Abstract: Provided is a first step of causing hydrogen and carbon oxide to react with each other in a presence of a first catalyst to obtain a first fuel gas 2 that contains 2% to 10% hydrogen by volume after dehydration; and a second step of consuming the hydrogen in the first fuel gas 2 to obtain a second fuel gas 4 with a reduced hydrogen concentration. The first catalyst includes a methanation catalyst. The second step includes an exothermic reaction that generates heat of 60 kJ or more per mole of hydrogen, and the exothermic reaction is a reaction through which the hydrogen in the first fuel gas 2 and a predetermined reactant 3 are caused to react with each other in a presence of a second catalyst to generate water or a paraffin hydrocarbon with two to four carbon atoms.

Abstract: Provided are high-performance gas desulfurizing agent and desulfurizing method each of which has a high desulfurizing ability even at low temperatures and keeps its desulfurizing performance for an extended period of time. The gas desulfurizing agent includes zinc oxide, aluminum oxide, and copper, the desulfurizing agent further including nickel in an amount of 1.0% by mass to 10% by mass and rhenium in an amount of 0.1% by mass to 1.0% by mass. The gas desulfurizing method includes bringing the desulfurizing agent into contact with gas in coexistence of hydrogen to decompose a sulfur compound in the gas and remove the sulfur compound from the gas.

Abstract: Provided are a high-performance desulfurizing agent for gases and a gas desulfurization method that provide a high desulfurization performance even at low temperatures and can maintain its desulfurization performance for a long period of time. The desulfurizing agent is characterized in that it includes a zinc oxide, an aluminum oxide and copper, the agent further including nickel by from 1.0 mass % to 10 mass % and ruthenium by from 0.1 mass % to 1.0 mass %. The gas desulfurization method is characterized in that the desulfurizing agent is brought into contact with the gas in the coexistent of hydrogen, thus decomposing/removing sulfur compound contained in the gas.

Abstract: Provided are a high-performance desulfurizing agent for gases and a gas desulfurization method that provide a high desulfurization performance even at low temperatures and can maintain its desulfurization performance for a long period of time. The desulfurizing agent is characterized in that it includes a zinc oxide, an aluminum oxide and copper, the agent further including nickel by from 1.0 mass % to 10 mass % and ruthenium by from 0.1 mass % to 1.0 mass %. The gas desulfurization method is characterized in that the desulfurizing agent is brought into contact with the gas in the coexistent of hydrogen, thus decomposing/removing sulfur compound contained in the gas.

Abstract: For implementing a reforming reaction such as steam reforming or autothermal reforming, to obtain hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane, etc. by bringing hydrocarbons and steam into contact with a reforming catalyst, an arrangement is provided to enable reforming of the hydrocarbon to proceed under a stable condition for an extended period thanks to high sulfur resistance thereof. The arrangement employs a reforming catalyst supporting both platinum and iridium on an inorganic oxide support for the reforming of the hydrocarbon.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method and an apparatus for removing methane from a gas which contains the methane at such a low concentration as not to be rendered into a combustible range with whatever ratio of air mixed therewith. In order to ensure satisfactory methane removal performance even in the coexistence of sulfur compound and in order also to provide stable methane removal performance for an extended period of time without performance deterioration even when the methane concentration varies significantly, the gas is fed to a heat exchanger for preheating and methane is exposed to an oxidation catalyst which oxidizes the methane through contact therewith. Then, the resultant gas is fed again to the heat exchanger for heat recovery through heat exchange with un-reacted gas. Further, the flow rate of gas to be treated is varied, according to a concentration of the methane contained in this treated gas.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for processing a combustible gas, which comprises a catalytic combusting means for receiving an oxygen-containing combustible gas that contains oxygen in addition to the combustible gas as the principal component thereof, causing this oxygen-containing combustible gas to contact an oxidation catalyst for partial combustion thereof, to produce the resultant partially combusted gas as a compressible combustible gas.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method and an apparatus for removing methane from a gas which contains the methane at such a low concentration as not to be rendered into a combustible range with whatever ratio of air mixed therewith. In order to ensure satisfactory methane removal performance even in the coexistence of sulfur compound and in order also to provide stable methane removal performance for an extended period of time without performance deterioration even when the methane concentration varies significantly, the gas is fed to a heat exchanger for preheating and methane is exposed to an oxidation catalyst which oxidizes the methane through contact therewith. Then, the resultant gas is fed again to the heat exchanger for heat recovery through heat exchange with un-reacted gas. Further, the flow rate of gas to be treated is varied, according to a concentration of the methane contained in this treated gas.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for processing a combustible gas, which comprises a catalytic combusting means for receiving an oxygen-containing combustible gas that contains oxygen in addition to the combustible gas as the principal component thereof, causing this oxygen-containing combustible gas to contact an oxidation catalyst for partial combustion thereof, to produce the resultant partially combusted gas as a compressible combustible gas.

