Agency Of Industrial Science And Technology Research Articles

Reviews on the Japanese Patent Applications Regarding Nickel/Metal Hydride Batteries

The Japanese Patent Applications filed on the topic of nickel/metal hydride (Ni/MH) batteries have been reviewed. Patent applications filed by the top nine battery manufacturers (Matsushita, Sanyo, Hitachi Maxell, Yuasa, Toshiba, FDK, Furukawa, Japan Storage, and Shin-kobe), five component suppliers (Tanaka, Mitsui, Santoku, Japan Metals & Chemicals Co. (JMC), and Shin-Etsu), and three research institutes (Industrial Research Institute (ISI), Agency of Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), and Toyota R & D) were chosen as the main subjects for this review, based on their production volume and contribution to the field. By reviewing these patent applications, we can have a clear picture of the technology development in the Japanese battery industry. These patent applications also provide insights, know-how, and future directions for engineers and scientists working in the rechargeable battery field.

Occurrence of a rare puncioid ostracod, <i>Promanawa konishii</i> (Nohara, 1976), in Recent sediments of the East China Sea

A left valve of Promanawa konishii (Nohara, 1976) was found in the modern surface sediment of the East China Sea, off the western Iheya-Izena Islands, SW Japan (Fig. 1). The specimen was collected from St 447 (26.98°N, 127.72°E, 512 m water depth) during the GH09 cruise by the Geological Survey of Japan, Agency of Industrial Science and Technology (AIST). Promanawa konishii has a laterally compressed semi-elliptical carapace with a wide frill around the entire ventral margin and a long straight hinge, uniquely characteristic of the superfamily Puncioidea which includes the extant genera Manawa, Promanawa and Puncia (Hornibrook, 1949; McKenzie & Neil, 1983), considered by some to represent a surviving lineage of the order Palaeocopida, all others of which have been extinct since the end of the Palaeozoic (Hornibrook, 1949; Swanson, 1991). Living specimens of Manawa were described from a water depth of 17 m off Goat Island, New Zealand, by Swanson (1989, 1991). According to this study, the nauplius larvae of Manawa have a dome-shaped single carapace that is later divided into two valves jointed by hingement during the growth stages; however, ostracods usually have two such valves …

R&D project on superconductor power application technologies

The R&D project on superconductor power application technologies (FY1988–1999), one of the projects in the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI)/Agency of Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) New Sunshine (NSS) Program, is reviewed. The purposes of the project are to develop the technologies necessary for the superconductor applications in electric power systems and, especially for superconducting generators (SCGs) which have distinguished merits, to provide all technologies necessary for their commercialization. With the steady R&D efforts of Engineering Research Association for Superconductive Generation Equipment and Materials (Super-GM), the technologies to design and construct the Pilot SCG of 200 MW class had been established, finally through the verification tests of the model machines of 70 MW class.

00/03437 Synthesis of power system load profiles by class load study

The Lithium Battery Energy Storage Technology Research Association (LIBES) has been conducting R&D on large-scale lithium secondary batteries for use in electric vehicles and home-use load leveling systems as part of the New Sunshine Program by the Agency of Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) under a contract with the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) since FY 1992. The R&D by LIBES, which is in Phase 2, has developed several hundred Wh class prototype cells of 4 types and 2 or 3 kWh class modules of each type connecting those cells in series. At the same time, LIBES member companies are conducting studies on supporting technologies for the above R&D, on the evaluation test, and on next-generation lithium secondary battery technology development. Here we describe the current results and status of LIBES's R&D as well as those technological aspects.

International collaboration in super/hypersonic propulsion system research project (HYPR)

AbstractA ten-year engineering research project on a super/hypersonic transport propulsion system (HYPR) initiated by AIST (Agency of Industrial Science and Technology) in 1989 has been successfully completed. The HYPR project was aimed at establishing the technology base for a propulsion system of supersonic/hypersonic transport (SST/HST) aircraft that will fly as fast as Mach 5. The project proved the feasibility of a combined cycle engine (CCE) for SST/HST by developing and running the world's first CCE , a combination of a variable cycle turbofan engine (VCE) and a methane-fuelled ramjet. The development of the CCE began with a variety of component tests, followed by the development of the high temperature core engine (HTCE) and VCE. This step-by-step approach led to steady and solid success.Based on this success, a new project was started in 1999, titled "Research and development of environmentally compatible propulsion system for next generation supersonic transport (ESPR)."This paper introduces the various achievements during the ten years of the HYPR project, and the prospects of the upcoming ESPR project.

Start-up, testing and operation of 1000 kW class MCFC power plant

The MCFC Research Association has been conducting R&D of the 1000 kW class MCFC Power Plant under contracting research with New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) as a part of the New Sunshine Program, promoted by the Agency of Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI). The plant consists of four 250-kW stacks, a reformer, two cathode gas recycle blowers, a turbine compressor, a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG). The power plant is the first Japanese practical external reforming pressurized type MCFC power generation plant intended for large-scale commercial plant in the near future. The construction of the 1000 kW MCFC power plant started in autumn of 1995 on Kawagoe test station in Kawagoe Thermal Power Station of Chubu Electric Power, which is located in the prefecture of Mie, Japan. The construction and installation of the plant progressed very well, and process and control (PAC) testing of the power plant (not including fuel cell stacks and inverters) was carried out through March–November of 1998. After the PAC test, the cell stacks and inverters were installed in the test site; currently, the power generation test has just started. This paper describes the outline of the plant, the status of the test and the future schedule.

