(EP205783-B1)      A glavanic cell having a manganese dioxide cathode, an alkaline electrolyte soln. and a zinc anode contg. mercury, wherein the mercury is present in an amt. between about 0.04 and about 3.0 wt.% based on the wt. of the zinc and wherein a cpd. having polyethylene oxide linkages in an amt. of at least about 0.001 wt.% based on the wt. of the zinc and indium in an amt. between about 0.005 and about 0.1 wt.% based on the wt. of the zinc are added to the cell.    (DE3685456-G)      The amt. of mercury to be added to the znc anode of a galvanic cell with a manganese dioxide cathode and an alkaline (pref. aq. KOH) electrolyte in order to provide adequate shelf-life or storage stability is reduced to 0.04-3 (esp. below 1) wt.% by adding to the cell both. (a) at least 0.001 (pref. below 0.2) wt.% of a cpd. having polyethylene oxide linkages; and (b) at least 0.005 (pref. below 0.06) wt.% of indium. CAU wts. are based on the wt. of zinc).    ADVANTAGE -   By using both (a) and (b) (cf US3847669 and DE1086309 resp. in which only (a) or (b) is used) there is obtd. a synergistic-type effect such that the amt. of mercury required to reduce reaction between the alkali and zinc is markedly reduced while still providing acceptable shelf-storage life.
(US4638111-A)      Thin film solar cell module has one panel contg. an array of cells consisting of a thin film Si alloy semiconductor sandwiched between a transparent conductive Zn oxide layer and a transparent conductive layer of Sn-, In-, or Zn-oxide on a transparent superstrate.    There is a second panel which contains an array of cells consisting of Cu In diselenide semiconductor sandwiched between a Zn oxide layer and a conductive metal layer on an insulating substrate. The Zn oxide layer contains a thin layer of high resistivity material adjacent the CIS semiconductor and which overlies a thick low resistivity material. The transparent layer of the first panel faces the low resistivity layer. The two panels are in series and are sepd. by a transparent insulating layer.    Pref. the transparent insulating layer is air, alternatively silicone, polyvinyl butyral or ethylene vinyl acetate.    ADVANTAGE -   A substantial proportion of the light energy of the solar spectrum is utilised. (10pp)
(US4640874-A)      Metal/air cell comprises a metal anode, a catalytic air depolarising cathode and a fluid electrolyte contained in a closed container of predetermined height. The container has an aperture adjacent the cathode to allow air to enter the cell. A cylindrical apertured cap is engaged on the cell container to cover the aperture. The cell height is thus increased to a required height and the ambient air enters the cell through the cap.    The cap may contain sufficient porous, air-permeable absorbent material (e.g. starch graft copolymer, CMC, cotton linters, etc.) to absorb or neutralise at least 10wt.% of the electrolyte.    ADVANTAGE -   Varying height multicell batteries can be made from button cell type metal air cells. Electrolyte leakage is reduced without impairing cell operation. (5pp)u
(US5183543-A)      Polyaniline film has thickness 0.3-5mm and denisty 0.4-1.1g per cub.cm.    Prepn. comprises (a) electrochemically polymerising aniline in an electrolytic soln. contg. aniline and borofluoric acid; then (b) pressing the polyaniline film formed. Opt. the film is further subjected to electrochemical redn.    USE -   As a positive or negative electrode in an electric cell, having high energy density and good performance for a long period of time.
(JP93023024-B)      Covered semiconductor silicon electrode is prepd. by exposing a thiophene cpd. to light and polymerising the thiopene cpd. electrolytically on the surface of a silicon semiconductor and forming a film of the polymer. Thiophene cpds. is e.g.. Thiophene cpds. is e.g. thiophene, 3-methyl thiophene, 3-ethyl thiophene, 3,4-dimethyl thiophene, 2,2'-bithiophene and 2,2'-dithienyl ethylene. The cpd. is dissolved in e.g. acetonitrile. Tetrabutyl ammonium trifluoromethane sulphonate is added as supporting electrolyte, and a silicon semiconductor electrode having the surface etched with HF is dipped in the soln. together with Pt, etc. as counter electrode. The surface of the Si semiconductor electrode is irradiated with light from e.g. halogen lamp. A positive voltage is impressed simultaneously on the surface of the silicon semiconductor electrode. Electrolytic polymerisation is caused on the surface of the semiconductor electrode. Polymer film has high electroconductivity because the film contains ions of supporting electrolyte. Uniform thin film is prepd. easily.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   The covered semiconductor electrode exhibits stable and light performance in aq. electrolyte soln, as working electrode for wet photo-cell being durable for a long time without causing delamination of coated film due to high adhesion of covering thiophene cpd. polymer. The electrode is useful for wet photo-cell for conversion of solar energy to electric energy. (J61211964-A)
(US4672149-A)      Photoelectric transducer element comprises a light-emissive front electrode, a photo-active layer (I) and a back electrode. Layer (I) contains an azo pigment of formula (II): in which A is a coupler residue.    ADVANTAGE -   Element has high transducing efficiency and flexibility. (28pp)
(JP93043194-B)      Semiconductive organic thin film is prepd. by treating thin film of phthalocyanine dye with plasma. Pref. phthalocyanine cpds. are expressed by the formula (I). M is H, Li, Na, K, Cu, Ag, Au, Be, Mg, Ca, Ba, Zn, Cd, Hg, Al, Se, Ga, Y, In, Tl, Si, Ti, Ge, Zr, Sn, Hf, Pb, V, Nb, Sb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Mn, Te, Re, Fe, Co, Ni, Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, Pt, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Th, Pa, U, Np, Am; or their mixts., or a cpd. expressed by M(Pc))Ix, (M(Pc)O), (M(Pc)O)Brx (x is above 5.5; Pc is phthalocyanine). Film is formed by the vapour deposition of dye cpd. on an electrode plate, or forming powdery cpd. to film using binder resin. The thickness of the film is below 100 microns (from several hundred Angstroms to 10 microns). The film is treated with low temp. plasma generated by exciting gaseous N2 or Ar under low pressure by glow or hf-discharge. Pressure is 0.01-10 Torr, (0.01-1.0 Torr). Pref. intensity of plasma is above 0.2 W/cm2 (0.4-0.8 W/cm2).    Treating time is above several tens sec., (2-6 mins.). (J61210680-A)
(DE3513910-C2)      A solar cell (7) and, near the edge of the module, at least one stiffening frame (10,11,17) is embedded in glass fibre plastic (2). There may be more than one solar cell. Near the frames there are means for securing the module, including the holes (12) and pins (13).    USE -   Suitable for solar energy installations. An economical design, simple and robust.
(JP93046665-B)      The electrochemical fuel cell comprises at least one electrode with a catalytic surface for a gas phase reaction, and an acid electrolyte. A layer bonded to the catalytic surface, comprises a fluorinated acid-contg. polymer of formula R1-CF=CF-R2-X. X is -SO3H, -PO3H2, -P(R)-O2H, -B(R)OH, -P(OR)OH, Si(OR)2OH or -CO2H; R and R1 are F or 1-10C perfluoroalkyl; R2 is (CFR3)n; n is 0-5; R3 is F or 1-3C perfluoroalkyl.    Pref. X is -PO3H, or -P(T)O2H, or pref. -SO3H. The electrode has a surface of 5 mg/cm2 of 10% Pt/C; and the layer comprises 1.5-2.5 mg/cm2 of perfluorohydrocarbon binding material and 1-10 mg/cm2 of polymer.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Improved performance for fuel cells operating with phosphoric acid electrolyte. (J62051165-A)
(US4654280-A)      Non-aq. cell has an active anode and a cathode-electrolyte soln which comprises a non-boron contg. solute dissolved in a liq. active cathode. The soln. contains an additive chosen from BCl3, BBr3, B sulphides, B2O3, Li borates and Li borides.    Pref. the soln contains 0.01-1.5 (0.1-1.0) mole additive per l. The cathode-electrolyte pref. contains at least 0.05 (at least 0.075)g vinyl polymer per l.    ADVANTAGE -   The additive reduces initial voltage delay of the cell when discharged. (13pp)
(JP94045687-B2)      Polybenzopyrroline (Cpd. A) comprises the structural units of formula (I) and/or (II). In the formulae R1, R2 = H or below 6 C satd. hydrocarbon gps.; Y1, Y2 = anions; one of R1Y1 and R2Y2 may be removed.    Y1 and Y2 include e.g. halogens, BF4, PF6 ions. Cpd. A is produced by treating dicyanobenzene with bases (e.g. sodium, lithium hydroxide), or treating the polybenzopyrroline prepd. with acids or halides (e.g. HBF4, methyl iodide).    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Cpd. A is stable in air and, when doped with appropriate dopants, has high conductivity. Cpd. A is produced at relatively low cost and is used in prim. and sec. batteries, solar cells and photoconductive materials.
(US4763966-A)      New infrared absorbent metal complex cpd. prepd. by coordinating two bidentate ligands chosen from gps. (i), (ii), (iv) to a center metal chosen from Ni, Cu, Co, Pd and Pt and then neutralising with a cation. R3 to R6 are independently H, halogen, -CN, -OH or opt. substd. alkyl, aryl, cycloalkyl or heterocyclic gp. bonded through a divalent connecting gp. to a benzene ring or a nonmetal opt. substd. 5-6 membered ring by bonding of R3 and R4 or R5 and R6; R3 to R6 may be the same or different.    The metal complex cpd. is chosen from formulae (I) and (II) where Cat is the neutralising cation and M is N, Cu, Co, Pd or Pt.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   As absorbent of infrared or near infrared light of wavelength 700-1500 nm, has high solubility in organic solvents, good compatability with film forming binder. Used as optical filter e.g. safe-light filter for infrared-sensitive materials; control of the growth of plants etc. with high cut-off ability against near is a high transmittance of visible light and good fastness to heat and light. (33pp)n    (US4921317-A)      Metal complex cpd. is prepd. by (a) coordinating 2 bidentate ligands of formula (I) to Ni, Cr, Co, Pd or Pd as centre metal; and (b) neutralising complex with a phosphonium ion. R1 and R2 are each H, CN or opt. substd. alkyl, aryl or heterocyclic gp.    Pref. (b) used a quat. phosphonium ion contg. (4C or more)alkyl, Pref. complex has formula (II), whose Cat is phosphonium cation, and M is Ni, Cu, Co, Pd or Pt.    USE -   As infrared absorbent, esp. in an optical filter. (37pp)
(US4614575-A)      Catalytic gas diffusion structure comprising electrode for use in an electrolytic cell has a part made of nonionic aq. polymeric gel which prevents gas percolation and restricts electrolyte access to diffusional and electrochemical transport. Other portions of the electrode provide access to gas flow. Suitably the gel is PVA and it may be crosslinked.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   In fuel cells, generator cells, electrolysis cells, metal recovery cells, measuring cells, etc. Operation and efficiency are improved. (7pp)
(US4618503-A)      Sealed reactive metal (RM) anode is produced by (A) preparing an anode of RM with a 1st surface to contact an electrolyte and at least 1 other surface at the primeter of at least a portion of the 1st surface and (B) coating, under an atmosphere inert to the RM, the other surface with a hydrophobic polymer inert to the RM and the electrolyte. The polymer (a) has a ratio of flexural modulus to flexural strength at least 25, (b) has an Izod impact value at least 0.35m.kg/cm and (c) has an elongation not more than 20%. The 1st surface is kept free from polymer.    Other surface is pref coated by abrasion coating, soln coating, aerosol spraying or press application. The inert atmosphere is either a noble gas, esp. A or He or a completely dry gas, esp air, O2, N2 or CO2. The polymer is esp. polymethyl methacrylate or polystyrene, both being filled with e.g. glass, pitch fibres, Al flakes. The RM is esp Li.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Useful in electrochemical cells; the anode is effectively sealed improving its resistance to corrosion and greatly extending its operation life. (6pp)
(WO8702512-A)      Battery comprises an assembly of photovoltaic cells connected in series and placed between two glass panes and two polyvinylbutyral foils, to charge one or two storage batteries and by use of the inernal resistance of the cells to be used as a car antenna or burglar alarm antenna.    High frequency and d.c. component sepn. is accomplished using two inductances and a condenser. The cells are e.g. 2-3 inches in dia.    ADVANTAGE -   Provides independence for electric car users and increases the life of a car battery by constant recharging even in winter. (First major country equivalent to RO--88421-A)
(US4605602-A)      Fuel cell stack has a corrosion resistant, electrically conductive, fluid impervious interface between two of the stacked elements. The interface consists of non-cuprous metal coating formed on one of the elements and a conductive layer bonded to the metal- coated element by a hot-pressed resin.    One of the elements is pref. a gas distribution plate and the other a metal-coated cooling plate.    ADVANTAGE -   Good resistance to corrosion by the electrolyte and good electrical and thermal conductivity. (7pp)
(US4628015-A)      Insoluble, infusible substrate has a polyacene-type skeletal structure having H/C atomic ratio 0.05-0.60 and specific surface area, at least 600 m2/g (BET). The substrate is a heat treated prod. of a mixt. comprising an aromatic condensn. polymer consisting of C, H and O as matrix and phenol resin fibres or carbon fibres dispersed in the matrix.    The polymer may be a condensn. prod. of an aromatic cpd. having a phenolic OH and an aldehyde, esp. phenol and formaldehyde. The phenol resin fibres are pref. obtd. by heat treating phenol resin fibres at 150-800 deg. C.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   The substrate has high surface area and excellent physical properties, e.g. strength and crack resistance. On doping with an electron donating or accepting agent a highly electroconductive material is obtd.. This is esp. useful as an electrode for a high performance, long life, maintenance-free sec. cell. (6pp)o
(US4677801-A)      Room heating surface comprises a rigid substrate, a flat blanket-like heating element with an electrical resistance member sandwiched between inner and outer polyester jackets and connected to a power source, spaced voids in the resistance member, adhesive bonding the inner jacket to the substrate, and a layer of ceramic tiles forming an outer surface and adhered to the outer jacket.    At each void, a connection is formed between the two layers of adhesive so that all the stress required to support a tile is transmitted form tile to substrate. At each void the jackets are pref. ultrasonically bonded together to form connections. Adhesive in the voids is pref. electrically insulated from the resistance member by a moulded dielectric collar with a web to which the adhesive bonds.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   As well, ceiling or floor, provides wide range of options. (6pp)n
(DE3531877-C2)      Detection of leaks in sealed non-aq. electrochemical cells and batteries with alkali metal or alkaline earth metal electrodes, in which leaking electrolyte reacts with moisture in the air to produce an acid, comprises coating the external surface of the cell or battery with an acid-base indicator (0.001-4 pts.wt.) dispersed in a bonding adhesive (100 pts.wt.).    The indicator is dissolved in a volatile solvent, then mixed with the adhesive, and applied to the cell or battery surfaces. Typical indicators are methyl red, methyl orange, bromo-cresol green, alizarin, eosin, fluorescein, etc.    ADVANTAGE -   The coatings exhibit a marked change in colour on escape of electrolyte, producing acid on contact with atmospheric moisture.
(DE3418879-C)      A reflector, esp. for dish antennae, solar ray concentrators, comprises a concave reflector membrane made from originally flat membrane material. (As claimed in 2740813). The peripheral edge of the membrane is sealed into a bowl , of rigid construction and sharper curvature, concave in the same direction as the membrane. A partial vacuum is maintained between membrane and bowl thus giving the curvature to the membrane. A preferred material for the membrane is plastics foil.    ADVANTAGE -   The mfg. process is simplified and costs reduced.
(JP92080843-B)      Sulphides (chalcogenides) obtd. from metallic elements and oxygen gp. elements are prepd. by reaction cpds. of the metallic elements with the oxygen gp. elements or their cpds. in non-aqueous solvents. Pref. the chalcogenides are formed in presence of organic ligands, esp. N-contg. neutral ligands (e.g. 2,2'-bipyridine or 1,10-phenanthroline).    The chalocogenides are soluble in non-aqueous solvents, esp. those in which polymer cpds. are dissolved, i.e. polyacrylonitrile dissolved in DMF or DMSO. The metallic elements are pref. gp. IIb elements, Ni or Cu. The chalcogenides are esp. CdS or ZnS xL (x = 0.01-0.34, L = ligand in crystal lattice).    ADVANTAGE -   For example, soluble CdS is provided, useful to prepare conductive or semiconductor thin films from CdS-polymer composites. (J61010008-A)
(US33306-E)      Sec. battery or cell with improved chargeability comprises (a) a cathode active material comprising a chalcogen cpd. of a transition metal; (b) an electrolyte comprising an organic solvent contg. a dissolved Li salt; and (c) an anode active material comprising Li metal in electrical contact with an electrically conductive, amorphous carbonaceous material having a conductivity of at least 10 power (-5) mho/cm and a density of at most 1.8 g/cm3.    The carbonaceous material is a pyrolysis residue formed by heating at least one organic material selected from synthetic high polymers, natural high polymers, pitches and coals, in an atmos. to a temp. of 300-1500 deg.C. The anode material is formed in situ within the sec. battery or cell by self-discharge of Li metal into the carbonaceous material.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   The battery or cell is of excellent properties, e.g. stability or flatness of discharge voltage and electric capacity. (8pp)
(US4841058-A)      Vinyl viologen derivs. of formula (I) are new. R' is H, tolyl, benzyl, opt. substd. 1-6C alkyl, opt. substd. 2-6C alkenyl, 3-6C cycloalkyl, opt. substd. 6-10C aromatic gp., in which the substit. is OH; and X1 and X2 are anions which may be the same or different.    Pref. X1 and X2 are anions which form a stable salt with bipyridinium.    USE -   As photo- or electro-chromic display materials, photo-electrochemical cell materials, etc. (9pp)    (JP94010194-B2)      Vinylviologen deriv. of general formula (I) is new, where R is H or 1-6C aliphatic gp.; R' is H, aliphatic gp. or aromatic gp.; X1 and X2 are same or different anion.    Cpd. (I) is prepd. by dehydrohalogenating cpd. of general formula (II) with base, where X3 and X4 are same or different anion; Y is halogen.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Cpd. (I) is useful for photosensitive-electrosensitive display material, photovoltaic cell material, mediator of oxidn.-redn. reaction or sensor and has enhanced sensitivity to redn. reaction and high wavelength light absorptivity. Copolymer of cpd. (I) has enhanced stability and resistivity to repetitive employment of oxidn.-redn. reaction.
(JP94002561-B2)      A zone for generating H2 and a zone for burning fuel gas are partitioned by solid electrolyte which has conductivity of O2 ion, a cathode which also serves as catalyst for redn. is arranged in the generating zone, and an anode which also serves as catalyst of oxidn. is arranged in the fuel burning zone. The device further comprises a path for exhaust gas formed by combustion of fuel gas by O2 ion, which is sepd. from steam by action of the electrolyte, a path for collecting high purity H2 gas generated from steam, and a couple of elements for generating electricity which are arranged in a manner so that their hot side and cold side are facing to the exhaust gas path and to the path respectively. An n-type element is electrically connected to the cathode, and p-type element is connected to the anode.    ADVANTAGE -   Sufficient voltage is generated as the hot side of the coupled element is kept hot by exhaust gas formed by combustion of fuel gas by O2 ion which is generated from the steam, and since cold side of the couple is kept cold by steam before sepg. O2 ion. The voltage is applied from the couple to the electrolyte to promote transmission of O2 ion and redn. of steam. Redn. of steam is promoted by preheating the steam by hot gas formed by combustion through the couple.(J61256901-A)
(JP93042763-B)      The conductor film comprises mainly stannous oxide and tantalum oxide as additive. The conductor film is produced by vapour deposition utilising activation reaction. Film-forming compsn. of stannous oxide and 0.5-10 wt.% tantalum oxides is used as evapg. material. Film-formation is carried out at a substrate temp. of 100-400 deg.C; partial pressure of oxygen of 1x10 power(-4) to 5x10 power(-4) Torr; high frequency power of 10-200 W; and deposition rate of 0.05-10 Angstroms.    USE -   For liq. crystal display panels and solar cells. (J61256506-A)
(US4729871-A)      Porous metal plate is mfd. by a method in which short metal fibres are embedded in adhesive on a substrate with predetermined bulk density, pressure is applied to push over the fibres and the composite is sintered. The fibres are formed of at least one meal selected from the gp. Al, bronze, Ni, and stainless steel. The adhesive can be organic or inorganic and can contain m.pt. depressant to lower the sintering temp. of the fibre. Substrate can be any material that is burnt on sintering e.g. paper, a reinforcing material such as net or plate of stainless steel, or material that can be removed prior to sintering.    ADVANTAGE -   Porous plate can have controlled porosity, can be produced in large sizes if reqd., and has high bending strength. (15pp)
(US4835072-A)      Appts. uses an aq. soln. as a working medium. The appts. has a flow path for an aq. soln. which includes water and iron based cpds. which deposit on the interior of the appts., the water being capable of reacting with its environment to form iron-based cpds.    The appts. has an aq. soln. comprising water having (1) a pH of at least 5.5; (2) an electrical conductivity which is not greater than 1 microohm per cm; and (3) a solids content (including an amt. of iron-based cpds. other than ferric hydrous oxide) below 1 ppm. The water also contains ferric hydrous oxide of an amt. that retards the deposition of the iron-based cpds. on the interior of the appts.    USE -   Used in the suppression of corrosion and the direct blocking of severe deposition of iron-based cpds. on the walls of conduits. (15pp)
(US4724191-A)      Hydronium contg. powder and bonding agent consisting of hydronium conducting organic polymer or phosphate are mixed, formed into a predetermined shape and cured. A dense polycrystalline shaped hydronium conducting ceramic body is obtd. in which the bonding agent does not affect hydronium ion conductivity.    The bonding agent may also be ortho phosphoric acid which is pref. employed in an amt. of 15-30 wt.% of the mixt. The hydronium powder may be obtd. by converting e.g. Na beta/beta"-alumina, Na/K beta/beta"-alumina, poly antimonic acid, etc. into hydronium powder.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Electrolyte ceramics which may be snow white in colour, resistant to breaking and cracking and have conductivity at 100 deg.C of 0.00014-0.0006 (ohm.cm)-1 can be obtd.. Used for fuel cells, hydrogen detectors, steam electrolysers. (6pp)
(US4885368-A)      Radical ion salt of formula (I) are new. In (I), R1-4 are H, (m)ethyl, phenyl, (m)ethoxy, F, Cl or Br; or R1 or R1 and R3 are each t.butyl; or R1-2 or R3-4 or R1-2 and R3-4 form a gp. (II) (V) (where z = 0, 1, 2 or 3); Mm+t is a cation whose redox potential is not more than that of Ag, (e.g. Cu, Ag, isoquinolium, phenazinium etc.); k is 1-5; l is 0.1-4; m is 1-3; n is 0.1-4; x is 0-2; and y is 0-6.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   The salt is useful as electrical semiconductor and photoconductor, as electrode or storage material, in electric batteries, etc.
(US4804591-A)      Fuel cell power plant comprising a fuel cell stack utilises an aq. soln. of pH 5.5-8.5, having electroconductivity of at most 1 micro-ohm per cm. and having solids content less than 1 ppm. The solids content includes an amt. of iron based cpds. other than ferric hydrous oxide and the soln. also includes ferric hydrous oxide to retard deposition of the iron based cpds. on the inside of a conduit.    A supply conduit in flow communication with a fuel cell power plant component receives water from the component. Additional ferric hydrous oxide, produced by controlled corrosion of iron or an iron based cpd. is supplied to the water.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   For the power plant cooling system. Blocking of conduits is reduced. (13pp)
(US4638111-A)      Thin film solar cell module has one panel contg. an array of cells consisting of a thin film Si alloy semiconductor sandwiched between a transparent conductive Zn oxide layer and a transparent conductive layer of Sn-, In-, or Zn-oxide on a transparent superstrate.    There is a second panel which contains an array of cells consisting of Cu In diselenide semiconductor sandwiched between a Zn oxide layer and a conductive metal layer on an insulating substrate. The Zn oxide layer contains a thin layer of high resistivity material adjacent the CIS semiconductor and which overlies a thick low resistivity material. The transparent layer of the first panel faces the low resistivity layer. The two panels are in series and are sepd. by a transparent insulating layer.    Pref. the transparent insulating layer is air, alternatively silicone, polyvinyl butyral or ethylene vinyl acetate.    ADVANTAGE -   A substantial proportion of the light energy of the solar spectrum is utilised. (10pp)
(DE3617945-C2)      Prodn. of relief images comprises coating a substrate with a radiation-sensitive polymer compsn. contg. a polyperoxytungstic acid of formula WO3.xCO2.yH2O2.zH2O, where x is 0-0.25 (pref. 0), y is 0.05-1.00 (pref. 0.4-0.7), and z is 0.16-4.00.    USE -   The coated substrates are irradiated through a pattern mask to produce resists for the prodn. of semiconductor devices.
(US4778859-A)      New compsn. comprises (a) a curable polyimide, soluble in organic solvents, and (b) a photopolymerisation initiator. (a) used consists of recurring units of formula (I): (where each or X, X1, X2, X3 and X4 is a tetravalent carbocyclic or heterocyclic residue; each of Y1, Y2, and Y3 is a divalent carbocyclic or heterocyclic residue; each of Z1 and Z2 is a 6-30C aromatic hydrocarbon residue, or a residue having a reactive C=C double bond, at least one of Z1 and Z2 being a residue having a reactive C=C bond; and each of l, m and n is an integer from 0 to 20).    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Heat-resistant, thermosetting compsn. is provided which does not always require high temp. imidation treatment, has good adhesion between the resulting polyimide and the substrate,, and yields a resulting polyimide with satisfactory thermal expansion coefficient. (14pp)f
(JP2675548-B2)      An electrochemical cell component comprises two planarly dis-posed electrodes bonded to or intimately pressed against opposing sides of a proton exchange active film, the film having (a) sulphonyl ion exchange active gps. present in their protonated form; (b) an equiv. wt. of less than ca. 1000 and (c) a storage modulus of greater than ca. 1x10 power 8 dynes/cm2 at a temp. greater than ca. 110 deg. C.    Pref. the cells are made by bonding gas-absorbing metal electrodes on opposite sides of theproton exchange active film, esp. where the anode is made from Pt black, Ru black, or a mixt. of tungsten oxides, and the cathode is of noble metals or noble metal blacks, esp. Pt black. The cell is made comprising an anode chamber and a cathode chamber in contact with and sepd. by the proton exchange film. A fuel such as pure H2 or a reformed hydrocarbon is fed into the fuel chamber adjacent to the anode and an oxidant such as air, pure O2, Br2 or Cl2 is fed into the chamber adjacent to the cathode, and the fuel is reacted electrochemically with the oxidant to produce electrical energy and steam.    ADVANTAGE -   Use of the polymer films allows a redn. in the equiv. wt. of the solid polymer electrolyte while at the same time limiting the water uptake of the polymer film per functional gp., compared to prior art films. The ionic conductivity of the films is also higher. The films have physical properties enabling them to be used in higher temp. proton exchange polymer film fuel cells, thus allowing max. efficiency of conversion of fuel gas available energy to valuable electrical energy, while recovering the max. amt. of total electrical and heat energy possible.
(US4629537-A)      Electrochemical converter is made by initially forming a set of solid-oxide electrolyte plates by suspending stabilised zirconia in a gas and passing the suspension through an arc discharge of at least 30 kilowatts to form a thin layer on a substrate. Deposition is repeated until plates 50-750 microns thick are formed and then removed from the substrate. One side of each plate is coated with a fuel electrode material and the other surface is coated with an oxidiser electrode material. A set of corrugated interconnector plates are made of Pt alloy 25-250 microns thick or of Ni alloy 100-1000 microns thick. The plates define gas passages and ridges for gas seals and contact with the electrolyte plates. The two types of plate are then assembled alternately.    ADVANTAGE -   Compact lightweight fuel cell of high efficiency. (9pp)h
(US4631352-A)      Multijunction Si solar cell has p-n junction cells epitaxially grown in layers to receive solar energy in series through the n-type layer of each solar cell. The p-type layer cell is connected to the n-type layer of the next cell in series by a p+/n+ tunnel junction of III-V or II-VI material of higher band gap than Si and which lattice matches Si. Pref. the high band gap material in GaP or ZnS.    ADVANTAGE -   High efficiency cell is obtd. (4pp)
(US6736168-N)      Solid oxide fuel cell consists of an array of segments connected in series. Each segment consists of electrolyte walls and interconnect without composite inert materials for support. The core is monolithic, each electrolyte wall consisting of thin layers of cathode and anode material sandwiching a thin layer of electrolyte material. The fuel is directed to the anode-exposed core passageways and oxidant is directed to the cathode-exposed core passageways. The layers of electrolyte material are each 0.002-0.01 cm. thick and the anode and cathode materials are each 0.002-0.05 cm. thick.    Typically the cathode material is LaMnO3, the anode material is Co and Y2O3 stabilised ZrO2 cermet and the electrolyte is Y2O3 stabilised ZrO2.    ADVANTAGE -   The cell has a reduced size and weight and the power density is increased. (46pp)t    (US4666798-A)      Fuel cell has segments connected in series by interconnect material (41), to form a honeycomb defining fuel passageways (36) and oxidant passageways (37). Each fuel segment comprises anode material walls (38) or cathode material walls (39) sandwiching electrolyte or interconnect material (41). The interconnect material provides series connection between adjacent segments which have a square cross section.    Pref. the cathode material is La manganite, the anode material is Co-yttria-stabilised zirconia cermet, the electrolyte is yttria stabilised zirconia, and the interconnect material is La chromite. The manganite and chromite are doped to make them conductive. Interconnect material and electrolyte are 0.002-0.01 cm thick and each layer of anode and cathode is 0.002-0.05 cm thick. 2-50 cell segments may be connected in series.    ADVANTAGE -   Diffusion losses are minimised and power density significantly enhanced. (19pp),
(JP92036585-B)      Method of producing a thin film (e.g. a transparent conductive film for amorphous semiconductor solar cell such as SnO2 film) from a mist includes supporting a substrate e.g. a glass substrate with the surface down, atomising a raw material soln. e.g. contg. SnCl4, SnCl3 and HCl and blowing it against the surface while heating the under surface of the substrate.    The opposite sides of the surface that are in contact with supporting members. (J61154082-A)
(US4687881-A)      Solar cell has a CuInS2 semiconductor photoanode which includes inclusions of extraneous phase including at least one of In2S3, In, and Cu2-xS where x=0-1, in an amt. 5 parts per thousand to 5%. The energy gap is about 1.5eV. Pref. the photoanode is subjected to polishing or etching.    ADVANTAGE -   High efficiency is obtd. (9pp)
(US4724011-A)      Thin film solar module includes a substrate supporting electrode pads which each have a conductive metal oxide film and a metallic portion. A semiconductive layer over the pads establishes a photovoltaic region. Further electrode pads are on the semiconductive layer, each one overlying one of the photovoltaic regions and overlapping the first electrode pad of an adjacent photovoltaic region over a preselected area which includes the metallic portion of the first pad. Localised conductive paths extend through the semiconductive area from each second electrode pad to the metallic portion of the first pad so that it overlaps to connect two of the photovoltaic regions in series. The conductive paths comprise discrete spaced regions.    ADVANTAGE -   Monolithic solar cell can be interconnected in a rapid effective manner with the prodn. of a min. amt. of debris. (11pp)    (DE3686195-G)      Device having a photovoltaic thin film of selected thickness is mfd. by (a) forming spaced transparent front electrodes (32) on a transparent substrate, each having at least one contact portion (30) thicker than the selected thickness of the thin film; (b) forming a continuous photovoltaic thin film (20) over the front electrodes and substrate regions between them; and (c) forming spaced back electrodes (22) on the continuous film, each overlying one front electrode to define a photovoltaic region between them, and overlapping the contact portion of an adjacent front electrode to establish an electrical connection with it through the continuous thin film.    The device comprises an array of photovoltaic regions in a continuous thin film, connected in series by the electrical connection between pre-formed front electrode contact regions and back electrodes of adjacent cells.    ADVANTAGE -   The photovoltaic layer is unpatterned, avoiding surface contamination risk, simplifying mfr., and increasing the active area of the device, pref. a solar cell array.
