Engineering Research Association Research Articles

Demonstration of more than 30% of energy saving by the seawater desalination system combined with wastewater treatment system

In recent years, a system based on reverse osmosis (RO) has become the fastest growing segment of the seawater desalination market. For further expansion, Global Water Recycling and Reuse Solution Technology Research Association (GWSTA) proposed new desalination system simultaneously reducing both energy consumption and environmental impact of RO brine. Key point is seawater salinity reduction by dilution prior to RO treatment. The full scale plant to confirm the dilution effect was built and operated in Kitakyushu, Japan. As the results, stable operation data was obtained, which indicated 30% or less energy consumption compared with conventional seawater desalination system, and simultaneously new system can adjust brine salinity nearly equal to seawater.

Remarkable Expression in the Colon Adenocarcinoma ofHmat-Xa, a Human Mannosyltransferase-Like Gene, That Is Homologous to Drosophila Gene GC15914

We cloned a novel human mannosyltransferase-like gene, designated Hmat-Xa, as a gene homologous to the Drosophila GC15914 gene encoding the 9QVXN0 protein: see "Project Report for FY2002 on the 'Construction of Libraries of Human Genes Participating in Glycosylation' project" 43-45 (2003), New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), NEDO and Research Association for Biotechnology, Tokyo, Japan (in Japanese). After that, the GTDC1 gene, as reported by Zhao et al., DNA Cell Biol., 23, 183-187 (2004), was found to be the same as the Hmat-Xa gene. Domain EXFGI/L/VX(2)L/VE in the Hmat-Xa protein, also present in both human mannosyltransferase II/III and mannosyltransferase IV/V, which are involved in the synthesis of lipid-linked oligosaccharides, and some bacterial mannosyltransferases. A real-time PCR study of Hmat-Xa mRNA expression in human normal and tumor multiple tissue cDNA identified its tissue-specific expression and its remarkable expression in colon adenocarcinoma as compared to the normal counterpart. Thus the elevated expression of Hmat-Xa might serve as a candidate marker for colon adenocarcinoma.

A001 IGCC DEVELOPMENT IN JAPAN : THE WAY TO DEMONSTRATION PLANT AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVE(Plenary Lecture)

Since the oil crisis in 1973, IGCC R&D has significantly promoted in the worldwide. In 1984, the first commercial scale IGCC demonstration plant was operated at the Cool Water thermal power station in the United States. In Japan, the 200t/d IGCC Pilot Plant Project had started in 1986 with adoption of the air blown entrained flow type gasifier by the Engineering Research Association for Integrated Coal Gasification Combined Cycle Power Systems (IGC Association). Through the trouble shooting and modification of the gasifier, the Pilot Plant achieved 789 hours of continuous operation. Due to the knowledge and experience of early IGCC pioneers, the first Japanese IGCC Demonstration Plant is now under operation successfully. The Demonstration Project is being executed by Clean Coal Power R&D Co., Ltd. A long term continuous operating has already been achieved in 2008, and it is advanced well aiming at commercial plant.

エネルギーの多様性，安定供給を求めて―ＧＴＬ技術の実証研究プロジェクト―

GTL (Gas-to-Liquids) is the key strategic technology to secure natural gas resources as alternative source of liquid fuel and its products are expected to have high qualities as clean fuel and lubricant base oil.Nippon GTL Technology Research Association and JOGMEC launched a joint demonstration project last year to verify the process performance of unique JAPAN-GTL technology on the scale of 500B/D, which is the final step toward commercial use of the technology. In the project, scaling-up methods, from demonstration to commercial scale (more than 15,000B/D/train), will be also studied with the goal of developing both technically and economically competitive GTL technology.

