Abstract: An anionic surfactant powder prepared by subjecting a mixture of an anionic surfactant and a solvent to microwave irradiation to remove at least a part of the solvent, and a process for preparing the anionic surfactant. The anionic surfactant powder can be suitably used for laundry detergents, detergents for tableware and kitchenware, foaming agents for toothpastes, powdery shampoos, emulsifying agents for polymerization, foaming agents for cement plaster and the like.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for producing lower alkyl fatty esters from fatty acids and lower alcohols, wherein lower alkyl fatty esters are produced in higher yield with a reduction in the amount of the remaining fatty acids. The process of the present invention comprises bringing fatty acids into contact with gaseous lower alcohols in fixed bed(s) charged with a weakly acidic solid catalyst by countercurrent operation, by co-current operation and subsequent countercurrent operation or by pseudo-countercurrent operation, thus feeding and reacting the fatty acids and lower alcohols in fixed-bed reactor(s) charged with a weakly acidic solid catalyst to produce lower alkyl fatty esters.

Abstract: The process for preparing an alkylene oxide adduct, including the steps of feeding an organic compound having active hydrogen and an alkylene oxide to a reaction column packed with a solid catalyst, and carrying out addition reaction of the organic compound having active hydrogen with an alkylene oxide in a gas-liquid fixed bed reaction, wherein the alkylene oxide is in a state of gas and the organic compound having active hydrogen is in a state of liquid.

Abstract: The process for preparing an alkylene oxide adduct, including the steps of feeding an organic compound having active hydrogen and an alkylene oxide to a reaction column packed with a solid catalyst, and carrying out addition reaction of the organic compound having active hydrogen with an alkylene oxide in a gas-liquid fixed bed reaction, wherein the alkylene oxide is in a state of gas and the organic compound having active hydrogen is in a state of liquid.

Abstract: A process for preparing a powdery alkyl sulfate, comprising drying aqueous slurry having a solid content of 60 to 85% by weight and containing an alkyl sulfate and an alkali metal carbonate in a ratio of 0.05 to 10 parts by weight of the alkali metal carbonate based on 100 parts by weight of the alkyl sulfate. This process is capable of stably preparing a powdery alkyl sulfate without deteriorating the quality of aqueous slurry of an alkyl sulfate and powder obtainable from the aqueous slurry.

Abstract: An edge node which receives an IP packet transmitted from a user adds thereto information including an external IP header and an IP virtual private network identifier for identifying each of a plurality of IP-VPNs present within a network to transfer the packet to a backbone node in the network. The edge node is assigned a plurality of different IP addresses in accordance with quality (required bandwidth) of an in-network packet.

Abstract: For allowing processing of a material into an intended three-dimensional configuration having different processed depths while suppressing an influence exerted on a processed configuration by a configuration of a transparent portion, a processing device includes an SR light source 1 for emitting SR light, an X-ray mask having a transparent portion of a predetermined configuration for passing the X-rays emitted from the SR light source 1, and exposure stage 3 for oscillating the X-ray mask and the material relatively to each other in accordance with a movement pattern determined based on the processing configuration of the processing material for moving the X-ray mask and the material relatively to each other and thereby oscillating the region where the material is irradiated with the X-ray passed through the transparent opening.

Abstract: A process for preparing a powdery alkyl sulfate, comprising drying aqueous slurry having a solid content of 60 to 85% by weight and containing an alkyl sulfate and an alkali metal carbonate in a ratio of 0.05 to 10 parts by weight of the alkali metal carbonate based on 100 parts by weight of the alkyl sulfate. This process is capable of stably preparing a powdery alkyl sulfate without deteriorating the quality of aqueous slurry of an alkyl sulfate and powder obtainable from the aqueous slurry.

Abstract: A method for producing an alcohol including the steps of continuously supplying and flowing starting materials of an alcohol in a reducing reactor; and carrying out catalytic reduction reaction of the starting materials with hydrogen gas in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst. In this method, the catalytic reduction reaction of the starting materials is carried out under temperature conditions of not less than a dew point of the resulting alcohol, and the starting materials of an alcohol are brought in contact with hydrogen gas in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst, in which at least one substance selected from the group consisting of starting materials of an alcohol, alcohols, wax esters, and hydrocarbons is present in a liquid form on a surface or within pores of the hydrogenation catalyst.

Abstract: A method for producing an alcohol comprising the steps of continuously feeding starting materials of an alcohol; and carrying out catalytic reduction reaction of the starting materials in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst, wherein said starting materials of an alcohol and a hydrogen gas are fed in a gaseous state or a mixture of liquid and gaseous states in a reduction reactor, and wherein said catalytic reduction reaction of the starting materials is carried out under temperature conditions, pressure conditions, and conditions of a molar ratio of hydrogen ((hydrogen molecules/(acyl groups in the starting materials)), sufficient to give an evaporation ratio of the starting materials of from 20 to 80% by weight, and wherein a ratio of VG to VL satisfies the following relationship in the reduction reactor: 100.ltoreq.VG/VL.ltoreq.

Abstract: When a system is designed, a spare path corresponding to a working path set between ADMs is preliminarily determined, and spare path terminating point data is held together with working path terminating point data in a path terminating point control data memory 381. Line checking parts 41a and 41b, when detecting generation of A transmission line trouble in the working path, retrieve spare path terminating point data with reference to path terminating point control data 381 in a path terminating point controller 38, and send out the spare path terminating point data together with working path terminating point data to the path switching part 372. The path switching part 372 instructs an STS path switch 42 to switch the working path terminating point from the prevailing path terminating point over to the spare path terminating point, thus realizing bypassing of the working path via the spare path. After restoration of the trouble path, path switching to the initial state is made.

