Abstract: A production method includes: an alkali extraction step of adding an alkali and water, or an alkali solution, to raw material ash containing an ammonium sulfate component, sulfuric acid, vanadium, and at least one other metal selected from nickel, iron, and magnesium, wherein a pH of 13 or higher is achieved, to obtain an alkali leachate; a solid-liquid separation step on the alkali leachate to obtain a leach filtrate containing vanadium; an evaporation concentration step of evaporating and concentrating the leach filtrate to obtain a concentrated liquid; and a crystallization/solid-liquid separation step of cooling and crystalizing the concentrated liquid and recovering a precipitate containing a vanadium compound.

Abstract: A method is for treating a surface of a resin material layer. The method includes a first step of introducing as a substituent at least one selected from the group consisting of an acid halide and an alkyl halide into an aromatic polyether-based resin included in the resin material layer by Friedel-Crafts reaction.

Abstract: A bioethanol production method using lignocellulosic biomass as a raw material, the method being adapted to increase the ethanol concentration of a fermentation liquid obtained in a fermentation step and reduce the distillation load without having to use specialized equipment in solubilizing the biomass by enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose contained in the biomass. When a solid residue of the cellulosic biomass, from which hemicellulose has been removed, is mixed with an aqueous solution containing a cellulose-hydrolyzing enzyme in a reaction vessel, ethanol is added in an amount of 3 to 6% by mass. Bacterial proliferation is suppressed during hydrolysis of cellulose, and the ethanol concentration achieved in ethanol fermentation of a saccharified solution is increased, so that the distillation load is reduced. The ethanol added at the time of hydrolysis can be collected during distillation of the alcoholic fermentation liquid and reused.

Abstract: A saccharified solution production method in which cellulosic biomass is solubilized by enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose contained in the cellulosic biomass, the method being adapted to quickly solubilize the biomass and give a slurry while keeping a high solids concentration in a reaction vessel. The biomass pulverized and an aqueous solution containing a cellulose-hydrolyzing enzyme are mixed in one reaction vessel including no baffle plate disposed in its interior, and the cellulosic biomass is solubilized under stirring. Afterwards, the contents of the reaction vessel are transferred to another reaction vessel including a baffle plate disposed in its interior, and enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose is allowed to proceed. The solids concentration in the first reaction vessel is preferably 15 to 30% by mass. The efficiency of stirring during enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose is enhanced, and thus the amount of sugar production can be increased.

Abstract: A method is for treating a surface of a resin material layer. The method includes a first step of introducing as a substituent at least one selected from the group consisting of an acid halide and an alkyl halide into an aromatic polyether-based resin included in the resin material layer by Friedel-Crafts reaction.

Abstract: A method for producing a saccharified solution making it possible that while the concentration of a solid in a reactor is kept high at an initial stage of hydrolyzing a cellulose contained in a biomass with an enzyme, the biomass is earlier solubilized to be made into a slurry form. In the method, at an initial stage of mixing an aqueous solution containing a biomass pulverized in a reactor, the aqueous solution is poured into reactor, and then pulverized biomass is supplied thereinto step by step while content in reactor is stirred. A final solid concentration in reactor is set into the range of 15 to 30% both inclusive by mass. The reactor's bottom plane is made into a conical or mirror plate form. At least in upper and lower parts of the reactor's inside, plural stirring fans having a long rotation radius are located to stir content in reactor.

Abstract: A biomass cake pressure-feeding apparatus includes: a screw pump including a first screw with a helical first conveying thread, a second screw with a helical second conveying thread, and a casing accommodating the first screw and the second screw such that the first screw and the second screw are parallel to each other, the screw pump being configured to feed biomass cake to a high pressure reactor, the biomass cake being obtained by adding water to powdery biomass; and a throttle part positioned downstream of the screw pump and configured to form a material seal made of the biomass cake by restricting a flow of the biomass cake.