(US4694117-A)      Solar cell has a semiconductor body (1,2) contg. a pn junction (6), and is provided with a reflection-reducing layer (3) on the surface receiving the solar radiation. There is a rear contact (8) on the opposite face and at least one front interconnector (5) is directly applied to the reflection reducing layer so that the charge carriers pass from the semiconductor body to the front interconnector (5). The charge carriers pass from the semiconductor body to the front interconnector by tunnelling through the reflection-reducing layer (3).    ADVANTAGE -   Interconnection is carried out in a very simple manner without using ultrasonic welding. (4pp)o    (DE3516117-C)      A solar cell has a semiconductor body (1,2) with a gear contact (8) and a pn junction (1,2), and on the body surface a reflection reduction layer (3). At least one front side contact (5) is mounted direct on an insulating layer so that the charge carriers move from the body (1,2) to the front contact (5) by tunneling through the insulating layer. The insulating layer also forms the reflection reducing, quarter-wave layer.    The first contact may be arranged on an additional ohmic metal connecting contact under the reflection reducing layer, and this contact may contact the surface layer (2). The front contact may comprise conductive adhesive, glued on conductor tracks or glued on wires. The reflection reducing layer may comprise a titanium oxide. (4pp)t
(EP199878-B)      Apparatus for producing from hydrocarbon feedstock a gaseous mixture principally comprising hydrogen characterised in that said apparatus comprises; elongated combustion chamber means for reacting fuel and oxidant therein to generate heat for heating said hydrocarbon feedstock and for supporting a hydrogen-producing reaction; reformation reaction chamber means retaining reformer catalyst material therein and being formed about said combustion chamber means in heat exchange relationship with the latter and having an outer boundary comprising a wall; shift reaction chamber means containing shift catalyst material and being formed about said reformation reaction chamber means in heat exchange relationship with the latter and having an inner boundary comprising at least a portion of said wall, an end portion of said shift reaction chamber means and an end portion of said reformation reaction chamber means being in gaseous flow communication: preheated gas flow-producing means for producing a preheated gaseous flow of hydrocarbon feedstock and steam in a first direction through said reformation reaction chamber means wherein said hydrocarbon feedstock and steam are reacted in the presence of heat and said reformer catalyst material to form a high temperature mixture comprising hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and residual steam which upon passing from said reformation reaction chamber means, is then flowed into said shift reaction chamber means in a second direction opposite to said first direction, said shift catalyst material acting to increase the local heat transfer coefficient within said shift reaction chamber means for causing more heat from said high temperature mixture to be transferred through said wall from said shift reaction chamber means to said
(JP93082477-B)      Thin film forming appts. comprises a reaction vessel, pulsing ray source, raw material gas introducing means and controls. The gas introducing means uses raw material gases introduce into the reaction vesel for a fixed time while the introduction of the gases is synchronised with pulsating rays. The thin film is formed on a base plate placed in the vessel by irradiating pulsating rays into the raw material gases. The pulsating rays have a wavelength which is absorbed into the raw material gases.    The formation of thin film is carried out by introducing raw material gases for a fixed time to form the thin film.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   For making LSI, MOSLSI or solar battery. The amounts of raw material gases used may be reduced. Thin film may be formed at high speed in high efficiency. The prods. may be produced in high yields and the reliability is improved because the film has high quality. (J61217575-A)
(US4694116-A)      Thin-film solar cell comprises: a transparent substrate; a duel-layer transparent electrode; a photoelectric conversion section formed on the second layer of the electrode; and a reflective electrode layer. The first layer of the transparent electrode is formed of large-size grains and has a rough upper surface; and the second layer has a small-size grains and smooths the electrode surface. Pref. both layers are formed of SnO2.    ADVANTAGE -   Electrical problem caused by sharp crystal grain tips in the transparent electrode layer are prevented by inclusion of the second layer. (First major country equivalent to J61216489-A)
(US4672149-A)      Photoelectric transducer element comprises a light-emissive front electrode, a photo-active layer (I) and a back electrode. Layer (I) contains an azo pigment of formula (II): in which A is a coupler residue.    ADVANTAGE -   Element has high transducing efficiency and flexibility. (28pp)
(US4648945-A)      An adherent metal deposit is formed on a conducting ceramic by contacting with a soln. contg. ions of the metal and contacting the opposite surface with an ionically conducting aq. fluid. The metal is deposited by passing a d.c. from a cathode contacting the aq. fluid to an anode contacting the aq. soln., with no electronic contact to the deposit or the surface of the ceramic.    Pref. the metal is Ni, Co, Cu, Pt, Ag, and/or Au and the cathode is a graphite rod.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Solid oxide fuel cell interconnection is obtd. A good electrical connection is achieved. (5pp).    (US4748091-A)      Multilayered solid oxide fuel cell tube has an inner porous ceramic support tube covered with a porous air electrode. A non-porous ceramic electrolyte covers part of the air electrode and a non-porous electronically conducting ceramic interconnection covers another portion of the air electrode. A metal deposit is on the interconnection and a metal fuel electrode covers the electrolyte.    Pref. the metal deposit is Ni, Co, Cu, Pt, Ag and/or Au/    ADVANTAGE -   Metal is only deposited on the interconnection and no marking of other portion of the cell is necessary. The metal deposit has a low resistance and good adherence to the interconnection. (5pp)t
(DE3513910-C2)      A solar cell (7) and, near the edge of the module, at least one stiffening frame (10,11,17) is embedded in glass fibre plastic (2). There may be more than one solar cell. Near the frames there are means for securing the module, including the holes (12) and pins (13).    USE -   Suitable for solar energy installations. An economical design, simple and robust.
(US4648955-A)      Planar multi-junction electrochemical pump includes a container with one portion defining an inlet chamber and another portion defining an outlet chamber. The two chambers are sepd. by a gastight electrolyte membrane and pairs of electrodes contact both sides of the membrane. A voltage is applied to the electrodes to establish a voltage gradient converting the fluid into ions in the inlet chamber. The ions are propelled through the membrane into the outlet chamber where the ions are reconverted into fluid.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Electrochemical cell which has reduced wt. and bulk and which has improved reliability and efficiency. (7pp)    (JP7169499-A)      Planar multi-junction electrochemical cell comprises: a container (18), a membrane (16) defining first and second chambers (20,22); pairs of electrodes (24,26) on either side of and in contact with the membrane; and electrical connections (28,30) for the electrodes.    Cell is an electrochemical pump in which a voltage is applied to the electrodes; or is a fuel cell in which fuel gas is supplied to one chamber and oxidant gas to the other.    ADVANTAGE -   Arrangement of individual cells on one membrane in a single chamber eliminates need for many chamber walls and inlet and outlet lines.    (JP2934632-B2)      Planar multi-junction electrochemical cell comprises: a container (18), a membrane (16) defining first and second chambers (20,22); pairs of electrodes (24,26) on either side of and in contact with the membrane; and electrical connections (28,30) for the electrodes.    Cell is an electrochemical pump in which a voltage is applied to the electrodes; or is a fuel cell in which fuel gas is supplied to one chamber and oxidant gas to the other.    ADVANTAGE -   Arrangement of individual cells on one membrane in a single chamber eliminates need for many chamber walls and inlet and outlet lines.
(US4681984-A)      Solar cell has a transparent base electrode of doped stannic oxide and a semiconductor body of amorphous Si with an intrinsic i-layer between a p-type SiC layer and an n-type layer. The SiC layer contacts the electrode and the intrinsic layer has a P doping profile which rises in the direction towards the i/n junction between the n-type layer and the i-layer.    Pref. the P concn. rises from zero ppm at the p-SiC/i junction to 3-10 ppm at the i/n junction.    ADVANTAGE -   High efficiency is obtd. without a Staebler-Wronski effect. (4pp)
(US4904547-A)      The fuel-cell comprises switching valves which open at the time of the urgent stop of the device or the suspension of electric power and which are arranged outside a cell vessel. Differential pressure detector sense the differential pressures of an excess fuel pressure and an excess air pressure with respect to a nitrogen pressure in the cell vessel respectively. Pressure controllers direct the opening and closing operations of a fuel differential pressure control valve and an air differential pressure control valve in response to the outputs of the differential pressure detector respectively.    Electricity is produced by an electrochemical reaction and can be stopped promptyl by replacing a fuel gas and air supply with nitrogen gas.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Fuel cell. Avoids large differential pressure fluctuation after emergency shut down. @(First major country equivalent to J61200673)@ @(4pp Dwg.No.2/2)@
(US4650728-A)      Fuel cell power plant comprises an internal reforming-type fuel cell supplied with fuel gas and oxidising gas; and a fuel processor which is supplied with reaction heat and which modifies a fuel gas into an H2 fuel gas for supply to the cell.    Fuel gas is pref. a hydrocarbon or an alcohol and part is supplied direct to the cell and part to the fuel processor.    ADVANTAGE -   System can operate stably for long periods over conditions of widely ranging load demand. (First major country equivalent to J61193371-A)    (JP2581662-B2)      Fuel cell power plant comprises an internal reforming-type fuel cell supplied with fuel gas and oxidising gas; and a fuel processor which is supplied with reaction heat and which modifies a fuel gas into an H2 fuel gas for supply to the cell.    Fuel gas is pref. a hydrocarbon or an alcohol and part is supplied direct to the cell and part to the fuel processor.    ADVANTAGE -   System can operate stably for long periods over conditions of widely ranging load demand. (First major country equivalent to J61193371-A)
(US4925745-A)      In a fuel cell, the fuel gas mixt. comprising 10-35 vol.% CO and 1-10 ppm H2S (volume basis) is passed through a porous anode comprising 0.5-20 wt.% of a sulphur tolerant water-gas-shift selected from Cr2O3, FeO,Fe2O3,Fe3O4,Al2O3,LiAlO2, LiCrO2, MoO2, MoO3, WO3 and their mixts, and the remainder Ni, Co or their mixt. Over 25 vol.% of the water-gas-shift equilibrium conversion of CO to H2 obtd. with no H2S present is maintained in the presence of the H2S. The catalyst is present in amt. 5-15 wt.%, and the anode 85-95 wt.% Ni. The fuel cell is operated at 500-650 deg.C.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Improved operation of molten carbonate fuel cells. @(6pp)
(US4758481-A)      Fuel cell comprises an assembly of two or more cells in series, each cell comprising two porous electrodes standing in electrolyte and linked to positive and negative leads respectively. In each cell, one electrode is mounted in a frame with orifices and grooves for passage of electrolyte, adjacent to an insulating plate which separates each cell from the next one. Pref. grating separators are present in each cell, dividing cathode and anode compartments.    USE -   The prods. are economical and light power sources. (15pp)t
(JP93046665-B)      The electrochemical fuel cell comprises at least one electrode with a catalytic surface for a gas phase reaction, and an acid electrolyte. A layer bonded to the catalytic surface, comprises a fluorinated acid-contg. polymer of formula R1-CF=CF-R2-X. X is -SO3H, -PO3H2, -P(R)-O2H, -B(R)OH, -P(OR)OH, Si(OR)2OH or -CO2H; R and R1 are F or 1-10C perfluoroalkyl; R2 is (CFR3)n; n is 0-5; R3 is F or 1-3C perfluoroalkyl.    Pref. X is -PO3H, or -P(T)O2H, or pref. -SO3H. The electrode has a surface of 5 mg/cm2 of 10% Pt/C; and the layer comprises 1.5-2.5 mg/cm2 of perfluorohydrocarbon binding material and 1-10 mg/cm2 of polymer.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Improved performance for fuel cells operating with phosphoric acid electrolyte. (J62051165-A)
(JP92028774-B)      Al alloy contg. 0.5-7 wt.% Si has hardnesses of 50-100 Hv in Vickers hardness. The Al alloy may use pure Al or usual Al alloy, such as Al-Cu, Al-Zn-Mg, Al-Cu-Mg, Al-Cu-Si or Al-Cu-Ni-Mg alloy, etc. and may contain up to 2000 ppm Fe and/or up to 1.0 ccH to 100 g Al. Pref. the photoconductivity members have an amorphous layer contg. Si as a photo-conductible layer on its surface.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   For electric or electronic devices, such as photo-conductivity members, magnetic disc base plate, etc.. The Si content and hardness of alloy are limited, the influence of inclusions in the alloy is depressed and the workability of the alloy is improved. Tubes produced by drawing the alloy have precise surface shape and high size accuracy and are suitable for supports of electrophotosensitive drums. The photoconductive members using the support members have uniform electric, optical and photoconductible properties and high quality images are obtd. when they are used for electrophotographs. (J61159546-A)
(US4663251-A)      Zn-Br2 battery comprises: cathode and anode chambers sepd. by a membrane; catholyte and anolyte storage tanks; a first connection pipe for receiving part of the catholyte which has flowed from the cathode chamber to the catholyte storage tank from a position which is remote from an inlet for the catholyte, and supplies it to the anolyte storage tank; and a second connection pipe for supplying part of the anolyte to the catholyte for mixing, such that the anolyte and catholyte are forcibly mixed through the frist and second connection pipes.    ADVANTAGE -   Difference in Zn ion concn. between catholyte and anolyte is reduced, increasing cell charge capacity. (First major country equivalent to J61156641-A)
(US4699851-A)      Solid electrolyte comprises a heteropolyacid based on tungstic and/or molybolic acid contg. C as a heteroatom. Pref. the acid is CxMyOz(m-) in which M is W and/or Mo and the ratio x:y is 1:12-4:12 and the hydrated proton H(m'H2O)+.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Useful in fuel cells, sensors, electrochromic displays etc. The acid is stable, is easily moulded and is simple to prepare. (4pp)e    (DE3685860-G)      The new solid electrolyte comprises heteropolyacids, the major components of which are heteropolytungstic acids and/or heteropolymolybdic acids, which have carbon as the hetero atom. The heteropolyacids are composed of a heteropolyanion of general formula CxMyOz(-) and a hydrated proton, H(m,H2O)+. In the formula C is carbon, M is tungsten or molybdenum, O is oxygen and the ratio of x to y is 1-4 to 12. Useful as hydrogen sensors, pH sensors and H2-O2 fuel cells. The pref. synthesis in the reaction between tungsten carbides (etc.) and H2O2.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   The electrolyte is easily synthesised, has excellent stability and good mouldability.
(US4754544-A)      Semiconductor device arrays, e.g. of photovoltaic cells, are produced from substrate with layer of semiconductor material, with an unconventionally thin substrate, which can be produced by etching away a thick substrate, some of the substrate being removed completely to form islands. Semiconductor material is rpref. amorphous Si or Ge alloy and substrate can be e.g. stainless steel or Ni, not more than 25 mu thick, e.g. not more than 10 mu thick. Semiconductor can contain a number of layers of different conductivity types, junctions being parallel to the substrate.    ADVANTAGE -   Flexible and lightweight arrays can be obtained, with high specific power. (16pp)
(US4672148-A)      Thin-film solar cell comprises an active region consisting of an Si:H pin structure formed by glow discharge, at least one of the p or n layers comprising a laminated structure of a non-crystal layer and a layer of microcrystal mixts. The Si:H structure is formed on a transparent conductive layer on a glass substrate with the non-crystal layer of the p or n layer having in direct contact with the conductive layer.    ADVANTAGE -   Cell has enhanced photo-electroc conversion properties; the properties of the transparent conductive layer are not adversely affected. (First major country equivalent to J61135167-A)
(JP93033548-B)      A method is claimed to scribe a thin film or aluminium tin oxide or molybdenum deposited on a substrate using a jet of etching soln. having a dia. of 0.002-0.008 in whilst, passing a current of about 0.02-0.1 amps. The etching soln. is 5% nitric acid in water when etching aluminium 30% by wt. HCl and 5-10% HCl and 5-10% HCl and 5-10% NaCl dissolved in water when etching a molybdenum film.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   The thin film deposited on the substrate forms a solar cell. The etching soln. contains material which provides appropriate electrical conductivity to the soln. and which can form soluble reaction prods. with the film to be etched. The soln. is also non-reactive with the film material in the absence of electrical current. (J61214584-A)
(US4711807-A)      Insulating material consists of non-single crystal crystalline Si cpd. contg. 0.01-10 atom% Ar and a breakdown voltage of not less than 50 V/micron.    Pref. the cpd. contains C, N, O, B, S, and/or Ge and is formed by plasma CVD to a layer thickness of 0.5-100 microns.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Useful as an insulator layer for insulating substrates required in electronic applications e.g. vessels of semiconductors. The material has a good breakdown voltage and reasonably good heat resisting properties. (6pp)
(US4691076-A)      Solar array has an Al foil layer contg. spaced apertures and discrete semiconductor members with p-type and n-type regions, which are positioned in the apertures with the n-type region ohmically bonded to the foil. The members are pressed into the apertures at 500-577 deg.C, there is a contact insulated from the foil and coupled to the p-region.    Pref. the contact is another Al foil and the semiconductor members have a spheroid shape.    ADVANTAGE -   The array is flexible and utilises a relatively small number of inexpensive materials and processing steps. (11pp)e    (US4806495-A)      Solar cell arrays are mfd. from an Al foil, about 2 mil thick, which is initially embossed in a periodic hexagon arrangement, then is cleaned and etched with heated K or Na hydroxide to form an aperture (5) where the embossing was previously. A number of Si spheres (7), with N-type skin and P-type interior (11) are deposited over the rear side (13) of the matrix on the foil and a vacuum provided on the front draws the spheres through the apertures. Spheres are then bonded with the foil by heating and use of an impact press. Rear of the foil and part of the sphere are etched to remove N-type layer and array is anodised, giving Si and Al oxide layers (21,22). Spheres are lapped to remove Si dioxide and level back (17) of the sphere and thin foil (19) of Al is bonded on.    ADVANTAGE -   Array can be produced relatively economically. (11pp)
(DE3446807-C)      In a thin film solar cell with n-i-p structure and a roughened substrate surface, in which the light enters the cell through the n-film, the substrate (1) has numerous concave areas without point.    In the prodn. of the solar cell: a) the substrate material is lapped with A1203 powder, using b) A1203 with a particle size of ca. 3 microns, c) the substrate material is removed to a depth of roughness of ca. 0.5-3 microns, and d) then the substrate is etched with HF for ca. 2 s in an ultrasonic bath.    ADVANTAGE -   The recombination of charge carriers is reduced and hence the filling factor is increased. Short circuits are avoided and the effective area is increased by the multiple concave structure.    (US4931412-A)      A solar cell is produced by lapping a substrate with Al2O3 having a grain size of 3 microns, and abrading the substrate surface to obtain a roughness of 0.5-3 microns, then etching with HF for 2 seconds in an ultrasonic bath. The substrate surface has an n-layer for light entering the cell. The solar cell surface is formed as a multiply concave surface having no sharp points.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   For thin film solar cells having an n-i-p structure. The solar cell is simple in design, rugged in construction and economical mfr. (5pp)    (US4956685-A)      Thin film solar cell comprises (a) a substrate whose surface has contiguous concave parts with rounded junctions between them; and (b) a semiconductor structure made from amorphous silicon. Cpd. (b) comprises 3 superimposed layers, including a layer of N-conductivity a layer ofP-conductivity or a layer of intrinsic type between them, positioned such that layer of P-conductivity faces the substrate. Surface of (b) has contiguous concave parts with rounded junctions between them corresp. to contiguous concave parts on (a).    ADVANTAGE -   Has improved fill factor, and no sharp points.    (5pp)
(JP94031453-B2)      Power source of the appts. has an insulating protective layer laminated on at least one surface of the solar battery to protect the battery from corrosion due to the electrolyte. An optically transparent plate is laminated on the outside surface of the solar battery. An anodic electrode plate and cathodic electrode plate are at anode pole and cathode pole of the battery respectively, and these electrode plates are completely insulated from each other.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   With the solar battery, there is no need for external power source appts. and connecting wiring for the electric circuit. The total dimensions of the appts. are small.
(US4596751-A)      Fuel cell has an electrolyte-matrix contg. an alkali metal carbonate electrolyte. There is an anode which has a mean pore dia. less than that of the cathode and a porosity which is sufficient to contain enough electrolyte to compensate for losses during normal operation. The ratio of max. pore dia. at 90% electrolyte fill and 10% fill is less than 3.    Pref. the cell also has a cathode with a specified pore size, thickness, pore size distribution, and porosity etc..    ADVANTAGE -   The cell has a working life of at least 40,000 hrs. at high levels of performance. (9pp)l
(US4645622-A)      Electrically conductive ceramic consists of Lax Cay MnO3+delta in which x = 0.44-0.48, y = 0.42-0.50 and the sum of the mol numbers of La and Ca is 1-15% smaller than that of the Mn.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Useful under corrosive or oxidising conditions and up to 1300 deg. C e.g. in vapour phase electrolysis or high temp. fuel cells, as electrodes. A high conductivity is obtd.. (2pp)n    (DE3445251-C)      Electrically conductive ceramic has the compsn. LaxCayMnO3+D', where x = 0.44-0.48, y = 0.42-0.50, and the total of mol numbers of La and Ca is 1-15%, pref. 8-12%, partic. 10% less than the mol number of Mn. The (La, Ca) lattice is not completely occupied and the non-stoichimetric ratio of this lattice to the transition metal lattice gives increased conductivity through the latter lattice. The value of D is a function of 0 partial pressure and temp. and varies according to surrounding conditions.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Used e.g. in contacts, resistant to high temps., oxidising gases, temp. cycling, does not form high resistant coating layer, and is relatively cheap. (2pp)r
(JP94045687-B2)      Polybenzopyrroline (Cpd. A) comprises the structural units of formula (I) and/or (II). In the formulae R1, R2 = H or below 6 C satd. hydrocarbon gps.; Y1, Y2 = anions; one of R1Y1 and R2Y2 may be removed.    Y1 and Y2 include e.g. halogens, BF4, PF6 ions. Cpd. A is produced by treating dicyanobenzene with bases (e.g. sodium, lithium hydroxide), or treating the polybenzopyrroline prepd. with acids or halides (e.g. HBF4, methyl iodide).    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Cpd. A is stable in air and, when doped with appropriate dopants, has high conductivity. Cpd. A is produced at relatively low cost and is used in prim. and sec. batteries, solar cells and photoconductive materials.
(US4611091-A)      Thin film photovolatic device has a layer of Cu In diselenide p-type semiconductor material and an overlying layer of n-type Cd sulphide of thickness less than 2500 angstroms. There is also a top layer of transparent degenerate wide band gap n-type semiconductor material.    The top layer is pref. primarily Zn oxide and pref. has sufficient conductivity to fully deplete the second layer.    ADVANTAGE -   There is good transmission of blue light to the junction region and the device voltage is improved. (4pp)s
(DE3441044-C)      Prodn. of thin film semiconductor elements, esp. solar cells, involves the deposition of a doped and then an intrinsic film contg. Si and/or Ge and opt. hydrocarbon on a metal (oxide) film, deposition of the intrinsic film being carrier out by plama-induced decomposition of a gas contg. Si and/or Ge. The novelty is that the doped film (3,8) is deposited on the metal (oxide) film (2,7) by thermally-induced decomposition of a gas contg. Si and/or Ge.    The doped film is produced by photochemically-induced decomposition on a metal, esp. steel film.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   The technique uses simple appts. and procedures and avoids incorporation of metallic impurities from the metal (oxide) substrate in the doped amorphous film. the semiconductor elements or solar cells obtd. have high long term stability and increased open-circuit voltage. The elements useful as solar cells and elements of analogous structure e.g. 'Vidikin' (RTM) films, photosensor elements or thin film transistors.
(US4664987-A)      A high temp. solid oxide electrochemical cell design having inner and outer annular electrodes with electrolyte therebetween. Cells located in a common plane are connected in a parallel manner while cells perpendicular to the common plane are connected in series. Fuel is supplied into the centre of the cell stack while air is preheated before delivery to the cell feed tubes.    ADVANTAGE -   A compact and efficient arrangement is provided for fuel cells operated at about 800 deg.C. (6pp)
(US4629664-A)      A liquid fuel cell, having a circulation system for a fuel mixture comprising fuel and water, comprises a first tank containing water or a water-rich fuel mixture comprising water and fuel and a second tank containing fuel or a fuel-rich mixture comprising water and fuel. A first detector senses the level of the fuel mixture in the circulation system. A second detector senses a fuel concentration of the fuel mixture in the circulation system, or an output from the fuel cell, or a load current of the fuel cell.    A valve controls flow of the water or the water-rich mixture in the first tank to the circulation system in accordance with the output from the first detector. Another valve controls flow of the fuel or the fuel-rich mixture in the second tank to the circulation system in accordance with the output from the second detector.    ADVANTAGE -   Stable operation for prolonged time in spite of different consumption rates of fuel and water even if the load current or operating temp. of the fuel cell or the temp. or humidity of the atmosphere is changed. (11pp)l
(JP2594041-B2)      Fuel cell system comprises (a) a fuel cell with an anode for receiving fuel gas and a cathode for receiving oxidising gas, and (b) a steam reformer for converting a mixt. of water and water-miscible hydrocarbon fuel to fuel gas. A mixing tank receives water and fuel and delivers the mixt. to a holding tank, which then delivers to mixt. to the reformer. Fuel gas from the reformer is fed to the fuel cell.    The mixing tank is equipped with switches corresp. to 1st, 2nd and 3rd preset liq. levels. When the liq. drops below the 1st level, fuel is supplied to the tank until the 2nd level is reached, and then water is supplied until the 3rd level is reached. The mixt. is then delivered to the holding tank and thence to the reformer. Cathode and anode exhaust streams are passed to a burner for heating the reformer.    ADVANTAGE -   The system permits accurate and thorough mixing of the water and fuel before they are fed into the reformer (cf. US 3539395, 3607419, 3982962, 3976507, 4001041, 4120787, 4128700 and 4200682).
(EP180781-B)      Amorphous Si solar cell is formed by depositing a pin structure (stack), the i-layer(s) being doped n-type. Pref. the p-layer(s) are formed using B as dopant and the i-layer(s) are doped with (1-50)x10 power 17 P ats./cc. where the p and i layers are formed in the same reaction chamber, or (0.1-50)x10 power 17 P ats./cc. where they are formed in separate reaction chambers.    ADVANTAGE -   Cell has enhanced conversion efficiency by preventing any drop in output on continuous exposure to light; pref. efficiency does not drop more than 10% in 15 years use outdoors.
(US4657603-A)      Gallium arsenide thin film solar cells are produced by depositing a highly doped amorphous germanium layer on the substrate and dividing the layer into prescribed zones with defined crystal orientation. Finally vapour phase epitaxy is applied to the gallium arsenide. Pref. the germanium layer is 0.2-0.5 microns thick.    ADVANTAGE -   Stable solar cells can be produced at relatively low cost. (4pp)
(JP92043845-B)      A method of purifying monosilane (I), comprises a holding (I) in a storage tank with its reflux. (I) is preserved in a storage tank at about -112 deg.C. It is discharged from the bottom of the tank, allowed to evaporate in a heat-exchanger and filled in a gas cylinder to be supplied to its user.    ADVANTAGE -   The method is used for obtaining (I) which contains no impurities having a b.pt. lower than (I). The impurities are oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, argon, helium, and methane. A small amt. of the impurity in (I) influences the lifetime of a solar battery produced using (I). (I) is to be used for prodn. of long-life batteries. (J61063517-A
(JP92043844-B)      Highly purified monosilane (I) is preserved in a storage tank with its reflux.    (I) is preserved in a storage tank at about -112 deg.C. It is discharged from the bottom of the tank, evapd. in a heat-exchanger and filled into a gas cylinder to be supplied to user.    ADVANTAGE -   The method is applied to preserving (I) which contains no impurities having a boiling point lower than that of (I). The impurity can be oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, argon, helium and methane. The presence of small amt. of the impurity in (I) influences the lifetime of a solar battery produced using (I). (I) to be used for prodn. of solar battery is suitably preserved by the present method. (J61063516-A
(US4664748-A)      In a surface roughening method for glass and metal plates that may be used as substrates for solar cells, the surface of a piece of glass is coated with a photo-resist incorporating light-shielding microparticles. The coating is exposed and developed. Substrate is etched with hydrofluoric acid, capable of etching the glass but not the undeveloped photoresist behind the light-shielding particles. Thickness of the photoresist is about 1 micron. The process can also be used on sheets of Al, the etchant being capable of etching Al but not undeveloped photoresist. Glass surface has multiple glass columns dispersed corresp. to the position of the particles.    ADVANTAGE -   Uneven surface is produced with high degree of controllability by a simple procedure. (5pp)n    (JP92036586-B)      Surface roughening method comprises coating a substrate with a photoresist contg. light-shielding micro-particles, exposing and developing and etching the substrate with an etchant that does not etch the undeveloped photoresist behind the particles. Pref. substrate is glass and etchant is HF. In another substrate is Al and microparticles are Ag glass beads of dia. 10 microns.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   In solar cell technology. Method is simple and provides a roughened substrate with a high degree of controllability. (J61108176-A)
(US4584427-A)      Solar cell has a transparent front face electrode comprising the oxide of at least one metal. The surface of the electrode is covered with the free metal of at least one of these oxides, the layer formed being transparent to light. A thin film photovoltaic device is on the free metal followed by a back face electrode.    Pref. the front face electrode is Sn oxide and the layer of free metal is 10-100 angstroms thick.    ADVANTAGE -   Measured cell fill factor is good. (5pp)s
(US6719653-N)      In the prodn. of a porous carbonate-contg. structure for a molten carbonate fuel cell, a porous structure is prepd. contg. an alkali metal and/or alkaline earth metal salt. At least a portion of the salt is a monobasic organic acid salt which is converted to the carbonate in situe, by heating in presence of O2. Pref. the salt is a formate.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Mfr. of anodes, cathodes and electrolyte tiles. Processing is carried out using inexpensive materials with ordinary operating temps. without use of exotic equipment. (14pp)
(JP93064300-B)      The appts. for analysing gases of a fuel cell power generating system has a reforming device equipped with an appts. for calculating the concentration or composition of the reformed gas produced by the reforming appts. based on the temperatures and pressures of the reactions and the flow rates of the raw fuel and water vapour fed to the reforming appts. (J61048761-A)
(US4907052-A)      Multijunction semiconductor device has at least one p-type semiconductor layer, at least one n-type semiconductor layer and at least one dopant diffusion blocking layer between them. Each layer is made from amorphous material or amorphous material contg. microcrystals. The blocking layer comprises at least one metal silicide layer adjacent to one of the other layers.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Useful in solar cells, photo-sensors, rectifiers etc. Decrease in quality when used at a high temp. is avoided.    (RU2050632-C1)      Multi-junction semiconductor device comprises a p-type layer and an n-type layer with an interposed diffusion-blocking layer. The latter may be a conducting or insulating layer and is specifically at least one layer selected from a nitride, transparent conductive oxide, metal silicide, silicide-forming metal and semiconductor excluding H2.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   In solar cells, photo-sensors, rectifiers, etc. Diffusion-blocking layer reduces fall-off in device performance caused by diffusion of dopant atoms between the p and n layers.
(US6748536-N)      Electrically chargeable Redox cell is described in which prior to being charged the anode and cathode fluids are identical solns. Each soln. contains both metal ion complexes of the Redox couple to be used in aq. HCl. There is a cathode fluid compartment and a chlorine compartment in the rebalance cell. The cathode fluid of the Redox-cell passes through the cathode compartment of the rebalance cell and a reactant fluid contg. oxidised species of both metal ions used in the Redox cell in aq. HCl pass through the chlorine chamber of the rebalance cell. Active metal ions in the cathode fluid are reduced and chloride ions of the chlorine chamber are oxidised when a voltage is applied to the cell.    ADVANTAGE -   Reproducible and controllable performance is obtd. H2 generation is minimised by etiminating contamination caused by low H2 overvoltage catalyst. (12pp)
(WO8702512-A)      Battery comprises an assembly of photovoltaic cells connected in series and placed between two glass panes and two polyvinylbutyral foils, to charge one or two storage batteries and by use of the inernal resistance of the cells to be used as a car antenna or burglar alarm antenna.    High frequency and d.c. component sepn. is accomplished using two inductances and a condenser. The cells are e.g. 2-3 inches in dia.    ADVANTAGE -   Provides independence for electric car users and increases the life of a car battery by constant recharging even in winter. (First major country equivalent to RO--88421-A)
(US4652501-A)      Operation of a microbial fuel cell is controlled by maintaining cell fuel concn. in a range for which the cell electrical power output is dependent on concn. so that cell efficiency is greater than when power output is not significantly dependent on concn.    Pref. fuel concn. in the cell is measured and further fuel is added to maintain concn. in the desired range. Fuel concn. may be determined by monitoring cell electrical power output, and the amts. of fuel added are small enough so that the cell output remains constant. Cell efficiency is calculated continuously or intermittently and is used as a criterion in deciding whether to add further fuel.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Efficient operation of cell for electrical power generation. (12pp)l
(US4605602-A)      Fuel cell stack has a corrosion resistant, electrically conductive, fluid impervious interface between two of the stacked elements. The interface consists of non-cuprous metal coating formed on one of the elements and a conductive layer bonded to the metal- coated element by a hot-pressed resin.    One of the elements is pref. a gas distribution plate and the other a metal-coated cooling plate.    ADVANTAGE -   Good resistance to corrosion by the electrolyte and good electrical and thermal conductivity. (7pp)
(US4595642-A)      A plant comprises a fuel cell (21) with fuel gas feed to an anode (21a), a gas separator (27) feeding high-purity oxygen contg. argon to a cathode (21b) a combustor (28) for burning unreacted gases from anode and cathode, and a cooler (30) for condensing and removing water from combustion products to obtain argon.    The gas separator is pref. a pressure swing adsorption type separator.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Partic. for use in combination with an argon mfg. plant, enhances fuel cell performance to reduce costs of both this and the argon plant. (6pp)r    (DE3532835-C)      Combined unit for the generation of electricity and for the prodn. of Ar onsists of a fuel cell which receives a fuel gas on its anode. A gas separator supplies to the cathode of the fuel cell a high-purity oxygen with an argon content. A burner is used for the combustion of the unconsumed gases from anode and cathode. A cooling condenses the burnt gases and removes the water to produce argon gas.    ADVANTAGE -   This lengthens the life of the fuel cell and reduces the costs for the generation of electricity and prodn. of Ar. (6pp)
(US4824534-A)      In a process for electrically sepg. the electrolyte-bearing mains and the electrolyte spaces of an electrochemical cell, e.g. cell with perforated electrodes (8,9) for the prodn. of chlorate, with cell pile in bipolar connection in a vessel (7), the brine from the main (2) is divided by devices in to drops, so that a drop section is formed between the devices and the cell pile. Electrolyte reaches both electrodes, flowing downwards and wetting them. When dropping off the electrodes, the electrolyte forms a drop section (1') and is discharged (3) from the vessel.    ADVANTAGE -   Electrical loss of currents due to feed and discharge of electrolytes is eliminated. (7pp)    (JP94074512-B2)      Method of breaking up the steam of electrolyte to a cell unit consists of using a drop producing device between the exit of the electrolyte container and the cell unit. In this way two drop areas are produced before and after the cell unit.    The electrolyte container has an overflow device which feeds the electrolyte in to distribution channels prior to contacting the drop producing device.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   In electrolytic and electrodialysis cells and in working of fuel cells and batteries. By ensuring that a thin constant film covers the electrode surfaces during operation, current loss is avoided and the overall efficiency of the cell is maintained. Corrosion to the cell and peripheral plant parts is also avoided.
