means. The circumferentially driving unit includes first driving means for moving the flaw detecting unit, circumferentially driving unit and axially driving unit circumferentially along the guide rail. The axially driving unit includes second driving means for moving the arm axially of the tubular member. A transmission mechanism is provided for transmitting the operation of the second driving means to the arm.