Abstract: An apparatus for producing lactic acid according to the invention comprises a reactor carrying out: subjecting glycerin to a hydrothermal reaction under an alkaline condition, supplying an alkaline solution comprising glycerin; and continuously producing lactic acid, wherein glycerin is subjected to a hydrothermal reaction under an alkaline condition at a temperature in the range of 150 to 400° C. and under pressure equal to or more than the saturated vapor pressure at the temperature. The glycerin produced from plant fats, animal fats or the like or pure product synthesized chemically or a discharge containing glycerin generated at the production of diesel fuel oil from fats, in which the fats are subjected to a transesterification with alcohol in the presence of an alkali catalyst in order to obtain fatty acid ester is preferably used as a starting material.

Abstract: The present invention provides a mercury removal system and method for effectively removing a mercury component, which is present in a gas stream in an extremely small amount in wet gas cleaning used for coal or heavy oil gasification, petroleum refining and the like. The mercury removal system in wet gas cleaning comprises a water washing tower for introducing therein a target gas containing a mercury component and transferring the mercury component into an absorbing solution, a flush drum (10) for flushing the absorbing solution discharged from the water washing tower to separate the absorbing solution into a gas component and waste water, an oxidation treatment means (1) for adding an oxidizing agent to the absorbing solution at the preceding stage of the flush drum, and a waste water treatment means for subjecting to coagulation sedimentation treatment the separated waste water containing the mercury component at the following stage of the flush drum to dispose of the mercury component as sludge.

Abstract: An object is to provide a gate valve capable of preventing operational deficiencies caused by particulate materials accumulating in a valve box, thus providing superior sealing properties and high durability, having a simple structure, and allowing inspection and maintenance to be performed easily.

Abstract: A process for producing lactic acid according to the invention is characterized in that glycerin is subjected to a hydrothermal reaction under an alkaline condition at a temperature in the range of 150 to 400° C. and under pressure equal to or more than the saturated vapor pressure at the temperature. The glycerin produced from plant fats, animal fats or the like or pure product synthesized chemically or a discharge containing glycerin generated at the production of diesel fuel oil from fats, in which the fats are subjected to a transesterification with alcohol in the presence of an alkali catalyst in order to obtain fatty acid ester is preferably used as a starting material.

Abstract: It is an object to solve a bypass line corrosion problem effectively, enable prompt supply of a fuel gas into a bypass line in the event of an emergency, and provide an inexpensive coal gasification plant. An integrated coal gasification combined cycle power generation plant includes a coal gasification furnace, a dust remover, a gas refiner, a gas turbine and the like, a main system line connecting therebetween, and a bypass line connecting between the outlet side of the coal gasification furnace in the main system line and a flare stack, wherein a dust remover bypass valve which is disposed in an upstream portion of the bypass line and which opens and closes the bypass line, a treatment gas control valve which is disposed in a downstream portion of the bypass line and which controls the flow rate, and a first inert gas input line which is disposed downstream from the dust remover bypass valve and which supplies the inert gas to the bypass line are provided.

Abstract: An optical repeating device with a monitoring function comprises first optical propagation means for propagating a lightwave signal through an optical transmission line, second optical propagation means butted against the first optical propagation means, for propagating the lightwave signal, optical branching means provided on a butting face between the first optical propagation means, and the second optical propagation means, and photodetection means. All the means described are assembled into a housing, and integrated therewith. Consequently, it is possible to downsize the optical repeating device with the monitoring function. A large portion of the lightwave signal propagated between the first optical propagation means and the second optical propagation means is allowed to pass through the optical branching means, however, a portion of the lightwave signal is reflected in a given direction by the optical branching means.

Abstract: A method is provided for decomposition of chlorofluorocarbon to be decomposed and then disposed of. The process includes the following the steps of. A mixture of liquid chlorofluorocarbon substances to be decomposed (and then disposed of) and a liquid member are heated to a temperature of from about 500° C. to about 700° C. in order to produce a superheated vapor. The liquids member may be water, methanol, hydrogen peroxide, or mixtures thereof. The superheated vapor is maintained in a reactor for a sufficient reacting time in order to achieve decomposition of the chlorofluorocarbon in the mixture before passing through the reactor to a discharge outlet open to the environment.

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: A surge locating system and a method thereof which can accomplish the surge locating with high accuracy and with relatively simple structure. When the surge occurs, the voltage is generated on the neutral point of Y-connected three-phase alternating current transmission line because of losing a voltage balance on the three-phase alternating current transmission line. The surge locating can be accomplished by detecting the voltage generated in the neutral point. The neutral point is grounded, and the surge locating system according to the present invention is installed between the neutral point and the grounding point. The voltage generated in the neutral point is introduced into the surge locating system and the detecting time thereof is stored. This detecting time is stored in the respective stations, and the surge point can be located based on the detecting time difference between the stations.

Abstract: This invention concerns the use of pressurized steam as the cooling medium for a gas turbine combustor. It is distinguished by the following. Steam supply manifolds or ports for the cooling steam are provided on the gas inlet and outlet sides of the combustion chamber in the gas turbine combustor. A steam exhaust manifold or port for the cooling steam is provided between the gas inlet and outlet sides, in approximately the center of the chamber. Cooling channels for the steam are created in the external wall panel of the chamber between the steam supply manifolds and the exhaust manifold. The steam supplied into the wall panel through the steam supply manifolds on the gas inlet and outlet sides of the chamber is exhausted to the exterior via the steam exhaust manifold in the center of the chamber. This design allows pressurized steam with a high thermal capacity to be used to effectively cool the wall panels of the combustor, which are exposed to extremely hot combustion gases.

