Abstract: A fluid flow channel device includes a main body and a non-ceramic sub-body. The main body has a plurality of internal flow channels, and inlets and outlets thereof are arranged so as to be exposed on an outer side surface. The sub-body has a fluid supply path and a fluid recovery path. A supply port of the fluid supply path is arranged to face the inlets of the plurality of internal flow channels. A recovery port of the fluid recovery path is arranged to face the outlets of the plurality of internal flow channels. By disposing the supply port and the recovery port for transferring the fluid to and from the plurality of internal flow channels in the sub-body, it is possible to prevent a large thermal stress from being applied to the main body.

Abstract: A production method for a fuel cell separator comprises the steps of providing a powder blend of at least 70% carbon powder, 0.5-5% PTFE, PolyTetraFluoroEthylene, and 0-20% thermoplastic polymer different from PTFE. The powder is sedimented as slurry in a suspension, excess liquid removed from the slurry, and the remaining slurry press-moulded into a shape of a separator plate, for example for use in a fuel cell stack.

Abstract: A fuel cell system (1) comprising a fuel cell (2), a liquid fuel supply (3) for providing liquid fuel, an evaporator (6) for evaporating the liquid fuel to fuel vapor, a reformer (7) for catalytic conversion of the fuel vapor to syngas for the fuel cell and a burner (8) for heating the reformer (7). The burner (8) comprises a catalytic monolith (21) down-stream of a mixing chamber (31) in which air is mixed with evaporated fuel or rest gas prior to entering the monolith (21). The mixing chamber (31) is surrounded by a sleeve (23), which comprises a plurality of openings (29A, 29B) around the mixing chamber (31) for supply of fuel vapor through the openings (29A, 29B) in the startup phase and for supply of rest gas through the openings (29A, 29B) during normal operation. Optionally, a heat exchanger (17) is provided between the burner (8) and the reformer (7) for reducing the temperature of the exhaust gas from the burner (8) before it reaches the reformer (7).

Abstract: Provided are an electron donor that is easy to handle and can be used to carry out a coupling reaction economically and efficiently through simple operations under mild conditions in a short period of time, and a method for synthesizing 4,4?-bipyridine using the electron donor. The electron donor includes a mixture of a dispersion product obtained by dispersing sodium in a dispersion solvent and 1,3-dimethyl-2-imidazolidinone, and this electron donor is used in the method for synthesizing 4,4?-bipyridine.

Abstract: A target bipyridine compound is synthesized with high purity and a high yield in a simple and safe manner in a short period of time. A method for synthesizing a di-tert-butyl-2,2?-bipyridine compound is provided, and the method includes a step of reacting, in a reaction solvent, a tert-butylpyridine compound with a dispersion product obtained by dispersing an alkali metal in a dispersion solvent. A method for synthesizing a bipyridine compound having no substituents is also provided, and the method includes a step of reacting, in a reaction solvent, pyridine with a dispersion product obtained by dispersing an alkali metal in a dispersion solvent.

Abstract: A production method for a fuel cell separator comprises the steps of providing a powder blend of at least 70% carbon powder, 0.5-5% PTFE, PolyTetra-FluoroEthylene, and 0-20% thermoplastic polymer different from PTFE. The powder is sedimented as slurry in a suspension, excess liquid removed from the slurry, and the remaining slurry press-moulded into a shape of a separator plate, for example for use in a fuel cell stack.

Abstract: Provided are microalgae of the genus Euglena that fall under Euglena gracilis strain EOD-1 (Accession No. FERM BP-11530) or its mutant strain and that are capable of producing at least polysaccharides. Further provided is a method for producing polysaccharides including: culturing microalgae of the genus Euglena that fall under Euglena gracilis strain EOD-1 (Accession No. FERM BP-11530) or its mutant strain and that are capable of producing at least polysaccharides as polysaccharide-producing organisms to produce the polysaccharides. Further provided is a method for producing an organic compound including: culturing microalgae of the genus Euglena that fall under Euglena gracilis strain EOD-1 (Accession No. FERM BP-11530) or its mutant strain and that are capable of producing at least polysaccharides to produce at least one organic compound selected from the group consisting of polysaccharides, lipids, vitamin C, vitamin E, pigments, and proteins.

Abstract: An underground water-storage system that includes a sump having a base and sidewalls that cooperate to define an open-topped box that defines a reservoir, a plurality of plastic water matrices each defining a void space for receiving water, and a lid. The sump and lid are formed of a reinforced geomembrane material and include welds and are prefabricated in a location remote from an installation site of the underground water-storage vault more than two days prior to installation.

Abstract: An underground water-storage system that includes a sump having a base and sidewalls that cooperate to define an open-topped box that defines a reservoir, a plurality of plastic water matrices each defining a void space for receiving water, and a lid. The sump and lid are formed of a reinforced geomembrane material and include welds and are prefabricated in a location remote from an installation site of the underground water-storage vault more than two days prior to installation.

