Abstract: A refrigerant circuit is formed by connecting an outdoor unit (5) and an indoor unit (6) to each other with communication piping (18) including a gas pipe (16) and a liquid pipe (17). An alternative refrigerant R-410A is used as a refrigerant to be circulated through the refrigerant circuit. For middle-sized and large-sized air conditioners whose rated cooling power (JIS C 9612) is not less than 4.0 kW, a gas pipe (16) having an outer diameter of about 9.5 mm (with wall thickness 0.8 mm) is used. For small-sized air conditioners whose rated cooling power (JIS C 9612) is less than 4.0 kW, a gas pipe (16) having an outer diameter of about 7.9 mm (with wall thickness 0.8 mm) is used.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a fatty acid ester of polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether wherein a fatty acid ester of polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether represented by the following formula (I) is produced through a reaction between a fatty acid alkyl ester with an alkylene oxide in the presence of a composite metal-oxide catalyst whose surface is modified with a metal hydroxide or a metal alkoxide: wherein each of R1 and R3 independently represents an alkyl group or an alkenyl group, R2 represents an alkylene group, and n is a positive number.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a fatty acid ester of polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether wherein a fatty acid ester of polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether represented by the following formula (I) is produced through a reaction between a fatty acid alkyl ester with an alkylene oxide in the presence of a composite metal-oxide catalyst whose surface is modified with a metal hydroxide or a metal alkoxide: ##STR1## wherein each of R.sub.1 and R.sub.3 independently represents an alkyl group or an alkenyl group, R.sub.2 represents an alkylene group, and n is a positive number.

Abstract: A method of producing alkylene oxide adduct comprises reacting an organic compound having one or more active hydrogen (for example, higher alcohol, amine, etc.) with alkylene oxide in the presence of an Al.Mg composite oxide catalyst. The catalyst can be obtained by calcining and activating aluminum magnesium hydroxide shown by nMgO.Al.sub.2 O.sub.3.mH.sub.2 O. In this method, a highly active reaction can be performed, and alkylene oxide adduct having very narrow alkylene oxide adduct molar distribution can be obtained. Since the load in a catalyst separating step is reduced, the catalyst can be efficiently separated. Therefore, the alkylene oxide adduct can be produced at low cost. In addition, the reaction can be performed at high speed, and the reaction time can be reduced.

Abstract: Finishing requirements are set (S31) and points of image data at each of which the finishing requirements should be met are specified (S32). The magnitude of correction of each of set-up parameters related to gradation is set based on halftone % data at each specified point and target halftone % data corresponding to the finishing requirements (S35). The halftone % data at each specified point is re-calculated based on the corrected set-up parameters (S36). The result of correction is evaluated and each of the set-up parameters is repeatedly corrected so as to reach the optimum value (S37). As a result, the most suitable set-up parameters can be obtained. Thus, the optimum image in which the finishing requirements are met can be obtained by image processing under the optimum set-up parameters.