Abstract: To provide a method for hydrotreating a synthetic hydrocarbon oil, which removes olefins and oxygen-containing compounds by hydrotreatment with the gasification rate restrained and can efficiently convert the synthetic hydrocarbon oil generated by the FT process to a liquid fuel suitable as a fuel for diesel-powered vehicles. A hydrotreating method is disclosed in which a synthetic hydrocarbon oil generated by FT synthesis is hydrotreated using a catalyst in which a definite catalytic metal is allowed to be carried on a support, under definite reaction conditions, with the gasification rate restrained to a definite value or less, thereby removing the olefins and the oxygen-containing compounds.

Abstract: The invention is to provide a support which can give a zeolite-based hydrocracking catalyst having a stable catalyst life and showing high cracking activity over a long period, and to provide a hydrocracking catalyst employing the support and a method for hydrocracking of hydrocarbon oil containing aromatics using the catalyst. The invention relates to a support for hydrocracking catalyst of hydrocarbon oil, which comprises a modified zeolite obtained by incorporating titanium into a faujasite-type zeolite, wherein the modified zeolite satisfies the followings (a) to (e), and to a hydrocracking catalyst employing the support and a method for hydrocracking of hydrocarbon oil containing aromatics using the catalyst. (a) The modified zeolite has a titanium content of 1-17% by mass in terms of metal oxide amount, (b) the modified zeolite contains aluminum and silicon in an Al/Si atomic ratio of 0.14-0.35, and (c) the modified zeolite has a lattice constant of 24.36-24.

Abstract: A method for producing crystals of 5-aminolevulinic acid hydrochloride wherein, in carrying out adsorption of 5-aminolevulinic acid contained in a crude 5-aminolevulinic acid solution by a cation exchange resin and its subsequent desorption with an aqueous solution containing ammonium ion, a high purity 5-aminolevulinic acid aqueous solution is obtained using a change in electric conductivity or pH of the desorption liquid as the index, and chloride ion is added to the aqueous solution which is then mixed with an organic solvent.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a hair restorer which exhibits a stimulatory effect on hair restoration against hair loss, hair thinning, split ends, hair graying, etc., with higher stability and safety than those of known hair restorers containing 5-aminolevulinic acids as active components. By using 5-aminolevulinic acid or its salt or its derivative, and a composition containing iron sodium diethylenetriaminepentaacetate or iron ammonium diethylenetriaminepentaacetate as active components, a hair restorer and a method for restoring hair which are excellent in hair growth promotion, and stability and safety, are provided.

Abstract: Provided is a method for synthesizing liquid hydrocarbon compounds wherein synthesizing liquid hydrocarbon compounds from a synthesis gas by a Fisher-Tropsch synthesis reaction. The method includes a first absorption step of absorbing a carbon dioxide gas, which is contained in gaseous by-products generated in the Fisher-Tropsch synthesis reaction, with an absorbent, and a second absorption step of absorbing a carbon dioxide gas, which is contained in the synthesis gas, with the absorbent which is passed through the first absorption step.

Abstract: According to an exemplary embodiment, a bubble column-type slurry bed Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction process can be provided, in which synthesis gas supplied continuously from the bottom of a reactor contacts suspended catalyst particles to form liquid hydrocarbons, gaseous hydrocarbons and water. Additionally, a slurry of suspended liquid products and catalyst particles can move from the reactor to the lower portion of a separation vessel to separate the catalyst particles and gaseous products. Further, a process can be provided in which the liquid products formed are sent to the separation vessel a process in which liquid products can be derived. Additionally, a process can be provided in which a slurry in which catalyst particles are concentrated is derived from the bottom of the separation vessel and circulated to the bottom of the reactor, are driven by the driving force of synthesis gas without using an external drive power source.

Abstract: It enhances heat collecting efficiency of sunlight received by heliostats. It is a solar light collecting method in a multi-tower beam-down light collecting system, including a tower selection. The multi-tower beam-down light collecting system is a system in which, in a field where a plurality of beam-down light collecting towers are present, light primarily reflected by heliostats 1 around each tower 4 is secondarily reflected by a reflector 3 at a top part of the tower 4 and is collected on a receiver 3 on the ground, and the tower selection is a process in which, assuming that the heliostat 1 in a given position receives sunlight and reflects the sunlight toward each of optionally selected two of the towers 4, 4, a light receiving quantity on the receiver 3 of each of the towers 4 is compared, and one of the towers 4 in which the light receiving quantity is relatively large is selected to reflect the sunlight toward the one of the towers 4.