Why Firms Form (Or do not Form) RJVS

In this article, we examine why it is difficult to induce firms to form Research Joint Ventures (RJVs). We examine various incentives and disincentives for RJV formation by estimating an endogeneous switching model using data from the US National Cooperative Research Act. The empirical findings support hypotheses that firms of different sizes have disincentives to form RJVs and that cost-sharing is an important incentive for RJV participation. In the early 1980s, a shift in technology policy took place in both the US and Europe. This was seemingly motivated by increased international competition, particularly from Japan, in high-technology sectors. Many scholars, policy makers and industrialists identified Japan's more cooperative business environment as a competitive advantage (Jorde and Teece, 1990). Japan's 1961 Act on the Mining and Manufacturing Industry Technology Research Association and the proactive efforts of MITI that encouraged joint ventures were identified as policy tools by which the Japanese created such a cooperative atmosphere. The response by US policy makers was to enact the 1984 National Cooperative Research Act (NCRA) and to provide government support for ventures such as SEMATECH.' In Europe, a block exemption for Research Joint Ventures (RJVs) was provided under EU Competition Law. Furthermore, billions of euros have been spent in framework programmes in the EU, which subsidises R&D undertakings only when different organisations work in collaboration with one another. Despite these policy changes, the number of RJVs registered under the NCRA has been quite small, ranging from 17 in 1986 to 67 in 1993 and averaging about 40 RJVs per year from 1985 to 1994. Thus the question: why is it so difficult to induce firms to form an RJV? The goal of this article is to determine empirically what the incentives are for firms to participate or not participate together in RJVs. Our study is based on US data available through the NCRA. In order to obtain consistent evaluations of the hypotheses, we address two important empirical issues. Since much of the literature suggests a link between RJVs and R&D expenditures (see below), we must control for changes in R&D expenditures and its effect on RJV formation. As we can observe R&D changes at the time of RJV formation for only those firms that form an RJV, we have a missing data problem. To deal with this first issue, we need a consistent estimate of the expected effect on R&D expenses when RJVs are not formed. A second issue is one of simultaneity between the change in R&D expenditure and the decision to form an RJV. The decision to form an RJV may be determined by its impact on R&D expenses. R&D investments, however, are in turn also determined by RJV participation, which implies

洋上接合時の溶接変形を考慮した超大型浮体式海洋構造物の形状管理

Recently, the utility of VLFS (Very Large Floating Structures) attracts great deal of public attention. In order to construct VLFS, however, some technical problems remain. Because it is too large to build at any building dock or other site on the ground, the construction by joining floating units together on the sea is inevitable. Some advanced engineering for constructing operations on the sea are necessary, such as maintaining precise measurement of each unit, joining units in waves, underwater welding techniques.Demonstration with a large floating model was carried out by Technological Research Association of Mega-Float (TRAM) from 1995 to 2001. During construction of floating model, we found out it is important to estimate the welding distortion precisely, because it causes distortion of VLFS itself and the misalignment among units. Since complete restriction of the distortion at sea is impossible, precise estimation of the distortion become essential for super-sizing VLFS. In order to solve this problem, we had trial estimation by FEM analysis.In this paper, concerning on welding distortion, comparisons between experimental results and estimation by FEM analysis are shown. As a result, we show it is possible to estimate the welding distortion of VLFS under construction precisely. Moreover, we show FEM analysis can suggest the procedure to make geometrical inaccuracy and misalignment among units minimum by controlling the shapes of units and their placing position.

Arthur L. Norberg. Computers and Commerce: A Study of Technology and Management at Eckert‐Mauchly Computer Company, Engineering Research Associates, and Remington Rand, 1946–1957. (History of Computing.) x + 347 pp., figs., index. Cambridge, Mass./London: MIT Press, 2005. $40 (cloth).

Arthur L. Norberg. <i>Computers and Commerce: A Study of Technology and Management at Eckert‐Mauchly Computer Company, Engineering Research Associates, and Remington Rand, 1946–1957</i>. (History of Computing.) x + 347 pp., figs., index. Cambridge, Mass./London: MIT Press, 2005. $40 (cloth).

Computers and Commerce: A Study of Technology and Management at Eckert-Mauchly Computer Company, Engineering Research Associates, and Remington Rand, 1946-1957 (review)