(JP93004983-B)      Compsns. comprise (1) styrenediene block copolymers and (2) thiophene copolymers.    The compsns. are prepd. by electrolysis-polymerising (2) in the presence of (1). (1) is prepd. in the presence of alkyl lithium catalyst by the anion living polymerisation method. Pref. (1) comprises 10-90 wt.% styrene monomers and 90-10 wt.% diene monomers. The compsns. have conductivity of 10 power (-5) to 10 power (2) ohm.cm.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   The compsns. are transparent and have good fluidity on melting and mouldability and are used for coating electrodes, batteries, semiconductor chips, solar batteries, and antistatic processing of plastics. (J61026649-A)
(JP93004982-B)      Compsns. comprise (1) styrenediene block copolymers and (2) pyrrole copolymers. The block copolymer compsns. are prepd. by electrolytic-polymerising (2) in the presence of (1). (1) is prepd. in the presence of alkyl lithium catalyst by the anionic living polymerisation method. Pref. (1) comprises 10-90 wt.% of styrene monomers and 90-10 wt.% of diene monomers. The compsns. have conductivity of 10 power(-5) to 10 power 2 ohm.cm.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   The conductive compsns. are transparent, have fine fluidity on melting and mouldability and are used for coating of electrodes, battery, semiconductor chips, solar battery, antistatic processing of plastics. (J61026648-A)
(US4588661-A)      Porous bipolar gas distribution assembly comprises two porous plates bonded at opposite faces with a first layer of fusible sealant material. A seal portion along the edges of the assembly is formed from a second layer of fusible sealant material. The two sealant layers are combined to form a continuous sealant layer along the edges of the assembly.    The sealant layers may be of the same compsn. and esp. are formed of polyethersulphone. The plates are e.g. of needle felted carbon material or graphite.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   For a fuel cell. The seal has good appearance and electrical resistance and is leakproof. (9pp)l
(US4595471-A)      Organopolysiloxane compsn. crosslinkable by UV liqht compares (A) organopolysiloxane with 2 units per molecule of formula    HR1C = CR2COOR3SiR2O1/2    and in which at least 80% of the number of remaining units are R2SiO; (B) organopolysiloxane having terminal gps. of formula R3SiO1.2, 0.05-5 mole% units of formula HSR3RaSiO(3-a)/2 and up to at least 99 mole% remaining units of formula R2SiO; and (C) photosensitises. The compsn. contains at most 0.02 wt.% based on (A)+(B)+(C) of organic Ti or Sn cpds.    R is (halogenated) monovalent hydrocarbon. R1 is H or halogenated phenyl. R2 is H or 1-4C alkyl. R3 is (halogenated) divalent hydrocarbon. a is 0 or 1. Average viscosities at 25 deg.C are 20-5000 mPa.s for both (A) and (B). Si-bonded OH gps. in R2SiO units are in an amt. not exceeding 0.2 OH gps. per gp. of formula HR1C = CR2COOR3.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   The compsn. has good storage properties and cures without emitting unpleasant odour. It yields prods. with soft gel-like consistency which are self-healing, and do not flow off the substrates on which they are formed. Used for encapsulating electronic components. (6pp)
(US4661649-A)      Solar concentrator plate contains a dye chosen from GF. Orange-Red, Fluorol 555, oxazine-4-perchlorate, LDS 730, LDS 750, BASF 241, BASF 339 or their mixts. with each other or with GF clear or 3-phenyl-fluoranthene. The dye is incorporated in a thin glass or plastic film covering the plate. Each dye has defined absorption and emission spectra, quantum efficiency and Stokes Shift.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   A solar energy collector for high efficiency conversion of solar energy to electrical energy, contg. the concentrator plate is claimed. The plate exhibits high efficiency and stability. (13pp)
(US4714950-A)      Solid state photo-sensor comprises, from the topmost layer; a transparent electrode (28); first amorphous Si layer of first type (26) and second amorphous Si layer of second type (24) each contg. 0-200 ppm of dopant, a second layer (22) formed over an insulating layer (20) except where it contacts a first type substrate impurity region (12), forming a pn diode with the substrate, gate insulation layer (16) overlying the substrate; gate electrode (18) between gate insulation and substrate insulation layers; and a potential barrier region (14) of second-type formed in the substrate separate from the first-type substrate region.    The device delivers photocarriers; in the form of current, excited in both amorphous layers.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   In an array in e.g. a solar battery electro-photographic device, etc. Device develops high S/N ratio with low dark current and good spectral sensitivity. (First major country equivalent to J61018183-A)
(US4670360-A)      A fuel cell arrangement for the treatment of waste water by oxidation has electrodes contg. activated carbon. The cathode is subjected to partial oxidation in mineral acid before doping with molybdenum (4) and/or (4) and/or vanadium. The anode is subjected to partial oxidation in mineral acid then cathodically reduced before impregnation with a hydroxide(s) of cobalt, nickel, copper and/or zinc. The cathode is separated from the waste water stream being treated by a porous electrolyte.    ADVANTAGE -   Complete oxidation of waste materials can be obtd. without the use of high cost hydrogen peroxide or ozone. (6pp)i
(EP172484-B)      A solar cell, with an anti-reflection layer (5) pref. of tin oxide-indium oxide and an amorphous silicon semiconductor body contg., between a p-zone (2) and and n-zone (4) an intrinsic layer (3) with a boron doping profile decreasing in the direction towards the i-n junction, has the following structure. (a) A metallic back-face contact electrode (1); (b) a p-i-n amorphous semiconductor substrate (2,3,4) applied on the electrode (1); (c) an antireflection layer (5) deposited on the semiconductor substrate; and (d) a front-face contact electrode in the form of a metal strip system (6) applied on the antireflection layer.    ADVANTAGE -   The solar cell is stable, shows reduced light ageing and is free of the Staebler-Wronski effect.
(GB2163140-B)      Material is specifically a semiconductor film in which the no. of Al ats. exceeds, or is a substantial fraction of the no. of Sn ats. and in which the majority of Al and Sn ats. are not in metallic phases. Optical transmittance of the film is pref. above 50% at. 350-850 nm and sheet resistance is below 10000 ohm/sq.; film is specifically n-type.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   As a solar cell (claimed). Material is low cost and easy to make.
(US4650729-A)      Motor vehicle battery has electrolyte which is conditioned to prevent loss in capacity due to excessively high or low ambient temps. Conditioning is carried out using a power source which is connected to the battery via a changeover switch which disconnects the power source when an ignition switch to the vehicle engine is switched on.    Pref. the power source is a fuel cell.    ADVANTAGE -   Start-up of the engine is maintained even under arctic or heat wave conditions. (12pp)    (DE3528673-C)      The current source has a fuel cell recharging a lead-acid battery. A heater is immersed in the battery's (7) electrolyte. Between the fuel cell (9) and the battery electrodes lie a switch (11) and an ammeter (12) measuring the charging current. The ammeter is coupled to a control unit (13) that breaks the charging circuit by opening the switch when the charging current drops below a given limit.    The control is also coupled to a temp. sensor (76) measuring the electrolyte's temp. The switch has another position in which the fuel cell is connected to the heater (75) when the said temp. exceeds a limit.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   For vehicle. Provides adequate power to start vehicle even at low temps. (13pp)
(US4806436-A)      New substrate, suitable for the formation on it of amorphous silicon solar cells, comprises an Al or Al alloy plate formed, on at least one surface of it, with an oxalic acid anodised film in an unsealed state and having a thickness of 1-20 microns.    Pref. the plate is made of aluminium having a purity of at least 99%, esp. at least 99.7%. Pref. the plate contains up to 0.25% of iron, and up to 0.20% of silicon. Pref. the surface of the plate with the anodised film has, before the formation of the film, a roughness of up to 0.5 micron, in terms of max. height R max., of a sampled portion of the surface.    ADVANTAGE -   The substrate is cheaper than the substrate obtd. by coating a stainless steel plate with a polyimide resin; and is superior to glass substrates in heat dissipating property and resistance to break. (6pp)    (DE3528087-C2)      Substrate comprises a plate (2) made of Al or Al alloy having a film (3) formed by anodic oxidn. on at least one surface. The film (3) is a film unsealed and formed i oxalic acid of thickness 1-20 microns.    The plate (2) also contains up to 0.25 wt.% Fe and up to 0.20 wt.% Si.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   For solar cells. Good insulating properties are attained.
(US4612262-A)      Electrolyte is added to a fuel cell in a process in which diluted electrolyte of known concn. and from an external source is deposited directly onto the external face of a stack defining a number of fuel cell units. The electrolyte is absorbed by capillary action and deposition is continued until all the electrodes and matrix layers are fully satd.    Water is evapd. from the satd. elements under controlled conditions of humidity and temp. until a steady state condition is reached in which a desired electrolyte vol. and concn. are obtd.    ADVANTAGE -   Costly modifications to the existing fuel cell stack components are not required. (8pp)t
(US4700080-A)      Colour photosensor comprises closely arranged sensor units. At least one sensor unit is provided for each signal into which a colour signal is decomposed. Each unit includes a photoconductive layer contg. amorphous silicon formed on a substrate and in contact with a pair of electrodes, a photoelectric conversion cell and a colour filter.    The colour filter comprises at least one colouring material layer (A), (B) or (C), (A) is a red material including as main component, perylenetetra carboxylic acid deriv. of formula (I) where X is O or NR1 and R1 is H, alkyl or allyl. (B) is a green material including as main component, phthalocyanine colouring cpd. opt. combined with isoindolenone or anthraquinone colouring cpd. (C) is a blue material including as main component, phthalocyanine colouring cpd. opt. with quinacridone colouring cpd.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   For reading a colour image. High performance is maintained for a long period. There is less discrepancy between the characteristics of the photosensor units.    (26pp)r    (DE3527505-C)      Colour photosensor comprises a substrate coated with a photoconducting agent dispersed with amorphous Si, mounted between electrodes and adjacent to a photoreceptor and/or colour filters. A red filter contains a perylenetetracarboxylic acid deriv. of formula (I), where Y is O or opt. alkyl- or allyl-substd. NH; a green filter contains a phthalocyanine or its mixts. with an isoindolenone or anthraquinone dye; and a blue filter contains a phthalocyanine or its mixts. with a quinacridone dye.    USE -   As assembly of these sensors gives a corresp. no. of analogue signals which are processed to provide high quality analogue or digital recording, communication and reproduction of coloured images. (29pp)
(US4753857-A)      In an internal manifold type laminated fuel cell, in order to feed two kinds of gases to a cathode and an anode respectively, through a separator plate, spacers for separately supplying the gases to the cathode and the anode are disposed over the surfaces, respectively, of the separator plate. The anode and cathode spacers each have a window through which the supply and discharge passage for the respective gases are communicated with the elecctrodes.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   As e.g. a stacked molten carbonate fuel cell. Sepn. and sealing between the two gases is ensured by a simple construction. (First major country equivalent to J60253170-A)
(JP92060949-B)      Aq. slurry contg. solid compsn. comprising 40-90 wt.% of at least 2 kinds of potassium titanate fibres having different m.pts. and 60-10 wt.% of other solid components of organic fibre, organic binder, bind-assisting agent, etc. is prepd., and slurry is made into sheet-like moulded body by wet-machine method. Moulded body is sintered at temp. higher than m.pt. of potassium titanate fibre having low m.pt. and lower than m.pt. of potassium titanate fibre having high m.pt.    Pref. potassium titanate fibre is K2O.mTiO2.nH2O (where m: positive number not larger than 8, n: 0 or positive number not larger than 4) having 0.1-0.7 microns of dia. and 10-50 microns of fibre length (i.e. whisker). Organic fibre is various kinds of natural fibres (esp. pulp) and synthetic fibres, organic binder is acrylic acid resin, modified acrylic acid resin, polyvinylacetate, ethylene-vinylacetate copolymer, styrene-butadiene rubber, etc. in form of emulsion. Bind-assisting agent is anionic or cationic agglutinating agents.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Porous sintered body having high heat-resistance, high resistance to corrosion of alkali at high temp., high mechanical strength and favourable filtering property is produced. Sintered body having voluntary porosity is producible. Sintered body is useful for the matrix material of fuel cell, filter for brewing industry, etc. (J60239374-A)
(JP93020386-B)      Composite body comprises carbonaceous thin plate made of basic material of carbonised thin papery support and carbonaceous matrix having fine mosaic of polarising microscopically anisotropic particles smaller than 10 microns or optically isotropic structure. It contains more than 95 wt.% carbon and has coefft. of gas permeation 10 power(-5) - 10 power(-7) cm3/s, specific electric resistance in the direction of thickness 2x10 power(-3) - 6x10 power(-3) ohm.cm, bulk density 1.4-1.9 g/cm3 and thickness 0.1-1 mm.    Carbonisable precursor material of carbon is carried on a carbonisable thin papery support and its single or laminated sheet is hardened by heating with pressing and carbonised by burning. The papery support is made from pulp of natural plant fibre or a mixt. comprising more than 70 wt.% natural plant fibre and the rest synthetic fibre or oxidised pitch or C fibre.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   The carbonaceous thin plate has high solidity with low gas permeability and high electrical conductivity. Large sized carbonaceous thin plate having uniform thickness is produced. Useful as support for phosphoric acid fuel cells, electrode for electrolysis, partition membrane of heat exchanger, etc. (J60239358-A)
(US4608393-A)      An ion exchange membrane is produced by (A) impregnating (a) a base material made of a (fluorinated) polyolefin with (b) a mixt. of styrene, Cl-Me-styrene and divinylbenzene, (B) partially polymerising the monomer mixt. to 10-80% by ionising radiation, (C) completing the polymerisation by heating in presence of a polymerisation initiator and opt. (D) introducing ion exchange gps.    The monomer mixt. pref. consists of 10-80 wt.% styrene, 10-80 wt.% Cl-Me styrene and 1-25 wt.% divinylbenzene. The ionising radiation is suitably gamma rays and is applied at a rate of 10 power 5 to 10 power 7 rad/sec. for 1-20 hr. The polymerisation is completed at 80-120 deg.C for 0.5-12 hr. The monomer mixt. can also contain e.g. (meth)acrylic acid, acrylonitrile.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   E.g. diaphragms for fuel cells, membranes for the recovery and concentration of acids; the membranes have adequate mechanical strength combined with a superior thermal stability and resistance to chemicals than known membranes. (6pp)
(US5110442-A)      Plate-like zirconia solid electrolyte function element consists of a solid electrolyte substrate (1), on either side of which an alumina protective layer (2) is formed before the assembly is sintered. The ratio of the shrinkage modulus of the substrate to that of the reinforcing layers is 1.02-1.08, the thickness ratio of each reinforcing layer to the substrate is 1/100-25/100 and substrate is 0.1-5 mm thick.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Plate-like zirconia solid electrolyte function element. Improved mechanical strength.    (JP93082550-B)      Reinforced ZrO2-based sintered body comprises a plate-like sintered substrate of a (partially-stabilised ZrO2-based mass with a protective Al2O3-contg. layer on each side. Substrate pref. has a thickness of 0.1-5 more pref. 0.1-2mm; and ratio of protective layer thickness to substrate thickness is pref. 1-25:100.    Process involves providing a green Al2O3 protective layer on each side of a plate-like ZrO2-based substrate; and firing to sinter simultaneously protective layer and substrate.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   As a solid electrolyte element (claimed) for fuel cells, sensors, etc. Body has good mechanical strength. (J61051557-A)
(US4746808-A)      The unit is driven by a small Pelton turbine (10) having a number of injectors (11) each comprised of a single tubular part connected to a ring-shaped distribution chamber. The turbine wheel drives a multi-phase synchronous generator (20) having permanent magnets.    The alternating voltages produced by the generator are rectified in order to obtain a direct voltage of e.g. 24 V. The water flow rate is regulated at the input of the turbine by a regulation valve (13) controlled by an electronic regulation unit (23), to automatically control the power of the generator unit as a function of the output voltage variations.    ADVANTAGE -   Portable generator unit, which is simple and reliable may be provisionally or permanently used wherever a pressure water connection is available. (7pp)0
(EP210379-B)      A picosecond photoresponsive element comprising a substrate carrying a photoresponsive polycrystalline semiconductor layer, characterised in that said substrate (1) has a monocrystalline structure and that said semiconductor layer (2) is a textured layer having domains (3) of a size in a direction parallel to the substrate/layer interface (4) taht is less than the diffusion length of of a carrier in monocrystalline bulk material of said semiconductor, said interface (4) through the semiconductor layer (2) to the surface thereof and said semiconductor layer (2) and said substrate (1) having a crystal spacing mismatch. (6pp)    (JP93043305-B)      Semiconductor element having optical sensitivity, high carrier mobility and short lifetime comprises a mono-crystalline insulating substrate (I) and an optically sensitive semiconductor layer (II) in domain-produced textured crystalline relationship with the substrate. The atom spacing of (II) is different from (I), (II) maintains the crystal orientation of (I) and has crystalline domains with boundaries perpendicular to the substrate. The domain size is smaller than the diffusion length of the carriers in bulk monocrystalline (II).    Pref. (I) is Al2O3 and (II) is GaAs.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Used as an optical signal converter or signal sensor (claimed). Devices have picosec. response. (J62004379-A)
(JP96034182-B2)      The method involves, introducing precursors to become deposition film forming raw material which is produced in activating space (A), and activating species that impart interaction with the precursor which is produced in activating space (B), respectively, and catalyst of Gp.IV or Gp.V elements used on producing the precursors and/or activating species in the chamber (a) and/or (B).    USE -   For forming functional films, particulary, for semiconductor devices, photo-sensitive devices for electronic photograph, line sensors for image input, and camera devices.
(JP94058879-B2)      Method involves, activating hydrogen-contg. gas by providing a mesh shaped activator comprising tungsten, in the film forming space for forming a deposited film on a substrate. Film forming equipment comprises film forming chambers, and mesh shaped components consisting of W for activation of hydrogen-contg. gas, in the chamber.    USE -   For forming amorphous Si films having improved electrical, optical, photoconductive, and mechanical characteristics, and with high speed formation.
(US4751149-A)      Organo-zinc cpd. vapour, water vapour and inert carrier gas are fed into a chamber contg. a substrate heated to a temp. up to 200 deg. C to deposit a ZnO film having resistivity less than 0.0025 ohm cm on the substrate in the absence of plasma-enhanced deposition.    Pref. a dialkyl zinc cpd. esp. di(m)ethyl zinc is used and the obtd. film is up to 2 micron thick. Suitably the organo-zinc cpd. vapour is in an amt. of up to 0.5 mole fraction in its carrier gas stream and 1-3 moles water vapour are present per mole organo-zinc cod.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Process takes place at relatively low temps. and provides films having lower resistivities. Used in solar cells and other photovoltaic devices. (4pp)    (JP94082625-B2)      A zinc oxide film having resistivity of 10 power (-4) -10 power (-2) ohm-cm. introducing an organozinc cpd. an oxidant and an inert carrier gas into a chamber contg. the substrate heated to a temp. in the range 60-350 deg. C. The zinc oxide film pref. contains hydrogen.    Pref. the organozinc cpd. is of formula R2Zn, where R=lower alkyl, esp. methyl or ethyl. The oxidant is water, O2, O3, H2O2, NO, N2O, NO2, CO2, SO2, organic dioxide, ROH, ROR', RCHO, RCOOH, RCOOR', RCONH2 or RS(O)R', where R and R' are alkyl. The carrier gas is Ar or N2, opt. contg. H2O. A Gp. III element, esp. B and/or Al, can be introduced into the film by adding a suitable volatile cpd. to the chamber, esp. B2H6 and/or (CH3)3Al, e.g. in an amt. of about 2 mole % of the diethyl zinc concn. The pressure in the chamber is 0.1-2 torr. The substrate (or parts of it) is heated to about 100-200 deg.C and the ZnO film is deposited on the heated portions.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   The film is useful in photoconductive applicns. esp. in solar cells or other photovoltaic devices. The relativity low temp. process gives films of low resistivity which can be varied by means of additives.
(US4743826-A)      A wound-rotor induction generator/motor is connected to a water turbine and is selectively drivable in two modes. The centre of operating speed in the generator mode is set near its synchronous speed and the centre of the operating speed range in the motor mode is set higher than the synchronous speed.    At least one cyclo-converter includes a number of converter units and is connected to a secondary winding of the generator/motor for controlling the rotational speed driven in the motor mode and an output frequency driven in the generator mode. A mode changer selectively changes the connection of the converters so that they are connected in parallel to each other in the generator mode and in series in the motor mode.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Power plant. Greater efficiency in generator mode and wide speed control range in motor mode, without increasing capacity of cyclo-converter. (6pp)c
(US4838951-A)      The solar module mounting arrangement with a frame is composed of a number of components in a predetermined shape or profile. The solar modules in the frame are able to be secured so as to be stable over the long term and in a dense packing arrangement having the smallest possible space requirement. An angle bracket (2) provided with a mounting member (5) to attach the solar module to a support base is arranged between at least two adjacent components (3) of the frame.    A corner of the compound solar module (4) between the adjacent components (3) of the frame is provided with a recess (15). In this way, the angle bracket (2) is arranged in such a manner that a number of such solar modules can be arranged one beside another without spacing (dead space) between the solar modules. (4pp)e    (DE3685841-G)      The solar module has a frame constructed from several parts. Between two neighbouring parts an angled corner piece is provided having a device for fixing the module. A corner of the connecting backing between the neighbouring parts has a recess. The profiled corner is so arranged that several such modules can be closely positioned next to each other.    The device to fix the module can simple be a fixing hole or pin.    The corner piece can have two components to hold it. These components can have adjusting screws fixed in the neighbouring parts of the frame. An inner thread can be formed in each retaining component. The corner pieces can have openings to allow water to run off. They can also have feet to support the module.    ADVANTAGE -   Long term stable fixture requiring smallest possible space.
(US4714824-A)      Photoelectric transducer comprises: a photo sensitive element with spaced electrodes (6,7) at least one of which is transparent, and an amorphous semiconductor (8) extending between the electrodes for performing the photoelectric conversion; and an auxiliary light source (14) provided by a side of the transparent electrode for irradiating the photosensitive element.    Transparent electrode is pref. made of SnO2 or ITO.    ADVANTAGE -   Form and size of the device and the wavelengths to which the device is sensitive can be selected easily; and the amplification factor can be changed easily. (First major country equivalent to J61239678-A)
(US4622812-A)      The apparatus is for deriving energy from the rise and fall of a body of fluid. The apparatus consists of a float, moving in a vertical plane in response to the rise and fall of the body of liquid. A cylinder has a piston adapted for vertical movement relative to the cylinder in response to rise and fall of the float with the body of water, in a manner to apply force to fluid in a chamber of the cylinder.    The force is applied alternately to opposed chambers of the cylinder, the force applied to the fluid is converted to energy. A device responds to the energy demand for storing energy converted from force applied to the fluid and for converting stored energy to the force applied to the fluid.    USE -   Partic. for generating power from tidal movement. (5pp)
(US4803093-A)      A functional deposited film is prepd. on a substrate (I), using (i) a precursor as a constituent for the film, the precursor being non-reactive as long as it remains in its original energy state; and (ii) an active species which can react with, and impart energy to (i) to activate (i) to a state capable of contributing to the formation of the film. Firstly, (ii) is generated by subjecting a gaseous cpd., capable of being activated to generate (ii), to the action of activating energy sufficient to generate (ii), in an active species generating and transporting space (II) leading to a film-forming space contg. (I). Precursor (i) is generated simultaneously by subjecting a gaseous cpd., capable of generating (i), to the action of activating energy sufficient to generate (i), in a precursor generating and transporting space, located separately from, and within space (II), and open in a downstream region of that space. Finally, the resulting (i) and (ii) are introduced into the film-forming space to chemically react to form the functional deposited film on (I), in the absence of a plasma.    USE -   Film so prepd. is useful e.g. as a photoconductive member for semiconductor devices. (10pp)    (JP2537175-B2)      Vacuum deposited thin film for semiconductor devices has activated cpd., e.g. H2, SiH4, etc. is fed into film forming space and precursor made by activating gas, e.g. SiF4 is fed into the space and chemically reacted with the cpd.    USE -   For photo conductive films for semiconductor devices.
(JP95050684-B2)      A germanium and halogen-contg. cpd. and an active seed are introduced into space for forming a deposition film on a substrate. The active seed is grown by a chemical substance such as a hydrogen gas and/or a halogen cpd. Light energy is irradiated on the germanium and halogen-contg. cpd. and the active seed for chemical reaction.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   The deposition film is used for semiconductor devices, electrophotographic photosensitive devices, image input licensors, image pickup devices, photovoltaic device. The method giving the deposition film good electrical, optical, photoconductive, and mechanical characteristics and allows high-speed film formation without maintaining the substrate at a high temp.
(JP96031411-B2)      Carbon- and halogen-contg. cpd. and an active seed are introduced into a space for formation of a deposition film on a substrate. The active seed is grown by a chemical substance such as a hydrogen gas and/or a halogen cpd. Heat energy acts on the carbon and halogen-contg. cpd. and the active seed to initiate chemical reaction.    USE -   The deposition film is used for a semiconductor device, electrophotographic photosensitive device, image input licensor, image pickup device, photovoltaic device. The method gives deposition film with improved electrical, optical, photoconductive and mechanical characteristics and allows high-speed film formation.
(US5011759-A)      Formation of a SiGe:H film comprises forming film by Hg-sensitised photochemical gas pahse vapour deposition method with u.v. rays of 0.3 microns wavelengths or less as light source. One of siH4, Si2M2 and SiF4 together with GeH4 or G2F4 are used as raw material gases and are introduced with H2 as diluent gas into film forming chamber. Vol. ratio of H2 to total gas vol. is then 0.25-0.60 and film is formed under conditions of film forming pressure 0.1-20 Torr, UV rays 10-500 mW/cm2 and substrate temp. 150-250 deg.C.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Superconductor element has excellent photoelectric conductivity produced by CVD, excellent Jsc and long wavelength-sensitivity and reduced number of defects. @(9pp)@    (DE3610401-C)      Alpha-SiGe: H films are produced for semiconductor elements, esp. for solar cells, electrophotographically sensitive elements and image sensors. The film is formed on a substrate by photochemical gas phase vapour deposition, from a gas contg. Si and Ge, under reduced pressure and using an ultraviolet radiation, the substrate being at an elevated temp.    The improvement is that the photochemical gas phase vapour deposition is conducted as a Hg-sensitised photochemical gas phase vapour deposition, using an ultraviolet radiation having a wavelength of 0.3 micron, or less. A gas selected from SiH4, Si2H6 and SiF4, together with a gas selected from GeH4 and GeF4, is used as starting material. H2 is added, as dilution gas, to the film-forming chamber in such amt. that the vol. ratio of the H2 gas, to the total gas vol. ranges from 0.25 to 0.60.    During the formation of the film, the film-forming pressure is 13.3 to 2666 Pa, the intensity of the ultraviolet radiation is 10 to 500 mW/cm2 and the temp. of the substrate is 150-250 deg.C.    ADVANTAGE -   Films so obtd. have improved photoelectric conductivity, and long wave sensitivity which is improved and stabilised over long periods. (9pp)
(US4724011-A)      Thin film solar module includes a substrate supporting electrode pads which each have a conductive metal oxide film and a metallic portion. A semiconductive layer over the pads establishes a photovoltaic region. Further electrode pads are on the semiconductive layer, each one overlying one of the photovoltaic regions and overlapping the first electrode pad of an adjacent photovoltaic region over a preselected area which includes the metallic portion of the first pad. Localised conductive paths extend through the semiconductive area from each second electrode pad to the metallic portion of the first pad so that it overlaps to connect two of the photovoltaic regions in series. The conductive paths comprise discrete spaced regions.    ADVANTAGE -   Monolithic solar cell can be interconnected in a rapid effective manner with the prodn. of a min. amt. of debris. (11pp)    (DE3686195-G)      Device having a photovoltaic thin film of selected thickness is mfd. by (a) forming spaced transparent front electrodes (32) on a transparent substrate, each having at least one contact portion (30) thicker than the selected thickness of the thin film; (b) forming a continuous photovoltaic thin film (20) over the front electrodes and substrate regions between them; and (c) forming spaced back electrodes (22) on the continuous film, each overlying one front electrode to define a photovoltaic region between them, and overlapping the contact portion of an adjacent front electrode to establish an electrical connection with it through the continuous thin film.    The device comprises an array of photovoltaic regions in a continuous thin film, connected in series by the electrical connection between pre-formed front electrode contact regions and back electrodes of adjacent cells.    ADVANTAGE -   The photovoltaic layer is unpatterned, avoiding surface contamination risk, simplifying mfr., and increasing the active area of the device, pref. a solar cell array.
(EP260359-A)      PolySi layer is formed on a semiconductor wafer by: placing the wafer in recesses on a mould having a cover; rotating the mould in the inert heating gas of a melting furnace; pouring molten Si into an inlet in the centre of the mould cover so that the molten Si fills the air spaced between the wafers and the mould cover by centrifugal action; and cooling to solidify the melt and form a polySi layer bonded to the wafer.    ADVANTAGE -   PolySi layers of thickness 100 micron can be formed economically and at very high speed. (First major country equivalent to J61214422-A)    (JP92066098-B)      Forming Si layer comprises forcibly fluidising molten Si in radial directions in a rotary mould rotating at high speed, to fill a gap formed between the semiconductor wafer and mould cover of the mould.    USE -   Used for making semiconductor ICs. (J61214422-A)
(US4683348-A)      The solar cell array comprising a multiplicity of cell units each comprising a concave primary reflector for reflecting sunlight onto a convex secondary reflector which in turn reflects light onto a solar cell. The solar cells of all the cell units are mounted on a common member which serves to conduct heat away from the cells. The primary reflectors of all the cell units are formed on shaped portions of a first unitary member, and the secondary reflectors are formed on shaped portions of a second unitary member. Each shaped portion of the second unitary member is connected to adjacent shaped portions by rigid arms to provide an open framework.    Preferably the array has at least nine of the units which are arranged in at least three rows each containing three or more units. (6pp)o
(DE3513910-C2)      A solar cell (7) and, near the edge of the module, at least one stiffening frame (10,11,17) is embedded in glass fibre plastic (2). There may be more than one solar cell. Near the frames there are means for securing the module, including the holes (12) and pins (13).    USE -   Suitable for solar energy installations. An economical design, simple and robust.
