Abstract: A method for improving thermal efficiency of a heating device that reduces an amount of heat flowing out from a heating device 11 to the outside by installing a heat-resistant inorganic conjugated molded product 16 in and along a pathway 15 for heated gas generated from the heating device 11 without interrupting the flow of heated gas passing the pathway 15, heating the inorganic conjugated molded product 16 with the heated gas, and putting radiation heat from the heated inorganic conjugated molded product 16 back into the heating device 11, the inorganic conjugated molded product 16 being provided with an interior layer and an exterior layer, the exterior layer consisting of a coverture for inorganic materials that protects the interior layer from heated gas.

Abstract: A method for improving thermal efficiency of a heating device that reduces an amount of heat flowing out from a heating device 11 to the outside by installing a heat-resistant inorganic conjugated molded product 16 in and along a pathway 15 for heated gas generated from the heating device 11 without interrupting the flow of heated gas passing the pathway 15, heating the inorganic conjugated molded product 16 with the heated gas, and putting radiation heat from the heated inorganic conjugated molded product 16 back into the heating device 11, the inorganic conjugated molded product 16 being provided with an interior layer and an exterior layer, the exterior layer consisting of a coverture for inorganic materials that protects the interior layer from heated gas.

Abstract: A thermal efficiency improvement device 10 for a heating furnace is installed in an exhaust port 12 of the heating furnace to reduce effluent heat from the exhaust port 12 to the outside. The device 10 disposed along a flow of exhaust gas passing inside the exhaust port 12 includes at least one heat-resistant fabric members 15, 16 heated by exhaust gas and supporting members 13, 14, 17, 18, 19 fixing the fabric members 15, 16 to the exhaust port 12, and puts radiant heat from the heated fabric members 15, 16 back into the heating furnace to reduce effluent heat to the outside. By installing the device in an exhaust port of an existing or newly-built heating furnace, radiant heat from the fabric members heated by exhaust gas is put back into the heating furnace, and effluent heat from the exhaust port is reduced.

Abstract: A ceramic composite material consisting of two or more crystal phases of different components, each crystal phase having a non-regular shape, said crystal phases having three dimensional continuous structures intertwined with each other, at least one crystal phase thereof being a single crystal. Further, by removing at least one crystal phase from this ceramic composite material, there is provided a porous ceramic material consisting of at least one crystal phase and pores, said crystal phase and pores having non-regular shapes and being three dimensionally continuous and intertwined with each other.

Abstract: A novel ceramic composite of a solidified body consisting of at least two crystal phases of oxides selected from metal oxides and complex metal oxides, except for the Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 /Y.sub.3 Al.sub.5 O.sub.12 combination.

Abstract: A fiber separator for separating a bundle of fibers into individual fibers comprising a composite roller composed of a plurality of roller elements, each having the same bulging thick-center profile. The roller elements are provided to revolve along a circle so that the fiber bundle comes into contact with them alternately, while preferably they are not free to rotate about their respective axes arranged along the circle. The fiber separator is preferably used in preparing a fiber reinforced metallic or resin body.