Abstract: A method for producing a saccharified solution making it possible that while the concentration of a solid in a reactor is kept high at an initial stage of hydrolyzing a cellulose contained in a biomass with an enzyme, the biomass is earlier solubilized to be made into a slurry form. In the method, at an initial stage of mixing an aqueous solution containing a biomass pulverized in a reactor, the aqueous solution is poured into reactor, and then pulverized biomass is supplied thereinto step by step while content in reactor is stirred. A final solid concentration in reactor is set into the range of 15 to 30% both inclusive by mass. The reactor's bottom plane is made into a conical or mirror plate form. At least in upper and lower parts of the reactor's inside, plural stirring fans having a long rotation radius are located to stir content in reactor.

Abstract: A biomass cake pressure-feeding apparatus includes: a screw pump including a first screw with a helical first conveying thread, a second screw with a helical second conveying thread, and a casing accommodating the first screw and the second screw such that the first screw and the second screw are parallel to each other, the screw pump being configured to feed biomass cake to a high pressure reactor, the biomass cake being obtained by adding water to powdery biomass; and a throttle part positioned downstream of the screw pump and configured to form a material seal made of the biomass cake by restricting a flow of the biomass cake.

Abstract: A saccharification-reaction apparatus includes: a reactor which causes a saccharification-reaction of a raw material; and a raw material charging device which charges the raw material into the reactor at a predetermined interval; the reactor includes: a heating steam feeder which increases a temperature of the raw material charged from the charging device to a saccharification-reaction temperature; and a feeding mechanism which sequentially feeds each of the charged raw materials toward an outlet-port in a predetermined short period of time while causing the saccharification-reaction of each raw material under a high temperature and pressure; the raw material charging-device charges into the reactor, the raw material with a suitable bulk density for a saccharification-reaction speed of the reactor; in this manner, the saccharification-reaction apparatus charges the raw material in a hydrolytic saccharification state into the reactor by the raw material charging device; and hydrolytically saccharifying the raw

Abstract: A saccharification-reaction apparatus includes: a reactor which causes a saccharification-reaction of a raw material; and a raw material charging device which charges the raw material into the reactor at a predetermined interval; the reactor includes: a heating steam feeder which increases a temperature of the raw material charged from the charging device to a saccharification-reaction temperature; and a feeding mechanism which sequentially feeds each of the charged raw materials toward an outlet-port in a predetermined short period of time while causing the saccharification-reaction of each raw material under a high temperature and pressure; the raw material charging-device charges into the reactor, the raw material with a suitable bulk density for a saccharification-reaction speed of the reactor; in this manner, the saccharification-reaction apparatus charges the raw material in a hydrolytic saccharification state into the reactor by the raw material charging device; and hydrolytically saccharifying the raw

Abstract: In the present disclosure, after a volatile organic acid is added as a catalyst to a slurry and the hydrolytic saccharification reaction of hemicellulose is performed, the volatile organic acid (including one added to the slurry and one produced as a by-product) contained in a C5 saccharified solution can be easily recovered by adding a small amount of sulfuric acid to the C5 saccharified solution and subjecting the C5 saccharified solution to air stripping treatment. The efficiency of hydrolytic saccharification of hemicellulose into C5 sugars using a volatile organic acid can also be continuously improved by adding the recovered volatile organic acid as a catalyst to another slurry of cellulosic biomass.

Abstract: A method for producing a concentrated saccharified solution using lignocellulosic biomass as a source material. The method includes filtering a saccharified solution obtained by hydrolysis of cellulosic biomass through a membrane separator having a separation membrane having a molecular cutoff ranging from 1000 or more and 7000 or less, and feeding it to a reverse osmosis membrane device to concentrate the same. By such treatment, the saccharides having small molecular weights contained in the saccharified solution are transferred to the filtrate, and the lignin and its decomposition product having large molecular weights are drained as a concentrated solution from the membrane separator. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent loss of saccharides contained in the saccharified solution, and to easily prevent occurrence of fouling in the reverse osmosis membrane used in concentration of the saccharified solution.