Abstract: A hop alpha acid or hop oil content enhancer, which contains 5-aminolevulinic acid, or a derivative thereof represented by the following formula (1), or a salt thereof as an active ingredient: R2R1NCH2COCH2CH2COR3??(1) wherein R1 and R2 each independently represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an acyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an aryl group, or an aralkyl group; R3 represents a hydroxyl group, an alkoxy group, an acyloxy group, an alkoxycarbonyloxy group, an aryloxy group, an aralkyloxy group, or an amino group.

Abstract: A catalyst for FT synthesis which, in the FT method, is high in a CO conversion and small in the formation of a gaseous component and can stably perform an FT synthesis reaction and enhance the productivity of hydrocarbons, and a method for producing hydrocarbons using the catalyst, are provided. A catalyst for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis comprising a support containing manganese carbonate as a main component, wherein the support contains at least one metal having an activity to the Fischer-Tropsch reaction; and a method for producing hydrocarbons using this catalyst.

Abstract: A combustion timing prediction method for a compression self-ignition internal combustion engine includes the steps of: specifying types of a plurality of hydrocarbon components contained in a hydrocarbon fuel and proportions of the respective types in the hydrocarbon fuel; calculating, on the basis of a temperature in a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine, a value of a first function serving as a function of the temperature for each of the types; calculating, on the basis of the proportion and the first function relating to each of the types, a value of a second function, which is a function that increases in value in response to an increase of the value of the first function and/or the proportion, for each of the types; integrating the values of the second function relating to the respective types; and predicting, on the basis of the integrated value of the values of the second function, the combustion timing of the hydrocarbon fuel in the internal combustion engine to be steadily later as

Abstract: In a so-called GTL process for producing liquid hydrocarbons containing fuel oil by producing synthesis gas from natural gas, subsequently producing Fischer-Tropsch oil from the obtained synthesis gas by way of Fischer-Tropsch synthesis and upgrading the produced Fischer-Tropsch oil, the synthesis gas produced from a synthesis gas production step is partly branched at a stage prior to getting to a Fischer-Tropsch oil production step and high-purity hydrogen is separated and produced from the synthesis gas entering the branch line. All the separated high-purity hydrogen is supplied to an upgrading reaction step and consumed as hydrogen for an upgrading reaction. Additionally, the synthesis gas entering the branch line is subjected to a water gas shift reaction to raise the hydrogen concentration before the step of separating and producing high-purity hydrogen and the residual gas left after the separation may be circulated to the synthesis gas production step as raw material for producing synthesis gas.

Abstract: In a so-called GTL process of producing synthesis gas from natural gas, producing Fischer-Tropsch oil by way of Fischer-Tropsch synthesis of the obtained synthesis gas and producing liquid hydrocarbons containing fuel oil by upgrading, the synthesis gas produced from the synthesis gas production step is partly branched off prior to getting to the Fischer-Tropsch oil production step and the synthesis gas entering the branch line is subjected to a water gas shift reaction to raise the hydrogen concentration thereof. Subsequently, high-purity hydrogen is isolated from the synthesis gas and the residual gas left after the isolation is circulated to the synthesis gas production step and used as raw material for synthesis gas production. As a result, a significant improvement can be achieved in terms of raw material consumption per product of the entire process.

Abstract: There is provided an agent for improving the growth of seedlings, having effects of raising healthy rice seedlings, such as increase of the tillering number, increase of root weight, enhancement of greenness, and increase of stem thickness. An agent for improving the growth of rice seedlings containing, as active ingredients, 5-aminolevulinic acid represented by formula (1), a derivative thereof or a salt of the acid or the derivative, and a gibberellin biosynthesis inhibitor: R2R1NCH2COCH2CH2COR3??(1) wherein R1 and R2 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an acyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an aryl group or an aralkyl group; and R3 represents a hydroxyl group, an alkoxy group, an acyloxy group, an alkoxycarbonyloxy group, an aryloxy group, an aralkyloxy group or an amino group.

Abstract: An agent for improving lawn grass quality, which is excellent in promoting dwarfing of lawn grass, making the stem sturdy, increasing the leaf count, and improving greenness, is provided. An agent for improving lawn grass quality containing, as active ingredients, 5-aminolevulinic acid represented by formula (1): R2R1NCH2COCH2CH2COR3??(1) wherein R1 and R2 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an acyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an aryl group or an aralkyl group; and R3 represents a hydroxyl group, an alkoxy group, an acyloxy group, an alkoxycarbonyloxy group, an aryloxy group, an aralkyloxy group or an amino group, or a derivative thereof or a salt of the acid or the derivative, and a gibberellin biosynthesis inhibitor.