Reviewed by: Computers and Commerce: A Study of Technology and Management at Eckert-Mauchly Computer Company, Engineering Research Associates, and Remington Rand, 1946–1957 Jennifer Light (bio) Computers and Commerce: A Study of Technology and Management at Eckert-Mauchly Computer Company, Engineering Research Associates, and Remington Rand, 1946–1957. By Arthur L. Norberg. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 2005. Pp. x+347. $40. Computers and Commerce recounts the history of two important players in American computing: the Eckert-Mauchly Computer Company and Engineering Research Associates. Arthur Norberg's book begins with the creation of the two firms and continues through their eventual consolidation at Remington Rand and later at the UNIVAC division of Sperry Rand. Norberg's primary interest is the individual personalities and corporate cultures at both firms, and the ways in which their interactions were revealed in the machines they produced. Engineering Research Associates, headquartered in Minneapolis, was created out of the Communications Division of the United States Navy. Eckert-Mauchly Computer Company, based in Philadelphia, was the brainchild of J. Presper Eckert and John W. Mauchly, formerly on the engineering faculty at the University of Pennsylvania. These two small companies, Norberg explains, took different approaches to similar problems. What they shared was an overarching creativity: "The computer designs of these firms constituted a revolutionary technology. They required a rethinking of how problems should be solved and a search for ways to improve business practice" (p. 11). Norberg is most interesting in his discussion of the difficulties the firms faced in developing and marketing their products. Launching itself as a business for government clients was a particular challenge for newly established Engineering Research Associates, seeking to become a navy contractor in the 1940s. At that time, government policies restricted contracts to firms with a record of success, making it nearly impossible for new businesses to get off the ground. Engineering Research Associates found a creative solution by identifying a more established firm as its front and becoming its subcontractor. The historical period in question was one of intense innovation in the fledgling computer industry, a decade that took computers out of their origins in military contexts and delivered them to a broad set of clients in government, academia, and business. Norberg provides a close reading of the histories of two important companies, and he details the creation and diffusion of many specific machines in an effort to bring smaller actors to the table in a period whose histories are dominated by accounts of IBM. He uses the histories of these companies as windows onto larger forces that defined this decade in computing history. First, strong networks connecting academia, government, and industry were vital to the development and diffusion of computing machines. Second, a shift from calculating machines and punch-card storage to automatic computing characterized much of the technological innovation of the period. Third, technical needs [End Page 682] for speed, storage, and reliability were the chief problems that focused designers' attentions. Fourth, in an era before widespread development of general-purpose computers, firms first chose to develop separate lines of scientific and commercial hardware systems before recognizing that a single multipurpose platform, accompanied by specialized software, could fit their clients' needs. Written by the founding director of the Charles Babbage Institute, this book's strength lies in its use of archival sources from Babbage Institute collections, and it is peppered with organizational charts and photographs of people and machines. Its engagement with secondary materials, particularly from the last decade, is less robust. Many of the ideas Norberg presents intersect with the ideas of other scholars about scientific and technological innovation both within the computer industry and in scientific and technological industries more broadly. Some reflection on the role of the military-industrial-academic complex—how it affected the computer industry in ways that reinforced or undermined other scholars' claims—would have been useful. Nonetheless, Norberg's meticulous account of the early genealogy of the American computer industry—spin-offs, buyouts, mergers, and the history of forgotten firms—will be of great interest to scholars seeking to expand the early history of the computing industry beyond the current paradigm in which IBM continues to dominate. Jennifer Light Dr. Light...

Computers and commerce: a study of technology and management at Eckert-Mauchly Computer Company, Engineering Research Associates, and Remington Rand, 1946-1957

The history of a crucial decade in the early development of digital technology, focusing on both technical and business issues at two key firms. Between 1946 and 1957 computing went from a preliminary, developmental stage to more widespread use accompanied by the beginnings of the digital computer industry. During this crucial decade, spurred by rapid technological advances, the computer enterprise became a major phenomenon. In Computers and Commerce, Arthur Norberg explores the importance of these years in the history of computing by focusing on technical developments and business strategies at two important firms, both established in 1946, Engineering Research Associates (ERA) and Eckert-Mauchly Computer Company (EMCC), from their early activities through their acquisition by Remington Rand. Both ERA and EMCC had their roots in World War II, and in postwar years both firms received major funding from the United States government. Norberg analyzes the interaction between the two companies and the government and examines the impact of this institutional context on technological innovation. He assesses the technical contributions of such key company figures as J. Presper Eckert, John Mauchly, Grace Hopper, and William Norris, analyzing the importance of engineering knowledge in converting theoretical designs into workable machines. Norberg looks at the two firms' operations after 1951 as independent subsidiaries of Remington Rand, and documents the management problems that began after Remington Rand merged with Sperry Gyroscope to form Sperry Rand in 1955.

