Abstract: An air-blowing device has a blower fan that is an axial fan located on a downstream side of a heat exchanger in an airflow direction and supplies air to the heat exchanger and a shroud that supports the blower fan and forms an air passage extending from the heat exchanger to the blower fan. At least one side of a periphery of the heat exchanger is arranged to overlap with an outermost peripheral portion of the blower fan that is outermost in a radial direction of the blower fan when viewed in the airflow direction. The shroud has an air-introduction part that is (i) disposed, in a portion in which the ring part and the connection part connect to each other, on a surface of the connection part facing the heat exchanger and (ii) formed concentrically to be centered at a rotational axis of the blower fan. A part of the air-introduction part protrudes outwardly from a periphery of the connection part in the radial direction of the blower fan when viewed in the airflow direction.

Abstract: A blower fan includes a plurality of blades radially extending from a boss provided at a rotary center and spaced apart from each other in the rotational direction, and a ring portion connecting outer peripheral ends of the blades in a ring shape. A radially outer end part at an end on an air-flow upstream side of the ring portion is positioned outward in a radial direction of a rotary shaft in the blower fan, as toward the air-flow upstream side. Thus, the blower can prevent the backflow air from being swirled, thereby reducing noise.

Abstract: A blower fan includes a plurality of blades radially extending from a boss provided at the rotary center and spaced apart from each other in the rotational direction, and a ring portion connecting outer peripheral ends of the blades in a ring shape. An inner peripheral wall surface of an end part on an air-flow downstream side of a cylindrical portion is disposed on the outside in a radial direction of the rotary shaft in the blower fan, with respect to an end part on the air-flow downstream side of the ring portion. The end part on the air-flow downstream side of the cylindrical portion is positioned outward in the radial direction of the rotary shaft, as toward the air-flow downstream side. Thus, the blower can prevent the backflow air from being swirled, thereby reducing noise.

Abstract: A blower fan includes a plurality of blades radially extending from a boss provided at the rotary center and spaced apart from each other in the rotational direction, and a ring portion connecting outer peripheral ends of the blades in a ring shape. An inner peripheral wall surface of an end part on an air-flow downstream side of a cylindrical portion is disposed on the outside in a radial direction of the rotary shaft in the blower fan, with respect to an end part on the air-flow downstream side of the ring portion. The end part on the air-flow downstream side of the cylindrical portion is positioned outward in the radial direction of the rotary shaft, as toward the air-flow downstream side. Thus, the blower can prevent the backflow air from being swirled, thereby reducing noise.

Abstract: A blower fan includes a plurality of blades radially extending from a boss provided at a rotary center and spaced apart from each other in the rotational direction, and a ring portion connecting outer peripheral ends of the blades in a ring shape. A radially outer end part at an end on an air-flow upstream side of the ring portion is positioned outward in a radial direction of a rotary shaft in the blower fan, as toward the air-flow upstream side. Thus, the blower can prevent the backflow air from being swirled, thereby reducing noise.

Abstract: An air-blowing device has a blower fan that is an axial fan located on a downstream side of a heat exchanger in an airflow direction and supplies air to the heat exchanger and a shroud that supports the blower fan and forms an air passage extending from the heat exchanger to the blower fan. At least one side of a periphery of the heat exchanger is arranged to overlap with an outermost peripheral portion of the blower fan that is outermost in a radial direction of the blower fan when viewed in the airflow direction. The shroud has an air-introduction part that is (i) disposed, in a portion in which the ring part and the connection part connect to each other, on a surface of the connection part facing the heat exchanger and (ii) formed concentrically to be centered at a rotational axis of the blower fan. A part of the air-introduction part protrudes outwardly from a periphery of the connection part in the radial direction of the blower fan when viewed in the airflow direction.

Abstract: A method for regenerating a spent solvent generated from a nuclear fuel cycle and containing a higher hydrocarbon (n-dodecane), tributyl phosphate and degradation products thereof. The spent solvent is brought into contact with a methanol/water mixture having a water concentration of 100 to 750 g/l and the resulting mixture is subjected to phase separation to form a non-methanol/water phase and a methanol/water phase. The degradation products such as DBP in the spent solvent selectively migrate into the methanol/water phase and n-dodecane and TBP can be recovered as the non-methanol/water phase.