Abstract: A catalytic cracking catalyst is provided which has high cracking activity and with which the production of FCC gasoline having a high octane number can efficiently proceed without lowering a gasoline yield. Also provided are a process for producing the catalyst and a method of the catalytic cracking of a hydrocarbon oil with the catalyst. The catalyst for catalytic cracking of a hydrocarbon oil comprises a crystalline aluminosilicate, a binder, and a clay mineral in a certain proportion, wherein the content of sodium and potassium therein is 0.5% by mass or lower in terms of oxide (Na2O and K2O) amount, the content of at least one rare earth metal therein is 3.0% by mass or lower in terms of oxide (RE2O3, wherein RE is a rare earth element) amount, the [RE2O3+Na2O+K2O]/[crystalline aluminosilicate] ratio by mass is 0.1 or lower, and the catalyst has a xenon adsorption amount, as measured at an adsorption temperature of 25° C. and a partial xenon pressure of 650 torr, of 2.

Abstract: A means for enhancing the yield of a harvesting part of a crop is provided. A yield enhancing agent for a harvesting part selected from the group consisting of seed, fruit, hypocotyl, root and stem in a crop, the yield enhancing agent comprising: 5-aminolevulic acid or a derivative thereof represented by the following formula (1), or a salt thereof; and a gibberellin biosynthesis inhibitor: R2R1NCH2COCH2CH2COR3 (1), wherein R1 and R2 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an acyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an aryl group or an aralkyl group; and R3 represents a hydroxyl group, an alkoxy group, an acyloxy group, an alkoxycarbonyloxy group, an aryloxy group, an aralkyloxy group or an amino group, wherein the yield enhancing agent is an agent to be applied at the time when the harvesting part of the crop becomes enlarged.

Abstract: The invention provides a metal component absorption enhancer which enhances the absorption of at least one metal component selected from the elements belonging to the groups 2 to 12 in the third to fourth periods when a plant grows. An absorption enhancer of at least one metal component selected from the elements belonging to the groups 2 to 12 in the third to fourth periods in a plant, which comprises 5-aminolevulinic acid or a derivative thereof represented by the following general formula (1), or a salt thereof as an active ingredient: R2R1NCH2COCH2CH2COR3??(1) wherein R1 and R2 each independently represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an acyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an aryl group, or an aralkyl group; R3 represents a hydroxyl group, an alkoxy group, an acyloxy group, an alkoxycarbonyloxy group, an aryloxy group, an aralkyloxy group, or an amino group, and is used for performing a treatment with 0.

Abstract: In a GTL process of producing various kinds of hydrocarbon oils from natural gas, provided is improved heat efficiency in the case of using a steam reforming process or a carbon dioxide reforming process in the reforming. The process includes producing a synthesis gas by converting the natural gas and at least one of steam and carbon dioxide into a synthesis gas through a tubular reformer filled with a reforming catalyst, producing Fischer-Tropsch oil by subjecting the produced synthesis gas to a Fischer-Tropsch reaction, and upgrading in which the Fischer-Tropsch oil is subjected to hydrotreatment and distillation to produce various kinds of hydrocarbon oils, in which excess heat generated in the synthesis gas production is recovered, and the recovered heat is used as heat for at least one of hydrotreatment and distillation in the upgrading.

Abstract: To provide a polyphenol-content-increasing agent which increases the content of polyphenol in a plant. A polyphenol-content-increasing agent for plant, containing, as an active ingredient, a 5-aminolevulinic acid or a derivative thereof represented by the following formula (1): (Chem 1) R2R1NCH2COCH2CH2COR3 ??(1) wherein R1 and R2 each independently represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an acyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an aryl group, or an aralkyl group; R3 represents a hydroxyl group, an alkoxy group which may have a substituent, an acyloxy group, an alkoxycarbonyloxy group, an aryloxy group, an aralkyloxy group, or an amino group, or a salt thereof.

Abstract: There is provided a catalyst for hydrotreating a hydrocarbon oil, which comprises an inorganic oxide support containing a certain amount of phosphorus oxide having provided thereon: at least one selected from metals in the Group 6 of the periodic table, at least one selected from metals in the Group 8 of the periodic table, and carbon, and which has a certain specific surface area, pore volume, and mean pore diameter, a process for producing the same, and a method for hydrotreating a hydrocarbon oil using the same. Thereby, the catalyst can be produced in a simple and convenient manner and sulfur compounds in the hydrocarbon oil can be exceedingly highly desulfurized and simultaneously nitrogen compounds can be diminished without necessitating severe operating conditions.