Abstract: A system and method for performing hydrothermal treatment includes a scraper formed as a hollow cylinder. The scraper is positioned in the reactor vessel with the scraper axis substantially co-linear with the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical reactor vessel. A mechanism is provided to rotate the scraper about the longitudinal axis of the reactor vessel. One or more elongated scraper bars are positioned inside the reactor vessel between the scraper and the longitudinal axis of the reactor vessel. Each scraper bar may be held stationary with respect to the reactor vessel, or each scraper bar may rotated relative to an axis passing through the scraper bar to remove any solids that have accumulated on the scraper or on the scraper bar. To prevent accumulation of precipitating solids on the scraper bar itself, each scraper bar may have internal cooling channels or the capability of releasing a purging fluid.

Abstract: A system and method for performing hydrothermal treatment includes a scraper formed as a hollow cylinder. The scraper is positioned in the reactor vessel with the scraper axis substantially co-linear with the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical reactor vessel. A mechanism is provided to rotate the scraper about the longitudinal axis of the reactor vessel. One or more elongated scraper bars are positioned inside the reactor vessel between the scraper and the longitudinal axis of the reactor vessel. Each scraper bar may be held stationary with respect to the reactor vessel, or each scraper bar may rotated relative to an axis passing through the scraper bar to remove any solids that have accumulated on the scraper or on the scraper bar. To prevent accumulation of precipitating solids on the scraper bar itself, each scraper bar may have internal cooling channels or the capability of releasing a purging fluid.

Abstract: An apparatus for correctly inferring the causes of a failure of driving machine or the like. Each time a true cause is found, the data on the degree of relevance of the cause is so corrected that the degree of the other causes becomes high and those of the other causes become low. On the basis of the data on the failure rate and the data on the degree of the relevance, the certainty of each cause is inferred by a first inferring means. The data on the predicted failure rate of each cause and the data on the actual failure rate are compared, and the certainty of each cause is inferred by a second inferring means in such a way that the certainty of a cause having less errors becomes higher. The certainties inferred by the first and second inferring means are weighted in a predetermined way. Based upon these weighted certainties, final certainties are inferred.