Abstract: The present invention relates to a subject identification method which is adapted for performing an examination as to whether any change exists on an subject, or adapted for performing an estimation of a degree of the change on the subject. It is an aim that the examination and the estimation are performed with great accuracy. Residual signals are evaluated by means of letting an inverse filter interact with a standard and samples which may be out of the standard, so that a plurality of statistical variables are extracted, thereby testing or estimating as to whether a statistical significant difference exists between those two statistical variable groups.

Abstract: In an air cell a current collector is so disposed between a cathode and an anode that it is in contact with the cathode. The air cell can thus be compact and lightweight and yet is capable of generating a high power output under low internal resistance. Furthermore, the cathode has a plurality of spaced-apart sections or at least one through-hole to facilitate the release of hydrogen.

Abstract: The present invention is an air cell of substantially an all-surface open type, which includes a case through which a plurality of windows for air ventilation are provided, a plurality of single cells which are disposed in the case, and an electrolyte bath which is provided at the bottom of the case and is filled with a water-absorbing material capable of absorbing and retaining an electrolyte. The air cell is characterized by being lightweight, compact and by exhibiting excellent power generating properties.

Abstract: A method for producing pitch-type carbon fiber, comprising the steps of discharging, from a spinning nozzle, a spinning pitch comprising an optically isotropic pitch and/or optically anisotropic pitch, maintained at such a temperature that the spinning pitch can have a viscosity of 20 poises or less, to form pitch fiber, while jetting a gas preheated to a temperature of 100.degree. C. lower than the temperature at which the spinning pitch can have a viscosity of 20 poises or less, or higher from the periphery of the spinning nozzle in the same direction as the discharging direction of the spinning pitch and parallel to the discharged pitch fiber to give extremely fine fiber having an average diameter of 5 .mu.m or less, and subjecting the thus spun fine fiber to infusibilization and carbonization.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the preparation of a carbonaceous molded body, which comprises mixing elastic graphite particles with a binder and molding the mixture. A carbonaceous molded article having a light weight and an excellent elasticity, which is characterized by a bulk density lower than 1.0 g/cm.sup.3 and a recovery ratio of 50% or more at a compressibility of 5 to 50%, is obtained according to this process.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a carbon fiber bundle comprising a regular coil-shaped fiber bundle and having excellent stretch characteristic. A process for producing a coil-shaped carbon fiber bundle according to the present invention comprises the steps of compositing at least two kind of pitches to spin them as single fibers, bundling the thus spun single fibers to form a fiber bundle, then infusibilizing the resulting fiber bundle under tension and carbonizing the fiber bundle.

Abstract: A method for producing graphite structures which are of light weight and excel in elasticity from a carbonaceous material comprises in succession the steps of: (a) treating said carbonaceous material with nitric acid or a nitric-sulfuric acid mixture, (b) bringing the acid-treating carbonaceous material into contact with a basic aqueous solution to make it soluble, (c) adding an acidic aqueous solution to the obtained soluble matter to regulate the pH of said soluble matter to 3 or less, thereby precipitating a carbonaceous component therefrom, and (d) graphitizing the thus precipitated carbonaceous component at 2,400.degree. C. or higher temperature.

Abstract: A graphite structure, which is of light weight and excellent elasticity and has a packing density of 0.5 g/cm.sup.3 or lower and a recovery of 50% or higher at a compressibility of 10 to 90%, is obtained by treating a carbonaceous material with nitric acid or a mixture of nitric and sulfuric acids and, then, heat-treating the obtained product at a temperature of 2,400.degree. C. or higher to graphitize the same.

Abstract: This invention relates to a coking unit for producing coke articles of good quality from feed material heavy oils with a variety of properties and more specifically relates to a delayed coking unit comprising a heating furnace and coking drums connected in this sequence with piping. This invention is characterized in that an intermediate drum independently equipped with pressure and temperature controlling means is provided, said intermediate drum being small in volume in comparison with that of said coking drum, so that substantially all of the amount of products treated in said intermediate drum is supplied into the coking drum.

Abstract: A heavy oil such as an atmospheric pressure residue, a reduced pressure residue of petroleum, etc. is heated to 400.degree. to 500.degree. C. to carry out polycondensation and provide a pitch containing mesophase microspheres. This pitch is once cooled to 200.degree. to 400.degree. C. and a turbulent flow is imparted thereto to cause agglomeration of the mesophase microspheres. The resulting agglomerates are separated to obtain a crystallizable material enriched with quinoline insolubles. Production of the crystallizable material is preferably conducted in a separation tank accommodating the lower part of a heating polycondensation reactor (6) and having a stirring device (12).