(US4782663-A)      The energy conversion method causes the liquid to travel in a duct over a flexible membrane and displacing a gaseous medium under the membrane. A prime mover is driven by the displacement of the gaseous medium. The gaseous medium is returned under and reinflates the membrane so as to temporarily block continued flow of the liquid along the duct. The liquid is allowed to displace the gaseous medium under the membrane.    The membrane is cylically inflated and deflated and the liquid flow along the duct is broken into slugs so that the system is self oscillating.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Wells turbine. Increased efficiency. (16pp)t    (SU1738099-A3)      In the system liquid flows is caused to flow between two locations and in flowing between the locations, passes over flexible membranes. Under each membrane a gas is located so that the liquid flows over the cavities defined by the membranes in sequence.    The liquid pressure acts to collapse the cavities and when one cavity collapses the gas in it is displaced into the other cavity in order to displace water. The flow of the gas between the cavities is utilised for driving an energy converter.    ADVANTAGE -   Requires low liquid head to run system. Bul.20/30.5.92
(US4862227-A)      The device includes a substrate, separate electrodes formed on the substrate and a semiconductor layer includes formed over the electrodes. The semiconductor layer includes an amorphous semiconductor material and is obtained by forming a layer comprising an amorphous semiconductor material over the electrodes and then cutting through the layer with a laser scribe in an oxidative environment to form a scribed end face.    The semiconductor layer has a mean oxygen content of 0.5-10 atom per cent in a portion between the scribed end face and a distance 10-50 micro meter away from the scribed end face.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   As solar battery giving good performance even in low luminous intensity environment such as indoor. (First major country equivalent to J61198685)    (JP93050871-B)      The device includes a substrate, separate electrodes formed on the substrate and a semiconductor layer includes formed over the electrodes. The semiconductor layer includes an amorphous semiconductor material and is obtained by forming a layer comprising an amorphous semiconductor material over the electrodes and then cutting through the layer with a laser scribe in an oxidative environment to form a scribed end face.    The semiconductor layer has a mean oxygen content of 0.5-10 atom per cent in a portion between the scribed end face and a distance 10-50 micro meter away from the scribed end face.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   As solar battery giving good performance even in low luminous intensity environment such as indoor. (First major country equivalent to J61198685)
(DE3511082-C)      After doping of the substrate (1a) a metallic contact (7a) is deposited on the lower surface (5a) by means of a vapour deposition process. A strip (12a) made of, e.g. silicon dioxide or photolaquer, on the upper surface (2a) prevents adhesion of a similar metallic contact deposited on the upper surface.    A V-shaped groove (11a) is then cut into the lower contact area by means of a lser beam and the substrate is broken along the groove which coincides with a prepared fracture line in the substrate. This leaves a projecting section of the upper contact area that may be used for 'chaining' several solar cells. A similar process is used for producing an extension of the lower contact area.    ADVANTAGE -   Does not require added connections.    (US5045481-A)      The process for manufacturing a solar cell from a semiconductor body, comprises the steps of: providing a semiconductor base body having two opposing major surfaces, wherein an edge zone is defined along an edge of the first major surface of the semiconductor body; and depositing a strip-shaped region on the edge zone. The strip-shaped region prevents bonding of metallic compounds or alloys to the semiconductor base body. A metallic connection contact is deposited by vapourisation on the strip-shaped region and on the major surface of the semiconductor body. The strip-shaped region prevents the first metallic connection contact from adhering to the semiconductor body.    A second metallic connection contact is deposited on the second major surface of the semiconductor body. One of the metallic connection contacts has a comb-like structure. The portion of the semiconductor body is severed at the edge zone from the remainder of the semiconductor body. The first metallic connection contact projects over the edge of the resulting solar cell. (8pp)
(US4717586-A)      Process for depositing films contg. Ge and Si on suitable substrates comprises thermally decomposing (i) a Ge hydride, polymeric Ge hydride, halogenated Ge hydride or alkyl-, aryl-and opt. halogen-substd. Ge hydrides, and (ii) a linear or cyclic Si halide and/or partially halogenated silane, immediately above the surface of the substrate, under vacuum (e.g. 10 power(-6) mm).    USE -   The prods. are semiconductor devices, electro-optical devices, line sensors for image input, image pick-up devices, etc.. (12pp)
(US6761235-N)      Polymer material is exposed to an ion beam to remove absorbed gases and contaminants from its surface. The cleaned surface is then immediately ion beam sputter coated with a thin protective film.    The film may be of metal oxide and pref. includes a small amt. of polymer to impart flexibility. Suitably, a sputter target of metal oxide, e.g. SiO2 or Al2O3 as main portion, and flexible polymer with low oxidn. rate, e.g. PTFE or silicone rubber is used. The deposited film is typically 20-800 A thick.    USE -   for providing an oxidn. barrier on polyimides etc. which are to be exposed to low earth orbital environments. (11pp)
(US4754544-A)      Semiconductor device arrays, e.g. of photovoltaic cells, are produced from substrate with layer of semiconductor material, with an unconventionally thin substrate, which can be produced by etching away a thick substrate, some of the substrate being removed completely to form islands. Semiconductor material is rpref. amorphous Si or Ge alloy and substrate can be e.g. stainless steel or Ni, not more than 25 mu thick, e.g. not more than 10 mu thick. Semiconductor can contain a number of layers of different conductivity types, junctions being parallel to the substrate.    ADVANTAGE -   Flexible and lightweight arrays can be obtained, with high specific power. (16pp)
(US4689438-A)      Photovoltaic device has a transparent electrode on a light incident member. The electrode has a textured back surface opposite the light incident surface and a p-type layer of Pt gp. oxides is on the textured surface, followed by a semiconductive layer with a semiconductor junction with a p-type layer. A back electrode is on the back surface of the semiconductive layer.    Pref. the junction is a pin junction.    ADVANTAGE -   O content is easily controlled and incomplete junction formation avoided. (8pp)
(US4709656-A)      Layer forming appts. includes a conveyor chamber with a space for receiving a cassette. The cassette has means for receiving a substrate on which a film is to be formed and a loading device inserts and removes the cassette. A gate valve allows insertion and removal of the cassette whilst maintaining the chamber in an airtight manner.    There is a film forming chamber with an interior wall which forms an electrode and which defines a space for receiving the cassette. A positioning device aligns the cassette at a predetermined position. Another electrode is electrically connected to the wall electrode and there is a gas inlet in the wall. The inlet is connected to a gas supply. Another gate valve allows the cassette to be moved between the chambers in an airtight manner.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Mfr. of electrophotographic photosensitive drum. Deposition of material e.g. polysilane in the appts. is avoided and the use of anti-corrosive materials in the appts. is restricted. (17pp)
(US4691076-A)      Solar array has an Al foil layer contg. spaced apertures and discrete semiconductor members with p-type and n-type regions, which are positioned in the apertures with the n-type region ohmically bonded to the foil. The members are pressed into the apertures at 500-577 deg.C, there is a contact insulated from the foil and coupled to the p-region.    Pref. the contact is another Al foil and the semiconductor members have a spheroid shape.    ADVANTAGE -   The array is flexible and utilises a relatively small number of inexpensive materials and processing steps. (11pp)e    (US4806495-A)      Solar cell arrays are mfd. from an Al foil, about 2 mil thick, which is initially embossed in a periodic hexagon arrangement, then is cleaned and etched with heated K or Na hydroxide to form an aperture (5) where the embossing was previously. A number of Si spheres (7), with N-type skin and P-type interior (11) are deposited over the rear side (13) of the matrix on the foil and a vacuum provided on the front draws the spheres through the apertures. Spheres are then bonded with the foil by heating and use of an impact press. Rear of the foil and part of the sphere are etched to remove N-type layer and array is anodised, giving Si and Al oxide layers (21,22). Spheres are lapped to remove Si dioxide and level back (17) of the sphere and thin foil (19) of Al is bonded on.    ADVANTAGE -   Array can be produced relatively economically. (11pp)
(US4611090-A)      The support includes a frame adapted to be in contact with the perimeter of a flexible photovoltaic module. An inwardly facing flange extends upward from the frame which overlaps a portion of the flexible photovoltaic module perimeter. A skirt depends downward from the frame.    Rib stiffeners, integral to the frame and extending inward, to contact the flexible photovoltaic module. The flexible photovoltaic module is secured to the frame and the rib stiffeners. (12pp)n
(US4710817-A)      The solid state image sensor comprises a number of photosensors (8A) including avalanche photodiodes (12A) arranged at least in the form of an one-dimensional array and delivering pulse signals each representing the number of photons incident to each of the photosensors. Counters (10A) connected to the respective photosensors count the pulse signals and hold the count value as a video output.    The counters reset to the initial states at a predetermined frequency and a scanning circuit (14) sequentially reads out the count value in the counters. The number of photons subjected to photoelectric conversion are counted. The video signal is directly derived in the form of a digital signal.    ADVANTAGE -   Video signal with high signal-to-noise ratio is obtained. (24pp)4    (DE3585688-G)      The device comprises a number of light sensors (8A-8N) which contain several avalanche photodiodes (12A-12N) hat are arranged at least one-dimensionally. These sensors produce pulse-like signals depending upon the amounts of photons (7) falling upon the avalanche photodiodes. Counters (10A-10N) connected to the light sensors (8A-8N) count the numbers of pulse-like signals and hold the counted values as image pickup outputs.    Devices are provided to return the counted values of the counters (10A-10N) to the initial state at a predetermined period, and a scanning device (14) successively reads the counted values from the counters (10A-10N). The counters (10A-10N) count the numbers of photons that are converted into electricity through the photodiodes (12A-12N), hence directly obtain the image pick-up outputs in the form of digital signals. Therefore image pick-up outputs having a high SN ratio are obtained.
(US4626449-A)      Film deposition is carried out on a substrate using a reaction gas in the presence of a combination of monochromatic and continuous polychromatic light radiated onto the substrate. Monochromatic light is pref. laser light, esp. a KrF, XeCl or XeF excimer laser; polychromatic light is pref. from an Xe, Xe-Hg or D2 lamp.    Pref. photon energy of the laser is less than the threshold activation energy for forming active species by dissociation of the reaction gas. Gas is Si2H6 and the laser is a KrF excimer laser. Where an Xe lamp is used it is an ellipsoidal mirror build-in type.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   In prodn. of semiconductor films, photosensitive films etc. Deposition is performed with good efficiency and speed. (5pp (First major country equivalent to J61104614-A) (5pp Dwg.No.0/2)
Formation (I) of a deposition film comprises: (a) decomposing a first cpd. contg. Ge and halogen (115) in an activation chamber (112) by applying energy (113) to form an active species having a lifetime of 0.1 sec. or longer; (b) separately introducing into a film-forming chamber (101) a second cpd. (106-109) contg. Si and hydrogen, together with the active species wherein chemical interaction takes place; and (c) applying to the mixt. in the chamber one or more form of excitation energy (118) chosen from optical, thermal and electrical discharge energies, to excite the second cpd. in the mixt. and facilitate formation of a film on the substrate (103).    Also claimed is a method (II) for forming a deposition film on a substrate comprising: (a) separately introducing into a film forming chamber a non-activated Si-cpd. as a starting material for forming a deposition film and an active species formed by adding a cpd. comprising Ge and halogen to heated solid Ge particles to decompose the cpd. comprising Ge and halogen and being capable of chemical interaction with the Si cpd.; and (b) applying excitation energy (optical, thermal or electrical discharge energy) to excite the Si cpd. to effect a chemical reaction to form a deposition film on the substrate.    USE -   Useful for depositing amorphous or polycrystalline Si films for use in semiconductor devices, electrophotographic devices, image sensors, photovoltaic devices, etc.    ADVANTAGE -   Provides a method for forming large-area films whilst improving the film characteristics, the film-forming speed and reproducibility, and maintaining the film uniformity.
(US4642665-A)      Two metal layer strips (6 and 10) are supported on an insulating substrate (4) and have vertically overlapped portions sandwiched between insulating layers (8,12). A vertical side (18) is defined through the layers to the substrate to expose vertical edges (20,24) of the metal layers which are oxidised (32,34) and covered by a third metal layer (44) extending between them.    Pref., the middle insulating layer (8) is undercut (28), oxidised (36,40), and filled with metallisation (50), to provide a vertical rectilinear conduction path.    ADVANTAGE -   Samll junction areas are provided, capable of detecting signals in visible wavelength region, i.e., optical frequencies may excite carriers to cross junction barriers. (5pp)r    (US4675980-A)      Two metal layer strips (6 and 10) are supported on an insulating substrate (4) and have vertically overlapped portions sandwiched between insulating layers (8,12). A vertical side (18) is defined through the layers to the substrate to expose vertical edges (20,24) of the metal layers which are oxidised (32,34) and covered by a third metal layer (44) extending between.    The middle insulating layer (8) is undercut (28), oxidised (36,40), and filled with metallisation (50), to provide a vertical rectilinear conduction path.    ADVANTAGE -   Enables differing input and output impedances.    (5pp)
(US4617722-A)      The cell on the then-current top face of the drum is placed so that its top electrode underlies the first bus strip and its bottom electrode overlies the second bus strip. The drum is indexed forward one face as the first bus spool is lowered and the second bus spool is raised. A new cell is placed on the then-current top face of the drum so that its top electrode underlies the second bus strip and its bottom electrode overlies the first bus strip. The drum is again indexed forward another face as the first bus spool is raised and the second bus spool is lowered.    The process is continued as desired to interweave the first and second bus strips between additional cells. After the strips are attached to the electrodes of the several cells, they are alternately severed between adjacent cells so as to complete the electrical interconnection of the cells in series. (12pp)0
(US4759947-A)      Deposition film is formed on a substrate using a gaseous or gasified active species contg. C and halogen generated from a decomposed cpd and which interacts with a gasified Si cpd. Optical, thermal, or discharge energy is applied, to excite the Si cpd to promote film deposition. The C and halogen source cpd. used is a linear C(u)Y2u+2, cyclic C(u)Y2v, linear or cyclic C(u)HxYy in which u is at least 1, v is at least 3, x+y=2u or 2u+2, and Y is a halogen.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Used for forming amorphous or polycrystalline Si for semiconductor devices, electrophotographic devices etc. Film can be formed uniformly and rapidly on a mass prodn. scale. (18pp)    (JP95022123-B2)      A Si cpd. which can form accumulated film and an active species which is produced by decomposing a cpd. contg. carbon and halogen and chemically mutually acts with the Si cpd. are separately introduced in a film forming space for forming an accumulated film on a substrate. Discharge energy is made to act on them to react with Si cpd. through excitation. The accumulated film is formed on the substrate.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Method is suitable for forming an accumulated film contg. silicon, esp. an accumulated film of amorphous Si or polycrystal Si used for functional film, esp. for semiconductor device, photosensitive device, etc. and provides a forming method of accumulated films which improves film forming speed, reproducibility and uniformity of film quality and can increase the area of film and the productivity of film.
(US4645684-A)      The film is formed by subjecting a gas of formula (I) in which R1,R2, R3 and R4 (same of different) = H or hydrocarbon gp., in a vacuum chamber housing a substrate to be coated, to at least one of plasma energy, light energy and heat energy to polymerise the gas and to form a deposited Si-contg. film on the substrate.    Pref. in (I) R1, R2, R3 and R4 are e.g. H, alkyl, (esp. 1-4C) or aryl (esp. phenyl). (I) may be used in conjuction with H2 gas.    ADVANTAGE -   Process gives high quality deposited films contg. a high proportion of -(SiH2)n- chains and having a reduced defect density. (First major country equivalent to J61089627-A)
(DE3442932-C)      The appts. comprises a gas filled lightening arrester (F1,F2) arranged in a connection line of a solar generator (1) to a battery, or a user return current blocking The inadmissible lightening part currents or induced currents are bled to earth. The solar generator (1) and the spark gap of the lightening protector (F1,F2) are short circuited for s sufficient time for the quenching of the arc-    In the two connection leads (4,5) of the solar generator (1) respectively a DC compensated coi- (T1,T2) is connected. The coils are connected to each other on the load side across a Z diode (V2). Each coil is earthed via the protector (F1,F2) and a current transformer is connected between coil (T1) and protector (F1), whereby its secondary is used for the arc quenching.    ADVANTAGE -   Following arcing at the lightening conductor and fasde out of quenching, system is directly ready to assume operation.
(US4604494-A)      The assembly has a light concentrating reflector, which can be quickly combined with identical assemblies to form a solar battery array. In the array the electrical interconnection of the cells is accomplished by the cell support structure. A combination of electrical conductors and electrical insulating elements is used to support each cell at the focal point of its reflector, the latter being spaced from the cell.    The conductors are connected to the cells and interconnected to each other in a manner which provides both the desired series and parallel electrical connection of the cells. The cell support structure, in conjunction with the remainder of the array, is configured to reject heat by dissipation into space. This occurs from the sun-facing side of the array alone, where the anti-sun side of the array is shrouded by a panel, e.g. for protection against external particle radiation. (8pp)
(US4746962-A)      The photoelectric conversion device comprises a substrate having an insulating surface; and semiconductor photoelectric conversion elements U1 to Un sequentially formed side by side on the substrate and connecte din series one after another. The photoelectric conversion semiconductor elements Ui(i=1,2,3...n) each have a first electrode Ei formed on the substrate, a non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate member Qi formed on the first electrode Ei and a second electrode Fi formed on the non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate member Qi.    The non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate Qi has at least a first non-single-crystal semiconductor layer having a P or N conductivity type, a second non-single-crystal semiconductor layer of intrinsic type and a third non-single-crystal semiconductor layer having a same conductivity as the first non-single-crystal semiconductor layer.    ADVANTAGE -   Eliminates leakage between electrodes. (First major country equivalent to J61058277)    (US4764476-A)      The photoelectric conversion device is formed with a substrate having an insulating surface. A number n of non-single crystal semiconductor photoelectric conversion elements U1 to Un is sequentially formed side by side on the substrate and connected in series one after another. This eliminates leakage between electrodes and attains a high photoelectric conversion efficiency.    The active portion of each element U1 to Un is selectively annealed by light irradiation to increase its crystallinity, hence conductivity. The inter cell coupling portion has a high resistance to current leakage. (14pp)    (JP93058270-B)      Semiconductor device comprises photoelectric conversion element connected in series through couplers; a semiconductor disposed at an active region of the element is formed by increasing the crystallisation deg. and semiconductor at the coupler is amorphous.    USE -   For solar cells. (J61058277-A)
(JP92045546-B)      Infrared absorptive compsn. comprises essentially at least one cpd. of general formula (I), where (Cat) is cation for neutralising complex, M is Ni, Cu, Co, Pd or Pt which is dispersed in binder.    Cpd. is prepd. pref. by reacting NaCN, CS2 and N,N-dimethyl-formamide to provide Na cyanodithioformate, cracking Na cyanodithioformate to provide Na cis-1,2-dicyano-1,2-ethylene dithiolate which is reacted with metallic salt and then salt contg. cation.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   IR absorptive compsn. absorbs far IR rays and near IR ray having wavelength of at least 700 nm without degrading transmission of visible rays and it is useful as safe-light filter for IR ray-sensitive photographic material, for controlling growth of plants or retarding earing season, for blocking IR rays from green garden, house, office, shop, automobile or aircraft, as occular cut filter for IR rays or as cut filter for semi-conductor photocell. (J61057674-A)
(US4743160-A)      The overspeed operation of a low head hydroelectric generating set is limited by normally adjusting the valves for each adjustment of the vanes so as to maintain the valves and vanes in a relative predetermined optimal adjustment at given pressure heads. The adjustment of the valves is limited for each adjustment of the vanes when the pressure head through the turbine reaches a predetermined pressure head which is slightly below the normal minimum operating pressure head within a range of adjustments.    The range of adjustments is defined between a limitation conjugation line which defines the optimum adjustments of the vanes and valves at the predetermined pressure head and the conjugation line which defines the optimum adjustments of the vanes and the valves at the normal minimal operating pressure head through the turbine. The pressure head at which the limitation conjugation line is taken is within about 5 percent of the normal minimal operating pressure head.    ADVANTAGE -   Optimum efficiency of machine operation. (7pp)
(DE3429812-C)      The incident irradiation on the image sensors (3) is concentrated through anisotropic etchings of network planes of the mono crystalline semiconductor substrate. The network planes of the III plane can be a silicon single crystal.    The radiation concentration arrangement can consist of a combination of, in section, triangular or trapezium etching grooves (8) corresp. to the positions of the image sensors and their read-out structures. The latter (4) can be on the upper side (0) of the silicon substrate (2).    ADVANTAGE -   Increased saturation. (5pp)    (GB2164492-B)      A plate-shaped monocrystalline semiconductor substrate (2) is provided having image sensors (3) surrounded by read-out structures (4) arranged in a mosaic pattern on one side (O). On the reverse side (R), an arrangement for concentrating the radiation which is incident onto this side onto the sensors, is formed by etching pits (8 or 8').    The pits are triangular or trapezoidal in cross-section and are formed directly into the substrate by anisotropic etching along crystal planes (1 1 1) inclined to the substrate surface O. By appropriate choice of the etching pit depth, the largest possible virtual image sensor surface area is utilised.    ADVANTAGE -   Effective surface area of sensors may be increased by twice to three times as much as their actual area.
(US4683718-A)      The device comprises one or several hydro turbines, at least one of them having adjustable vanes. For optimum utilisation of the available amount of water, the vane angles in the turbine are automatically adjustable in dependence on the level in the water dam, which level is measured at predetermined intervals. When the plant comprises several turbines, the level indicator is also used for start and stop. (7pp)
(US4663494-A)      Photovoltaic device has a substrate supporting photoelectric conversion elements which each comprises a semiconductor photoactive layer between electrode films (12,14). Connection electrode film (6a,b) connect adjacent elements in series. One end of each connection electrode film overlies part of the second electrode film of an adjacent conversion element and extends down along the side face of the photoactive layer (13a,b) exposed by the second electrode. The other end of each connection electrode contacts the exposed part of the first electrode film of the other adjacent conversion element.    The side face of the photoactive layer is overetched to make it slant and each connection electrode film extends down along the slanted face. Each connection electrode film contacts the second electrode film of an adjacent conversion element so that the end does not overlie the first electrode film.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Solar cell mfr in which the height difference between electrode films is reduced so that adjacent elements can be connected in series without rupture. (13pp)
(US4636707-A)      The generator is driven by a prime mover, e.g. a fluid-driven turbine, whose speed may vary. The generator rotor is coupled to the output shaft of a differential drive unit, one input of which is coupled to the prime mover and the other input is coupled to a synchronous generator whose output is fed to a thyristor controlled variable load.    Preferably the output of the generator is fed through a 3-phase bridge rectifier into the load which is regulated so as to adjust the load in dependence on the current. The load includes a load resistor which is short circuited by the thyristor at torques up to full load but which is switched in by the thyristor to direct a portion of the current through the resistor when the turbine torque increases above full load.    ADVANTAGE -   Does not require regular maintenance. (4pp)e
(US4649227-A)      Photoactive structure consists of FeS(2+/-x) in which x is up to 0.05. It is doped with 10 power 16-10 power 19 per cc. Mn, As, Co, or chloride, the amt. of other impurities being less than 10 power 20 per cc. Pref. the material is doped to have an effective charge carrier density of more than 10 power 15 per cc, a derived charge carrier mobility of 200 cm2/Vs, a conversion yield of at least 1%, a quantum yield of up to 90% and a photovoltage of more than 0.25V.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Conversion of solar energy to electrical or chemical energy. The material can be produced as both an n- and p-conductive material, and p-n junctions can be made in a simple manner. (16pp)o    (JP93024118-B)      Novel photoactive pyrites layer has a stoichiometric variation corresp. to FeS2 + -x(x = up to 0.05), has an impurity concn. of less than 10 power 16-10 power 19/cu.cm.    processes for prodn. of the layer, involving thermochemical treatment of natural pyrites or synthesis and crystal growth of pyrites.    USE -   Used for are solar cell electrodes, optoelectronic devices and electrodes in photo-electrochemical solar cells with an aq. soln. of 4M HI, 0.05M I2 and IM CaI2 as electrolyte. (J61106499-A)
(US4650524-A)      Semiconductor device is made by forming a film on the substrate and selectively removing the film by irradiation with an energy beam capable of passing through the substrate, from the other side of the substrate.    Pref. the substrate is light transparent and the semiconductor film is exposed to a laser beam.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Solar cell or linear optical sensor array mfr. Defects caused by a residue are avoided. Sepn. precision of photoelectric converting regions is improved. (35pp)
(US5017087-A)      multi-functional rotary hydraulic machines and machine systems combines a common rotary drive system with a family of mechanically interchangeable rotary hydraulic machine units having different hydraulic functions. The machines have a static outer casing mounting a prime mover. The prime mover comprises a stator assembly and a rotor assembly. The stator assembly is mounted within and encased by the static outer casing.    The rotor assembly comprises a pair of half-shafts by which the rotor assembly is rotatably mounted within the stator assembly. The rotor assembly further comprises mounting and coupling means by which a selected one of a number of mechanically interchangeable rotary hydraulic machine units is mounted within and coupled to the rotor assembly for rotation. The rotary hydraulic machine units each have a different hydraulic function. Numerous different hydraulic machine units are described. (22pp)
(DE3522602-C2)      The optical (light) energy to electrical energy converter includes one or more fluorescence collectors (4) with associated solar cells (5). One or more batteries (8) with mountings (7) and a connection cable (9) transfer electrical energy from the solar cells to the batteries, wherein the electrical energy is stored.    The fluorescence collectors with the solar cells, the batteries, the mountings and the connection cable are arranged in two frames (1, 2) which hinge (3) over to stack the frames one on the other, the assembly then being secured by a lock (12), giving easy transportation via a grip opening (6).    USE/ADVANTAGE -   For battery recharging. Easy handling and transportation.
(DE3418413-C)      The mechanism has a locking arm (8) carried by a shaft (9) formed by a bolt rotating about a first axis in one part (3) of the hinge and fixed at any angular position.    In the region of the holder for the locking arm this bolt includes a bolt region displaced eccentrically by its central long axis w.r.t. the bolt's axis of rotation. The locking arm rotates freely in this region. The rotating bolt is a lockable threaded bolt or screw.    ADVANTAGE -   The final position of the panel in which it is locked can be set finely and reproducibly.
(US4838951-A)      The solar module mounting arrangement with a frame is composed of a number of components in a predetermined shape or profile. The solar modules in the frame are able to be secured so as to be stable over the long term and in a dense packing arrangement having the smallest possible space requirement. An angle bracket (2) provided with a mounting member (5) to attach the solar module to a support base is arranged between at least two adjacent components (3) of the frame.    A corner of the compound solar module (4) between the adjacent components (3) of the frame is provided with a recess (15). In this way, the angle bracket (2) is arranged in such a manner that a number of such solar modules can be arranged one beside another without spacing (dead space) between the solar modules. (4pp)e    (DE3685841-G)      The solar module has a frame constructed from several parts. Between two neighbouring parts an angled corner piece is provided having a device for fixing the module. A corner of the connecting backing between the neighbouring parts has a recess. The profiled corner is so arranged that several such modules can be closely positioned next to each other.    The device to fix the module can simple be a fixing hole or pin.    The corner piece can have two components to hold it. These components can have adjusting screws fixed in the neighbouring parts of the frame. An inner thread can be formed in each retaining component. The corner pieces can have openings to allow water to run off. They can also have feet to support the module.    ADVANTAGE -   Long term stable fixture requiring smallest possible space.
(DE3516289-C)      Handling winch is powered by an hydrostatic machine and connected to a vessel mounted drive device which moves up and down with the sea and synchronises the mmovements of the winched load and vessel. The drive device should consist of an hydraulic motor (cylinder 20 and hydrostatic machine) whose displaced fluid drives the hydrostatic machine (22) powering the winch drum (25).    A second driven hydrostatic machine (24) is circuited hydraulically parallel to the winch machine (22).    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Offshore services, e.g. drill rig load handling. Vessel drive fluid drives drill rig winch drum motor to synchronise load and vessel movement due to sea. (6pp)
(US4724011-A)      Thin film solar module includes a substrate supporting electrode pads which each have a conductive metal oxide film and a metallic portion. A semiconductive layer over the pads establishes a photovoltaic region. Further electrode pads are on the semiconductive layer, each one overlying one of the photovoltaic regions and overlapping the first electrode pad of an adjacent photovoltaic region over a preselected area which includes the metallic portion of the first pad. Localised conductive paths extend through the semiconductive area from each second electrode pad to the metallic portion of the first pad so that it overlaps to connect two of the photovoltaic regions in series. The conductive paths comprise discrete spaced regions.    ADVANTAGE -   Monolithic solar cell can be interconnected in a rapid effective manner with the prodn. of a min. amt. of debris. (11pp)    (DE3686195-G)      Device having a photovoltaic thin film of selected thickness is mfd. by (a) forming spaced transparent front electrodes (32) on a transparent substrate, each having at least one contact portion (30) thicker than the selected thickness of the thin film; (b) forming a continuous photovoltaic thin film (20) over the front electrodes and substrate regions between them; and (c) forming spaced back electrodes (22) on the continuous film, each overlying one front electrode to define a photovoltaic region between them, and overlapping the contact portion of an adjacent front electrode to establish an electrical connection with it through the continuous thin film.    The device comprises an array of photovoltaic regions in a continuous thin film, connected in series by the electrical connection between pre-formed front electrode contact regions and back electrodes of adjacent cells.    ADVANTAGE -   The photovoltaic layer is unpatterned, avoiding surface contamination risk, simplifying mfr., and increasing the active area of the device, pref. a solar cell array.
(US4683348-A)      The solar cell array comprising a multiplicity of cell units each comprising a concave primary reflector for reflecting sunlight onto a convex secondary reflector which in turn reflects light onto a solar cell. The solar cells of all the cell units are mounted on a common member which serves to conduct heat away from the cells. The primary reflectors of all the cell units are formed on shaped portions of a first unitary member, and the secondary reflectors are formed on shaped portions of a second unitary member. Each shaped portion of the second unitary member is connected to adjacent shaped portions by rigid arms to provide an open framework.    Preferably the array has at least nine of the units which are arranged in at least three rows each containing three or more units. (6pp)o
(DE3513910-C2)      A solar cell (7) and, near the edge of the module, at least one stiffening frame (10,11,17) is embedded in glass fibre plastic (2). There may be more than one solar cell. Near the frames there are means for securing the module, including the holes (12) and pins (13).    USE -   Suitable for solar energy installations. An economical design, simple and robust.
(US4862227-A)      The device includes a substrate, separate electrodes formed on the substrate and a semiconductor layer includes formed over the electrodes. The semiconductor layer includes an amorphous semiconductor material and is obtained by forming a layer comprising an amorphous semiconductor material over the electrodes and then cutting through the layer with a laser scribe in an oxidative environment to form a scribed end face.    The semiconductor layer has a mean oxygen content of 0.5-10 atom per cent in a portion between the scribed end face and a distance 10-50 micro meter away from the scribed end face.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   As solar battery giving good performance even in low luminous intensity environment such as indoor. (First major country equivalent to J61198685)    (JP93050871-B)      The device includes a substrate, separate electrodes formed on the substrate and a semiconductor layer includes formed over the electrodes. The semiconductor layer includes an amorphous semiconductor material and is obtained by forming a layer comprising an amorphous semiconductor material over the electrodes and then cutting through the layer with a laser scribe in an oxidative environment to form a scribed end face.    The semiconductor layer has a mean oxygen content of 0.5-10 atom per cent in a portion between the scribed end face and a distance 10-50 micro meter away from the scribed end face.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   As solar battery giving good performance even in low luminous intensity environment such as indoor. (First major country equivalent to J61198685)
(DE3511082-C)      After doping of the substrate (1a) a metallic contact (7a) is deposited on the lower surface (5a) by means of a vapour deposition process. A strip (12a) made of, e.g. silicon dioxide or photolaquer, on the upper surface (2a) prevents adhesion of a similar metallic contact deposited on the upper surface.    A V-shaped groove (11a) is then cut into the lower contact area by means of a lser beam and the substrate is broken along the groove which coincides with a prepared fracture line in the substrate. This leaves a projecting section of the upper contact area that may be used for 'chaining' several solar cells. A similar process is used for producing an extension of the lower contact area.    ADVANTAGE -   Does not require added connections.    (US5045481-A)      The process for manufacturing a solar cell from a semiconductor body, comprises the steps of: providing a semiconductor base body having two opposing major surfaces, wherein an edge zone is defined along an edge of the first major surface of the semiconductor body; and depositing a strip-shaped region on the edge zone. The strip-shaped region prevents bonding of metallic compounds or alloys to the semiconductor base body. A metallic connection contact is deposited by vapourisation on the strip-shaped region and on the major surface of the semiconductor body. The strip-shaped region prevents the first metallic connection contact from adhering to the semiconductor body.    A second metallic connection contact is deposited on the second major surface of the semiconductor body. One of the metallic connection contacts has a comb-like structure. The portion of the semiconductor body is severed at the edge zone from the remainder of the semiconductor body. The first metallic connection contact projects over the edge of the resulting solar cell. (8pp)
(US4747567-A)      The spacecraft comprises a spacecraft body, a solar array extendible outwardly from the body, and articulator for adjusting the position of the solar array relative to the spacecraft body independently about three axes. Each axes is orthogonal to the axis adjacent to it. Each articular comprises a first rotatable coupling for permitting rotation of the solar array about a first axis parallel to the surface of the spacecraft body.    A second rotatable coupling permits rotation of the solar array about a second axis normal to the first axis. A third rotatable coupling permits rotation of the solar array about a third axis normal to the second axis and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the array.    USE -   Satellite. (20pp)i
(US6760378-N)      A deployable M-braced truss structure is efficiently packaged into a compact stowed position and expandable to an operative position at the use site. The M-braced configuration separates tension-compression and shear in the structure and permits efficient structural design. Both diagonals and longerons telescope from anm an M-braced base unit, and are deployed either pneumatically, mechanicallycl by springs or cables, or by powered reciprocating mechanisms. Upon full deployment, the diagonals and longerons lock into place with a simple latch mechanism.    In the M-braced truss, the diagonals intersect at the centre of the batten.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   E.g. for mast to support feed-horn for large antenna. Allows packaging of very long truss structure into single bay area. (11pp)
(US6761235-N)      Polymer material is exposed to an ion beam to remove absorbed gases and contaminants from its surface. The cleaned surface is then immediately ion beam sputter coated with a thin protective film.    The film may be of metal oxide and pref. includes a small amt. of polymer to impart flexibility. Suitably, a sputter target of metal oxide, e.g. SiO2 or Al2O3 as main portion, and flexible polymer with low oxidn. rate, e.g. PTFE or silicone rubber is used. The deposited film is typically 20-800 A thick.    USE -   for providing an oxidn. barrier on polyimides etc. which are to be exposed to low earth orbital environments. (11pp)
(US4754544-A)      Semiconductor device arrays, e.g. of photovoltaic cells, are produced from substrate with layer of semiconductor material, with an unconventionally thin substrate, which can be produced by etching away a thick substrate, some of the substrate being removed completely to form islands. Semiconductor material is rpref. amorphous Si or Ge alloy and substrate can be e.g. stainless steel or Ni, not more than 25 mu thick, e.g. not more than 10 mu thick. Semiconductor can contain a number of layers of different conductivity types, junctions being parallel to the substrate.    ADVANTAGE -   Flexible and lightweight arrays can be obtained, with high specific power. (16pp)
(US4689438-A)      Photovoltaic device has a transparent electrode on a light incident member. The electrode has a textured back surface opposite the light incident surface and a p-type layer of Pt gp. oxides is on the textured surface, followed by a semiconductive layer with a semiconductor junction with a p-type layer. A back electrode is on the back surface of the semiconductive layer.    Pref. the junction is a pin junction.    ADVANTAGE -   O content is easily controlled and incomplete junction formation avoided. (8pp)
(US4691076-A)      Solar array has an Al foil layer contg. spaced apertures and discrete semiconductor members with p-type and n-type regions, which are positioned in the apertures with the n-type region ohmically bonded to the foil. The members are pressed into the apertures at 500-577 deg.C, there is a contact insulated from the foil and coupled to the p-region.    Pref. the contact is another Al foil and the semiconductor members have a spheroid shape.    ADVANTAGE -   The array is flexible and utilises a relatively small number of inexpensive materials and processing steps. (11pp)e    (US4806495-A)      Solar cell arrays are mfd. from an Al foil, about 2 mil thick, which is initially embossed in a periodic hexagon arrangement, then is cleaned and etched with heated K or Na hydroxide to form an aperture (5) where the embossing was previously. A number of Si spheres (7), with N-type skin and P-type interior (11) are deposited over the rear side (13) of the matrix on the foil and a vacuum provided on the front draws the spheres through the apertures. Spheres are then bonded with the foil by heating and use of an impact press. Rear of the foil and part of the sphere are etched to remove N-type layer and array is anodised, giving Si and Al oxide layers (21,22). Spheres are lapped to remove Si dioxide and level back (17) of the sphere and thin foil (19) of Al is bonded on.    ADVANTAGE -   Array can be produced relatively economically. (11pp)
(US4611090-A)      The support includes a frame adapted to be in contact with the perimeter of a flexible photovoltaic module. An inwardly facing flange extends upward from the frame which overlaps a portion of the flexible photovoltaic module perimeter. A skirt depends downward from the frame.    Rib stiffeners, integral to the frame and extending inward, to contact the flexible photovoltaic module. The flexible photovoltaic module is secured to the frame and the rib stiffeners. (12pp)n
(DE3500716-C2)      The bearing arrangement includes two bearings (3,4) for a rotatable shaft (1), one surface of which is enclosed at least partially by a supporting part (6) with an air-gap (7) between and co-rotates with the shaft. The support part is joined to a fixed bearing part or is formed by a fixed bearing part.    The co-rotating surface is located on a flange (2) arranged on one end of the shaft serving to fix the part. The arrangement is designed to react with axially and/or radially directed movements to the transverse forces or torques which occur during short-term overloading of the bearings. The air-gap is made sufficiently narrow to allow the support part at least partially to take up the axial or radial movements.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   In satellite, for solar generator. Bearing arrangement can withstand short-term high loads. Vibration reduced and-or absorbed.
