Abstract: Unevenness in thickness of a junction layer of a thermoelectric element including a thermoelectric conversion layer composed of an alloy having a filled skutterudite structure is reduced. The p-type thermoelectric element includes: a p-type thermoelectric conversion layer composed of an alloy having a filled skutterudite structure and containing antimony; a p-side first conductor layer composed of iron foil and laminated on the p-type thermoelectric conversion layer; a p-side second conductor layer composed of titanium foil and laminated on the p-side first conductor layer; and a p-side junction layer composed of copper foil and laminated on the p-side second conductor layer to be used for electrical junction with an electrode attached to a substrate.

Abstract: Cracking in a thermoelectric element made of a filled-skutterudite-type alloy is suppressed. A p-type thermoelectric element includes: a p-type thermoelectric conversion layer made of an alloy having a filled-skutterudite structure containing antimony; a p-side first metal layer that contains titanium simple substances and iron simple substances, and is laminated on the p-type thermoelectric conversion layer; and a p-side second metal layer that contains titanium simple substances, and is laminated on the p-side first metal layer.

Abstract: A thermoelectric conversion device includes: a thermoelectric conversion unit that includes thermoelectric conversion elements converting heat caused by temperature difference between a high-temperature side and a low-temperature side into electricity; a base unit that is loaded with the thermoelectric conversion unit to face the low-temperature side of the thermoelectric conversion unit; a lid unit that covers the thermoelectric conversion unit to face the high-temperature side of the thermoelectric conversion unit; a press ring that is provided over an entire circumference of outside of periphery of the thermoelectric conversion unit and sandwiches the brim portion of the lid unit between thereof and the base unit; and plural screws that position the lid unit with respect to the base unit and the thermoelectric conversion unit between the base unit and the lid unit by fixing the press ring to the base unit via the brim portion of the lid unit.

Abstract: Provided is an air conditioner which comprises multiple outdoor units, the air conditioner being configured so that, with the use of a low cost configuration, required refrigeration machine oil is supplied to all the outdoor units through refrigerant piping and so that the air conditioner has increased reliability. An air conditioner is provided with multiple indoor units and with four outdoor units which are connected to the multiple indoor units through refrigerant piping. A line of first refrigerant piping leading from the multiple indoor units is branched into two lines of second refrigerant piping, each of the two lines of second refrigerant piping is branched into two lines of third refrigerant piping, and the four lines of third refrigerant piping are respectively connected to the four outdoor units.

Abstract: 3,4-Dicarboalkoxybiphenyl-3?,4?-dicarboxylic acid represented by the general formula (1): in which R11 and R12 each represents an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and n represents the number of waters of hydration that is 0 or 1, and the corresponding anhydride.

Abstract: Provided is an air conditioner which comprises multiple outdoor units, the air conditioner being configured so that, with the use of a low cost configuration, required refrigeration machine oil is supplied to all the outdoor units through refrigerant piping and so that the air conditioner has increased reliability. An air conditioner is provided with multiple indoor units and with four outdoor units which are connected to the multiple indoor units through refrigerant piping. A line of first refrigerant piping leading from the multiple indoor units is branched into two lines of second refrigerant piping, each of the two lines of second refrigerant piping is branched into two lines of third refrigerant piping, and the four lines of third refrigerant piping are respectively connected to the four outdoor units.

Abstract: Cracking in a thermoelectric element made of a filled-skutterudite-type alloy is suppressed. A p-type thermoelectric element includes: a p-type thermoelectric conversion layer made of an alloy having a filled-skutterudite structure containing antimony; a p-side first metal layer that contains titanium simple substances and iron simple substances, and is laminated on the p-type thermoelectric conversion layer; and a p-side second metal layer that contains titanium simple substances, and is laminated on the p-side first metal layer.

Abstract: An engine of a straddle-type vehicle includes first, second, and third cylinders arranged, in this order, from right to left in a front view of the vehicle; first, second, and third intake pipes in communication with the first, second, and third cylinders, respectively; and first, second, and third exhaust pipes in communication with the first, second, and third cylinders, respectively. The first, second, and third exhaust pipes have different lengths and the first, second, and third intake pipes have different lengths.

Abstract: Provided by the present invention is a method for producing an alkanediol, such as 1,5-pentanediol, with a high reaction selectivity thereto by reacting a cyclic ether group-containing methanol such as tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol by using a non-chromium catalyst not containing chromium atom. More specifically, the method is to produce an alkanediol having hydroxy groups at both molecular terminals shown by the formula (2), includes reacting a cyclic ether group-containing methanol shown by the formula (1) with hydrogen in the presence of a metal catalyst which contains copper atom, at least one co-existing atom selected from the group consisting of elements of the third to the sixth periods of the II to XIV groups (excluding chromium) in the periodical table and lanthanide elements.