Abstract: This invention concerns the use of pressurized steam as the cooling medium in the combustor wall of a gas turbine combustor. It is distinguished by the following. The combustor wall is configured by 1) a plurality of cooling channels for cooling steam, sealed by an exterior wall panel and a heat-resistant plate which are assembled by soldering or some other method; 2) a supply manifold for supplying the cooling steam into the cooling channels, which is provided on one end of the cooling channels; and 3) a recovery manifold for recovering the cooling steam from the cooling channels, which is provided on another end of the cooling channels. This arrangement can form strong enough steam-channels that do not allow any leakage of the high pressure steam from the cooling system.

Abstract: Disclosed is an economical process for treating a large amount of plastics waste in which thermoplastics, crosslinked plastics, thermosetting plastics or a mixture thereof can be continuously and rapidly degraded and converted into oil without sorting various types of plastics waste. According to this process, powdered plastics obtained by grinding thermoplastics, crosslinked plastics, thermosetting plastics or a mixture thereof is mixed with water to form a slurry, and a dispersing agent such as a water-absorbing resin, a water-soluble polymer or a surface-active agent is added thereto. The resulting mixed slurry is fed to a tubular continuous reactor where the powdered plastics is degraded under reaction conditions causing the water to be in or near its supercritical region. Finally, oil is recovered from the reaction product.

Abstract: An end of a conductor having a stranded conductor layer wound around a tension member made of resin-reinforced carbon fiber is cut back to expose the end of the tension member. The exposed end of the tension member is inserted into a metal fitting having multiple longitudinal slits. A metal sleeve is then fit over the metal fitting and also partially over the stranded conductor layer before compress-fitted into place. Accordingly, it is possible to attach, with good workability and sufficient tensile strength, a conductor that has a tension member made of resin-reinforced carbon fiber.

Abstract: A communication system for performing bidirectional communications substantially simultaneously between a telephone line and a radio communication system by using a single-frequency carrier. A base station includes a first radio transceiver and a line connector disposed between the first radio transceiver and the telephone line. A terminal station includes a second radio transceiver. Each of the first and second radio transceivers has a control unit, a transmitter unit including a signal compressor, a synchronizing signal generator and a modulator, and a receiver unit including a signal expander. The control unit sets the line connector to an interconnecting state in response to a connection request signal from the telephone line or the terminal station, while establishes a communication enabling state between the telephone line and the terminal station during a connection processing period.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for discriminating a coal species, discriminating values of coal species/properties are prepared corresponding to coal ranks, a coal to be discriminated is irradiated with near-infrared rays having different wavelengths, and light of near-infrared rays reflected from the coal is received; Aborbances of the coal are acquired, and the coal species/property discriminating value of the coal is discriminated on the basis of the absorbances and a prescribed calibration curve.

Abstract: A time-divisional duplex radio communication apparatus includes the steps of adding an interrupt enable signal to the compressed voice signal in place of the time-divisional synchronizing signal at a predetermined period in a radio communication apparatus served as a calling station, functioning the period corresponding to the time-divisional synchronizing signal as a reception period without having to add the time-divisional synchronizing signal to the compressed voice signal at the next transmission period if the interrupt enable signal from the calling station is received in a radio communication apparatus served as the called station, generating the interrupt request signal a predetermined time later than the reception of the interrupt enable signal of the calling station and transmitting the interrupt request signal in the reception periods of the calling station and the called station in a radio communication apparatus served as an interrupting station, indicating occurrence of an interrupt in response

Abstract: A radio relay communication system wherein a signal transmitted from active one of a plurality of radio units is received and recorded. When the transmission operation of the particular radio unit stops, the recorded signal is reproduced and transmitted by a relay unit, and another radio unit receives the signal from the relay unit. A relay start signal is transmitted from the first radio unit. and is received by the relay unit. In response to the relay start signal, the relay unit generates a sync signal of predetermined period. The first radio unit, in accordance with the reception of the sync signal, transmits an input signal as compressed to less than one half along the time axis. The relay unit alternates between the period of receiving the compressed signal and the period of transmission in synchronism with the sync signal.

Abstract: In radio communication system in which single frequency simultaneous transmission and reception is performed, a speech audio signal is divided by a predetermined time interval. A transmission time and a reception time are allotted in the predetermined time. A time-compressed signal is transmitted during the transmission time, and a time-compressed signal transmitted from other transceiver is received during the reception time and it is decompressed to the original length. The transmission time and the reception time are alternately repeated to transmit and receive the audio signals substantially simultaneously by a single frequency, and the audio signal is reproduced from the received signal. When communication with a telephone set is to be established, a DTMF signal is used as a dialing signal to call the telephone set from the transceiver. The DTMF signal is time-compressed and then transmitted along with the speech signal.

Abstract: A heavy-duty gas turbine includes a compressor; a combustion liner; a turbine blade in a single stage or multi-stages; and a turbine nozzle provided in correspondence to the turbine blade. The turbine blade has a dovetail secured to a turbine disk and has an overall length of not less than 180 mm, and it is made of a single-crystal Ni-base alloy whose .gamma. phase is a single crystal. Operating gas temperature is not less than 1400.degree. C., and metal temperature of a first blade is not less than 1000.degree. C. under working stress.

Abstract: A gas-turbine moving blade made of a Ni-base superalloy containing less grain boundary strengthening elements, in which a blade portion is formed of a single crystal and the rest is formed of columnar crystals, and a gas turbine including the moving blade. A thermal efficiency of the gas turbine can be improved to 35% or more, and a thermal efficiency of complex power generation with a steam turbine can be improved to 45% or more.