Abstract: A method for producing ethanol by which ethanol can be synthesized from less fermentable biomass materials such as plant-derived materials and rice straws and industrial waste biomass materials such as wooden building materials and pulp and which can therefore broaden the range of raw materials for the production of ethanol. Specifically, a method for producing ethanol including reacting a raw material gas obtained by a thermochemical gasification reaction of biomass in the presence of a catalyst containing rhodium, at least one transition metal, and at least one element selected from lithium, magnesium and zinc.

Abstract: The operation of a plant for producing a gas hydrate is stabilized by making the gas phase within a downstream step have the same equilibrium composition as that of the gas phase within a generation step. The gas phase within a mixed-gas hydrate generation step is circulated to the gas phase within a downstream step located downstream of the mixed-gas hydrate generation step, and the gas phase within each step is thereby made to have the same equilibrium composition as that of the gas phase within the generation step.

Abstract: A heliostat capable of collecting light with high efficiency and having reduced manufacturing and installation costs; and a method of controlling the heliostat. The heliostat includes a reflecting mirror configured to reflect sunlight; and a support mechanism configured to tiltably support the reflecting mirror. The support mechanism has a single supporting column and first and second cylinders. The reflecting mirror is supported at its back surface by a supporting column upper end of the supporting column, a first cylinder upper end of the first cylinder and a second cylinder upper end of the second cylinder in a tiltable manner, which are arranged to form a triangle on the back surface of the reflecting mirror. A gimbal bearing connects the supporting column upper end and the reflecting mirror, the gimbal bearing being configured to be tiltable in two axial directions intersecting with each other.

Abstract: The present invention includes: a plurality of induction heating coils (11, 12, 13) which are disposed adjacently; capacitors (21, 22, 23) each of which is connected in series thereto; a plurality of inverters (30, 35, 31) each of which applies a high frequency voltage converted from a DC voltage to each series resonant circuit of the induction heating coil and the capacitor; and a control circuit (50) which operates the plurality of the inverters with a same frequency and current synchronization, controls so that a phase difference becomes minimal at a specific inverter, which supplies the maximum power to the plurality of the induction heating coils, between the high frequency voltage generated therefrom, and a resonant current flowing the series resonant circuit, and set a DC power supply voltage Vdc applied to the plurality of the inverters so that the output voltages (Vinv) become greater than mutual induction voltages (Vm).

Abstract: A fluorescence detecting device receives fluorescence emitted by n kinds of measurement objects within wavelength bands FLk (k is an integer of 1 to n) set so that the fluorescence intensity of fluorescence emitted by a measurement object k becomes higher than that of fluorescence emitted by the other one or more measurement objects, and acquires fluorescent signals corresponding to the wavelength bands FLk (k is an integer of 1 to n). Each of the fluorescent signals is subjected to frequency-down conversion by mixing it with a modulation signal for modulating the intensity of a laser beam Lk (k=1) corresponding to at least one of the wavelength bands FLk to produce fluorescence data including the phase delay and intensity amplitude of the fluorescent signal. The fluorescence data is corrected to calculate the phase delay and a fluorescence relaxation time is calculated using the phase delay.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a fluorescence measuring apparatus capable of more accurately measuring fluorescence emitted when an object to be measured is irradiated with laser light. The apparatus for measuring fluorescence emitted when an object to be measured is irradiated with laser light includes: a laser light source that irradiates the object to be measured with laser light; a first light-receiving unit that receives scattered light emitted when the object to be measured is irradiated with the laser light; a second light-receiving unit that receives fluorescence emitted when the object to be measured is irradiated with the laser light; and a signal processing unit that assigns a weight to a signal of the fluorescence received by the second light-receiving unit depending on an intensity of the scattered light received by the first light-receiving unit.