(US4753512-A)      In the optical implementation of a logic OR function at least two sources of light radiation are used. A fluorescent optical fibre is provided which is placed so that the fibre is laterally excited by either of the sources to produce a light signal by fluorescence. A functional element is positioned at one end of the fibre to utilise the signal corresponding to lateral excitation. The OR function implemented indicates the non-operating states of the sources or the operation of at least one.    ADVANTAGE -   Spectral analysis function of the radiation can be carried out. (10pp)t    (US4812013-A)      To use a light source in a space traversed by the light, part of a fluorescent optical fibre having a transparent core and sheath is placed in the space so that it can be laterally excited by the light to produce fluorescence within the fibre which can be conveyed to the ends. A functional element is positioned at least at one fibre end to use the light signal corresponding to the lateral excitan.    The excitable fibre part can be exposed to the flux of a single point source so that the end provides a binary function of indicating that the source is operating or not operating. The other fibre end pref. has a mirror coating, and the end functional element is mounted on an instrument panel.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   To provide indicating, control, logic function or measurement functions or in solar collectors for direct generation of electricity, provides novel use of laterally excited fluorescent fibre. (11pp)
(US4719754-A)      The wave-activated power generating appts. in the form of a buoy includes a floatable main body provided with a vertically extending central pipe having its bottom open end opened into the water and its top open end located above the water surface when the main body floats in the water surface. An air turbine is disposed at the top open end of the central pipe, a generator operatively is coupled to the air turbine, and a plate-shaped guide plate is fixed attached to the main body as located opposite to and separated away from the bottom open end of the central pipe.    The bottom guide plate allows to define a laterally opened circular opening between the guide plate and the tom of the main body, through which the water moves into and out of the central pipe.    ADVANTAGE -   Allows use even in shallow waters. (8pp)e
(US4651019-A)      The dual fueled thermoelectric generator comprises two different sources of energy. The first source of energy is electrical energy which is tapped from an overhead transmission ground wire and converted into thermal energy by electric resistance heaters. The thermal energy produced is applied to a thermopile which converts it into DC electric energy. The second source is a fossil fuel which is converted into thermal energy when a burner is actuated. The thermal energy it produces is applied to a thermopile.    The burner is actuated in response to either a loss of input voltage from the transmission ground wire or loss of output power from the thermopile. The fossil fuel is preferably propane and the output of the thermopile may be supplied to distributed loads, such as distributed fibre optic repeaters.    ADVANTAGE -   Provides reliable power source. (9pp)
(US4617722-A)      The cell on the then-current top face of the drum is placed so that its top electrode underlies the first bus strip and its bottom electrode overlies the second bus strip. The drum is indexed forward one face as the first bus spool is lowered and the second bus spool is raised. A new cell is placed on the then-current top face of the drum so that its top electrode underlies the second bus strip and its bottom electrode overlies the first bus strip. The drum is again indexed forward another face as the first bus spool is raised and the second bus spool is lowered.    The process is continued as desired to interweave the first and second bus strips between additional cells. After the strips are attached to the electrodes of the several cells, they are alternately severed between adjacent cells so as to complete the electrical interconnection of the cells in series. (12pp)0
(US4780726-A)      The hydraulic reflector is collapsible for highly compact stowage within a space vehicle and for convenient deployment in space to an expanded, dish-shaped configuration. The reflector comprises a rigid central dish hinged to a peripheral array of hingedly interconnected rigid panels which in turn carry a peripheral array of outwardly radiating extension ribs support an outer ring of flexible reflector material.    The rigid panels and the extension ribs are movable together between a collapsed state folded into a cylindrical envelope defined by the diametric size of the rigid central dish and a deployed configuration lying within a surface of revolution common to the central dish, such as a paraboloid surface in the case of an antenna.    USE -   In outer space environment. (7pp)e
(DE3441408-C)      The system uses a liquid filled container into which a buoyant body (2) is fed at the bottom, so that it is displaced upwards through the liquid. The buoyancy body (2) is fed in a continuous circulation loop which returns it from the top to the bottom of the container.    The displacement force can be used to drive a generator for supplying electrical energy to a storage battery. Pref. each buoyancy body (2) is formed as a ring segment.    USE -   For effective energy generation.
(US4620771-A)      The apparatus includes at least one photovoltaic panel for tracking movements of the sun. A lower frame member is rotatably supported above a light transmissive opening within the roof of the building to be illuminated. An upper frame member is pivotally coupled to the rear portion of the lower frame member and supports a reflective surface for reflecting solar light through the light transmissive opening.    Horizontal and vertical electric drive motors are provided for rotating the lower frame member to track east-to-west movements of the sun and for pivoting the reflective surface between open and closed positions. Control circuitry responsive to the position of the sun is also provided for controlling the horizontal and vertical drive motors. (18pp)
(US4604494-A)      The assembly has a light concentrating reflector, which can be quickly combined with identical assemblies to form a solar battery array. In the array the electrical interconnection of the cells is accomplished by the cell support structure. A combination of electrical conductors and electrical insulating elements is used to support each cell at the focal point of its reflector, the latter being spaced from the cell.    The conductors are connected to the cells and interconnected to each other in a manner which provides both the desired series and parallel electrical connection of the cells. The cell support structure, in conjunction with the remainder of the array, is configured to reject heat by dissipation into space. This occurs from the sun-facing side of the array alone, where the anti-sun side of the array is shrouded by a panel, e.g. for protection against external particle radiation. (8pp)
(US4746962-A)      The photoelectric conversion device comprises a substrate having an insulating surface; and semiconductor photoelectric conversion elements U1 to Un sequentially formed side by side on the substrate and connecte din series one after another. The photoelectric conversion semiconductor elements Ui(i=1,2,3...n) each have a first electrode Ei formed on the substrate, a non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate member Qi formed on the first electrode Ei and a second electrode Fi formed on the non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate member Qi.    The non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate Qi has at least a first non-single-crystal semiconductor layer having a P or N conductivity type, a second non-single-crystal semiconductor layer of intrinsic type and a third non-single-crystal semiconductor layer having a same conductivity as the first non-single-crystal semiconductor layer.    ADVANTAGE -   Eliminates leakage between electrodes. (First major country equivalent to J61058277)    (US4764476-A)      The photoelectric conversion device is formed with a substrate having an insulating surface. A number n of non-single crystal semiconductor photoelectric conversion elements U1 to Un is sequentially formed side by side on the substrate and connected in series one after another. This eliminates leakage between electrodes and attains a high photoelectric conversion efficiency.    The active portion of each element U1 to Un is selectively annealed by light irradiation to increase its crystallinity, hence conductivity. The inter cell coupling portion has a high resistance to current leakage. (14pp)    (JP93058270-B)      Semiconductor device comprises photoelectric conversion element connected in series through couplers; a semiconductor disposed at an active region of the element is formed by increasing the crystallisation deg. and semiconductor at the coupler is amorphous.    USE -   For solar cells. (J61058277-A)
(JP92045546-B)      Infrared absorptive compsn. comprises essentially at least one cpd. of general formula (I), where (Cat) is cation for neutralising complex, M is Ni, Cu, Co, Pd or Pt which is dispersed in binder.    Cpd. is prepd. pref. by reacting NaCN, CS2 and N,N-dimethyl-formamide to provide Na cyanodithioformate, cracking Na cyanodithioformate to provide Na cis-1,2-dicyano-1,2-ethylene dithiolate which is reacted with metallic salt and then salt contg. cation.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   IR absorptive compsn. absorbs far IR rays and near IR ray having wavelength of at least 700 nm without degrading transmission of visible rays and it is useful as safe-light filter for IR ray-sensitive photographic material, for controlling growth of plants or retarding earing season, for blocking IR rays from green garden, house, office, shop, automobile or aircraft, as occular cut filter for IR rays or as cut filter for semi-conductor photocell. (J61057674-A)
(WO8702512-A)      Battery comprises an assembly of photovoltaic cells connected in series and placed between two glass panes and two polyvinylbutyral foils, to charge one or two storage batteries and by use of the inernal resistance of the cells to be used as a car antenna or burglar alarm antenna.    High frequency and d.c. component sepn. is accomplished using two inductances and a condenser. The cells are e.g. 2-3 inches in dia.    ADVANTAGE -   Provides independence for electric car users and increases the life of a car battery by constant recharging even in winter. (First major country equivalent to RO--88421-A)
(US4580400-A)      The apparatus includes at least on caisson having a bottom plate, a back plate and side plates opening in an opposite side of the back plate and opening at least part of an upper portion of the caisson to form a water chamber. The caisson is arranged to form at least part of a break-water facing the sea. A pendulum with a pressure-receiving plate has a nautral period in swinging the same periods of stationary wave surges of water caused in the water chamber and arranged in the caisson at a distance from the back plate one fourth of the length of the stationary wave surges.    An incident wave-severer arranged in the caisson at the sea side relative to the pendulum severs an excessive upper part of the incident wave which exceeds a given limit height at the time of an extraordinary sea phenomenon. (15pp)
(US4663494-A)      Photovoltaic device has a substrate supporting photoelectric conversion elements which each comprises a semiconductor photoactive layer between electrode films (12,14). Connection electrode film (6a,b) connect adjacent elements in series. One end of each connection electrode film overlies part of the second electrode film of an adjacent conversion element and extends down along the side face of the photoactive layer (13a,b) exposed by the second electrode. The other end of each connection electrode contacts the exposed part of the first electrode film of the other adjacent conversion element.    The side face of the photoactive layer is overetched to make it slant and each connection electrode film extends down along the slanted face. Each connection electrode film contacts the second electrode film of an adjacent conversion element so that the end does not overlie the first electrode film.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Solar cell mfr in which the height difference between electrode films is reduced so that adjacent elements can be connected in series without rupture. (13pp)
(US4844598-A)      A light focusing lens collects solar light rays, and has a central portion and a peripheral portion. A light intercepting member is disposed on the central portion so that the light rays are intercepted at the central portion of the lens by the member.    The peripheral portion of the lens focuses the light rays, with an optical conductor transmitting rays to a desired location.    The optical conductor has a light receiving edge spaced from the lens and disposed at a position which corresponds to the focus of one of the components of the focused rays to that the conductor receives only one component of focused light rays and transmits the component to the desired location. (4pp)
(US4653472-A)      The solar ray energy collector comprises light focusing lens having a central portion and a peripheral portion. A light intercepting member is disposed on the central portion of the lens, the peripheral portion of the lens focusing the light rays.    An optical conductor having a light receiving edge spaced from the lens is disposed at a position which corresponds to the focus of one of the components of the focused light rays such that the optical conductor receives only one component of the focused light rays.    The optical conductor has a longitudinal end portion adjacent to the light receiving edge and a reflector is disposed about the circumference of the end portion. The reflector is positioned to receive and reflect only another component of the light rays focused by the peripheral portion. An energy collecting device is disposed to receive the reflected other component of the light rays, so that the one and the other component of the light rays are separated and collected.    ADVANTAGE -   Allows different components to be used for lighting, heating and electricity generation. (6pp)
(US4682472-A)      The lockable, mechanically secure coupling for heat exchanger tubes which are connected together by end plates into superimposed layers (A or B) to form hydraulic connections between the extremities of two tubes (1) using tubular elbows (3). Each tubular elbow (3) has a coupling member (5) connected to the extremities thereof by welding, brazing or glueing to form a coupling flange.    The subassembly comprises an elbow with its coupling member (5) is received in a countersunk recess (10) in the external face of the end plate and is mechanically locked by pairs of straight pins (13) which extend into spaced parallel bores (12) or (15), disposed orthogonally to the axis (XX) of the tubes (1) each pin (13) being received in an external semicircular groove (9) of the coupling member (5).    USE -   In thermoelectric devices employed as heat pumps or as electrical generators. (9pp)9
(DE3418879-C)      A reflector, esp. for dish antennae, solar ray concentrators, comprises a concave reflector membrane made from originally flat membrane material. (As claimed in 2740813). The peripheral edge of the membrane is sealed into a bowl , of rigid construction and sharper curvature, concave in the same direction as the membrane. A partial vacuum is maintained between membrane and bowl thus giving the curvature to the membrane. A preferred material for the membrane is plastics foil.    ADVANTAGE -   The mfg. process is simplified and costs reduced.
(US4650524-A)      Semiconductor device is made by forming a film on the substrate and selectively removing the film by irradiation with an energy beam capable of passing through the substrate, from the other side of the substrate.    Pref. the substrate is light transparent and the semiconductor film is exposed to a laser beam.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Solar cell or linear optical sensor array mfr. Defects caused by a residue are avoided. Sepn. precision of photoelectric converting regions is improved. (35pp)
(US4697867-A)      The multidirectional non-imaging device comprises a first device for forming a first radiation confining tapered surface having a truncated shape and being disposed with its narrow edge adjacent an end of the radiation conductor and having directrices of any closed type and having generatrices of any form consistent with the tapered surface. A second device forms at least one second radiation confining tapered surface inscribed within the first surface.    There is a radiation transparent medium between the first and second surfaces, with the sapcing between them being constant to enable radiations to propagate toward and/or away from the widened end of the device.    USE -   Visualisation, lighting, energetics, instrumentation, opto-electronics, microwaves. (7pp)i
(US4661716-A)      The system has an energy absorbing network formed by units each comprising a rigid frame, movably supporting an ascending and descending assembly. A suspension frame is supported at the lower end of the assembly and a swinging member is movably supported by the suspension frame. An absorber including a wheel and buoy is rotatably supported by the swinging member to float on the surface of the sea. A gear linkage couples the absorber to one end of a drive member extending through the rigid frame.    A transmission gear linkage couples the other end of the drive member to an output which is converted to a pneumatic force to provide a source of compressed fluid. The wave forces applied to the absorber are transmitted to the gear and transmission gear linkages to actuate the compressor.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Provides electric power source. Cheap power unaffected by air pollution. (31pp)
(US4675536-A)      The apparatus for extracting energy from waves in a liquid comprises a number of elongated spine elements and a device connecting the spine elements end to end. Air pumping cavities are on spine elements and a common pumping passage extends through the spine elements. A branch pumping passage connects each cavity with the common pumping passage.    The spine elements are connected end to end in an endless loop with pumping cavities being provided all around the loop. The membranes, when the loop is in a horizontal plane in which it will lie when in the body of liquid, face the liquid horizontally    so that they will be displaced horizontally by movement of the waves at front, sides and rear of the apparatus, regardless of the direction of movement of the wave front. (9pp)t
(DE3522602-C2)      The optical (light) energy to electrical energy converter includes one or more fluorescence collectors (4) with associated solar cells (5). One or more batteries (8) with mountings (7) and a connection cable (9) transfer electrical energy from the solar cells to the batteries, wherein the electrical energy is stored.    The fluorescence collectors with the solar cells, the batteries, the mountings and the connection cable are arranged in two frames (1, 2) which hinge (3) over to stack the frames one on the other, the assembly then being secured by a lock (12), giving easy transportation via a grip opening (6).    USE/ADVANTAGE -   For battery recharging. Easy handling and transportation.
(DE3418413-C)      The mechanism has a locking arm (8) carried by a shaft (9) formed by a bolt rotating about a first axis in one part (3) of the hinge and fixed at any angular position.    In the region of the holder for the locking arm this bolt includes a bolt region displaced eccentrically by its central long axis w.r.t. the bolt's axis of rotation. The locking arm rotates freely in this region. The rotating bolt is a lockable threaded bolt or screw.    ADVANTAGE -   The final position of the panel in which it is locked can be set finely and reproducibly.
(US4612488-A)      A rotatable disc is provided with a light transmitting portion and an opaque portion. The solar radiation transmitted through the disc when rotating, fals on an optically sensitive sensor detecting the light intensity. Two optical emitter/receiver pairs which are oriented with respect to two coordinate axes at the periphery of the disc detect the position of the light spot on it.    The radiation is directed by the disc to generate two signals which are related to the coordinate axes and the tracking error of the tracking system. The signals energise motors which move a solar concentrator so as to track the sun.    ADVANTAGE -   Finds visible centre of radiation in sky and determines orientation with desired high precision, regardless of fog, clouds and mist. (15pp)    (DE3422813-C)      The sensor probe includes two bi-convex, achromatic lenses (L1,L2) with focal length of 200 mm and 16 mm respectively. An iris shutter (A) between the lenses provides sensitivity adjustment.    A sharp image of the sun is focussed on the centre of an opaque control disc (S) when the probe is on course. This disc has a radial slit (1) and two semicircular slits (2,3). The disc revolves at a rate of 100 Hz, Lightemitters/receivers (E1,T1) either side of the semicircular slits generate x-y coordinate position signals for an electronic control unit that also receives an error signal due to sun light passing through the radial slit when the probe is off course. The resulting signals are used to control a servo mechanism.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Parabolic dish guidance system or heliostat fields for solar towers with a precision of 0.02-0.05 deg. Has great preeision, i.e. better than 1 deg. and is not affected by fog etc.    (DE3586612-G)      The sensor probe includes two bi-convex, achromatic lenses (L1,L2) with focal length of 200 mm and 16 mm respectively. An iri
(JP94017201-B2)      Appts. comprises a reformer to which feed gas e.g. hydrocarbons, methanol, is supplied to reform converters that are installed at the exit of the reformer to convert CO to CO2 and catalyst layers provided at each inlet of reformer and converters to burn a part of feed gas to raise a temp. of each reformer and converters when operation of the appts. is started.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Operation of the appts. can rapidly be started. (J61232202-A)
(US4657826-A)      The fuel cell system comprises a fuel cell having a fuel chamber and a fuel supply subsystem communicating with a with the fuel chamber. A burner is provided in the fuel supply subsystem for burning, with air, fuel gas derived from the fuel supply subsystem. At the time of start of operation of the fuel cell, a feed quantity of the fuel gas to be introduced into the burner is gradually increased while a feed quantity of the air to be introduced into the burner is decreased from 100% to 0% during working of the burner so that the air in the fuel chamber is replaced with the fuel gas. At the time of stop of operation of the fuel cell, the feed quantity of the fuel gas to be introduced into the burner is gradually decreased while the feed quantity of the air to be introduced into the burner is increased from 0% to 100% during working of the burner sothat the fuel gas in the fuel chamber is replaced with the air.    ADVANTAGE -   Reduces overall dimensions. (First major country equivalent to J61233977)
(JP94079711-B2)      Heat generated in the cell is recovered to produce steam. The steam is fed to heat source of the producer to produce fresh water from sea water.    USE -   For making drinking water in isolated area.
(US4729871-A)      Porous metal plate is mfd. by a method in which short metal fibres are embedded in adhesive on a substrate with predetermined bulk density, pressure is applied to push over the fibres and the composite is sintered. The fibres are formed of at least one meal selected from the gp. Al, bronze, Ni, and stainless steel. The adhesive can be organic or inorganic and can contain m.pt. depressant to lower the sintering temp. of the fibre. Substrate can be any material that is burnt on sintering e.g. paper, a reinforcing material such as net or plate of stainless steel, or material that can be removed prior to sintering.    ADVANTAGE -   Porous plate can have controlled porosity, can be produced in large sizes if reqd., and has high bending strength. (15pp)
(US4835072-A)      Appts. uses an aq. soln. as a working medium. The appts. has a flow path for an aq. soln. which includes water and iron based cpds. which deposit on the interior of the appts., the water being capable of reacting with its environment to form iron-based cpds.    The appts. has an aq. soln. comprising water having (1) a pH of at least 5.5; (2) an electrical conductivity which is not greater than 1 microohm per cm; and (3) a solids content (including an amt. of iron-based cpds. other than ferric hydrous oxide) below 1 ppm. The water also contains ferric hydrous oxide of an amt. that retards the deposition of the iron-based cpds. on the interior of the appts.    USE -   Used in the suppression of corrosion and the direct blocking of severe deposition of iron-based cpds. on the walls of conduits. (15pp)
(US4724191-A)      Hydronium contg. powder and bonding agent consisting of hydronium conducting organic polymer or phosphate are mixed, formed into a predetermined shape and cured. A dense polycrystalline shaped hydronium conducting ceramic body is obtd. in which the bonding agent does not affect hydronium ion conductivity.    The bonding agent may also be ortho phosphoric acid which is pref. employed in an amt. of 15-30 wt.% of the mixt. The hydronium powder may be obtd. by converting e.g. Na beta/beta"-alumina, Na/K beta/beta"-alumina, poly antimonic acid, etc. into hydronium powder.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Electrolyte ceramics which may be snow white in colour, resistant to breaking and cracking and have conductivity at 100 deg.C of 0.00014-0.0006 (ohm.cm)-1 can be obtd.. Used for fuel cells, hydrogen detectors, steam electrolysers. (6pp)
(US4885368-A)      Radical ion salt of formula (I) are new. In (I), R1-4 are H, (m)ethyl, phenyl, (m)ethoxy, F, Cl or Br; or R1 or R1 and R3 are each t.butyl; or R1-2 or R3-4 or R1-2 and R3-4 form a gp. (II) (V) (where z = 0, 1, 2 or 3); Mm+t is a cation whose redox potential is not more than that of Ag, (e.g. Cu, Ag, isoquinolium, phenazinium etc.); k is 1-5; l is 0.1-4; m is 1-3; n is 0.1-4; x is 0-2; and y is 0-6.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   The salt is useful as electrical semiconductor and photoconductor, as electrode or storage material, in electric batteries, etc.
(US4923767-A)      A fuel cell power plant having a flow path for an aq. soln., a conduit leading to a heat transfer unit wherein the aq. soln. comprises water and iron based cpds. which deposit on the interior of said conduit is provided. The water reacts with its environment to form iron based cpds., whic deposit on its interior.    The water has a pH of at least 5.5, an electrical conductivity of less than or equal to one microohm per cm., a solids content less than one part per million and including iron cpds., in addn. to ferric hydrous oxide. The ferric hydrous oxide is of character and amount so as to retard its deposition onto the conduit interior.    ADVANTAGE -   Increased operation time between shutdowns is provided. (14pp)
(US4804591-A)      Fuel cell power plant comprising a fuel cell stack utilises an aq. soln. of pH 5.5-8.5, having electroconductivity of at most 1 micro-ohm per cm. and having solids content less than 1 ppm. The solids content includes an amt. of iron based cpds. other than ferric hydrous oxide and the soln. also includes ferric hydrous oxide to retard deposition of the iron based cpds. on the inside of a conduit.    A supply conduit in flow communication with a fuel cell power plant component receives water from the component. Additional ferric hydrous oxide, produced by controlled corrosion of iron or an iron based cpd. is supplied to the water.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   For the power plant cooling system. Blocking of conduits is reduced. (13pp)
(JP2675548-B2)      An electrochemical cell component comprises two planarly dis-posed electrodes bonded to or intimately pressed against opposing sides of a proton exchange active film, the film having (a) sulphonyl ion exchange active gps. present in their protonated form; (b) an equiv. wt. of less than ca. 1000 and (c) a storage modulus of greater than ca. 1x10 power 8 dynes/cm2 at a temp. greater than ca. 110 deg. C.    Pref. the cells are made by bonding gas-absorbing metal electrodes on opposite sides of theproton exchange active film, esp. where the anode is made from Pt black, Ru black, or a mixt. of tungsten oxides, and the cathode is of noble metals or noble metal blacks, esp. Pt black. The cell is made comprising an anode chamber and a cathode chamber in contact with and sepd. by the proton exchange film. A fuel such as pure H2 or a reformed hydrocarbon is fed into the fuel chamber adjacent to the anode and an oxidant such as air, pure O2, Br2 or Cl2 is fed into the chamber adjacent to the cathode, and the fuel is reacted electrochemically with the oxidant to produce electrical energy and steam.    ADVANTAGE -   Use of the polymer films allows a redn. in the equiv. wt. of the solid polymer electrolyte while at the same time limiting the water uptake of the polymer film per functional gp., compared to prior art films. The ionic conductivity of the films is also higher. The films have physical properties enabling them to be used in higher temp. proton exchange polymer film fuel cells, thus allowing max. efficiency of conversion of fuel gas available energy to valuable electrical energy, while recovering the max. amt. of total electrical and heat energy possible.
(US4629537-A)      Electrochemical converter is made by initially forming a set of solid-oxide electrolyte plates by suspending stabilised zirconia in a gas and passing the suspension through an arc discharge of at least 30 kilowatts to form a thin layer on a substrate. Deposition is repeated until plates 50-750 microns thick are formed and then removed from the substrate. One side of each plate is coated with a fuel electrode material and the other surface is coated with an oxidiser electrode material. A set of corrugated interconnector plates are made of Pt alloy 25-250 microns thick or of Ni alloy 100-1000 microns thick. The plates define gas passages and ridges for gas seals and contact with the electrolyte plates. The two types of plate are then assembled alternately.    ADVANTAGE -   Compact lightweight fuel cell of high efficiency. (9pp)h
(US4838897-A)      A reformer producing H-rich gas by passing natural gas and steam through catalyst-filled heated reformer tubes in a shell with a heater at the bottom. The heater has a section with burner combustors each with a fuel (10) and an air (11) nozzle, and a second section with a bed (22) of combustion catalyst for the fuel and air.    The second section is at the centre bottom of the reformer shell, and the burner combustors are around the first section at a periphery of the shell bottom. The combustor catalyst is pref. supported in a refractory cylinder with honeycomb perforated top and bottom surfaces providing uniform combustion gas flow.    ADVANTAGE -   Can maintain stable combustion during partial load operation. (7pp)    (JP92059241-B)      Reformer has heater to heat reactor tube placed in reforming furnace. The heater is composed of heating unit with burner and catalyst heating until having catalyst to burn fuel mixed with air.    Useful for producing gas contg. H2. (J61236601-A)
(US4657828-A)      The fuel cell system includes a burner (45) in which liquid fuel derived from the fuel storage tank (21) through a pressure and flow rate regulator (41) and a fuel valve (42) is burned with the air fed from the air blower (31) through a pressure and flow rate regulator (43) and an air valve (44). A combustion gas tank (46) is connected to the downstream side of the burner (45) and combustion gas feed valves (47 and 48) provided in combustion gas feed pipes. The burner (45) is a contact-type burner in which a spherical catalyst made of an alumina carrier. If the burner is to perform the contact burner of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as fuel, the catalyst is preheated to about 550 deg.C by a heater because the contact burning is performed at 200 deg.C or more and the complete combustion of the fuel is performed at about 550 deg.C. Pref. the burner is cooled by an air fan (45a) to control the burning reaction temp. of the burner to a prescribed level and prevent the burner from being overheated due to the contact burning reaction. The combustion gas storage tank 46 has a drain valve (46a) for draining water condensed in cooling the combustion gas produced in the burner.    ADVANTAGE -   Replaces reacting gas with inert gas at start/step time of fuel cell operation. (First major country equivalent to J61233976)
(US6736168-N)      Solid oxide fuel cell consists of an array of segments connected in series. Each segment consists of electrolyte walls and interconnect without composite inert materials for support. The core is monolithic, each electrolyte wall consisting of thin layers of cathode and anode material sandwiching a thin layer of electrolyte material. The fuel is directed to the anode-exposed core passageways and oxidant is directed to the cathode-exposed core passageways. The layers of electrolyte material are each 0.002-0.01 cm. thick and the anode and cathode materials are each 0.002-0.05 cm. thick.    Typically the cathode material is LaMnO3, the anode material is Co and Y2O3 stabilised ZrO2 cermet and the electrolyte is Y2O3 stabilised ZrO2.    ADVANTAGE -   The cell has a reduced size and weight and the power density is increased. (46pp)t    (US4666798-A)      Fuel cell has segments connected in series by interconnect material (41), to form a honeycomb defining fuel passageways (36) and oxidant passageways (37). Each fuel segment comprises anode material walls (38) or cathode material walls (39) sandwiching electrolyte or interconnect material (41). The interconnect material provides series connection between adjacent segments which have a square cross section.    Pref. the cathode material is La manganite, the anode material is Co-yttria-stabilised zirconia cermet, the electrolyte is yttria stabilised zirconia, and the interconnect material is La chromite. The manganite and chromite are doped to make them conductive. Interconnect material and electrolyte are 0.002-0.01 cm thick and each layer of anode and cathode is 0.002-0.05 cm thick. 2-50 cell segments may be connected in series.    ADVANTAGE -   Diffusion losses are minimised and power density significantly enhanced. (19pp),
(US4716859-A)      A liq. consisting mainly of MeOH is separated into 2 streams with (A) 1 stream being preheated and vapourised at 200-600 deg. C and passed into a reaction chamber contg. a gp. 8 noble metal on a carrier consisting mainly of TiO2 and/or CeO2, pref. together with other refractory metal oxides and a hydraulic binder to convert the MeOH to H2 and oxides of C, (B) feeding the other stream to a metering device, (C) mixing the reaction products from (A) and liq. from (B) to form a fuel mixt. and (D) feeding themixt. in timed sequence to the combustion chambers of a combustion engine.    The noble metal is pref. Pt, Rh, Ir or Pd, and is used in amts. of 0.01-3% w.r.t. catalysts. The carrier also contains 1-20% ZrO2 or La2O3 and 5-50 wt. % hydraulic binder. A preformed carrier consisting of cordierite, mullite, SiC or alpha-Al2O3 is pref. used esp, in the form of rings, spheres, honeycombs, tablets or extrusion moulded pieces. The MeOH is esp. mixed with water and the reaction chamber is run at 300-600 deg. C under a pressure of 0.1-10 bar at a space velocity 0.5-20 l MeOH/l catalyst/hr.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Liq, may be used as fuel for mobile or stationary combustion engines or as H2 source for fuel cells; the lowest possible conversion temp. is used to obtain gases with a high H2 content; virtually no Me2O and coke are produced; the highest possible conversion is obtd. with good control of the gases formed. (8pp)
(EP199878-B)      Apparatus for producing from hydrocarbon feedstock a gaseous mixture principally comprising hydrogen characterised in that said apparatus comprises; elongated combustion chamber means for reacting fuel and oxidant therein to generate heat for heating said hydrocarbon feedstock and for supporting a hydrogen-producing reaction; reformation reaction chamber means retaining reformer catalyst material therein and being formed about said combustion chamber means in heat exchange relationship with the latter and having an outer boundary comprising a wall; shift reaction chamber means containing shift catalyst material and being formed about said reformation reaction chamber means in heat exchange relationship with the latter and having an inner boundary comprising at least a portion of said wall, an end portion of said shift reaction chamber means and an end portion of said reformation reaction chamber means being in gaseous flow communication: preheated gas flow-producing means for producing a preheated gaseous flow of hydrocarbon feedstock and steam in a first direction through said reformation reaction chamber means wherein said hydrocarbon feedstock and steam are reacted in the presence of heat and said reformer catalyst material to form a high temperature mixture comprising hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and residual steam which upon passing from said reformation reaction chamber means, is then flowed into said shift reaction chamber means in a second direction opposite to said first direction, said shift catalyst material acting to increase the local heat transfer coefficient within said shift reaction chamber means for causing more heat from said high temperature mixture to be transferred through said wall from said shift reaction chamber means to said
(US4640873-A)      The temperature control system comprises temperature detectors each arranged in a fuel cell stack, and stack dampers each being arranged in each of inlet or outlet branched pipelines of a circulating pipeline for cooling gas, the circulating pipeline including a blower and a heat exchanger. The average value of operating temperatures of all the cell stacks detected by the temperature detectors, a difference between the average value and each detected temperature of the cell stacks, and a difference between the average value and a predetermined value of the operating temperature of the fuel cell stacks are calculated.    A driver actuates each stack damper in response to the difference between the average value and the detected temperature of each cell stack. The flow rate and/or the temperature of the cooling gas fed to the cell stacks is controlled in response to the difference between the average value and the predetermined value of the operating temperature of the cell stacks.    ADVANTAGE -   Long life and high power output. (First major country equivalent to J61214369)
(US4699853-A)      The unit cell is formed by several sub-unit cells as a result of dividing each of the electrodes and electrolytic plate into parts by electrolytic plate support portions projected from the surfaces of separators. The support portions are pressed in contact with the end portions of the electrolytic plate so as to support the electrolytic plate and seal the reaction gas, preventing it from leaking.    The electrolyte support portions of the separators may be provided with electrolyte supply paths, through which the electrolyte is supplied and impregnated into the electrolytic plate. The electrolyte may be supplied via the apertures provided in the separators, to the electrolyte supply paths.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   For application to molten carbonate fuel cell or phosphoric acid fuel cell. Capable of being large-sized for high power. (8pp)u
(US4648945-A)      An adherent metal deposit is formed on a conducting ceramic by contacting with a soln. contg. ions of the metal and contacting the opposite surface with an ionically conducting aq. fluid. The metal is deposited by passing a d.c. from a cathode contacting the aq. fluid to an anode contacting the aq. soln., with no electronic contact to the deposit or the surface of the ceramic.    Pref. the metal is Ni, Co, Cu, Pt, Ag, and/or Au and the cathode is a graphite rod.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Solid oxide fuel cell interconnection is obtd. A good electrical connection is achieved. (5pp).    (US4748091-A)      Multilayered solid oxide fuel cell tube has an inner porous ceramic support tube covered with a porous air electrode. A non-porous ceramic electrolyte covers part of the air electrode and a non-porous electronically conducting ceramic interconnection covers another portion of the air electrode. A metal deposit is on the interconnection and a metal fuel electrode covers the electrolyte.    Pref. the metal deposit is Ni, Co, Cu, Pt, Ag and/or Au/    ADVANTAGE -   Metal is only deposited on the interconnection and no marking of other portion of the cell is necessary. The metal deposit has a low resistance and good adherence to the interconnection. (5pp)t
(US4728580-A)      Amorphous metal alloys for reversible storage of H have the formula AaMbM'c, where A is at least one metal selected from the gp. Ag, Au, Hg, Pd, Pt; M is at least one metal selected from the gp. Pb, Ru, Cu, Cr, Mo, Si, W, Ni, Al, Sn, Co, Fe, Zn, Cd, Ga, and Mn; and M' is at least one metal selected from the gp. Ca, Mg, Ti, Y, Zr, Hf, Nb, V, Ta; a is greater than 0 to about 0.80; b is about 0-0.80; and c is about 0-08-0.95. A substantial part of the A constituent is on the surface of the amorphous metal alloy compsn., pref. at least 75%, to function as an interface material to affect kinetics. Constituent A can be deposited on a body of the compsn. without A, the composite then being annealed to form the amorphous material.    ADVANTAGE -   Capability of storing H cyclically without embrittlement or phase sepn., and unaffected by surface oxidn. or corrosion. (8pp)t    (US4814002-A)      Amorphous metal alloy compsn. for reversible H storage has the formula AaMbM'c, where A is at least one metal selected from the qp. of Ag, Au, Hg, Pd, and Pt; M is at least one metal selected from the gp. Pb, Ru, Cu, Cr, Mo, Si, W, Ni, Al, Sn, Co, Fe, Zn, Cd, Ga, and Mn; M' is at least one metal selected from the gp. of Ca, Mg, Ti, Y, Zr, Hf, Nb, V, Ta, and rare earths; a is greater than 0-about 0.80; b is 0 - about 0.70; and c is about 0.08-0.95. M and M' components are shaped and put into an environment where A-contg. cpds. deposit on the surface of the shaped bodies.    ADVANTAGE -   H can be stored reversibly in a cyclical fashion without becoming embrittled or suffering phase sepn.. (7pp)o
(US4648955-A)      Planar multi-junction electrochemical pump includes a container with one portion defining an inlet chamber and another portion defining an outlet chamber. The two chambers are sepd. by a gastight electrolyte membrane and pairs of electrodes contact both sides of the membrane. A voltage is applied to the electrodes to establish a voltage gradient converting the fluid into ions in the inlet chamber. The ions are propelled through the membrane into the outlet chamber where the ions are reconverted into fluid.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Electrochemical cell which has reduced wt. and bulk and which has improved reliability and efficiency. (7pp)    (JP7169499-A)      Planar multi-junction electrochemical cell comprises: a container (18), a membrane (16) defining first and second chambers (20,22); pairs of electrodes (24,26) on either side of and in contact with the membrane; and electrical connections (28,30) for the electrodes.    Cell is an electrochemical pump in which a voltage is applied to the electrodes; or is a fuel cell in which fuel gas is supplied to one chamber and oxidant gas to the other.    ADVANTAGE -   Arrangement of individual cells on one membrane in a single chamber eliminates need for many chamber walls and inlet and outlet lines.    (JP2934632-B2)      Planar multi-junction electrochemical cell comprises: a container (18), a membrane (16) defining first and second chambers (20,22); pairs of electrodes (24,26) on either side of and in contact with the membrane; and electrical connections (28,30) for the electrodes.    Cell is an electrochemical pump in which a voltage is applied to the electrodes; or is a fuel cell in which fuel gas is supplied to one chamber and oxidant gas to the other.    ADVANTAGE -   Arrangement of individual cells on one membrane in a single chamber eliminates need for many chamber walls and inlet and outlet lines.