Abstract: A method for preparing a copper-containing hydrogenation reaction catalyst includes the step of reducing a formed precursor of a copper-containing hydrogenation reaction catalyst with hydrogen gas or a mixture of hydrogen and inert gas by liquid phase reduction in a stream of a solvent. The reductive activation is carried out by the two steps of performing the first stage of liquid phase reduction by which the catalyst precursor is activated in the temperature range of from 20.degree. to 140.degree. C. so that at least 10% by weight of the copper oxide contained in the catalyst precursor can be reduced by the time when the temperature passes 140.degree. C., and then performing the second stage of liquid phase reduction by which the catalyst precursor is further activated in the temperature range of from 140.degree. to 250.degree. C. The catalyst thus obtained has markedly improved catalytic activity and selectivity.

Abstract: A plurality of crossconnect systems are respectively arranged at branch points of a network transmission line system. Each of the crossconnect systems includes a first setting unit, a second setting unit, and a checking unit. The first setting unit sets a primary transmission route of the network transmission lines. The second setting unit automatically searches for and sets an alternate route when a fault is detected in the primary transmission route set by the first setting unit. The checking unit checks the operation of each transmission line according to a predetermined timing.

Abstract: A digital capacitive sensing device comprises: a reference capacitor having a reference capacitance unaffected by a force to be measured; a reference pulse signal generating circuit which generates a reference pulse signal of a frequency corresponding to the reference capacitance; a sensing capacitor having capacitance variable according to the magnitude of the force; a measuring pulse signal generating circuit having a construction similar to that of the reference pulse signal generating circuit and capable of generating a measuring pulse signal of a frequency corresponding to the capacitance of the sensing capacitor; and a differential arithmetic circuit which adds the number of pulses of the reference pulse signal in a predetermined time interval to a set value and subtracts the number of pulses of the measuring pulse signal in a predetermined time interval from the set value.

Abstract: A process for producing desulfurized fats and oils or fatty acid esters is disclosed, which comprises treating fats and oils or fatty acid esters under hydrogen or a mixture of hydrogen and an inert gas atmosphere at a pressure of from 0.1 to 500 kg/cm.sup.2 in the absolute pressure at a temperature of from 100.degree. to 350.degree. C. in the presence of a catalyst of the following formula (I):Cu.multidot.X.sub.x .multidot.Y.sub.y .multidot.O.sub.z (I)wherein all symbols are defined in the disclosure. A process for producing an alcohols using desulfurized fats and oils or fatty acid esters is also disclosed. According to the process for producing an alcohol of the present invention, an alcohol of a high purity and good qualities can efficiently and effectively be produced.

Abstract: A process for producing an alcohol from a fatty acid ester, a fatty acid triglyceride or a fatty acid by continuously catalytically reducing the starting material in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst is disclosed. In the process of the present invention, two reactors (i.e., the main reactor located upstream and the after reactor located downstream) being located in series are employed. In the process of the present invention, two reactors are employed and the temperatures thereof are individually controlled, whereby the conversion ratio is elevated while suppressing the formation of hydrocarbon and aldehyde by-products. Thus, an alcohol of extremely high quality and high purity can be produced. Further, the process of the present invention makes it possible to omit any post-treatment for eliminating the by-products. Furthermore, the active life of the hydrogenation catalyst can be remarkably prolonged by using three reactors (i.e., the guard reactor, the main reactor and the after reactor).

Abstract: A process for producing an alcohol by continuously passing a fatty acid ester, a fatty acid triglyceride or a fatty acid through a hydrogenation catalyst to thereby produce the aimed alcohol through catalytic reduction is disclosed, wherein the employed reactor is a fixed bed reactor in which the liquid phase and the gas phase are continuously passed together in descending parallel flows through the hydrogenation catalyst fixed in the reactor; and at least one cooling mean for cooling the reaction system is provided at a position in the vertical direction of the reactor. According to the process of the present invention with the use of a fixed bed reactor, an alcohol, which has extremely high qualities and a high purity and is contaminated with little hydrocarbon and aldehyde by-products, can be produced. The process of the present invention further makes it possible to omit the post-treatment for eliminating the by-products.

Abstract: A semiconductor pressure sensor having a diaphragm formed over the surface of a semiconductor substrate by thin film forming technique is provided.

Abstract: A process for producing alcohols comprising catalytically reducing fats and oils or fatty acid esters with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst for ester reduction is disclosed, wherein the starting oils are first treated at a temperature of from 50.degree. to 200.degree. C. in hydrogen gas or a mixed gas of hydrogen and an inert gas in the presence of a nickel catalyst to yield a sulfur content at not more than 0.6 ppm an acid value (KOH mg/g) of not more than 2. By use of the thus purified starting oils, the catalyst for ester reduction exhibits a prolonged duration.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of producing an electrically-conductive transparent film. A substrate is placed in contact at its surface with a stream of reactive gas which comprises a tin compound, oxygen and an impurity material that enhances the conductivity of the film to be produced. The surface of the substrate is partially irradiated by a laser beam. The reactive gas in contact with the laser beam projected portion on the substrate surface is decomposed and deposits on the portion so that a high-conductivity transparent film of tin oxide (SnO.sub.2) is formed only on the portion on the substrate surface.