Abstract: A catalyst for removing hydrocarbons from exhaust gas containing methane and an excess of oxygen, which comprises palladium or palladium/platinum supported on at least one carrier selected from zirconia, sulfated zirconia and tungsten-zirconia, and a method for treating exhaust gas using the catalyst.

Abstract: This invention provides a catalyst for removing hydrocarbons from a combustion gas containing methane and containing an excess of oxygen, which comprises iridium supported on zirconium oxide; and a method of removing hydrocarbons from a combustion gas containing methane and containing an excess of oxygen, which comprises using this catalyst.

Abstract: A catalyst for removing hydrocarbons from exhaust gas containing methane and an excess of oxygen, which comprises palladium or palladium/platinum supported on at least one carrier selected from zirconia, sulfated zirconia and tungsten-zirconia, and a method for treating exhaust gas using the catalyst.

Abstract: A catalyst for removing hydrocarbons from exhaust gas containing methane and an excess of oxygen, which comprises palladium or palladium/platinum supported on at least one carrier selected from zirconia, sulfated zirconia and tungsten-zirconia, and a method for treating exhaust gas using the catalyst.

Abstract: A catalyst for removing hydrocarbons from exhaust gas containing methane and an excess of oxygen, which comprises palladium or palladium/platinum supported on at least one carrier selected from zirconia, sulfated zirconia and tungsten-zirconia, and a method for treating exhaust gas using the catalyst.

Abstract: A process control device controls a plurality of processing devices placed in parallel to perform at least two process steps for consecutively processing workpieces in a lot. The process control device includes a device group information for grouping of a plurality of processing devices into a plurality of device groups. For example, when the workpieces are semiconductor devices, processing devices having identical deviating characteristics are grouped into the same group to perform a plurality of photolithographic steps. The process control device further includes a device group selecting unit for selecting the device group such that the lot is processed in the second process step using a processing device included in the same device group as a processing device used in the first process step.

Abstract: An interbay transportation system includes bays in which process equipment are provided, stockers provided for the individual bays, and a vehicle traveling through the stockers for transporting a semi-processed product from one of the stockers to another. Timing to start transportation is determined according to the operation status of the process equipment and the number of semi-processed products in the stocker.

Abstract: A conveyance system which performs conveying action operating carrier vehicles, including a loop track, carrier vehicles which run on the track, a station where each carrier vehicle performs loading and unloading of a cargo, and a standby station for storing the carrier vehicles in a standby state. The number of the carrier vehicles to be used is determined from a conveyance command number, and can be automatically determined in correspondence with the load in the conveyance system. Accordingly, even if the load is not uniform but significantly varied, the conveying action can be conducted readily and efficiently.

Abstract: A transportation system includes lifts for inter-floor carriage, a carrier cart for intra-floor carriage, and a transit stocker for loading/unloading an article to/from the lift. For each of the lifts, operation status, that is, operating or not, is recorded in a database. The operating rate of each lift, carriage queue for each lift, and an inventory of each transit stocker might also be recorded in the database. When carriage of an article is required, a lift optimum for the carriage is selected from among the lifts based on the information recorded on the database.

Abstract: This invention provides a catalyst for removing hydrocarbons from a combustion gas containing methane and containing an excess of oxygen, which comprises iridium supported on zirconium oxide; and a method of removing hydrocarbons from a combustion gas containing methane and containing an excess of oxygen, which comprises using this catalyst.

Abstract: A catalyst for removing hydrocarbons from exhaust gas containing methane and an excess of oxygen, which comprises palladium or palladium/platinum supported on at least one carrier selected from zirconia, sulfated zirconia and tungsten-zirconia, and a method for treating exhaust gas using the catalyst.