(US4904547-A)      The fuel-cell comprises switching valves which open at the time of the urgent stop of the device or the suspension of electric power and which are arranged outside a cell vessel. Differential pressure detector sense the differential pressures of an excess fuel pressure and an excess air pressure with respect to a nitrogen pressure in the cell vessel respectively. Pressure controllers direct the opening and closing operations of a fuel differential pressure control valve and an air differential pressure control valve in response to the outputs of the differential pressure detector respectively.    Electricity is produced by an electrochemical reaction and can be stopped promptyl by replacing a fuel gas and air supply with nitrogen gas.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Fuel cell. Avoids large differential pressure fluctuation after emergency shut down. @(First major country equivalent to J61200673)@ @(4pp Dwg.No.2/2)@
(US4647516-A)      The internal reforming type fuel cell comprises reforming region which receives a reforming catalyst which is thermally held in contact with unit fuel cells, which is isolated from fuel gas side electrodes and in which only reformation of a fuel gas is carried out. A second reforming region receives the reforming catalyst which adjoins the fuel gas side electrodes and in which an electrochemical reaction is carried out in the fuel gas side electrodes while the partly reformed fuel gas fed from the first reforming region is being reformed.    The first reforming region is fed with part of the fuel gas supplied externally and reforms it into the fuel gas containing hydrogen as its principal ingredient, and the second reforming region is fed with both the remainder of the fuel gas supplied and the fuel gas reformed in the first reforming region. The first reforming region is defined by cooling plates coupled to the unit fuel cells, and the second reforming region is defined by a fuel gas side gas passage.    ADVANTAGE -   Reduces packing quantity of reforming catalyst.    (First major country equivalents to J61193372)
(US4650728-A)      Fuel cell power plant comprises an internal reforming-type fuel cell supplied with fuel gas and oxidising gas; and a fuel processor which is supplied with reaction heat and which modifies a fuel gas into an H2 fuel gas for supply to the cell.    Fuel gas is pref. a hydrocarbon or an alcohol and part is supplied direct to the cell and part to the fuel processor.    ADVANTAGE -   System can operate stably for long periods over conditions of widely ranging load demand. (First major country equivalent to J61193371-A)    (JP2581662-B2)      Fuel cell power plant comprises an internal reforming-type fuel cell supplied with fuel gas and oxidising gas; and a fuel processor which is supplied with reaction heat and which modifies a fuel gas into an H2 fuel gas for supply to the cell.    Fuel gas is pref. a hydrocarbon or an alcohol and part is supplied direct to the cell and part to the fuel processor.    ADVANTAGE -   System can operate stably for long periods over conditions of widely ranging load demand. (First major country equivalent to J61193371-A)
(US4925745-A)      In a fuel cell, the fuel gas mixt. comprising 10-35 vol.% CO and 1-10 ppm H2S (volume basis) is passed through a porous anode comprising 0.5-20 wt.% of a sulphur tolerant water-gas-shift selected from Cr2O3, FeO,Fe2O3,Fe3O4,Al2O3,LiAlO2, LiCrO2, MoO2, MoO3, WO3 and their mixts, and the remainder Ni, Co or their mixt. Over 25 vol.% of the water-gas-shift equilibrium conversion of CO to H2 obtd. with no H2S present is maintained in the presence of the H2S. The catalyst is present in amt. 5-15 wt.%, and the anode 85-95 wt.% Ni. The fuel cell is operated at 500-650 deg.C.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Improved operation of molten carbonate fuel cells. @(6pp)
(US4758481-A)      Fuel cell comprises an assembly of two or more cells in series, each cell comprising two porous electrodes standing in electrolyte and linked to positive and negative leads respectively. In each cell, one electrode is mounted in a frame with orifices and grooves for passage of electrolyte, adjacent to an insulating plate which separates each cell from the next one. Pref. grating separators are present in each cell, dividing cathode and anode compartments.    USE -   The prods. are economical and light power sources. (15pp)t
(JP93046665-B)      The electrochemical fuel cell comprises at least one electrode with a catalytic surface for a gas phase reaction, and an acid electrolyte. A layer bonded to the catalytic surface, comprises a fluorinated acid-contg. polymer of formula R1-CF=CF-R2-X. X is -SO3H, -PO3H2, -P(R)-O2H, -B(R)OH, -P(OR)OH, Si(OR)2OH or -CO2H; R and R1 are F or 1-10C perfluoroalkyl; R2 is (CFR3)n; n is 0-5; R3 is F or 1-3C perfluoroalkyl.    Pref. X is -PO3H, or -P(T)O2H, or pref. -SO3H. The electrode has a surface of 5 mg/cm2 of 10% Pt/C; and the layer comprises 1.5-2.5 mg/cm2 of perfluorohydrocarbon binding material and 1-10 mg/cm2 of polymer.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Improved performance for fuel cells operating with phosphoric acid electrolyte. (J62051165-A)
(JP95106881-B2)      Gas mixt. of hydrocarbon and steam is reformed into hydrogen-rich gas by action of catalyst. Heat exchanger is provided between pipe for feeding gas and pipe for discharging reformed gas, with bypass provided on the discharge pipe. The bypass pipe and the discharge pipe are provided with control valves. Temp. detector installed at the gas feed pipe has controller, which is connected to the control valves.    USE -   Temp. of gas can be controlled correctly and easily. Heat is exchanged effectively.
(US4686157-A)      A fuel conditioning appts. converts hydrocarbon fuels to a hydrogen-rich gas, and a fuel cell stack converts fuel gas to electric power. The stack includes an anode gas chamber connected at its inlet to the fuel conditioner through a fuel gas feed pipe line, a cathode gas chamber connected to a process air feeder means, and a cooling gas chamber connected at its both ends to a cooling medium circulating line.    The pipe line and cooling medium circulating line are connected one another through a pipe line provided with a valve to supply the hydrogen-rich gas from the fuel pipe line to the cooling medium circulating line or vice versa.    ADVANTAGE -   Possible to use small equipment and start up fuel cell stack without using independent head generator. (First major country equivalent to J6118876)
(JP94049876-B2)      The device comprises heat exchanger consisting of outer tube for passing heating gas and inner tube for passing subject gas with hydrogen, reactor over the heat exchanger and connected with heated subject gas and hydrogen, and adsorber under the heat exchanger and connected with reaction gas.    USE -   Number of components of device can be reduced. Space can be saved. Heat radiation quantity can be reduced.
(US4640875-A)      The high temp. solid electrolyte electrochemical generator comprises an exterior housing and a gas permeable thermal insulation layer disposed next to and within the exterior housing. An interior volume is defined by the thermal insulation, the volume contains a fuel gas inlet generating chamber and a combustion product chamber containing combustion product outlet device, with a gas permeable partition dividing the fuel gas inlet generating chamber and combustion product chamber. A number of electrochemical cells, having solid electrolyte, are disposed within the generating chamber.    A device supplies fuel gas and oxidant gas to the electrochemical cells for reaction in the generating chamber, so that reacted fuel gas passes through the gas permeable partition. A seal is disposed through the thermal insulation and extends from the exterior housing to the gas permeable partition, so that reacted fuel gas cannot pass from the generating chamber into the combustion product chamber through the thermal insulation, but must pass through the gas permeable partition into the combustion product chamber.    ADVANTAGE -   Controlled leakage of insulating gas prevents fuel or reacted fuel product gas from entering and contacting thermal insulation layer. (12pp)8
(US4699851-A)      Solid electrolyte comprises a heteropolyacid based on tungstic and/or molybolic acid contg. C as a heteroatom. Pref. the acid is CxMyOz(m-) in which M is W and/or Mo and the ratio x:y is 1:12-4:12 and the hydrated proton H(m'H2O)+.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Useful in fuel cells, sensors, electrochromic displays etc. The acid is stable, is easily moulded and is simple to prepare. (4pp)e    (DE3685860-G)      The new solid electrolyte comprises heteropolyacids, the major components of which are heteropolytungstic acids and/or heteropolymolybdic acids, which have carbon as the hetero atom. The heteropolyacids are composed of a heteropolyanion of general formula CxMyOz(-) and a hydrated proton, H(m,H2O)+. In the formula C is carbon, M is tungsten or molybdenum, O is oxygen and the ratio of x to y is 1-4 to 12. Useful as hydrogen sensors, pH sensors and H2-O2 fuel cells. The pref. synthesis in the reaction between tungsten carbides (etc.) and H2O2.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   The electrolyte is easily synthesised, has excellent stability and good mouldability.
(US4717505-A)      An electrically conducting thermoplastic material consists of (A) a propylene/ethylene copolymer, (B) 30-50, pref. 35-45 wt. % C black and(C) 3-10 wt. % fibrous carbon filler. The material has an electrically resistivity below 0.5, pref. below 0.2 ohm.cm.    The fluidity of the hot material readily allows prodn. of very thin conducting sheets, which are not very fragile.    ADVANTAGE -   Large, thin sheets having a satisfactory conductivity can be produced. (5pp)    (US4839114-A)      prodn. of electroconductive, large surface area thin plates comprises continuously feeding thermoplastic propylene-ethylene copolymer resin into the first zone of a two-screw mixer; compacting and preheating the resin; passing the resin to a second zone; kneading and plastifying the resin; continuously inserting particulate carbon black to constitute 35-45 wt.% of the mixt. into a third zone of the mixer; and removing the mixt. via an outlet from an extrusion head to form the thin plates.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Bipolar plates fuel fuel cells having high conductivity and good mechanical properties are obtd.. (7pp)c    (JP94011491-B2)      An electrically conductive thermoplastic material comprises a thermoplastic resin, 30-50 wt.% of a particulate carbonaceous filler and 0-10 wt.% of a fibrous carbonaceous filler.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   The material is used e.g. in electrical joints, in fuel cell bipolar elements and other electrochemical devices. It has very low resistivity and good homogeneity, and is free from additives which are harmful w.r.t. catalysts used in electrochemical devices. It is also chemically inert to fluids circulating in these devices and can be moulded by extrusion, calendering, injection etc. into thin mouldings having impermeability to gases and liquids. (J61154811-A)
(US4763610-A)      In an engine assembly, gas is generated in an electrolysis unit and mixed with fuel from a fuel container before combustion in the engine. The electrolysis unit comprises first and second sets of electrodes, each set comprising a cathode and anode. The sets are separately connected to an electrical supply.    Pref. the electrodes are connected to rectifier and this is connected to an alternator. Mixing pref. taken place in a carburetor equiped with a one way valve.    ADVANTAGE -   Electrolysis efficiency is raised so sufficient gas to meet engine demand is supplied. (4pp)i
(JP93057359-B)      Medium- and low-C ferromanganese is made by (a) decarburising high-C ferromanganese melt at least initially by top blowing of 100 pts.vol O2 gas and 15-50 pts.vol. bottom blowing inert gas to a specified C-content by blowing and (b) further decarburising by O2 bottom blowing and also inert gas bottom blowing in the ratio of 100 pts.vol. O2:20 pts.vol. or more inert gas, coupled with controlling the melt temp. to 1650-1800 deg.C by decreasing the gas vol. in accordance with the progress in decarburisation to a desirable C-content.    ADVANTAGE -   Desired C-content can be achieved efficiently without harming the yield of Mn. (J62230951-A)
(US4631238-A)      High temp. solid electrolyte electrochemical cell subjected to thermal cycling at 25-1200 deg.C, is electronically interconnected to at least one other cell and operates in an O2-contg. environment. The cell has two electrodes with solid electrolyte between them. Interconnect material over one electrode consists of Co coped La chromite which is nearly impermeable to O2. The material has a similar coefft. of thermal expansion to that of the electrolyte at the operating temp.    ADVANTAGE -   Good high temp. stability, conductivity, and low ion transfer rates. (6pp)t
(US4642274-A)      The fuel cell system comprises a fuel cell stack having manifolds for process gases and cooling gas fixed to sides of the fuel cell stack. A seal is formed between the fuel cell stack and the manifolds, using rigid frames for sealingly fixing manifolds to the fuel cell. A number of fasteners each comprise a pair of angle members and a clamping bolt. Each of the frames has at its periphery a groove extending in the stacked direction of the fuel cell components and is united and fixed to sides of the fuel cell stack by the fasteners.    The angle members of each pair has a pair of hooks engaged with the grooves of the adjacent frames. The sealing members are mounted in front and rear faces of each frame to form seals between the side of the stack and the frame and between the frame and the manifold.    ADVANTAGE -   Prevents leakage of gas from system. (First major country equivalent to J61116769)
(EP188929-B)      Electrode consisting of electrically conductive material, activated by treatment with a heteropolyacid, characterised in that it can be obtained by a process consisting in placing an electrode made of conductive material in contact with a dilute aqueous solution of at least one heteropolyacid which has a concentration below 10 power -3 M in acidic medium, and in then applying to the electrode a cathode voltage of at least -0.4 volts, relative to a saturated calomel electrode, for a sufficient time for the current to be stabilised, which corresponds to the fact that the reduction waves of the corresponding heteropolyanion can no longer be observed in cyclic voltammetry. (9pp)
(JP93013178-B)      Conductive composite sheets are produced by filling (A) the spaces of conductive sheets comprising 3-40% of (1) PTFE and 60-97% of (2) conductive fine powders having average granular dias. of below 10 micron with (B) heat-melting resins.    (2) Includes, e.g., silver, carbon black, graphite powder having pref. average granular dias. of below 3 microns. Conductive sheets are produced by mixing aq. dispersion of (1) (conc. 2-60%) with aq. dispersion of (2) prepd. by dispersing 100 pts. wt. of (2) in 100-5000 pts. wt. of water, extruding or rolling the mixt.. The conductive sheets are generally 0.05-2mm thick. (B) Includes, pref. polytetrafluoroethylene, tetrafluoroethylene- perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymers, polychlorotrifluoroethylene, tetrafluoroethylene- ethylene copolymer. One or both faces of conductive sheets are laminated with (B) and hot pressing the laminates at above the m.pt. of (B) under 10-1500 kg/cm2.    ADVANTAGE -   The composite sheets have relatively small wt., excellent chemical resistance, corrosion resistance, gas carrier property and electric contact. (J61103946-A)
(US4610867-A)      Oxygen ion conductor consists of the binary system CeO2-CaO in which 20-60 mol.% CaO is mixed with CeO2 with a fluorite crystal structure.    Pref. a ternary system compsn. is used which also includes 1-20 mol.% Mg- or Al oxides.    Also claimed is a method for prepg. solid electrolyte for galvanic cells, fuel cells or O2 sensors in which the above compsn. is pelletised.    ADVANTAGE -   The oxygen ion conductivity is higher than stabilised zirconia. (11pp)
(US4596751-A)      Fuel cell has an electrolyte-matrix contg. an alkali metal carbonate electrolyte. There is an anode which has a mean pore dia. less than that of the cathode and a porosity which is sufficient to contain enough electrolyte to compensate for losses during normal operation. The ratio of max. pore dia. at 90% electrolyte fill and 10% fill is less than 3.    Pref. the cell also has a cathode with a specified pore size, thickness, pore size distribution, and porosity etc..    ADVANTAGE -   The cell has a working life of at least 40,000 hrs. at high levels of performance. (9pp)l
(US4894355-A)      A process of producing a flexible fuel cell electrode, comprises the steps of: (a) preparing a carbon paper comprising carbon fiber and a carbonized binder made from an organic binder; (b) infiltrating a suspension of polytetrafluoroethylene into the carbon paper so as to provide a carbon paper impregnated with polytetrafluoroethylene; (c) kneading a mixture of catalyst powder and a polytetrafluoroethylene dispersion to provide a paste catalyst; (d) coating the paste catalyst on the carbon paper; (e) baking the coated carbon paper impregnated with polytetrafluoroethylene at a temp. more than a melting point temp. of the polytetrafluoroethylene and not more than its decomposition temp. and reducing thickness of the coated carbon paper to cut the carbon fiber so as to provide a number of cutting edges and to cause the polytetrafluoroethylene to infiltrate into the cutting edges to bind the carbon fiber having the cutting edges, thereby providing a flexible fuel cell electrode comprising a baked carbon plate and a catalyst layer. (-pp)
(JP94047443-B2)      The reforming appts. includes a number of reforming tubes, a disk-like tube plate, first arms secured to the circumference of the tube plate, second arms secured to the inner wall of a reforming appts. container, and sliding pieces each fo which combines the first and second arms slidably.
(US4664987-A)      A high temp. solid oxide electrochemical cell design having inner and outer annular electrodes with electrolyte therebetween. Cells located in a common plane are connected in a parallel manner while cells perpendicular to the common plane are connected in series. Fuel is supplied into the centre of the cell stack while air is preheated before delivery to the cell feed tubes.    ADVANTAGE -   A compact and efficient arrangement is provided for fuel cells operated at about 800 deg.C. (6pp)
(US4629664-A)      A liquid fuel cell, having a circulation system for a fuel mixture comprising fuel and water, comprises a first tank containing water or a water-rich fuel mixture comprising water and fuel and a second tank containing fuel or a fuel-rich mixture comprising water and fuel. A first detector senses the level of the fuel mixture in the circulation system. A second detector senses a fuel concentration of the fuel mixture in the circulation system, or an output from the fuel cell, or a load current of the fuel cell.    A valve controls flow of the water or the water-rich mixture in the first tank to the circulation system in accordance with the output from the first detector. Another valve controls flow of the fuel or the fuel-rich mixture in the second tank to the circulation system in accordance with the output from the second detector.    ADVANTAGE -   Stable operation for prolonged time in spite of different consumption rates of fuel and water even if the load current or operating temp. of the fuel cell or the temp. or humidity of the atmosphere is changed. (11pp)l
(JP2594041-B2)      Fuel cell system comprises (a) a fuel cell with an anode for receiving fuel gas and a cathode for receiving oxidising gas, and (b) a steam reformer for converting a mixt. of water and water-miscible hydrocarbon fuel to fuel gas. A mixing tank receives water and fuel and delivers the mixt. to a holding tank, which then delivers to mixt. to the reformer. Fuel gas from the reformer is fed to the fuel cell.    The mixing tank is equipped with switches corresp. to 1st, 2nd and 3rd preset liq. levels. When the liq. drops below the 1st level, fuel is supplied to the tank until the 2nd level is reached, and then water is supplied until the 3rd level is reached. The mixt. is then delivered to the holding tank and thence to the reformer. Cathode and anode exhaust streams are passed to a burner for heating the reformer.    ADVANTAGE -   The system permits accurate and thorough mixing of the water and fuel before they are fed into the reformer (cf. US 3539395, 3607419, 3982962, 3976507, 4001041, 4120787, 4128700 and 4200682).
(GB2174409-B)      A method of electrolyzing water to produce oxygen and hydrogen in an electrochemical system in cells that contain aqueous potassium hydroxide electrolyte, an anode and a cathode comprising:- (a) maintaining aqueous electrolyte in contact with the cathode and the anode; (b) maintaining a supply of hydroxyl ions at the anode; and (d) passing a direct electric current through said system causing reduction of the water to hydrogen at the cathode and oxidation of the hydroxyl ion to oxygen at the anode; wherein the improvement comprises utilizing as the anode a NiCo2O4 catalyzed electrically conductive substrate made by soaking the substrate in a solution of nickel nitrate hexahydrate and cobalt II nitrate hexahydrate and then sintering the impregnated substrate said electrolysis requiring an anode voltage of less than about 1470 millivolts at 100 millamperes per square centimeter of anode area.
(US4801368-A)      Cathode suitable for generating H2, used for electrolysis of NaCl, water etc., comprises an electrically conductive electrode substrate and an active layer of an alloy of Ni and Sn, the alloy adhering to the substrate as a series of spherical crystalline nodules. Ni content of the layer, which is 0.1-150 mu thick, is 25-99%, pref. 45-80%. The layer is formed by co-electroplating Ni and Sn on to the substrate from a soln. of soluble Ni salts, Sn salts, and a complexing agent which is capable for forming a complex with Ni or Sn and can bring the electrodeposition potential of the Ni and Sn ions close together. H overvoltage of the cathode is less than 200 mV at a current density of 30 A/square dm.    ADVANTAGE -   Very simple and inexpensive fabrication with low H overvoltage, giving stable performance over long periods. (10pp)
(US6719653-N)      In the prodn. of a porous carbonate-contg. structure for a molten carbonate fuel cell, a porous structure is prepd. contg. an alkali metal and/or alkaline earth metal salt. At least a portion of the salt is a monobasic organic acid salt which is converted to the carbonate in situe, by heating in presence of O2. Pref. the salt is a formate.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Mfr. of anodes, cathodes and electrolyte tiles. Processing is carried out using inexpensive materials with ordinary operating temps. without use of exotic equipment. (14pp)
(JP93064300-B)      The appts. for analysing gases of a fuel cell power generating system has a reforming device equipped with an appts. for calculating the concentration or composition of the reformed gas produced by the reforming appts. based on the temperatures and pressures of the reactions and the flow rates of the raw fuel and water vapour fed to the reforming appts. (J61048761-A)
(US6748536-N)      Electrically chargeable Redox cell is described in which prior to being charged the anode and cathode fluids are identical solns. Each soln. contains both metal ion complexes of the Redox couple to be used in aq. HCl. There is a cathode fluid compartment and a chlorine compartment in the rebalance cell. The cathode fluid of the Redox-cell passes through the cathode compartment of the rebalance cell and a reactant fluid contg. oxidised species of both metal ions used in the Redox cell in aq. HCl pass through the chlorine chamber of the rebalance cell. Active metal ions in the cathode fluid are reduced and chloride ions of the chlorine chamber are oxidised when a voltage is applied to the cell.    ADVANTAGE -   Reproducible and controllable performance is obtd. H2 generation is minimised by etiminating contamination caused by low H2 overvoltage catalyst. (12pp)
(US4652501-A)      Operation of a microbial fuel cell is controlled by maintaining cell fuel concn. in a range for which the cell electrical power output is dependent on concn. so that cell efficiency is greater than when power output is not significantly dependent on concn.    Pref. fuel concn. in the cell is measured and further fuel is added to maintain concn. in the desired range. Fuel concn. may be determined by monitoring cell electrical power output, and the amts. of fuel added are small enough so that the cell output remains constant. Cell efficiency is calculated continuously or intermittently and is used as a criterion in deciding whether to add further fuel.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Efficient operation of cell for electrical power generation. (12pp)l
(US4605602-A)      Fuel cell stack has a corrosion resistant, electrically conductive, fluid impervious interface between two of the stacked elements. The interface consists of non-cuprous metal coating formed on one of the elements and a conductive layer bonded to the metal- coated element by a hot-pressed resin.    One of the elements is pref. a gas distribution plate and the other a metal-coated cooling plate.    ADVANTAGE -   Good resistance to corrosion by the electrolyte and good electrical and thermal conductivity. (7pp)
(US4595642-A)      A plant comprises a fuel cell (21) with fuel gas feed to an anode (21a), a gas separator (27) feeding high-purity oxygen contg. argon to a cathode (21b) a combustor (28) for burning unreacted gases from anode and cathode, and a cooler (30) for condensing and removing water from combustion products to obtain argon.    The gas separator is pref. a pressure swing adsorption type separator.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Partic. for use in combination with an argon mfg. plant, enhances fuel cell performance to reduce costs of both this and the argon plant. (6pp)r    (DE3532835-C)      Combined unit for the generation of electricity and for the prodn. of Ar onsists of a fuel cell which receives a fuel gas on its anode. A gas separator supplies to the cathode of the fuel cell a high-purity oxygen with an argon content. A burner is used for the combustion of the unconsumed gases from anode and cathode. A cooling condenses the burnt gases and removes the water to produce argon gas.    ADVANTAGE -   This lengthens the life of the fuel cell and reduces the costs for the generation of electricity and prodn. of Ar. (6pp)
(US4824534-A)      In a process for electrically sepg. the electrolyte-bearing mains and the electrolyte spaces of an electrochemical cell, e.g. cell with perforated electrodes (8,9) for the prodn. of chlorate, with cell pile in bipolar connection in a vessel (7), the brine from the main (2) is divided by devices in to drops, so that a drop section is formed between the devices and the cell pile. Electrolyte reaches both electrodes, flowing downwards and wetting them. When dropping off the electrodes, the electrolyte forms a drop section (1') and is discharged (3) from the vessel.    ADVANTAGE -   Electrical loss of currents due to feed and discharge of electrolytes is eliminated. (7pp)    (JP94074512-B2)      Method of breaking up the steam of electrolyte to a cell unit consists of using a drop producing device between the exit of the electrolyte container and the cell unit. In this way two drop areas are produced before and after the cell unit.    The electrolyte container has an overflow device which feeds the electrolyte in to distribution channels prior to contacting the drop producing device.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   In electrolytic and electrodialysis cells and in working of fuel cells and batteries. By ensuring that a thin constant film covers the electrode surfaces during operation, current loss is avoided and the overall efficiency of the cell is maintained. Corrosion to the cell and peripheral plant parts is also avoided.
(US4588661-A)      Porous bipolar gas distribution assembly comprises two porous plates bonded at opposite faces with a first layer of fusible sealant material. A seal portion along the edges of the assembly is formed from a second layer of fusible sealant material. The two sealant layers are combined to form a continuous sealant layer along the edges of the assembly.    The sealant layers may be of the same compsn. and esp. are formed of polyethersulphone. The plates are e.g. of needle felted carbon material or graphite.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   For a fuel cell. The seal has good appearance and electrical resistance and is leakproof. (9pp)l
(WO8701549-A)      The heater comprises a conductive plastic plate (1) which may be shaped as a chair seat and back rest and which contains stress-resistant braided metallic electrodes (2), between which the resistance of the plastic increases with temp. Slots (8) and larger holes (9) are included for ventilation and flexibility. A similar battery-heating element is enveloped in an acid-resistant insulating plastic sheet (3) with an insulated electrical lead (5).    The embedded electrodes (2) are completely sepd. so that self-ignition cannot occur and the intervening resistance rises so that a constant high temp. is maintained by a small current.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   To safeguard battery capacity for cold starts. Period of available power is prolonged in combination with provision of self-adjusting comfort heating for back rest, seat and floor. (First major country equivalent to NO8503341)
(JP94060001-B2)      Appts. comprises a reaction vessel and reaction tubes, each tube including an inner tube and an outer tube. The improvement comprises that a formed gas chamber communicates with all the inner tubes.    ADVANTAGE -   Compact and inexpensive appts. Eliminates uneven tilt of reaction tubes due to reaction heat.
(JP94045441-B2)      Appts. has a combustion catalyst chamber, a burner placed in the catalyst chamber, a fuel gas supply pipe extending to the burner, an air supply pipe extending to the burner, and a waste gas pipe extending from the chamber to the atmos.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Appts. steam-reforms material by heating it using high temp. combustion gas. Ensures complete combustion to discharge NOx gas-free waste gas.
(US4670360-A)      A fuel cell arrangement for the treatment of waste water by oxidation has electrodes contg. activated carbon. The cathode is subjected to partial oxidation in mineral acid before doping with molybdenum (4) and/or (4) and/or vanadium. The anode is subjected to partial oxidation in mineral acid then cathodically reduced before impregnation with a hydroxide(s) of cobalt, nickel, copper and/or zinc. The cathode is separated from the waste water stream being treated by a porous electrolyte.    ADVANTAGE -   Complete oxidation of waste materials can be obtd. without the use of high cost hydrogen peroxide or ozone. (6pp)i
(US4650729-A)      Motor vehicle battery has electrolyte which is conditioned to prevent loss in capacity due to excessively high or low ambient temps. Conditioning is carried out using a power source which is connected to the battery via a changeover switch which disconnects the power source when an ignition switch to the vehicle engine is switched on.    Pref. the power source is a fuel cell.    ADVANTAGE -   Start-up of the engine is maintained even under arctic or heat wave conditions. (12pp)    (DE3528673-C)      The current source has a fuel cell recharging a lead-acid battery. A heater is immersed in the battery's (7) electrolyte. Between the fuel cell (9) and the battery electrodes lie a switch (11) and an ammeter (12) measuring the charging current. The ammeter is coupled to a control unit (13) that breaks the charging circuit by opening the switch when the charging current drops below a given limit.    The control is also coupled to a temp. sensor (76) measuring the electrolyte's temp. The switch has another position in which the fuel cell is connected to the heater (75) when the said temp. exceeds a limit.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   For vehicle. Provides adequate power to start vehicle even at low temps. (13pp)
(US4612262-A)      Electrolyte is added to a fuel cell in a process in which diluted electrolyte of known concn. and from an external source is deposited directly onto the external face of a stack defining a number of fuel cell units. The electrolyte is absorbed by capillary action and deposition is continued until all the electrodes and matrix layers are fully satd.    Water is evapd. from the satd. elements under controlled conditions of humidity and temp. until a steady state condition is reached in which a desired electrolyte vol. and concn. are obtd.    ADVANTAGE -   Costly modifications to the existing fuel cell stack components are not required. (8pp)t
(US4596749-A)      Electrolyte is replenished in a fully assembled stack of fuel cells by depositing dilute electrolyte on tabs extending outwardly from an external vertical face of the stack. The electrolyte is absorbed into the cell components as it cascades off the tabs and down the face of the stack.    When the electrodes and matrix layers of the stack are fully saturated the stack is heated and water is evaporated until    the stack has an operable electrolyte volume and concn. Pref. the tabs are extensions of the non-pourous plates separating adjacent cells in the stack. (8pp)l
(US4622275-A)      A fuel cell employs a molten carbonate as an electrolyte with a reformer reforming fuel into a reactive gas to be supplied into the anode of the cell. An expansion turbine is connected to a compressor with a combustor burning a gas exhausted from the anode and introducing the gas into the cathode of the fuel cell along with compressed gas. A waste heat recovery system is also provided.    Another combustor is included on the passage through which exhaust gas is sent from the cathode to the turbine. A passage leads a part of the anode exhaust gas to the combustor, where unburned gas, included in the anode exchaust, is burned with the cathode exhaust gas supplied as an oxygen source. The temp. of the turbine driving gas is raised, as a result.    ADVANTAGE -   Overall thermal efficiency of the power plant increases. (15pp)l
(US4753857-A)      In an internal manifold type laminated fuel cell, in order to feed two kinds of gases to a cathode and an anode respectively, through a separator plate, spacers for separately supplying the gases to the cathode and the anode are disposed over the surfaces, respectively, of the separator plate. The anode and cathode spacers each have a window through which the supply and discharge passage for the respective gases are communicated with the elecctrodes.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   As e.g. a stacked molten carbonate fuel cell. Sepn. and sealing between the two gases is ensured by a simple construction. (First major country equivalent to J60253170-A)
(US4582025-A)      A low liq. level detector for a low press. boiler generating a vapour from a liq. comprises a sensor tube directly connected to the boiler at a low liq. level point on the boiler so that liq. is maintained in at least a portion of the sensor tube under normal operating conditions of the boiler. A temp. responsive device is located in the sensor tube and is adapted to be activated upon a predetermined increase in temp. in the tube.    Temp. device is connected to activate a mechanism which controls a liq. control valve operatively connected to the boiler for allowing liq. to flow into the boiler to raise the level of the liq. to a point above the low level point, thereby blocking generated vapour from entering the tube. At low liquid level point, vapour generated in the boiler is directed through the sensor tube causing an increase in temp.. (2pp)
(JP94046196-B2)      A novel mammalian monoclonal receptor (I) is produced by a hybridoma formed by fusion of cells from a myeloma line and lymphocytes which produce antibodies which react with a viral antigen induced in a mammal by a cytomegalovirus.    (I) is pref. produced by a hybridoma (II) formed by fusion of p3X63-Ag8.653 myeloma cells and splenocytes from a BALB/c mouse previously immunised with cytomegalovirus-infected cells. Also claimed is a diagnostic system for assaying for the presence of cytomegalovirus and the hybridoma (II).    USE -   The monoclonal antibodies to cytomegalovirus (CMV) are useful probes for studying CMV infection and for developing assays for measuring levels of CMV in biological fluids and the association of such levels with disease.