Abstract: Provided is a vibration control device, which enables the vibrations of a vibrating body, such as a rotary machine, to automatically be suppressed, without installing a vibration detection sensor on the vibration control device or vibrating body, and without controlling the rotational speed or phase of the vibration control device. The vibration control device (1), which is installed on a vibrating body (2) and controls the vibrations of the vibrating body (2), comprises a rotating shaft (11), a mass body (12) that is fixed to the rotating shaft (11), and an activation apparatus (13) that adds the power of a rotational motion, which is centered on the rotating shaft (11), to the mass body (12).

Abstract: A lithium iron phosphate cathode material has high electron conductivity and high lithium ion conductivity, in other words, has excellent performance as an electrode material, which is provided by a carbon coating formed using a small amount of a carbon material. A method for producing the lithium iron phosphate cathode material is also provided. In particular, a lithium iron phosphate cathode material has primary particles of lithium iron phosphate coated with a conductive carbon cover layer. The conductive carbon cover layer is characterized by having thick layer portions with a thickness of 2 nm or greater and thin layer portions with a thickness of smaller than 2 nm.

Abstract: The present invention provides uracil-requiring Moorella bacteria obtained by destroying a gene coding for orotidine-5-phosphate decarboxylase; and transforming-gene-introduced Moorella bacteria obtained by introducing a gene coding for orotidine-5-phosphate decarboxylase and a transforming-gene to a chromosome of the uracil-requiring Moorella bacteria. The present invention was accomplished by uracil-requiring Moorella bacteria, comprising an MTA-D-pF strain that is obtained by destroying a gene coding for orotidine-5-phosphate decarboxylase on a chromosome of Moorella bacteria.

Abstract: The present invention provides a primer set used for transformation that imparts a uracil requiring property by deleting or destroying a gene coding for orotidine-5-phosphate decarboxylase in Moorella bacteria. The present invention is accomplished by a primer set that is used for creating a uracil requiring strain obtained by deleting or destroying a gene coding for orotidine-5-phosphate decarboxylase in Moorella bacteria by homologous recombination and is represented by SEQ ID No. 1 and 2 that amplify an upstream region adjacent to said gene coding for orotidine-5-phosphate decarboxylase.

Abstract: A method is for molding a gas hydrate pellet for improving convenience of handling of a natural gas hydrate during transportation and storage, and thereby improving the practical use of the natural gas hydrate. Gas hydrate slurry is fed in a compression chamber, and pressure and compression are applied to the gas hydrate slurry by advancing a compression plunger. At that time, a stroking speed of the compression plunger is set minimum, preferably less than a value expressed by a stroke length of the compression plunger at compression×10?2 (m/min). By advancing the compression plunger at low speed, binding between particles of the gas hydrate is tightened, thereby the gas hydrate pellet with increased shearing strength can be molded.

Abstract: It is an object to provide a method for killing aquatic organisms in liquid by which aquatic organisms in liquid can be killed at low cost, and the object is attained by a method including a first step of generating microbubbles in a range of 4 to 100 ?m from bubbles containing ozone discharged into liquid in a pipe, a second step of forcibly crushing the microbubbles in the pipe generated at the first step to generate OH radicals as a result of crushing of the microbubbles themselves due to the forcible crushing, and a third step of generating OH radicals as a result of dissolution and decomposition of the ozone contained in the microbubbles in the liquid due to the forcible crushing of the microbubbles, wherein the OH radicals generated at the second and third steps, OH radicals generated as a result of self-crushing of the microbubbles themselves in the liquid in the pipe, and OH radicals generated as a result of dissolution and decomposition of the ozone contained in the microbubbles in the liquid due to

Abstract: A wave power generation device which eliminates addition of an adjustment mechanism relating to a change in a mass or a shape to a float and an external sensor such as a wave meter and can improve power generation efficiency by synchronizing a vertical movement of the float with all the wave periods while a manufacturing cost of the wave power generation device is suppressed and a method of controlling the same are provided.