Abstract: A process for producing a glass having a rod refractive index distribution, which includes pressing a glass at a temperature below the glass transition temperature to form a glass having a density increased towards the surface layer thereof, or alternatively includes heating a glass at a temperature around the transition temperature at the lowest to prepare glass having a uniformly enhanced density and heating the treated glass under a pressure lower than the applied pressure at a temperature below the glass transition temperature of the glass to prepare a rod glass having a density increased towards the central portion.

Abstract: A process for producing a rod glass having a refractive index distribution, which includes pressing a glass at a temperature below the glass transition temperature to form a glass having a density increased towards the surface layer thereof, or alternatively includes heating a glass at a temperature around the transition temperature at the lowest to prepare glass having a uniformly enhanced density and heating the treated glass under a pressure lower than the applied pressure at a temperature below the glass transition temperature of the glass to prepare a glass having a density increased towards the central portion.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring heating temperature in a high electric field of microwaves comprises a microwave heating chamber, an infrared radiation thermometer disposed outside the microwave heating chamber, a probe formed of a microwave transparent material disposed inside the microwave heating chamber, a fiber cable connecting the probe and the thermometer, and a lens for focusing infrared rays generated from a substance to be heated in the microwave heating chamber and transmitting the focused infrared rays into the fiber cable. By this construction, the focused infrared rays are transmitted outside the microwave heating chamber through the fiber cable so as to measure an infrared radiation temperature by the thermometer. When a purge gas releasing function is added to the probe, the detection of infrared rays can be performed with water vapor and a decomposition gas removed by a purge gas, even when these matters are released from the substance to be heated during microwave heating.

Abstract: A microwave heating apparatus includes a microwave oscillator, a waveguide for transmitting microwave energy outputted from the microwave oscillator to an object to be heated, detectors for detecting the power of the microwave energy inputted from the microwave oscillator to the object to be heated and the reflected power of the microwave energy reflected from the object to be heated, a matching stub provided in the waveguide, and a driver for driving the matching stub. The driver calculates a VSWR value from the inputted power and the reflected power and includes a motor for driving the matching stub so that the VSWR value is maintained within a predetermined range. Matching of the waveguide impedance with the load impedance can be executed automatically and the VSWR value can be maintained in the range of good matching. Thus, lowering of heating efficiency can be prevented.

Abstract: A method of extracting and separating a spent solvent generated in a nuclear fuel cycle and containing a phosphate (TBP) and a higher hydrocarbon (n-dodecane). This method comprises bringing the spent solvent into contact with methanol, thereby causing the spent solvent to be separated into a phase mainly composed of the higher hydrocarbon and a methanol phase containing the phosphate. By drying the phase mainly composed of the higher hydrocarbon at a low temperature, a minor amount of methanol contained in the phase is separated through evaporation to recover the higher hydrocarbon. By drying the methanol phase at a low temperature, methanol is recovered through evaporation and the phosphate remains as a remaining solution. The remaining solution may further be subjected to low-temperature vacuum distillation to separate the solution into the phosphate (TBP) and a deterioration product thereof (DBP).

Abstract: A method of separating uranium and plutonium from a mixed solution containing uranium nitrate and plutonium nitrate comprises cooling the mixed solution to a temperature ranging from -40.degree. to -20.degree. C. to thereby selectively precipitate uranyl nitrate. The precipitated uranyl nitrate is separated from the solution while leaving plutonium nitrate to remain in the solution.

Abstract: In a method for recovering plutonium and uranium from spent nuclear fuel by solvent extraction having solvent consisting of tri-n-butyl phosphate, dibutyl phosphate and n-dodecane, the improvement comprises separating the n-dodecane from the phosphate by freeze-drying and separating the phosphate from each other and residual impurities by fractional distillation.

Abstract: A high-level radioactive waste liquid, produced in a reprocessing plant, is treated by a freeze-drying step. A low-level radioactive waste liquid containing water, nitric acid and nuclides is obtained from the sublimate of the freeze-drying step. Fission products, actinides, corrosion products (iron, chromium, nickel, etc.), sodium nitrate and sodium hydroxide, not sublimated, are separated as a residue. An alkaline solution such as sodium hydroxide solution is added to the residue to dissolve sodium nitrate and sodium hydroxide. The dissolved nitrate and hydroxide are then separated from the residue containing fission products and the corrosion products.

Abstract: A ceramic implant material is disclosed, which comprises a porous zirconia or silicon nitride ceramic containing silicon carbide whiskers, the pores of which are filled with a material adapted to the tissue.