(US4894294-A)      An electrolytic solution is distributed and supplied to each of a number of electrically series-connected or stacked unit cells from a common supply path through distribution liquid paths, respectively, and the electrolytic solution is exhausted from each of the unit cells and collected in a common exhaust path through exhaust liquid paths, respectively. Each distribution liquid path at en electrolytic solution supply side and/or each exhaust liquid path has midway a liquid flow interrupt portion utilising natural fall of the electrolytic solution.    At the portion, the electrolytic solution is rendered discontinuous during falling and is formed into droplets, thus preventing liquid short-circuit between each two adjacent unit sells.    USE -   In electrolytic solution supply type battery. (9pp)
(US4780449-A)      CH4 is converted into higher hydrocarbons in presence of O2 using a catalyst consisting of (A) a base metal oxide of metals (a) Be, Ca, Sr and/or Ba and (b) Sc, Y, La, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb and/or Eu and (B) up to 50 wt.% of a promoter metal oxide of (c) Li, Na and/or K provided that (A) is not exclusively (Aa), (d) metal oxides of (Aa) provided that (A) is not exclusively (Aa) and (e) metal oxides of (Ab) provided that (A) is not exclusively (Ab).    The catalyst pref. contains up to 10 wt.% (B). (B) is deposited on (A). The catalyst esp. consists of Y2O or La2O3 as base metal oxide and Li2O, BaO, CaO, SrO or BeO as promoter oxide.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   To convert CH4 into H2, ethene, ethane and higher hydrocarbons continuously; the catalyst has a high activity and selectivity. (10pp)
(JP92015444-B)      In the mfr. of an optical part, e.g., lens, mirror, etc. part of glass, plastics, metals, etc. is subjected to a pretreatment process using the plasma of at least one of hydrocarbons e.g., methane, etc. halogenated hydrocarbons, e.g., monofluoroethylene etc. nitrogenous cpds., e.g., methylamine, etc., sulphurous cpds., e.g., methylmercaptan, etc., siliceous cpds., e.g. methyldichlorosilane, etc., fluorine or fluoro cpds., e.g., nitrogen fluoride, etc. and rare gases, at 0-200 deg. C in a vacuum reactor, and then to treatment process using a mixed gas of hydrocarbons with double bonds, e.g., ethylene, etc., and oxygen at 0-200 deg.C in reactor to provide a hydrophilic property for the surface of part.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Simply imparts hydrophilic property to the surface of an optical part, e.g. glasses, mirror, etc. of glass, plastics, metals, etc., preventing fogging and staining due to adherence of water, oils etc. (J61255301-A)
(US4731226-A)      Gas sensor has a sensitive element composed of SnO2 together with Re or an Re oxide. The lement is connected to an electrode.    Pref. the Re or Re oxide is used in an amt. 1-150 mg/gm SnO2 and is uniformly dispersed.    ADVANTAGE -   The resistance is not reduced with time when it is continuously overheated. (15pp)e
(DE3619725-C)      Clarified sludge is treated by mixing with a flocculation aid and a carbon carrier, e.g. coal or coke dust, used oil, wood chips, etc. and undergoing dehydration through a sieve hoop press to a TS-portion of at least 15 wt.%. At least 60 wt.% of the total addition of the carbon carrier is made after dehydration in a comminuting mixer. Chalk is pref. also added after dehydration.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   The treated sludge can be burnt or added to compost. (5pp)    (EP271628-B)      A process for producing a processing product from sewage sludges, in particular a fuel or compost additive, in which the sewage sludges are mixed with flocculants and carbon carriers and are subjected to dewatering, characterised in that the dewatering is carried out by menas of a screen belt press (5) to a dry substance proportion of at least 15% by weight, preferably at least 20% by weight, and in that at least the majority of the total addition of a carbon carrier (9) after this dewatering takes place in a mixer, in particular a comminuting device (7). (6pp),
(DE3686206-G)      Microbiological prodn. of ethylene comprises aerobically growing a fungal strain able to produce ethylene from alpha-ketoglutaric acid (I) in the presence of L-arginine in a medium contg. at least 20 ppm divalent Fe. Pref. strain has strong ability to produce (I) from assimilable C sources, high enzymatic activity for ethylene prodn. from (I), and the ability to produce arginine. Chaetomium, Phycomyces, Paecilomyces, or Penicillium strains are pref.    ADVANTAGE -   Ethylene prodn. is attained at relatively low temps. and contains mostly CO2 as impurity, so purification is simple. The raw material may be a reproducible biomass, e.g. agricultural wastes, sludges from sewage or plant effluent treatment, etc.    (JP94007798-B2)      Microbiological prodn. of ethylene comprises aerobically growing a fungal strain able to produce ethylene from alpha-keto-glutaric acid (I) in the presence of L-arginine in a medium contg. at least 20 ppm divalent Fe. Pref. strain has strong ability to produce (I) from assimilable C sources, high enzymatic activity for ethylene prodn. from (I), and the ability to produce arginine. Chaetomium, Phycomyces, Paecilomyces, or Penicillium strains are pref.    ADVANTAGE -   Ethylene prodn. is attained at relatively low temps. and contains mostly CO2 as impurity, so purification is simple. The raw material may be a reproducible biomass, e.g. agricultural wastes, sludges from sewage or plant effluent treatment, etc.
(US4778670-A)      Technical hydrogen is produced by feeding to a PSA adsorbent a gaseous mixt. contg. hydrogen, nitrogen and carbon oxides with the ratio of hydrogen to the sum of nitrogen and carbon monoxide in the range 1.2 to 4.0 and the nitrogen content at least 10 times the carbon monoxide content.    The adsorption step in the PSA cycle is stopped when the unadsorbed nitrogen content of the product gas is in the range 1-10%. Pref. the raw feed gas contains below 2% methane and has a N2/CO ratio of at least 20. Waste gas from the process can be combusted and used to drive a compressor.    ADVANTAGE -   The process provides a simple and efficient way of recovering relatively pure hydrogen for use in processes where nitrogen as an impurity is acceptable. (8pp)
(US4670613-A)      Prodn. of hydrocarbon-contg. liq. (I) comprises (a) introducing biomass (e.g. lignocellulose) and water at a pressure higher than the partial vapour pressure of water into a reactor; (b) reacting the mixt. at at least 300 (pref. 320-380) deg. C for at least 0.5 (pref. 1-30) minutes; (c) sepg. solids from the fluid leaving the reactor while keeping the remaining fluid in one phase and (d) sepg. (I) from the remaining fluid. Pref. the toal pressure in the reactor is 9000000-30000000 Pa, the wt. ratio of water to biomass is 1:1 to 20:1 and the pH is below 7. (6pp)r
(JP92064640-B)      Fuel compsns. comprise a carbonised material (I) oil and water, where (I) has been reduced to a particle size of less than 30 microns by continuous supercolloidal milling.    Pref. (I) is a carbonised plant material e.g. wood, bark, rice, straw, peanut shells, nuts, cotton plants or paper. The oil is kerosene, heavy fuel oil or waste oil. The wt. ratio of (I) to oil is 35:65 to 49:51. The water content is 10-20 wt.%. The compsns. have a heating value of 7000-8500 kcal/kg.    A mixt. of (I), oil and water is ground in a super-colloid mill with polymer-impregnated vitrified grindstones (e.g. 'Grindel' stones). Specifically claimed appts. comprises two 'Masscolloider' mills in series.    ADVANTAGE -   The compsns. can be produced inexpensively by milling a mixt. of (I), oil and water and have good stability. (J61271395-A)
(US4746333-A)      Integral asymmetric membrane for sepg. gases, is mfd. by (a) mixing (i) a membrane-former, (ii) a halogenated hydrocarbon solvent, and (iii) a pore-forming agent which is not a solvent for (i), (b) casting mixt. to form a film; and (c) contacting film with an organic pptn. agent to form a membrane.    Pref. (iii) is polyether sulphone, and the pptn. agent is methanol. Membrane is opt. dried in air or an inert gas. Membrane is opt. coated with an elastomer. Solvent used is dichloromethane, 1,1,2-trichloroethane, and/or chloroform.    USE -   Used for sepg. CO2 and CH4. Membrane has improved insensitivity to water, high strength and durability, high sepn. throughput and selectivity. (8pp)
(DE3517684-C2)      A composting unit for reducing organic waste, esp. wood, includes a trough shaped unit which can be placed on a lorry, for accommodating the waste, an advancing unit on the base of the unit which advances the material to one end, and an impact unit. An impact well is located above the impact unit, and forms a small outlet gap with the impact unit. The impact members consist of hammers located on the axes of the bearing unit between plate members.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   The unit is used for composting organic waste, e.g., pieces of tree trunk, branches, etc.
(JP94037403-B2)      Method comprises contacting the feed with a contact material comprising (a) about 0.1-30 wt.% of Mn oxide(s), opt. (b) 1-15 wt.% of oxide(s) of metal(s) from the gp. Ca, Sr, Ba, Sn and Sb, the wt.%'s referring to the metal concerned and (c) the balance, Mg oxide(s), at conditions effective for selective conversion, including a temp. of 625-850 deg.C. The catalyst pref. contains less than 0.2 wt.% S, to increase the effective life.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Method can be used e.g. to convert propane and/or butanes, esp. n-butane, extracted from natural gas during prepn. of a pipeline heating gas. Selectivity to C2H4 is high, e.g. 35% (+ 30% to C3H6) from n-butane at 50% conversion. Components (b) extend the catalyst life.
(JP93059789-B)      Method for converting one or more 3-4C feed hydrocarbons to less satd. hydrocarbons comprises contacting the feed, under conversion conditions with a catalyst comprising (a) 0.1-30 wt.% of each of (1) oxide(s) of element(s) of the gp. Si, Al and Ti and (2) Mn oxide(s), and the balance of as (3) Mg oxide(s); or (b) 0.1-30 wt.% of each of (1) oxide(s) of element(s) of the gp. Si, Al and Ti, (2) oxide(s) of metal(s) from the gp. Ca, Sr, Ba, Sn and Sb, and (3) Mn oxide(s), and the balance as (4) Mg oxide(s).    Method for conversion as in (A) except that steam is present, and the catalyst comprises (c) as catalyst (a), except that component (2) is replaced by Fe oxide(s); or (d) as catalyst (a), with the addn. of Fe oxide(s) (% ages refer to the element concerned).    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Feed hydrocarbon(s), esp. those removed from natural gas during prodn. of a pipeline heating gas, can be converted selectively to C2H6, C3H6 and esp. C2H4. Catalyst life before regeneration is improved. (J62065745-A)
(US4784770-A)      Methane gas is produced by (i) grinding bean curd refuse into fine particles of 1-50 microns using grinder with rotary disc and opposing fixed disc; (ii) adding water or organic suspension during grinding to form a slurry; (iii) feeding to storage tank; (iv) deaerating to form liq. for generating methane gas in high concn.; (v) feeding liq. to digestor tank; and (vi) treating with anaerobic bacteria. The gap between the discs in the grinder is 10-100 microns.    Pref. the mixing wt. ratio of bean curd refuse to water added to slurry is 1:4 - 1:20 and the wt. ratio of water and bean curd refuse in the digestive tank is 80:20 to 96:5. The grinder is a colloid milk.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Methane is produced economically for use as fuel substitute for petroleum. (10pp)
(US4732680-A)      Improved amt. and rate of biodegradation of an undesirable toxic aromatic organo cpd. to more acceptable less toxic forms, comprises exposing microbial population in aq. medium to the organo cpd.    Process comprises treating population with an analogous chemical to the cpd. which permits adaption to the chemical, affecting it so that its degradation capacity is increased without attendant increase in population.    USE -   To treat phenol using benzoic acid as analogue in a dynamic waste treatment syst. having a mixed microbial population. (20pp)
(JP94065639-B2)      The process comprises mixing at least one microorganism selected from cellulose decomposing bacteria, fungi, sulphur bacteria, N-fixing bacteria, root nodule bacteria, Actinomyces, yeast, Pseudomonas, thermal bacteria and cold temp. resistant bacteria, with industrial waste, by-prod. from prodn. of food, animal or plant sewage, ash, bentonite, zeolite, gypsum, animal excrements, etc.; fermenting the mixt.; ceasing fermentation while the temp. is high; and cooling the fermented prod.    Ceasing time is 48 hrs. - 2 weeks after start of cultivation. The prod. is hermetically sealed in a bag. When the bag is opened, the prod. temp. rises to at least 50 deg.C. The bacteria is added in form of culture. Before cultivation the fermentation starting materials are adjusted to water content of 40-60%.    ADVANTAGE -   Cultivation of crops on cold land has become possible since temp. of soil can be raised by the fertiliser. Fertiliser prevents disorders caused by repeated cultivation.
(FR2594135-A)      Process for carbonising lignocellulosic materials of any moisture level consists of thermally treating them discontinuously and in a fixed bed, without partial combustion, the materials being contained in a movable container with latticework walls in an insulated and gastight enclsoure. The treatment is carried out at about 800 Pa effective pressure and 400 deg.C by contact with hot, non-oxidised gases obtd.by stoichiometric combustion of stored pyroligneous liquor obtd. in a prior operatior cf carbonising the materials.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Charcoal and an excess of the pyroligneous liquor, useful as fuel and with less water than from previous processes, are obtd. The feedstock may be almost any ligrccelulosic material. e.g. logs or poles of wood from forestry operations, wastes from the wood industry and from agriculture, and biomass from large plants and bushes. The energetic yield of the process is high. By discontinuous operation, with initial removal of water, the process can accept moister feeds (up to 45% H2O or more) than previous processes.Manpower constraints are reduced; the charcoal yield is increased; and the process is self-sufficient in energy. (First majco country equivalent to PT--82280-A) (19pp)
(JP93025276-B)      Combustible liq. produced in organic sludge by the thermochemical reaction under high temp. and pressure is extracted with organic solvent from slurry of the mixt. of solid matters, generated combustible liq. and water.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Asphalt and combustible liq. are produced by the thermochemical reaction at high temp. under high pressure from organic sludge e.g. biomass. Slurry consisting of solid matters, combustible oil, and water is generated. Produced asphalt has been recovered together with part of combustible liq. in the prior art, but large portion of combustible liq. remains unsepd. and discarded together with waste water. (J61213293-A)
(JP93082439-B)      Biomass waste is compressed fed into an indirect-heating furnace, and thermally decomposed to give a biogas and a fumigated charcoal.    Typically in case of chaff, the waste is thermally decomposed at 500-900 deg.C to yield 0.1-0.3 m3 biogas and 0.4-0.5 kg fumigated charcoal per kg waste. The biogas optimally has a heating value of 14MJ/m3 (close to that of town gas.). The ash in the charcoal comprises about 95% SiO2 being a useful raw material.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   The method can simultaneously produce a high-heating-value biogas and a high-quality fumigated charcoal contg. a nearly constant proportion of carbon (C) and SiO2, a useful raw material for fine ceramics and semiconductors. The equipment can be much smaller than conventional, resulting in a cost redn. and easier operation. (J61209293-A)
(EP203323-B)      A process for purifying and enriching deposition gases, in which the following steps are executed: a) the untreated gas is dried, heated, cleansed of hydrogen sulphide and cooled; b) the gas pretreated as described in a) is compressed to several bar and cooled; c) the gas is then passed through a first adsorber belonging to an alternately usable and rechargeable adsorber pair, in which aromatic hydrocarbons and other high-boiling impurities are separated using open-pore activated carbon; d) the gas exiting from the first adsorber is passed through a second adsorberr belonging to an alternately usable and rechargeable adsorber pair, in which the medium and low-boiling impurities are separated by means of fine-pored activated carbon; e) the gas exiting the second adsorber is fed to a device for methane enrichment. (11pp)
(JP94004032-B2)      The method comprises putting the liq. in which aerobic microbes multiply abundantly, rapidly under anaerobic conditions pref. together with photosynthetic bacteria for forming H2 gas. Pref. method also comprises keeping anaerobic conditions for forming CH4 gas.    Suitable as aerobic microbe. Bacillus megeterium, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Aspergillus oryzae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptomyces griseus, etc. can be used and as photo-synthetic bacteria, Rhodospirillium rubrum (FERM-P 878), Rhodopseudomona capsulata (FERM-P 879), Chromatium vinosum (FERM-P 890), etc. can be used.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   By standing aerobic microbes under anaerobic condition, they are autolysed forming H2 gas. The formation of H2 gas can be promoted by the presence of photo-synthetic bacteria. The method can be adapted for treating waste water and the sediment mainly of microbial bodies, can also be utilised. (J61205492-A)
(EP198465-B)      System of dealing with municipal refuse is based on portable containers which are arranged in decentralised locations and are collected periodically for connection to a centralised control unit. The lines transmit temp. readings and the pipes apply a suction to draw air through the refuse. An oxygen donor and alkali permanganate are inoculated. The exhaust air is passed through a filter. Finally a lifting gear pours the refuse on a yard NR in dumps for final rotting.    ADVANTAGE -   This uses a min. of energy and produces valuable compost.    (DE3513852-C2)      System of dealing with municipal refuse is based on portable containers which are arranged in decentralised locations and are collected periodically for connection to a centralised control unit. The lines transmit temp. readings and the pipes apply a suction to draw air through the refuse. An oxygen donor and alkali permangenate are inoculated. The exhaust air is passed through a filter. Finally a lifting gear pours the refuse on a yard NR in dumps for final rotting.    ADVANTAGE -   This uses a min. of energy and produces valuable compost.
(US5157188-A)      The conversion of methane to higher hydrocarbons comprises contacting a methane-contg. gas and a free oxygen-contg. gas with a solid contact material consisting of (A) a solid contact material consisting of (1) an oxide of e.g. Na and K and (2) an oxide of a Gp.IIA metal, (B) a solid contact material consisting of (1) an oxide of Ca, Sr and Ba and (2) chloride ions and cpds. contg. chloride ions, and (C) a solid contact material consisting of (1) an oxide of Na or K (2) an oxide of Gp.IIA metal (3) chloride ions and cpds. contg. chloride ions such that methane is converted to a significant amt. of higher hydrocarbons.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   The oxidative conversion of methane results in improved conversion and selectivity to ethylene and ethane.
(US5077446-A)      Conversion of methane comprises contacting methane-contg. gas and oxygen-contg. gas with a solid contact material comprising (a) a contact material consisting of Li and Li-contg. cpd. and (b) another contact material consisting of Li and Li-contg cpds., chloride ions or chloride ion-contg cpd. and magnesium oxide. Conversion is carried out under conditions sufficient to produce significant amts. of higher hydrocarbons.    Pref., the methane-contg. gas is natural gas and the oxygen-contg. gas is either air of O2 used in volumetric ratio of 1:1-30:1. The contact material may be produced by heating a mixt. of Li cpd. (pref. Li2CO3) and Mg cpd. (pref. Mg(OH)2) in the presence of the oxygen contg. gas which reacts with the magnesium cpd. to produce MgO. Pref., the reaction temperature is between 500 to 1500 deg.C.    ADVANTAGE -   Provides high conversion of methane and high selectivity to ethylene and ethane. Also contact material are not readily poisoned, will tolerate the presence of water, CO2, CO etc. and have a long life-time. @(8pp)
(JP93043691-B)      Method comprises (1) sepg. (a) gaseous stream of hydrocarbon decomposition prods. contg. H2 methane, ethylene, ethane and high b.pt. hydrocarbon component into (b) methane and lower b.pt. component and (c) ethylene and higher b.pt. component; (2) recovering methane and H2 from (c), and (3) sepg. (b) into H2 and methane, under the following conditions: (A) the amt. of gaseous H2 exceeds that required after (3) and gaseous methane following the excess gaseous H2 is sepd. from the step preceding the final condensn. step of (3) and cooled by a first expanding machine and used as a cold medium for at least one process of (1)-(3), and (B) a portion or all of the cold medium used is cooled by expanding machines other than the first one and used in at least one of the stages.    ADVANTAGE -   Consumption of energy for compression and cooling is reduced. (J61189233-A)
(JP92041197-B)      Process comprises: (A) contacting coke oven gas with porous material to adsorb tar and gum into porous material: (B) hydrogenating dienes, O-contg. cpds. and olefins in the gas issued from step (A): (C) mixing the purified coke oven gas with hydrocarbons and hydrogenating S-cpd. in the mixt; (D) removing H2S fromt he gaseous mixt. issued from step (E) forming methane by adding the mixt. issued from step (D) with steam; (F) forming methane by adding the mixt. issued from step (E) with a portion of the mixt. branched from step (D); (G) forming methane from the mixt. issued from step (F); (H) removing steam and CO2 from the mixt. issued from step (G).    USE/ADVANTAGE -   The process provides fuel gas efficiently by combining steps for removing impurities from coke oven gas and hydrocarbons and steps for forming methane. (J61188492-A)
(JP92062800-B)      While fermentation is performed lower temp. methane bacteria are placed in methane fermenting vessel. Lower methane bacteria are cultivated in mixt. of lower temp. methane bacteria culture contg. lower temp. methane bacteria, methane fermentation raw material and acid producing bacteria in anaerobic atmosphere. Cultivated low temp. methane bacteria are complementarily fed to methane fermenting vessel.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Large amt. of low temp. methane bacteria can be obtd. (J61181599-A)
(US4836918-A)      An appts. for gas-producing treatment, such as fermentation or digestion, of organic material contained in a liq. suspension comprises an elongated horizontal treatment drum which rotates about its inlet outlet axis. A number of baffles extend axially of the drum each having a front side and being secured to the interior circumferential side of the drum and projecting toward the opposite side.    A number of guide ribs are spaced longitudinally of the drum including an acute angle with a transverse drum plane. The ribs are secured to the front side of each baffle and arranged such that particles settling in the drum and intercepted by a flank of the guide ribs are deflected towards the other end of the drum by the flank.    ADVANTAGE -   Undegradable material passes more quickly through the drum using less drive power. (8pp)
(JP92050279-B)      The process comprises adding agent for adjusting water content to the litter absorbing animal faeces and urine and maintaining a specified water content, filling litter in portions in air-permeable sacks with porosity of 10-60%, filled sacks being stored in a fermentation chamber with a means for upward-air-current ventiliation or a specified period so that the sack contents become manure. Pref. the subclaim specifies an installation comprising a chamber formed with side walls and capable of upward-ventillating air-current contg. sacks in which the manure material is filled. The ventilation means are realised, e.g., by the slatted floor. The sack is a net supported by a frame which gives a form of a pail, or a nonwoven cloth or a coarse-knit cloth.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   The fermentation is accelerated, esp. in cold seasons, providing manure without malodours and satisfactory sanitary conditions result out of simple facilities. (J61174187-A)
(US4622147-A)      Waste water anaerobic purificn. appts., has a reactor tank with settler above a fermentation chamber, the settler being formed by at least two levels of overlapping gas collection hoods for gas rising from the chamber.    In an assembly of three hoods, the bottom hood is below the top hood, and the middle hood is offset and connected to a gas discharge pipe also connected to the top hood. The bottom hood has a gas pipe connecting it to the top hood.    ADVANTAGE -   Settler has a turbulence-free zone unaffected by rising gas bubbles. (5pp)e    (EP193999-B)      Plant for the anaerobic purification of waste water comprising a reactor tank with a settler disposed above a fermentation chamber, the settler being formed by at least two levels of gas-collection hoods which are sited in an overlapping manner such that the gas bubbles rising up out of the fermentation chamber are collected, means for the discharge of purified water disposed above th gas collection hoods, and means for the supply of waste water to the fermentation chamber, character-ised in that the settler consists of three levels of gas-collection hoods, each gas-collection hood of the uppermost level being sited directly above a gas-collection hood of the lowermost level, in that each gas-collection hood of the lowermost layer is connected via one or more pipes to a gas-collection hood of the uppermost level, and in that the gas-collection hoods of the uppermost and middle level have a direct connection to a gase discharge line. (7pp)
(EP214210-B)      A process for obtaining composts useful for the cultivation of mushrooms by aerobic fermentation of a biomass based on cellulosic matters, characterised in that it comprises the distribution within said biomass of 75 to 150g per ton of dry matter of a cellulase(s) and hemi-cellulase(s) mixture. (6pp)
(US4666605-A)      Improved CHx fermentation of an evaporator condensate of a waste fluid from a pulp prodn. syst., comprises using a waste fluid contg. 3000-8000 ppm of oil materials, lignin-base materials and S-cpds..    Process comprises (a) adding an acid to the condensate in amt. to adjust pH to 3 or less and coagulate inhibitors for the fermentation; (b) filtering off the inhibitors; (c) neutralising waste fluid and (d) allowing neutralised effluent formed to flow through a CHx-fermentation bio- reactor, so it contacts lumps or particles of crushed porous fire-resisting stone to which fermentative bacteria are adhered.    ADVANTAGE -   CHx prod. comprises an economical resource. (11pp)r
(JP94057628-B2)      In an aerobic fermentation disposal process using rice or wheat straws, waste mulberry stalks, residual stalks of tobacco and other agricultural waste or aq. plants such as water hyacinth or cresson, the mixing proportions are set so that the water content is 40-63% and the BOD5 is not less than 45 mg-O2/g-DS based on the water contents and BOD5 values of readily decomposable organic materials used as an additive and raw material, and the mixt. is compacted to a bulk density of 0.2-0.6.    Pref. sewage sludge, animal dung and other organic waste or composts obtd. by aerobic fermentation, or rice or maize bran, are used as readily decomposable organic matter.    ADVANTAGE -   Adequate aerobic fermentation can be effected in a short time making composts.
(US4735137-A)      Appts. for compressing solid waste materials comprises a die receiving waste and formed by two half-shells, one horizontally displaceable to close and open an opening in a bottom plate below the die, for discharging a compressed element from the die.    The opening is pref. rectangular or square, and a horizontal pressing plane is defined in the die, with a discharge plane extending below the pressing plane. The material may be compressed in the die by opposing piston/cylinder units.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   E.g. for wood in various forms, other organic materials, metal chips, etc., allows piston strokes to be kept short so that power and drive outputs can be kept low and the appts. is compact. (4pp)e    (DE3608996-C)      A wide range of waste material from wood chips, grass, leaves, straw to cardboard, paper, textile materials, and metal chips or bones can be pressed to a compact moulding in a press with two semicircular bushes; one of these is held by a power cylinder above a hole in the side of the press cylinder. After completion, this hole can be exposed and the moulding is discharged on a lower level than the press level.    ADVANTAGE -   This splitting of discharge level and press level results in much shorter overall length of the press and of the power cylinders. (3pp)
(DE3603739-C)      In the processing of raw liq. manure from the excrement of farm animals or a liq. manure which has been subjected to a previous methane fermentation, (A) the liq. manure is basified by mixing with lime, the resulting slurry is sepd. off and the waste water is fed into the upper part of the stripper section of a rectification column in which the ammonia is sepd. off in countercurrent contact with steam; (B) the liq. is then fed into a column pot where the steam for removal of the ammonia is generated by heating, and/or the waste water with reduced ammonia content is removed from the process; (C) the ammonia-contg. steam is fed from the upper part of the stripper section of the column into a condenser in which it is condensed to qive ammonia water; and (D) the ammonia water is fed into an absorber where it is contacted with CO2-contg. gas so that chemical reaction occurs between CO2 and ammonia and (l) a soln. of ammonia chemically bound with CO2 and (2) a qas with reduced CO2 content leaves the absorber.    ADVANTAGE -   Organic impurities in the liq. manure are reduced by 80-90%, N-contq. impurities by ca 90% and phosphorus by ca 99%. Organic impurities and phosphorus are converted into a lime-enriched compact, while N-contg. impurities are converted into a concentrated ammonia-contg. fertiliser. The water content is sterilised under the process conditions. Equipment used is inexpensive, and energy imputs are low. When gas from methane fermentation is used as the CO2-contg. gas ballast, components (chiefly CO2) and sulphate-contg. impurities are removed from the biogas, thus enhancing its value. (24pp)
(JP93035117-B)      An additive comprising mainly sphagnamic peat is added to dung and the mixt. is heated at 60 deg.C or above under presure while kneading. A part of the mixt. at least is then mixed with the mixt. having not been kneaded under pressure and at least once the kneading under pressure at or above 60 deg.C is repeated.    Faeces of chicken, swine and other domestic animals, contain proteins, cellulose, hemicellulose and other carbohydrates, lignin and mucous aminosugars. These are degraded to yield complexes of lignin and aminoacids or proteins, aminoacid cpds. with quinone-type substances and aminoacids cpds. with the degradates of carbohydrates while malodour substances e.g. as ammonia, mercaptan, H2S trimethylamine and methyldisulphide are deodorised by the reaction with organic acids and quinones from the peat.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   The wastes from stock farming are converted into organic fertiliser and odours are removed. The mixing of already kneaded prod. produces a mixt. of materials at various degradation stages which guarantees soil-improvement. (J61141689-A)
(JP92040062-B)      The catalyst consists of Ru and/or Rh catalyst metals loaded on a support contg. alkaline earth metal oxides. Examples of the support are MgO-Al2O3 or TiO2, CaO-Al2O3, TiO2, or SiO2, BaO-Al23, TiO2, or ZrO2, or BaO-CaO-Al2O3, contg. 0.1-95 wt. % of alkaline earth metal oxides. Suitable content of the catalyst metals is more than 0.01 (0.1-1.0) wt %.    ADVANTAGE -   The catalyst, working over an extended period of time, can provide methane with a high efficiency and selectivity at lower temp., e.g, at 400 deg. C 100% of methanol was converted to 60CH4, 15H2, 0.8CO, and 24CO2 (all in mol. %).    In an example, catalyst contg. 10 wt. % MgO and 2 wt. % Ru was prepd. by immersing 2-4mm dia. gamma-Al2O3 pellets in Mg(NO3)2 aq. soln.; sintering at 500 deg. C for 3 hrs.; immersing in a RuCl3 aq. soln; sintering at 300 deg. C for 3 hrs.; then reducing in a 4% H2 gas stream at 400 deg. C for 3 hrs. (J61138535-A)
(JP94069881-B2)      Raw material carbohydrate and steam are supplied to the flue gas of a heating furnace contg. a high temp. steam reforming reactor or are supplied to a middle temp. steam reforming reactor which is heated by effluent gas from the high temp. steam reforming reactor. They are then contacted with prim. reforming catalyst under prim. reforming conditions, to form prim. reforming gas. The prim. reforming gas is heated by heat-exchange with flue gas from the heating furnace. This gas is supplied to the high temp. steam reforming reactor and then contacted with sec. reforming catalyst under sec. reforming condition to form sec. reforming gas.    Pref. the prim. reforming condition is 520-620 deg.C and 10-30 kg/cm2G, steam ratio (H2O mole/C atom of carbohydrate component) of 1.5-3.0, and gas space velocity of 2,000-600 hr-1. The prim. catalyst is 2 wt% Ru on alumina. The prim. reforming gas is principally of hydrogen and methane, and the gas contains carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and unreacted steam. Sec. reforming conditions are 700-850 deg.C 10-30 kg/cm2G, steam ratio (H2O mole/C atom of carbohydrate component) of 2.5-5.5, gas space velocity of 2,000-600 hr-1. The sec. catalyst is nickel on alumina. The sec. gas contains over 50 mole% hydrogen, and is at 800-850 deg.C.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   The temp. of the gas supplied to the high temp. steam reforming reactor is raised, so that the thermal load of the heating furnace is decreased.
(JP94065601-B2)      Prior to feeding raw material hydrocarbon and water vapour into an adiabetic low temp. water vapour reformer, water vapour is thermally exchanged with hydrogen rich gas obtd. in a high temp. water vapour reformer. Before feeding the methane rich gas obtd. in a adiabetic low temp. water vapour reformer into high temp. water vapour reformer, methane rich gas is thermally exchanged with flue gas in a heating furnace used to heat the high temp. water vapour reformer.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Method preheats raw material hydrocarbon and water vapour using hydrogen rich gas and the methane rich gas using flue gas. This reduces the heat load required and fuel consumption is reduced.