Development of lithium secondary batteries for electric vehicles and home-use load leveling systems

The Lithium Battery Energy Storage Technology Research Association (LIBES) has been conducting R&D on large-scale lithium secondary batteries for use in electric vehicles and home-use load leveling systems as part of the New Sunshine Program by the Agency of Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) under a contract with the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) since FY 1992. The R&D by LIBES, which is in Phase 2, has developed several hundred Wh class prototype cells of 4 types and 2 or 3 kWh class modules of each type connecting those cells in series. At the same time, LIBES member companies are conducting studies on supporting technologies for the above R&D, on the evaluation test, and on next-generation lithium secondary battery technology development. Here we describe the current results and status of LIBES's R&D as well as those technological aspects.

ニューサンシャイン計画における石炭転換技術研究開発

Agency of Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) has been con-ducting R&D oncoal conversion technologies in Japan. New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) has been carrying out some R&D pro-jects on coal conversion technologies as a part of “New Sunshine Program” lead by AIST. Coal liquefaction and gasification are major concern for NEDO and the overview of the R&D projects up-dated is presented in this paper. In addition, new concept and ambi-tion of R&D on coal conversion technologies are also outlined. Key Words Coal conversion, Coal liquefaction, 150 t/d pilot plant, Coal hydrogasification, Ambition

Development of Hot Dry Rock Technology at Hijiori Test Site: Program for a Long-Term Circulation Test

Since 1985, the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) has continued the development of hot dry rock power generation in Hijiori Hot Dry Rock test site, Yamagata prefecture, Japan, as part of the Sunshine Project and succeeding New Sunshine Project sponsored by the Agency of Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), a branch of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI). The objective of this project is to identify the feasibility of a Hot Dry Rock power generation system in Japan. Thus, the research and development being undertaken at Hijiori HDR test site is aiming to establish hot rock drilling technology, logging borehole technology for evaluating the state of the rock around the well, hydraulic fracturing technology for creating artificial fractures in rock, fracture mapping technology for surveying the reservoir area, and. reservoir evaluation technology for predicting reservoir longevity.

WE-NET: Japanese hydrogen program

The Agency of Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), in the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), started the New Sunshine Program in 1993 by unifying the Sunshine Program (R and D on new energy technology), the Moonlight Program (R and D on energy conservation technology), and the Research and Development Program for Environmental Technology. The objective of the new program is to develop innovative technologies to allow sustainable growth while solving energy and environmental issues. One of new projects in this program is the “International Clean Energy System Technology Utilizing Hydrogen (World Energy Network)”: WE-NET. The goal of WE-NET is to construct a worldwide energy network for effective supply, transportation and utilization of renewable energy using hydrogen. The WE-NET program extends over 28 years from 1993 to 2020. In Phase 1, we started core research in areas such as development of high efficiency technologies including hydrogen production using polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis, hydrogen combustion turbines, etc.

97/03849 Studies of natural gas and biomass fueled MCFC systems

The MCFC Research Association has been conducting R&D of the 1000 kW class MCFC Power Plant under contracting research with New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) as a part of the New Sunshine Program, promoted by the Agency of Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI). The plant consists of four 250-kW stacks, a reformer, two cathode gas recycle blowers, a turbine compressor, a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG). The power plant is the first Japanese practical external reforming pressurized type MCFC power generation plant intended for large-scale commercial plant in the near future. The construction of the 1000 kW MCFC power plant started in autumn of 1995 on Kawagoe test station in Kawagoe Thermal Power Station of Chubu Electric Power, which is located in the prefecture of Mie, Japan. The construction and installation of the plant progressed very well, and process and control (PAC) testing of the power plant (not including fuel cell stacks and inverters) was carried out through March–November of 1998. After the PAC test, the cell stacks and inverters were installed in the test site; currently, the power generation test has just started. This paper describes the outline of the plant, the status of the test and the future schedule.

Lithium secondary batteries in Japan

The Lithium Battery Energy Storage Technology Research Association (LIBES) conducts research and development on ‘Dispersed Battery Energy Storage Technology’ of the New Sun-Shine Program of the Agency of Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI). This national project is being carried out based on the contract with New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). This R&D project for ten years with the budget of approximately Y14 billion has been started in the fiscal year 1992, and includes: (i) R&D of 20–30 kWh class high-performance ambient-temperature lithium secondary batteries, and (ii) study on the total system of lithium-battery application technology. This paper describes the project and current research activities.

マンガン用塊採鉱システムの揚鉱管の構造設計

The Agency of Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), the Ministry of International Trade and Industry Japan (MITI), started the Large-Scale Project entitled “The Research and Development Project of Manganese Nodule Mining System” in 1981. The mining system in the Project is a hydraulic mining system in which nodules are collected by a towed collector on the sea bed and transported in a slurry of seawater and nodules through the lifting pipes onto the mining ship.The many activities on the research and development of each subsystem have been performed under the management of“The Technology Research Association of Manganese Nodule Mining System (TRAM) ”promoted by the AIST, MITI and supported by NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization) .The functions of the pipe strings in this project are the nodule transfer channel and also a means of towing the collecotr on the sea bed. The pipe strings are subjected severe static axial stresses due to the dead weight. In addition to the aboves, the fluctuating axial and bending stresses are produced in the pipes due to the roll, pitch, yaw, heave, sway and surge motion of the mining ship. Under these circumstances, the strength design of the pipe string should be carefully performed. This paper presents the design considerations of the lifting pipes.