Abstract: Bulk mesophase can be economically produced without coking trouble from a heavy oil in an apparatus comprising: a heat-treatment vessel for heat treating the oil thereby to form pitch containing mesophase microspheres; a cyclone-type separator installed directly below the vessel and operating to cause the mesophase microspheres within the pitch introduced into the separator to coalesce thereby to separate the mesophase microspheres from the matrix pitch; and ascent and descent pipes communicatively connecting the interiors of the vessel and the separator, the ascent pipe returning matrix pitch after removal of the mesophase microspheres into the vessel together with newly supplied oil, which drives the matrix pitch by jet-pump action, the descent pipe introducing the pitch with mesophase microsphere into the top part of the separator in a horizontal tangential direction to produce a cyclone separation action therein.

Abstract: A coke calcining apparatus comprises a rotary kiln (1), an intermediate cooler (3) installed outside of but rotating unitarily with the kiln at an intermediate part thereof and having inlets (32) and outlets (33) respectively communicating with the upstream and downstream interiors (A,B) of the kiln, and an annular weir (7) fixed to and around the inner wall surface of the kiln at a part thereof between the inlets and outlets of the cooler and functioning to cause the entire quantity of coke (6) which has been subjected to a first-stage calcination at 600.degree. to 1,000.degree. C. in the upstream interior (A) to flow through the cooler (3). The coke thus cooled to 200.degree. C. or lower is subjected to a second-stage calcination at 1,200.degree. to 1,400.degree. C. in the downstream interior (B) for 10 to 30 minutes.

Abstract: Mesocarbon microbeads of narrow particle-size distribution are produced by: subjecting a heavy oil to a primary heat treatment at a temperature T.sub.1 to prepare a pitch containing mesophase microspheres; once cooling this pitch to a temperature lower than its softening point; thereafter subjecting the pitch to a secondary heat treatment at a temperature T.sub.2, which is higher than 350.degree. C. and lower than (T.sub.1 -40.degree. C.); cooling the pitch at a cool rate lower than 200.degree. C./hour; separating from the pitch mesophase microspheres which precipitated in the secondary heat-treatment step; and thereafter obtaining by solvent extraction mesophase microspheres of substantially uniform particle size formed in the residual pitch. The mesocarbon beads of narrow particle-size distribution thus obtained are particularly suitable for use as chromatograph packing material, catalyst support, and other uses.

Abstract: Mesocarbon microbeads are continuously produced by the steps of: (1) mixing a matrix pitch, mesophase microspheres, and a solvent in which the pitch will dissolve but the microspheres will not, thereby to prepare a liquid mixture of a solution and dispersion; (2) processing the mixture in at least two stages of liquid cyclones, thereby to separate it into light and medium-weight liquids and a heavy liquid containing most of the microspheres; and (3) evaporating off the solvent from the heavy liquid thus obtained, thereby to obtain the microspheres as mesocarbon microbeads. The solvent is evaporated off from the light liquid to recover the pitch, and the medium-weight liquid is recycled to step (1) and (2).

Abstract: Apparatus for and a method of detecting and measuring the presence and degree of corrosion damage in pipe by using a probe which forms a capacitor with the wall of the pipe is disclosed. The probe is moved interior to and longitudinally of the pipe, and the variation in capacitance occuring whenever the probe passes a corrosion portion of the interior pipe wall is detected.

Abstract: Process for calcining green coke in at least three heating stages, which comprises preheating the green coke in the first stage, preliminarily calcining the coke in the second stage, cooling the coke; and calcining the coke in the third stage, volatile matter from the second stage being burned during the third stage. The product coke is suitable for preparing graphite electrodes.

Abstract: A process for calcining green coke containing water and combustible volatile matter and obtained by a delayed coking process in three or more stages of heating furnaces which are connected in series, and the control of the temperature and the adjustment of the atmosphere in the respective furnaces can be independently carried out, which process comprises carrying out, in respective furnaces in the indicated order, the steps of:(a) evaporating the water contained in the green coke, and drying and pre-heating the coke;(b) distilling off and burning the volatile matter from the dried coke; and(c) heating and calcining the coke from the step (b).Because each furnace can be controlled independently from the other furnaces in the above described process, it is possible to produce high-grade coke without process difficulties such as the loss of the coke by combustion and the formation of coke ring.