Abstract: A fluorescence detection device generates a modulation signal for modulating the intensity of the laser light and modulates the laser light using the modulation signal. The detection device obtains a fluorescent signal of the fluorescence emitted by the measurement object irradiated with the laser light, and calculates, from the fluorescent signal, a fluorescence intensity and the phase delay of the fluorescence with respect to the modulation signal. At the time, the detection device controls the operation amounts of the signal level of a DC component of the modulation signal and the gain of amplification just after the output of the fluorescent signal so that the value of a fluorescence intensity signal falls within a preset range. After the operation amounts are settled, the detection device calculates the fluorescence intensity and then calculates the fluorescence relaxation time of the fluorescence emitted by the measurement object using the phase delay.

Abstract: Problem to be Solved The present invention is made in view of the above-described circumstances. An object of the present invention is to provide a sunlight collecting system achieving suppression of power generation cost with the receiver which enables suppressing the manufacturing, transportation and construction costs, facilitating recovery work in the case of occurrence of a failure, and promptly recovering a heating medium circulating inside the receiver in an emergency.

Abstract: An electrode material for a secondary battery includes crystal primary particles of an electrode active material which releases or absorbs cations of a monovalent or divalent metal when subjected to electrochemical oxidation or reduction and which has a crystal lattice in which the cations can move only in a one-dimensional movable direction during the process of oxidation or reduction. The electrode material also includes an ion-conductive substance and conductive carbon which coexist on the surface of the primary particles, in which the ion-conductive substance has a property which allows two or three-dimensional movement of the cations, and the cations are movable via a layer in which the ion-conductive substance and the conductive carbon coexist.

Abstract: Provided are a container terminal and a control method thereof that enhance a cargo handling efficiency by reducing a movement of a yard crane to a minimum possible extent. A first transfer area 44 is provided outside one end portion of a storage lane 20, and a transfer stand 50 is provided to the first transfer area 44. The transfer stand 50 transfers a container k between a circulating transport vehicle 31 and a shuttle vehicle 32. The shuttle vehicle 32 transports the container k between the transfer stand 50 and a yard crane 13 or 14 provided to the storage lane 20 by moving back and forth in a field adjacent to the storage lane 20.

Abstract: Provided are a container terminal and a control method therefor that enhance a cargo handling efficiency by reducing a movement of each yard crane to a minimum possible extent. The container terminal is provided with a first transfer area 44 outside one end portion of a storage lane 20, and a second transfer area 47 outside the other end portion. When a circulating transport vehicle 31 and a shuttle vehicle 32 transfer a container k therebetween via a first yard crane 13 in the first transfer area 44, the shuttle vehicle 32 transports the container k to a second yard crane 14, and the second yard crane 14 handles the container in an unloading container area 46 of the storage lane 20.

Abstract: A light absorption examining device includes a laser light source that emits the pulse laser beam, a measuring unit that retains the measuring object and irradiates the measuring object with the pulse laser beam, a light receiving unit that receives the pulse laser beam transmitted through the measuring object and outputs a light receiving signal, a pulse generator that produces a single rectangular pulse at a time when a signal level of the light receiving signal output from the light receiving unit intersects a set threshold, a laser driver that supplies the produced rectangular pulse to the laser light source to emit the pulse laser beam, and a control/processing unit that determines an accumulated delay time and examines absorption of the pulse laser beam by the measuring object using the determined accumulated delay time, the accumulated delay time representing a delay in a production timing of the rectangular pulse.

Abstract: A liquid sample flow containing living cells is irradiated with measurement laser light and the photo data of at least either scattering light or fluorescence that is generated by each of the living cells in the liquid sample flow due to the irradiation with the measurement laser light is acquired. Based on the photo data thus acquired, it is determined whether each of the cells assignable to the respective photo data is an unnecessary living cell or a target living cell. Based on the determination results, a pulse voltage is then applied exclusively to the living cells having been determined as unnecessary living cells so that the unnecessary living cells are damaged and killed.