(EP190518-B)      Catalyst for the hydrocondensation of carbon monoxide, characterized in that it comprises at least one product obtained by bringing together: (a) at least one complex of formula CuLn in which n is the number of ligands complexing the copper and L is an ionic or vcovalent ligand. (b) at least one activator of formula M'Rm in which M' is a metal chosen from aluminium, lithium, sodium, magnesium and zinc, m is the valency of the metal M' and R is chosen from the hydrogen atom and hydrocarbon radicals, the molar ration (b)/(a) being between 0.3 and 20, and (c) at least one compound chosen from conjugated dienes, phosphines, amines, arsines and phosphites, the molar ratio (c)/(a) being between 1 and 20. (9pp)
(US4604361-A)      A column reactor for continuous prodn. of gas by contacting downwardly flowing liq. with an agent fixed to a solid substrate has at least two sequential reaction zones each with upstream and downstream free vols. spaced by a reaction plug of solid substrate with gas-forming channels with the agent fixed to their walls.    Each zone has a circulatory bypass around the channels, so that liq. can be carried up through the channels by the gas. Adjacent free vols. in two adjacent zones are in communication. The liq. is pref. a fermentation medium and the agent is microorganisms or enzymes. Each plug may consist of plates with their opposing surfaces defining the channels.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   E.g. for mfr. of methane, ensuring optimal contact time with the agent. (10pp)
(US4726818-A)      Organic feedstocks contain at least 2.5% water are dried using a fixed bed molecular sieve adsorbent. The bed is divided into four zones and at any time at least two sections are used for the drying process. The remaining section(s) are subject to cyclic regeneration involving (1) draining, (2) heating, (3) cooling, (4) filling. The purge gas used for regeneration is recycled through a second bed to allow energy recovery from the hot gas.    ADVANTAGE -   The process can be used to dry eg. ethanol in a thermally efficient manner. (6pp)n
(US4935567-A)      A cellulose contg. biomass is liquefied by A) mixing in a reaction vessel a) the biomass b) 5-20 pts.wt. water per pt.wt. dry biomass and c) a neutral O-contg. organic liq B) heating the mixt to 200-400 deg.C under 3-100 atm to produce an oil liq. phase and a aq. phase and C) removing the oily phase distilling off by heating, low boiling components and recovering a liquefied prod. of increased calorific value as distillate.    C is pref. an alochol, esp. butanol or propanol, an ester, esp. Me or Et acetate an ether, and/or a ketone, esp. MEK acetone, esp. the last. Step B is pref. carried out in presence of an inert gas or steam. Mixt. A contains an alkaline catalyst, e.g. NaOH, CaO, HCOOK.    ADVANTAGE -   an economical process giving high yields without use of a reducing gas, e.g. H2, Co; the liquefied prod. can be readily recovered from the reaction mixt. (5pp)
(JP93022674-B)      Appts. comprises polygonal rotating drum having panels attached to frames, blades projecting inwards from frames, polygonal guide in centre of drum tree to detach and side plates. Compost is mfd. by rotating drum storing compost feed material.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Assembling and disassembling of appts. is simplified. (J61111988-A)
(JP92076754-B)      Method comprises breeding ferments on fire stones in a bioreactor, and flowing waste water into the reactor. The stones have dia. of 8-50mm. The ferments are anaerobes.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   This produces methane at an increased rate and for a prolonged period of time. (J61111197-A)
(US4654063-A)      In removal of H2 from a feed gas mixt. additional freedom is provided for adjusting the process parameters. The feed gas is treated in a non-membrane sepn. unit and a portion of the H2-enriched stream is withdrawn. This portion is fed to a membrane sepn. unit from which a H2-lean stream is recycled to the non-membrane sepn. unit, allowing the H2-rich stream to be collected.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   High purity H2 can be recovered at high recovery from gas streams with diverse properties. (10pp)a
(US4707171-A)      Higher boiling point hydrocarbons are sepd. from a feed gas contg. light hydrocarbons by initially cooling and condensing the mixt to yield a liquid and gaseous fraction. The liquid component is subjected to rectification to yield a stream enriched in high boiling hydrocarbons.    The process is improved by recycling the gaseous fraction from the rectification to a recontacting column to scrub out further high boiling hydrocarbons. Condensed residual gas is used as the scrubbing material, and liquid from the bottom of the column is transferred to the rectification column.    ADVANTAGE -   The process can be used to separate enhanced amounts of ethane or propane from natural gas or refinery tail gases. (11pp)n    (EP185253-B)      A process for separating C2+ or C3+-hydrocarbons from a gas stream which contains light hydrocarbons and possibly components which boil more easily than methane, wherein the gas stream under increased pressure, is cooled, partially condensed and separated into a liquid fraction and a gaseous fraction, and wherein the liquid fraction is separated by rectification into a product stream which essentially contains C2+ or C3+-hydrocarbons respectively and a residual gas stream which contains mainly more easily boiling components, characterised in that the gaseous fraction which is separated after the partial condensation is fed to a counterflow washing column in which C2+ or C3+-hydrocarbons respectively are washed out of the gaseous fraction with residual gas (7,39) obtained during the rectification after its partial condensation, and the liquid fraction accumulating in the sump of the counterflow washing column is fed to the rectification stage.    (14pp)
(US4664687-A)      C2+, C3+ or C4+ Hydrocarbons (I) are sepd. from a gas stream (II) contg. light hydrocarbons by cooling (II), which is under elevated pressure, partially condensing and sepg. (II) in a phase separator into a liq. and a gaseous fraction; the gaseous fraction is fractionated by rectification into a prod. stream contg. hydrocarbons (I) and a residual stream contg. lower boiling components.    The improvement comprises subjecting the gaseous fraction, forming after partial condensation, before engine expansion, to heat exchange with the engine expanded gaseous fraction, thereby cooling the gaseous fraction and sepg. additional components which condense out before the engine expansion stage.    ADVANTAGE -   New process is more economic than known processes. (15pp)o
(US4675036-A)      In a process for the sepn.. of C2+ or C3+ hydrocarbons from a feed gas contg. C1+ hydrocarbons, in which the feed gas stream being under an elevated pressure is cooled, partially condensed and sepn in a phase seperator into a liq. and a gaseous fraction, whereupon the gaseous fraction is engine expanded and the liq fraction is fractionated by rectification into a produce stream contg. all C2+ or C3+ hydrocarbons and a residual gas stream comprising lower boiling components than C2, the improvement comprises passing the residual gas stream with the gaseous fraction resulting from the partial condensn. prior to the engine expansion step; and heating engine expanded mixt. by indirect heat exchange with the feed gas to be sepd.    ADVANTAGE -   The process is cheaper than known processes. (11pp)d
(US4632746-A)      An electrochemical cell comprises a container closed by a selectively permeable wall (5b) and holding an electrode immersed in electrolyte. The electrode is of or is fed by wire thinner than 0.2 mm dia. the length of wire in contact with electrolyte being limited by a resilient sealing ring (15) compressed between container and wall.    The wire is formed as a loop (13) with its ends both outside the vol. defined by the ring, container and wall and into which the loop protrudes. The electrode is pref. a metal-coated membrane bounding the vol. and the ring is an O-ring. The electrolyte is partic. acetonitrile and a current feeder enters the contaner through a frustoconical aperture sealed by a conical bung under compression.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   e.g. for sensing methane, has fast response. (8pp))
(US4670187-A)      Methanol reforming process yielding a gas of high hydrogen content is conducted in two stages, with a circulating double passage of the reactant mixt. of the first reforming stage in the residual gas combustion zone.    A methanol-water mixt. is vapourised and superheated at 300-500 deg. C in the combustion zone of a residual gas obtd. from the pruificn. of prod. from methanol reforming. After reforming the mixt. is recirculated for a second reforming.    ADVANTAGE -   The reaction may be conducted adiabatically. (12pp)
(DE3443946-C)      Compost, stored in dumps, is turned over and screened by a bucket wheel driven by the power take-off from a tractor. This charges the compost on a vibrating screen followed by a hammer mill for the overflow. The mixed material is either re-deposited or collected in a container.    ADVANTAGE -   This combines the turnover and screening operations of compost heaps in one mobile appliance.
(DD232687-B)      A two-stage anaerobic once-through biological treatment reactor for organic substances operates with concentric acid and methane phases. These are connected together by an annular gap and which has a separate gas space. The inner reactor chamber possesses a conical bottom.    Between the inner and outer chambers, an intermediate reaction chamber is provided, divided into two sections; the inner section is contd. within a conical dome, which forms, together with the conical top of the acid reactor chamber, an annular gap. The second section of the intermediate chamber is open at the bottom to the outer reactor chamber.    This outer chamber also has a conical bottom, corresp. to that of the inner chamber. A downpipe feeds substrate into the lower region of the acid chamber, from which it ascends. An overflow funnel at the liq. surface in the section of the intermediate chamber discharges floating sludge, while at the lowest points of the conical bottoms of the two stages solids discharge lines are provided, together with a number of flushing pipes.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   For treatment of organic wastes of animal, vegetable or human origins, combined with the prodn. of biogas. The biogas produced has an extremely low hydrogen sulphide content. The space required for treatment is small and consequently the throughput rate is high. Formation of floating sludge is prevented.
(US4617039-A)      Method of treating a mixed hydrocarbon gas stream using one or more expansion and heat exchange steps to give at least one partially condensed stream, at least one residue vapour stream and at least one C3 containing liquid. This liquid is then directed into a further distn. stage.    Process is improved by cooling and condensing the second residue and refluxing this fluid in a second distillation zone. Residual vapours being used to provide the cooling effects for the first stage process.    ADVANTAGE -   Process can be used to recover C3 and heavier components from e.g. natural gas. (12pp)a
(DE3442506-C)      Processing method for carbonaceous wastes and biomass comprises reacting these materials with H2-contg. gases and/or H2-transferring cpds. at 75-600 deg.C and 1-600 bar. Throwaway hydrogenation catalysts may be used, including dust and ash from coal processing, hearth-type furnaces, the high temp. Winkler gasificn. process or the hydrogenative gasificn. of coal to methane. Esp. suitable are Fe-contg. throwaway catalysts, e.g. red mud or Bayermasse.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   The processable wastes include those from plastics, wood, textiles, paper and foodstuffs, agricultural and forestry wastes, solvents, used oils, and rubber tyres. Coal and petroleum residues may be added to the charge. The method avoids dumping, and the emissions of CO2, NOx, SO2 and dioxins from incineration methods. The useful prods. include 1-4C gases and liq. hydrocarbon fuels boiling in the range gasoline to heavy oils.
(GB2166661-B)      A catalyst precursor (I) is produced by incorporating a Kandite mineral (II) into a water-insol. complex formed by coprecipitating a divalent Gp. VIII metal (M1) cpd. and a trivalent metal (M2) cpd. from a mixed soln. (III) of water-sol. salts thereof with an alkaline precipitant (IV), followed by calcination of the complex; the process is characterised by the incorporation of II into III prior to precipitation, and by wt. ratio M1:M2 not less than 3:1 (calculated as oxides in calcined I).    Methane-contg. gas is produced by passing a mixt. of steam, hydrogen and oxides of carbon over a methanation catalyst at 250-550 deg.C; the catalyst is prepd. by reducing I prepd. as above.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   The catalyst obtd. from I has high initial activity and good retention thereof, good retention of surface area and good dispersion of catalytic metal. The methanation process may utilise synthesis gas obtd. by steam-oxygen-ash slagG in gasification of coal.
(US4824571-A)      A method of methanogenesis of organic prods. by-prods. and human waste, animal waste and vegetable matter supplies feed to a closed fermentation vessel and circulating them from an inlet to an outlet. Gas is evolved and collected and the degraded prods. are discharged with a reintroduction of biogas into the mass of prods. present from the bottom of the vessel to fluidise them.    The vessel is subdivided into different prod. density sectors juxtaposed in the direction of circulation and biogas is injected into each st set time duration and pressure. The pressure and time are selected in accordance with the prod. density in each sector.    ADVANTAGE -   Efficient fluidisation is provided giving more efficient operation. (11pp)h    (JP93040640-B)      The system is of the type which uses a gas-tight digester vessel through which raw material is advanced between inlet and discharge as gas is drawn off from the vessel headspace. Part of the gas is recycled into the fermenting material in the vessel.    The vessel is vertically partitioned to subdivide the interior into a number of intercommunicating compartments. Each compartment intermittently receives an injection of biogas at a pressure and for a period which are automatically adjusted w.r.t. the density of the material in the compartment.    Each compartment is served by a set of gas injectors supplied via an independently controlled valve from a common manifold.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   To dispose of sewage and other organic waste which is digested in the prodn. of biogas. The fluidity of the fermenting waste in the digester varies significantly between infeed and discharge zones. To obtain max. benefit from recycled gas, the pressure and duration or injections are matched to measured density of material. (J63501624-W)
(DE3627986-A)      Prodn. of fuel briquettes from straw, grain stalks or similar cellulosic waste materials with a binder present during pressing, pref. in extrusion or cylinder ram-type presses, is effected using a pressure which causes temporary heating of the briquette to 75-200 deg.C, as binder is of straw or similar waste material from leguminous or proteinaceous plants.    ADVANTAGE -   The straw may have a water content of 16-30 (esp. 18-23) wt.% (up to 75% more than previously) without losing the effectiveness of the binder. Thus energy is not required to dry the straw. The briquettes are stable enough for long-distance transport. The binder causes no abrasion of piston or die. The binder contains no constituent harmful to the environment, and the briquette ash can be used as fertiliser. (First major country equivalent to DK8503748-A)    (GB2179367-B)      A process for the production of a briquette or pill for stoking made of stems from grain, straw or similar cellulosic waste material with the admixture of a binding agent during compression by trace or piston pressing at a pressure temporarily raising the temperature in the briquette or pill to between 75 deg. C and 200 deg. C, straw or similar waste material from pulses and/or protein plants being admixed as a binding agent.s    (US4810446-A)      Prodn. of grain, straw or cellulosic material briquettes or pills comprises mixing the raw materials (opt. contg. up to 30 wt.% aq) with a binding agent (up to 10 wt.%), e.g. comminuted straw from peas or lupines, and heating and compressing at 75-200 deg.C.    Coagulation of the protein in the binding agent occurs to give stable briquettes.    USE -   The prods. are easily stored and transported for agricultural use. (3pp)
(DE3438217-C)      Sulphur-insensitive catalyst for steam reforming of hydrocarbons consists of a carrier substrate and 5-25 wt.% of an oxyhalide of a metal of Periodic Gp. IVa, esp. ZrOCl2.    Pref. carrier substrate may be a Gp. IVa metal oxide (esp. ZrO2), Al2O3, SiO2 or a spinel. The substrate pref. also contains (a) a small concn. of an alkali metal, esp. 0-5-10 wt.%K, for improved catalysis of steam reforming; and (b) a pelletising lubricant, esp. potassium stearate (which can also provide the K required under (a)) or graphite. Prepn. may comprise: (i) calcining a ZrO2 paste for 2 hr. at 450-500 deg.C; (ii) admixing about 2 wt.% potassium stearate; (iii) pelletizing; (iv) calcining the pellets for 2 hr. at about 850 deg.C; and (v) impregnating with a ZrOCl2 soln., with drying for 1 hr. at 400 deg.C, to give pellets contg. 5-25 wt.% ZrOCl2.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   The catalyst is useful in primary and secondary reformers, and in CO conversion by the water-gas shift reaction. The feedstock may contain at least 1000 times more S than the max. possible with Ni catalysts, and the catalyst is scarcely affected by soot deposition. Large-scale steam reforming of some heavy oils is possible for the first time: e.g. a gas oil contg. 0.66 wt.% S was converted to equilibrium, both w.r.t to primary steam reforming (methanization) and w.r.t the shift reaction for at least 100 hr.
(JP92023599-B)      A part of water content is sepd. from organic industrial waste. Water is absorbed into solid support such as sawdust. Fermentaton treatment is then applied to solid support.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Method reuses industrial waste as feed or compost without generating bad smell. (J61054299-A)
(JP92079719-B)      Controller which returns seed sludge from a sec. digester to a first digester comprises a first controller which controls the amt. of returned seed sludge corresp. to the injection amt. of organic sludge by measuring the returning amt. of seed sludge from the second digester and the amt. of organic sludge injected to the first digester and a second controller which stops the returning seed sludge when the concn. of solid in the first digester is higher than that in the returned seed sludge.    ADVANTAGE -   As the seed sludge is returned according to the amt. of organic sludge injected, the concn. of bacteria can be controlled and organic sludge can be treated in stably. (J61050698-A)
(US4605526-A)      The prodn. of dense membranes comprises spreading a soln. of a polar polymer and/or polar prepolymer in a polar solvent over the surface of the polar liq. The spread out soln. is then allowed to desolvate.    Pref. a prepolymer is used that is obtd. by reaction of polyether glycol with diphenyl methane diisocyanate. The polar solvent is pref. methyl ethyl ketone, water or an aq. soln. of a salt.    USE -   Membranes obtd. are used in molecular sepn. processes. (3pp)y
(US4698304-A)      Hydrocarbon mixt. is produced by (a) aerobically cultivating a strain of microorganism which can simultaneously produce 2 or more kinds of satd. or unsatd. (2-5C) hydrocarbons in water-contg. medium, forming hydrocarbons in liq. phase and/or gaseous ambience of the medium; (b) recovering prod. from liq. and/or gas; and (c) sepg. prods.    Pref. strain is a fungus, e.g. Saprolegenia, Mucor, etc.; a yeast, e.g. Endomyces, etc.; bacteria, e.g. Bacillus, Brevibacterium, etc.; or actinomycetes e.g. Streptomyces, etc.; or their respective mutants.    USE -   For e.g. producing increased yield of isobutene by adding L-leucine and opt. a benzene cpd. having a carboxyl gp. to the medium. (11pp)
(JP93030796-B)      Vegetable refuse, raw sewage cake, sawdust and aerobic bacteria are mixed, dissolved and agitated in a first tank to form a fermented mixt. with water content 60%. This is then delivered to a second fermentation tank, where the mixt. is heated to 75-80 deg.C and agitated by an agitator which travels and reciprocates in the tank.    After being kept in tank for about 7 days, the mixt. is transferred to a third tank to be dried and matured in supplied air. Part of the mixt is kept in tank for breeding aerobic bacteria to be supplied to the upper layer of new mixt.    In tank (4) a gap of 10-100mm is formed between the tips of blades of the agitator and the bottom surface of the tank, and the bottom surface of the tank is partitioned by projections which are perpendicular to side walls of the tank.    ADVANTAGE -   Mixt. is sufficiently mixed and fermented in tank and in a storage tank. In tank growth of anaerbic bacteria is suppressed and breeding of aerobic bacteria is promoted to improve fermentation, and lignin in saw dust is dissolved. As the aerobic bacteria are kept in a lower layer on the bottom of the tank, aerobic bacteria are bred, and projections on the bottom will avoid dilution of fermented mixt. by new mixt. Fermentation is sufficiently promoted to provide a desirable organic fertiliser. (J61040886-A
(EP175991-B)      A fibre suspension is conventionally screened and thickened and then subsequent to bleaching and thinning to a low pulp consistency is (i) agitated to break up the fibre flocs present and (ii) divided in a fractionator into two pulp streams of different ave. fibre length. Streams obtd. in (ii) comprise a long fibre fraction (I) and a fine fraction (II). The freeness of fraction (I) exceeds that of (II) by 150-600 ml and (II) constitutes 35-70 wt.% of the amt. of the pulp obtd. after the bleaching stage.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Prods. are used to mfr. absorption prods., paperboard, etc. and light wt. coated papers. Fraction (I) has low resin concn. and is esp. used alone or in pulp mixts. to mfr. high purity and bulk absorption prods. (I) and (II) can be mixed for use in soft paper mfg. Wood in log or chip form can be treated and prods. may be groundwood, thermo or chemimechanical or waste paper pulps, obtd. in yields above 60%.    (US4776926-A)      Mfg. papermaking pulp, involves screening and dewatering high yield cellulose pulp in such manner that it contains shives, bleaching it, thinning with water to 3-7% consistency, working mechanically to disintegrate floc, thinning with water to 0.3-4% consistency, and sepn. into 35-70 wt.% fine fibre fraction, and a long fibre fraction.    The water is that derived from the screening and dewatering stage, and the long fibre fraction freeness exceeds that of the fine fraction by 150-600ml Canadian Standard Freeness.    USE -   For processing groundwood pulp (claimed). (10pp)
(US4623370-A)      A gas treatment process in which a composite stream contg. H2, N2, CO and impurities such as Ar and opt. CH4 is passed at super-atmospheric pressure and sub-ambient temp. into a nitrogen wash zone while simultaneously adding liq. nitrogen.    A liq. tail gas streamis recovered and sepd. into multiple streams for cryogenic distillation and a gaseous overhead stream recovered from at least one distillation zone. At least part of the overhead stream is recycled and at least part of the bottom stream is vapourised and recycled.    ADVANTAGE -   The separation process can be used e.g. to treat a g-coal gasification product stream. The process has reduced energy requirements and reduces the loss of valuable chemicals in the tail gas stream. (10pp)w    (DE3532248-C)      This is a method of obtaining gases from a gas mixture of H2, N2, CO, and the impurities Ar and CH4. This gas mixture is supplied to a nitrogen washer zone at above atmos. pressure and below room temp., with the simultaneous introduction of liquid nitrogen. From here, an H2-rich flow and a liquid by-product flow which contains N2, CO, the impurities, and some H2, are taken. This by-product flow is divided, in low-temp. distillation zones, into a gaseous top-product flow and a liquid bottom-product flow. The top-product flows are cooled and are at least partly condensed. Several further features and variants are claimed.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   The individual gases in a gas mixture can be effectively separated without any additional compression of the gas mixture being necessary and without the need for additional energy for operating the distillation column. An improved energy balance is thus provided. (10pp)
(US4730400-A)      Composting appts. for fermentable raw organic materials, comprises a rotary drum downwardly inclined from inlet to exit, and having internal nozzles for fluid supply, pref. air and/or water mist.    Upstream of each nozzle is a plough-like baffle, canted rearwardly to mask the nozzle against blockage. Pref. a central suction pipe extends into the drum, and has its intake well above the level of material in the drum.    ADVANTAGE -   The material being composted receives adequate air, well distributed via nozzles free from clogging. (10pp)
(JP92012199-B)      After heat-treating the sludge sepd. from sewage, the sepd. liq. is methane-fermented in digestor equipped with an anaerobic biological membrane filter bed and the methane is removed. Then the liq. is treated in a reaction tank having aerobic biological membrane filter bed contg. bone char, and the treated water is returned to the first active sludge process.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Sepd. liq. can be treated without increased amt. of sludge. By using bone char colour can be removed from the treated water. (J61021791-A)
(JP94038956-B2)      Waste water treatment structure comprising pipe of water-absorbable sheet and several projected wings of water-absorbable sheet formed at side of pipe, is buried under ground and soil layer with wetting speed 1.3-15 cm/h and satd. water permeation coefft. of 1.5 x 10 power -6 cm/sec is formed contacting with water-absorbable sheets.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Waste water, e.g. sewage, is effectively infiltrated and diffused in soil and biologically treated to decompose organics.
(US4837153-A)      A method of controlling fluid flow to treat compost comprises injecting it into the compost through a lance. The lance has an outer porous wall spaced from an inner fluid flow control insert having a number of openings in it. Portions of the insert and the outer wall are sepd. to form separate fluid flow zones.    The openings and the sepg. elements control the flow along the length of the lance and prevent internal short circuiting. The sepg. elements include a number of gaskets adjustably mounted on the insert to form a number of variable zones.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   For compost air flow control in compost pile reactors with less power needed to supply it. (7pp)    (US5153137-A)      Appts. for treating compost with a fluid comprises lances for controlling fluid flow along the lances, and each lance has a tubular inner fluid flow control insert concentrically positioned in an outer porous wall to define an annular gap between the two. Gasket(s) is engaged sealingly to the insert adjustably to divide the space into variable zones. The tubular insert also has openings positioned along length so each variable is in flow communication with opening.    ADVANTAGE -   Improved efficiency of composting.
(JP92079684-B)      Doctor knife with centreline average roughness of upto 0.05 microns is used when preparing membrane from a soln. of high molecular material for membrane. Pref. sepg. membrane is asymmetrical membrane consisting of a dense layer with gas selectivity and a porous layer without gas selectivity. High molecular material for membrane is a mixt. consisting of polyvinyl triorganosilane of 1 pts.wt. and organopolysiloxane of 0.05-1 pts.wt. Polyvinyl triorgano-silane has a specific viscosity of at least 1.5 dl/g in cyclohexane at 25 deg.C and dispersion deg. of up to 2.0. Mfr. of sepn. membrane including that the soln. of high molecular material for membrane is flowing extended on a smooth cast plate with a contact angle a thickness of at least 500 micron is produced.    Membrane has a high gas sepn. power, even at high permeation rate. It can be used for concn. of oxygen, hydrogen and sepn. of He, CO2, methane, etc. respectively from gas mixt. (J61008108-A)
(EP172070-B)      An installation and a process for digesting organic material in the prodn. of biogas. The installation comprises an anaerobic digester vessel. The vessel has an inlet quite near its base for entry of organic fluid at one end of the vessel. At the opposite end of the vessel, and at a higher level than the inlet, there is an overflow outlet. The vessel is also equipped with a gas outlet from the headspace and means for thermostatic control of the contents of the vessel.    Between the inlet and outlet ends of the vessel, a first vertical partition extends upwards from the base to a level between inlet and overflow levels. The partition extends right across the width of the vessel so that material flowing through the vessel has to pass over the partition. A similar, second partition, lower than the first, is positioned between the first partition and the vessel overflow outlet.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   An installation and process for the prodn. of biogas from organic waste, partic. from liq. manure from farm animals such as pigs and cattle, as well as poultry and rabbit droppings in liq. suspension. Highly efficient performance in terms of output and quality of biogas and reduction in C.O
(DD228535-B)      A method of shutting down and rendering inert, biogas prods. plants, in which animal manure and sewage are anaerobically treated and the formation of explosive gas mixtures is prevented by appropriate feed of gases, is as follows. Air is blown directly into the sewage sludge containing the aerobic microorganisms in such a way that the gas mixt. formed has a max. oxygen concn. of less than 6%. The air is dispersed in the sludge and thoroughly distributed through it.    Pref., before the air is blown in, fresh substrate containing aerobic or opt. aerobic microorganisms is supplied to the sludge. This cold substrate is pref. supplied into the sludge until its temp. has fallen by at least 2 deg. C.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   For shutting down and rendering inert biogas prodn. plants operating with sewage or animal waste. Explosion risk (from methane) is avoided without use of large quantities of inert gas. The long periods required to render such treatment safe are also avoided.
(US4609460-A)      Anaerobic purifier for treating waste water comprises at least one reactor tube having a first system for removing gas from water just below a discharge for purified water, and a second system for collecting a gas-water-sludge mixture.    The second system is below the pure water discharge and like the first system extends across the cross-section of the tube. The mixture is raised by gas lifting. (9pp)e    (EP170332-B)      Anaerobic purification equipment for waste water comprising a container with a reactor chamber for fermentation, means for introducing influent into the reactor chamber, at least one overflow gutter for collecting purified water by overflow, and, fitted below the level of the overflow gutter, a collecting system for collecting and removing gas from the liquid, characterised in that at least one additional collecting system (5) for collecting gas and buoyant sludge is fitted at a distance below the first-named collecting system (6), which additional system (5) has a hydraulic link with at least one rising pipe (7,7',27,32,31) for raising the liquid-sludge mixture by gas lift action, said rising pipe discharging into a separation device (8;33) for separating gas and liquid. (10pp)
(JP92023598-B)      Waste water from nitrification treatment is passed to a denitrification tank through a sludge concn. tank or sludge storage tank for storing excess sludge.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Method prevents nitrified waste water having high dissolved oxygen concn. from flowing into denitrification tank, resulting in maintaining the denitrification performance of denitrification bacteria. (J60251998-A)
(US4671881-A)      Wastewater is treated, by (a) mixing water, pulverised coal, and waste water into a slurry in a floating machine; (b) stirring this with a stirrer in the machine to extract a floating floc; (c) discharging floc from machine's upper part; (d) discharging a sediment from machine's lower part; (e) discharging a residual slurry from the machine; (f) stirring the residual slurry discharge to extract a residual floating floc using 1 or more other stirrer in 1 or more other floating machine; (g) collecting flocs discharged from each machine; and (h) dewatering collected flocs to form a fuel bulk.    Opt. fuel bulk obtd. is combusted in a heat power plant for generating electric power. Flocs are dried forcibly in (h), and the water obtd. sterilised.    USE -   For treating water obtd. from a waste water treatment facility. (6pp)e    (GB2162196-B)      A process of treating waste water comprising the steps of: mixing water, pulverised coal, and waste water into a slurry in a flotation cell; stirring the slurry in the flotation cell to extract a floating floc therefrom; discharging the floating floc from an upper portion of said flotation cell; discharging a residual slurry from a lower portion of said flotation cell; stirring the residual slurry discharged from the flotation cell to extract a floating floc from the residual slurry in at least one other flotation cell; collecting the floating flocs discharged from the flotation cells; and dewatering the collected floating flocs to form a fuel bulk.
(JP95063717-B2)      System includes a circuit (I) for anticipating digestion condition and density of prods. in future, by processing expressions including predetermined terms of reaction rate based on input signals or simulated input signal for amt. of generates methane gas and CO2 gas produced by decomposition of inorganic substance which is included in supplied material by anaerobic acid-fermentation and methane-fermentation.    System further includes at least one processing circuits: 1st operating circuits to calculate and output coefft. which indicates reaction rate of methane-fermentation based on value of generating rate of methane, density of methane in the digestion tank, and density of organic acid in the tank, which are measured for a certain period by 1st measuring devices including densitometersm gas flowrator and gas analyser; 2nd processing circuits for calculating and outputting coefft. in terms for reaction rate of fermentation based on the data detected for a certain period; and 3rd processing circuit to operate and output ratio of generated organic acid to unit amt. of decomposed organic susbtance based on the data.    At least one of the following data in equations for the circuit (I) is revised in succession in this system based on output from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd processing circuits; (1) coefft. in terms for reaction rate of methane-fermentation; (2) coefft. in terms for acid-fermentation, (3) ratio of generation of organic acid to decomposed amt. of unit organic substance.    ADVANTAGE -   Coeffts. are revised correctly and in succession based on the data, so that laborious experiments for the revision of coefft. can be omitted.
(US4627116-A)      Composting toilet appts., comprises container sepd. by partition into fermenting chamber and reservoir chamber with communication space above the partition top.    A shaft extending through the partition carries a stirrer in the fermentation chamber for ingoing sewage and a mixer in the reservoir chamber, which has an outlet port.    Pref. a blower is connected to an injector pipe in the base region of the fermentation chamber, specifically with a heater between blower and injector pipe.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Domestic toilet appts. produces dried, particulate, and readily disposable end prod. (7pp)    (JP92051239-B)      Mixt. of additives and excrement is decomposed by aerobic fermentation to change to a smaller vol. powder, with germs or parasites perishing as temp. rises.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   Necessary additive to lower water content of mixt. of excrements can be supplied in optimal condition despite varying the vol. of supplied excrement. Maintenance costs are cheaper and also the necessary vol. of container can be reduced. (J60241999-A)
(JP93081317-B)      Organic wastewater after or before treating with biological treating tank is partially vaporised in cooling tank under reduced pressure to reduce temp. Then the organic wastewater is flowed in biological treating tank for treatment.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   By reducing temp. in treating system activity of microorganisms can be maintained most favourably. (J60238196-A)
(JP94057627-B2)      The method comprises aerobic fermentation of rice straw, wheat straw or water plants such as reeds and water hyacinth. A compost material contg. readily decomposable organic materials having a BOD5 value not less than 50 mg-O2/g-SD is added and then aerobic fermentation is effected. The compost added is pref. organic wastes such as sewer sludge, animal faeces, etc.    The compost added before the fermentation is a prod. of aerobic fermentation which is not finished, so that it is still active. Thus the intended fermentation is virtually continuation of the added compost fermentation.    ADVANTAGE -   The use of active compost which has passed the high temp. stage and is already sterilised, ensures there are no parasite worms or pathogenic microbes in the starting materials for the intended fermentation, and thus sanitary conditions are good.
(JP92022638-B)      A digestion tank includes an inlet (2) for original liq., a delivery pipe for treated liq. and a gas outlet (8), a gas collecting chamber and a number of gas vent tubes (14a) (14b) with their ends adjacent to surface of liq..    The gas vent tubes have umbrella-form lower ends. The tank is partitioned by an inclined partition wall to dividing digestion zone (10) from solid liq. separating zone. The gas collecting vent tubes are located in methane-producing zone.    ADVANTAGE -   As generated gas in the tank is collected in liq. zone and delivered to adjacent to liq. surface, agitation of liq. mixt. by rising of the gas is avoided and deterioration of treated liq. by broken sludge flock is prevented, so that decrease of digesting efficiency on account of mixing of bacteria can be avoided. (J60235697-A)
(EP167006-B)      Obnoxious organic waste is degraded microbially by (1) collecting a sample from the contaminated site, (2) enriching the microorganisms living in the sample, (3) sepg. from each other the strains of microorganisms capable of having different metabolism for the various chemicals in the sample, (4) purifying the strains capable of biodegrading the chemicals to be disposed of, (5) applying the strain(s) to the site of the contaminants to be disposed of, and (6) monitoring removal of the contaminants from the site of application.    Pref. the sample is taken from a site with a significant concn. of the obnoxious chemicals. The waste is esp. chlorinated organic cpds. stored in a secure landfill, partic. chlorotoluenes and metabolic derivs.. The microorganisms are Pseudomonas cepacia var. niagarorus. Specific microorganisms are ATCC 31945, ATCC39141 ATCC 31942, ATCC 39140, ATCC 31943, ATCC 31944, and ATCC 31939.    USE -   Partic. conversion of chlorinated aromatic cpds. into CO2, water and salt.
(JP92013655-B)      Determn. of the number of methane bacteria or the methane-forming activity of methane bacteria comrpises irradiating sample with light of wavelength region (220-300 nm. or 380-440 nm) and determining the bacterial number or the methane-forming activity of the bacteria based on the fluorescent intensity obtd. by correcting the intensity of a fluorescence emitted by the irradiated sample by the turbidity of other micro-organisms, digestion sludge, etc. in the sample.    When the light is applied to methane bacteria, substances distinctive to methane bacteria (consisting mainly of F420), emit distinctive fluorescence the characteristics of which are different from the fluorescent characteristics of other microorganisms or foreign substances in digestion sludge etc.. The number and the methane-forming activity of methane bacteria are identified from the fluorescent spectra. For the identification, the relationship between the number of methane bacteria and the intensity of fluorescent spectral peak, or the amt. of methane formed and the intensity of fluorescent spectral peak, is previously examined on standard methane bacteria (e.g. Methanosarcina barkei) for making calibration curves.    ADVANTAGE -   The methane-forming activity of methane bacteria can be determined regardless of turbidity and other microorganism and foreign matters present in a sample. Methane fermentation tank is effectively operated and the optimisation of the operation and the control of methane fermentation tank such as sewage treatment system can be easily achieved. (J60230040-A)
(GB2160542-B)      CH4 is prepd. by reaction of CO and/or CO2 with H2 in presence of a catalyst in the form of 1 or more discrete catalyst bodies, each having a number of internal channels of ordered, pre-determined dimensions and arrangement for reactants and reaction prods., and contg. uniformly dispersed catalytically active material.    The catalyst is NiO + Ni aluminate, and forms more than 50 wt.% of the catalyst body. Each catalyst body may be a honeycomb with a number of parallel channels which form the internal channels. The honeycomb may be in the shape of a right cylinder, the curved surface of which is continuous and impermeable to reactant(s) and prod(s)., with channels parallel to the main axis of the cylinder. Each honeycomb may comprise alternate plain and corrugated sheets bonded together to define the channels. A number of the discrete bodies is randomly assembled in a container with an inlet for reactant(s) and an outlet for prod.    ADVANTAGE -   The reserve of catalytic material combats poisoning and/or ageing problems. Excessive resistance to flow of reactat(s) and/or prod(s). is avoided.
(US4589887-A)      Fuel briquettes based on solid combustible organic waste contain fly ash coke (3-50 wt.%) as binding agent. The raw material (e.g. biomass such as straw, or other agricultural, horticultural, forestry or organic household waste, or finely divided industrial waste) is mixed with fly ash coke and water, and pressed or extruded into briquettes. Anthracite, pti coal and lignite are excluded.    ADVANTAGE -   The prods. are stable on storage and easily transported. (5pp)