Abstract: A butterfly valve includes a valve body-side valve seat section, a valve box-side valve seat section, and a valve movement mechanism. The valve movement mechanism includes a cam groove, a cam projection, and a reverse key. The valve movement mechanism moves the valve body in an extending direction of the flow passage along with rotation of the valve shaft between a blocking position and an open position. One of the valve body-side valve seat section and the valve box-side valve seat section is formed of a laminated material composed of alternatingly stacked plates made of metal and plates made of expanded graphite.

Abstract: Provided is a butterfly valve configured so that the sealing performance of the butterfly valve is ensured even if the butterfly valve is exposed to high-temperature fluid and is installed in a high radiation environment. A butterfly valve has: a valve body-side valve seat section which is formed on the outer periphery of a valve body; a valve box-side valve seat section which is formed on a valve box; and a valve movement mechanism which, as a valve shaft pivots, moves the valve body in the direction of extension of a flow passage, between a blocking position at which the valve body-side valve seat section and the valve box-side valve seat section are in contact with each other to close a flow passage, and an open position at which the valve body-side valve seat section and the valve box-side valve seat section are separated from each other to open the flow passage.

Abstract: An immobilized lipolytic enzyme for esterification and interesterification of fats and oils is prepared by adsorbing a fatty acid or a derivative thereof onto an insoluble carrier and then adsorbing a lipolytic enzyme onto the carrier in an aqueous medium. The resultant immobilized lipolytic enzyme can be dried to a water content of 2 wt. % or less. Preferably, the carrier is a phenol/formaldehyde resin, the lipolytic enzyme is from Rhizopus japonicus and the fatty acid is linoleic acid, lauric acid, stearic acid, ricinoleic acid or isostearic acid. A reaction column can be charged with the dried immobilized lipolytic enzyme and reaction continuously carried out without the use of a solvent. Preferably, starting materials have a water content of 0.01 to 0.2 wt. % and residence time in the column is 2 hours or shorter.

Abstract: Oleaginous material is fractionated into two fractions having different melting points from each other by emulsifying all the oleaginous material with water and using with a surfactant having an HLB value of 5 to 10 as an emulsifier, at a temperature at which all the oleaginous material is substantially melted. The emulsion is cooled to a temperature at which one fraction of the oleaginous material crystallizes so that the emulsion forms a lighter phase containing the other fraction of the oleaginous material and a heavier phase comprising an aqueous phase containing crystals of said first fraction dispersed therein. The lighter phase is separated from the heavier phase and then the crystals of the first fraction are separated from the remainder of the heavier phase.

Abstract: The interesterification between an oil or fat and a fatty acid or between an oil or fat and another is improved by use of a lipase preparation in which lipase has been activated by water or a lower, dihydric or trihydric alcohol.

Abstract: In a process for continuous refining of oils and fats, starting oils and fats and a lower alcohol containing 0.06 to 0.15 wt. %, based on the starting oils and fats, of an acid catalyst are continuously fed into a multi-stage reaction tank equipped with a stirrer and prevented from the back mixing, then the oils and fats are refined at 67.degree. C. or below, the refined oils and fats are continuously taken out together with an excess of the lower alcohol containing the acid catalyst, they are separated into the oil and fat layer and the lower alcohol layer, and most of the lower alcohol layer is recycled into the reaction tank.

Abstract: Lower alcohol esters of fatty acids are produced by esterifying free fatty acids of unrefined fats with a lower alcohol in an amount larger than its solubility in the fats in the presence an acid catalyst; separating the product mixture into the fat layer and the lower alcohol layer, so that the latter may be removed out; and then effecting the interesterification reaction between the resulting, refined fats and a lower alcohol with an alkali catalyst.