Abstract: According to the method of the present invention, a cellulosic biomass slurry whose concentration of cellulosic biomass between 1% and 5% by mass is hydrothermally treated at a temperature of between 140° C. and 200° C. a pressure of between 1 MPa and 5 MPa to saccharify/decompose hemicellulose into C5 sugars. Then, a dewatered cake obtained after the hydrothermal treatment is slurried and has a solid concentration of between 1% and 5% by mass, and the slurry is hydrothermally treated at a temperature of between 240° C. and 300° C. and a pressure of between 4 MPa and 10 MPa to saccharify/decompose cellulose into C6 sugars. A saccharified solution is concentrated by a concentration device such as a reverse osmosis membrane device so that the concentration of sugars is 10% by mass or higher, and is then subjected to alcoholic fermentation.

Abstract: A hydrophilic filtration membrane having high chemical resistance, high strength, high water permeability and high blocking performance, and being superior in fouling resistance is provided. A hydrophilic filtration membrane containing a hydrophilic polyethersulfone having a contact angle of 65 to 74 degree, a molecular weight of 10,000 to 100,000, and the number of hydroxy groups of 0.6 to 1.4 per 100 polymerization repeating units. The hydrophilic filtration membrane may additionally contain a polyvinylpyrrolidone having a molecular weight of 10,000 to 1,300,000.

Abstract: A method for producing ethanol by alcohol fermentation of a saccharide obtained by hydrolyzing cellulosic biomass in a supercritical or subcritical state, wherein excessive decomposition and caramelization of the saccharide are inhibited to prevent a reduction in yield of the saccharide, and flash steam is effectively used. The method for producing ethanol of the present invention is characterized in that in a saccharification/decomposition step, a slurry after saccharification/decomposition, is flash-evaporated in a first flash tank so as to have a temperature of 150° C. to 200° C.; the slurry after saccharification/decomposition, which is taken from the first flash tank, is further flash-evaporated in a second flash tank so as to have a temperature of 100° C. to 120° C.; and first flash steam generated from the first flash tank is used as a heat source in the saccharification/decomposition step or a distillation step.

Abstract: A hydrophilic filtration membrane having high chemical resistance, high strength, high water permeability and high blocking performance, and being superior in fouling resistance is provided. A hydrophilic filtration membrane containing a hydrophilic polyethersulfone having a contact angle of 65 to 74 degree, a molecular weight of 10,000 to 100,000, and the number of hydroxy groups of 0.6 to 1.4 per 100 polymerization repeating units. The hydrophilic filtration membrane may additionally contain a polyvinylpyrrolidone having a molecular weight of 10,000 to 1,300,000.

Abstract: A wide dispersion speaker system 1 comprises a cone type speaker unit 2, and a restricting element 10A. The restricting element 10A is provided with a center hole 11 at a center section thereof, and a peripheral hole 12 located outward relative to the center hole 11. The restricting element 10A has an annular sound travel inhibiting portion 19 positioned radially outward relative to the center hole 11 and radially inward relative to the peripheral hole 12. An outer end in a radial direction of the sound travel inhibiting portion 19 is positioned at a substantially middle point between an outer end in the radial direction of the center hole 11 and an outer end in the radial direction of the peripheral hole 12 or positioned radially outward relative to the substantially middle point.

Abstract: An auxiliary mounting device 10 for an in ceiling speaker system comprises a ceiling reinforcing element 11 and an elongate element 21. The ceiling reinforcing element 11 includes a flat plate portion 12 and a vertical portion 14 provided to extend vertically from the flat plate portion, 12. The vertical portion 14 is capable of being in a slidable state in which the vertical portion 14 is vertically slidable and in a fixed state in which the vertical portion 14 is fixed so as not to vertically displace.

Abstract: A wide dispersion speaker system 1 comprises a cone type speaker unit 2, and a restricting element 10A. The restricting element 10A is provided with a center hole 11 at a center section thereof, and a peripheral hole 12 located outward relative to the center hole 11. The restricting element 10A has an annular sound travel inhibiting portion 19 positioned radially outward relative to the center hole 11 and radially inward relative to the peripheral hole 12. An outer end in a radial direction of the sound travel inhibiting portion 19 is positioned at a substantially middle point between an outer end in the radial direction of the center hole 11 and an outer end in the radial direction of the peripheral hole 12 or positioned radially outward relative to the substantially middle point.