Abstract: Provided is a dehumidifier including an adsorption column allowing a to-be-treated gas produced by electrolysis of water to circulate therethrough so as to allow moisture in the to-be-treated gas to be adsorbed therein, wherein the adsorption column includes an adsorbent capable of adsorbing moisture, a column body having a housing region containing the adsorbent, and a heating unit arranged within the column body and capable of heating the adsorbent so as to cause desorption of the adsorbed moisture from the adsorbent, and the column body is a tube having a bent portion.

Abstract: The present invention provides a biological treatment method of biologically treating the subject water containing phenol, thiocyanate and the like, which improves the quality of treated water, while suppressing a reduction in treatment efficiency. As a means for achieving the aforementioned object, the present invention relates to a biological treatment method including introducing subject water containing a COD component, wherein the COD component is at least one of phenol and thiocyanate, into a biological treatment tank containing sludge containing bacteria capable of decomposing the COD component to thereby biologically treat the COD component with the bacteria, wherein, before the introduction of the subject water into the biological treatment tank, a step of counting the total number of bacteria contained in the sludge is carried out, so that the amount of the COD component loaded on a single bacterium per unit time can be controlled within a predetermined range.

Abstract: It is an object to provide a method and an apparatus for recovering indium, the method and apparatus ensuring that it is unnecessary to recover indium in the form of indium hydroxide, indium can be recovered easily by a filter or the like without handling inferiors and also, the recovery rate of indium is greatly improved. The method includes immersing a precipitation-inducing metal which includes zinc and is made into the form of a solid such that any part coming into view three-dimensionally has a longitudinal length of 2.5 to 10 mm in an etching waste solution containing at least indium and ferric chloride and allowed to stand, thereby allowing indium contained in the etching waste solution to precipitate on the surface of the precipitation-inducing metal based on a difference in ionization tendency between zinc and indium, and detaching the indium precipitated on the surface of the precipitation-inducing metal to recover it.

Abstract: The invention concerns a novel isolated microorganism characterized in that it is capable of: i) transforming Kjeldahl nitrogen, ammonia nitrogen and/or nitrogen oxides into gas nitrogen; and ii) transforming carbonaceous matter into carbon dioxide; both transformation processes being carried out in aerobic condition. The invention also concerns a method for treating wastewater using said microorganism.

Abstract: An object is to provide a fresh water generating method that is capable of efficiently producing purified water, such as fresh water, from unpurified water, such as sea water. Provided is a fresh water generating method for generating fresh water by way of reverse osmosis membrane filtration, which includes mixing sea water with low salt concentration water having a salt concentration lower than sea water to produce mixed water, and subjecting the mixed water prepared by the mixing to reverse osmosis membrane filtration, thereby generating fresh water.

Abstract: An object is to provide a fresh water generating method that is capable of efficiently producing purified water, such as fresh water, from unpurified water, such as sea water. Provided is a fresh water generating method for generating fresh water by way of reverse osmosis membrane filtration, which includes mixing sea water with low salt concentration water having a salt concentration lower than sea water to produce mixed water, and subjecting the mixed water prepared by the mixing to reverse osmosis membrane filtration, thereby generating fresh water.

Abstract: An object is to provide a fresh water generating method that is capable of efficiently producing purified water, such as fresh water, from unpurified water, such as sea water. Provided is a fresh water generating method for generating fresh water by way of reverse osmosis membrane filtration, which includes mixing sea water with low salt concentration water having a salt concentration lower than sea water to produce mixed water, and subjecting the mixed water prepared by the mixing to reverse osmosis membrane filtration, thereby generating fresh water.

Abstract: An object is to provide a fresh water generating method that is capable of efficiently producing purified water, such as fresh water, from unpurified water, such as sea water. Provided is a fresh water generating method for generating fresh water by way of reverse osmosis membrane filtration, which includes mixing sea water with low salt concentration water having a salt concentration lower than sea water to produce mixed water, and subjecting the mixed water prepared by the mixing to reverse osmosis membrane filtration, thereby generating fresh water.

Abstract: An object (first object) of the invention is to provide a waste water treatment technology (pretreatment technology in particular) which makes it possible to recover fluorine at a high recovery rate as highly pure calcium fluoride, without diluting waste water containing fluorine and silicon, i.e. to recover fluorine from high-concentration waste water containing fluorine and silicon. Waste water containing fluorine and silicon is supplied to a pH controlling tank 1 and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is added thereto, with the result that sodium silicate is precipitated. Thereafter, the waste water is supplied to a solid-liquid separator 2 so that solid-liquid separation of sodium silicate is conducted.

Abstract: An object is to provide a fresh water generating method that is capable of efficiently producing purified water, such as fresh water, from unpurified water, such as sea water. Provided is a fresh water generating method for generating fresh water by way of reverse osmosis membrane filtration, which includes mixing sea water with low salt concentration water having a salt concentration lower than sea water to produce mixed water, and subjecting the mixed water prepared by the mixing to reverse osmosis membrane filtration, thereby generating fresh water.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of cell cultures in the open continuous mode, to a method for selecting static cell variants or cell variants which proliferate in suspension, to a culture substrate and to a device suitable for implementing this method.