Abstract: The present invention has an object to provide a method for efficiently producing high-purity 1,5-pentanediol by reacting tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol with hydrogen. This manufacturing method for producing high-purity 1,5-pentanediol comprises: step (I): a step of obtaining a crude reaction product by a hydrogenolysis reaction of tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol with hydrogen carried out in the presence of a copper-containing catalyst with reaction temperature of 200 to 350° C. and reaction pressure of 1 to 40 MPa until conversion rate of tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol reaches 80% or less; step (II): a step of separating tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol and crude 1,5-pentanediol (A) from the crude reaction product obtained in the step (I), and then, supplying recovered tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol as a raw material for the step (I); and step (III): a step of obtaining the high-purity 1,5-pentanediol by distillation of the crude 1,5-pentanediol (A) obtained in the step (II).

Abstract: 3,4-Dicarboalkoxybiphenyl-3?,4?-dicarboxylic acid represented by the general formula (1): in which R11 and R12 each represents an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and n represents the number of waters of hydration that is 0 or 1, and the corresponding anhydride.

Abstract: An engine of a straddle-type vehicle includes first, second, and third cylinders arranged, in this order, from right to left in a front view of the vehicle; first, second, and third intake pipes in communication with the first, second, and third cylinders, respectively; and first, second, and third exhaust pipes in communication with the first, second, and third cylinders, respectively. The first, second, and third exhaust pipes have different lengths and the first, second, and third intake pipes have different lengths.

Abstract: Provided by the present invention is a method for producing an alkanediol, such as 1,5-pentanediol, with a high reaction selectivity thereto by reacting a cyclic ether group-containing methanol such as tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol by using a non-chromium catalyst not containing chromium atom. More specifically, the method is to produce an alkanediol having hydroxy groups at both molecular terminals shown by the formula (2), includes reacting a cyclic ether group-containing methanol shown by the formula (1) with hydrogen in the presence of a metal catalyst which contains copper atom, at least one co-existing atom selected from the group consisting of elements of the third to the sixth periods of the II to XIV groups (excluding chromium) in the periodical table and lanthanide elements.

Abstract: The present invention has an object to provide a method for efficiently producing high-purity 1,5-pentanediol by reacting tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol with hydrogen. This manufacturing method for producing high-purity 1,5-pentanediol comprises: step (I): a step of obtaining a crude reaction product by a hydrogenolysis reaction of tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol with hydrogen carried out in the presence of a copper-containing catalyst with reaction temperature of 200 to 350° C. and reaction pressure of 1 to 40 MPa until conversion rate of tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol reaches 80% or less; step (II): a step of separating tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol and crude 1,5-pentanediol (A) from the crude reaction product obtained in the step (I), and then, supplying recovered tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol as a raw material for the step (I); and step (III): a step of obtaining the high-purity 1,5-pentanediol by distillation of the crude 1,5-pentanediol (A) obtained in the step (II).

Abstract: The present invention relates to the 3,4-Dicarboalkoxybiphenyl-3?,4?-dicarboxylic acid (including the corresponding acid anhydride) represented by the general formula (1): wherein R11 and R12 each represents an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and n represents the number of waters of hydration that is 0 or 1.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the 3,4-Dicarboalkoxybiphenyl-3?,4?-dicarboxylic acid (including the corresponding acid anhydride) represented by the general formula (1): wherein R11 and R12 each represents an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and n represents the number of waters of hydration that is 0 or 1.

Abstract: There is provided a process for preparing a carbamate compound, which is easy and commercially advantageous in that a carbamate compound can be produced with high yield from an amine compound and a carbonate compound. A process for preparing a carbamate compound which comprises the step of reacting an amine compound which has at least one amino group per molecule wherein the amine compound is selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic amine which may be substituted by an alicyclic group or an aromatic group or which may be interrupted by an alicyclic group or an aromatic group, and an alicyclic amine which may be substituted by an aliphatic group, with a carbonate compound in the presence of at least one organic solvent selected from the group consisting of a saturated cyclic hydrocarbon, an unsaturated cyclic hydrocarbon, and a non-cyclic ether by using a hydrolase.

Abstract: An air conditioner comprising a refrigerant forward path branching on a discharge side of a compressor in an outdoor unit, one of the branched portions being defined by connecting a first four-way valve, a first outdoor heat exchanger and a first outdoor expansion valve to one another in this order, and the other of the branched portions being defined by connecting a second four-way valve, a second outdoor heat exchanger and a second outdoor expansion valve in this order, the path extending to an indoor unit from the respective outdoor expansion valves through a liquid-side piping, and returning to the outdoor unit from the indoor unit through a gas-side piping to branch, one of the branched portions being connected to the first four-way valve via a check valve placed in communication in a forward direction and the other of the branched portions being connected to the second four-way valve, the air conditioner being controlled such that, when heating operation is switched to defrosting operation, the second f

Abstract: To obtain an electricity storage type air conditioning apparatus which is capable of coping with the improvement in performance of the air conditioner or the needs for increase in cooling load and additional equipment to be installed afterward, by which it becomes possible to easily reduce the power consumption in the daytime even for an existing apparatus in which peak power cut is not considered, and which is suitable to reduce the noise and decrease the size.

Abstract: An epoxy resin composition comprising (i) an epoxy resin, (ii) a phenolic curing agent, (iii) an organophosphorous curing agent, (iv) alumina, and (v) a separating means for separating the organophosphorous curing agent and the alumina, which may be a coating over the surfaces of the organophosphorous curing agent.