Measurement of energetic charged particles produced in fusion materials with 14 MeV neutron irradiation

For the evaluation of the damages, nuclear heating, and also tritium inventory in the fusion materials, the precise information of the energetic charged particles produced in the materials by nuclear reactions is important. Fusion neutronics source in Japan Atomic Engineering research Association, JAERI/FNS, has started the measurements of the double differential cross-sections (DDXs) and the angular differential cross-sections (ADXs) for the candidate materials of fusion reactors using the collimated D–T neutron beam system and the precise results of the DDXs and ADXs for the 9Be( n, αx) and 9Be( n, t) reactions have been obtained. Also, from the comparison of the evaluated nuclear data for the beryllium, it was found that the calculated DDX of 9Be( n, α) above about 3 MeV was underestimated and the total 9Be( n, t) cross-section obtained with the measurement of the DDX and ADX was in good agreement with the evaluated nuclear data. In the following sections, the details of the measurement methods for the charged particles and the obtained DDX and ADX for the beryllium are described.

Room‐Temperature Swern Oxidations by Using a Microscale Flow System

[*] Prof. J.-i. YoshidaDepartment of Synthetic Chemistry and Biological ChemistryGraduate School of EngineeringKyoto University, Kyoto 615-8510 (Japan)Fax: ( +81)75-383-2727E-mail: yoshida@sbchem.kyoto-u.ac.jpDr. T. KawaguchiMicro Chemical Process Technology Research Association (MCPT)in KyotoKyoto University, Kyoto 615-8510 (Japan)H. Miyata, Dr. K. AtakaCorporate Research and DevelopmentUbe Industries, Ltd., Ube, Yamaguchi, 755-8633 (Japan)Prof. K. MaeDepartment of Chemical EngineeringGraduate School of EngineeringKyoto University, Kyoto 615-8510 (Japan)[**] We thank Technology Japan and the Project of Micro-ChemicalTechnology for Production, Analysis, and Measurement Systems ofNEDO, Japan, for financial support.Supporting information for this article is available on the WWWunder http://www.angewandte.org or from the author.

Overview of Megafloat: Concept, design criteria, analysis, and design

This paper presents an overview of research and development on Megafloat, carried out by the Technological Research Association of Megafloat (TRAM) and other researchers. Megafloat is a type of very large floating structure (VLFS), pursued by TRAM, to develop technology for ocean space utilization and to show soundness of the technology and readiness for construction. Studies on the legal aspects of Megafloat, its design and construction technologies, its environmental impact, and other related research, are briefly introduced. On-site experiments with a 1000-m-long experimental model, as well as subsequent studies, are introduced.

Improvement in Diagnostic Method for Transformer based on Dissolved Gas Analysis

The maintenance control of oil-immersed transformer based on dissolved gas analysis of insulation oil is carried out according to the Electric Technology Research Association report “The maintenance control of oil-immersed transformer". According to this diagnostic method, it is possible to discriminate between discharge mode and overheating mode. But in the overheating mode, it is difficult to judge the abnormality of an iron core group and the one of a winding group exactly. As for the cause of the gas occurrence of the overheat mode, the wrong point of the iron core occupies most. However, it has the difficulty of the countermeasure in the maintenance spot. Because it had to cope with it urgently when there was a wrong point in the winding group.So, we did the experiment of the gas occurrence using actual models of winding and iron core, and could know the characteristics of the gas occurrence. The estimated precision improvement of the overheating point inside the transformer could be attempted, by adding the way of diagnosing which these characteristics were used for to the Electric Technology Research Association method.

Sperry Rand's first-generation computers, 1955-1960: hardware and software

Sperry Rand Corporation was formed in 1955 by the merger of Remington Rand and Sperry Gyroscope. Remington Rand was an early entrant in the computer industry through its acquisitions of Engineering Research Associates and Eckert-Mauchly Computer Corporation. The article describes the major vacuum tube computers and the supporting software developed by Sperry Rand during the later 1950s.

近距離故障 (SLF) の研究からガス遮断器の開発実用化まで

In 1953, the study committee on restriking voltage was organized by Electric Technology Research Association of Japan.The result of researches made by the committee was reported in 1956 CIGRE. The report pointed out the case of severe restriking voltage which is realized at some occasion of transmission line fault. That phenomenon was not so seriously noticed by the contemporary engineering circle, but a few years later, it was keenly discussed and recognized as “kilometric fault or “short line fault (SLF). Authors carried out intensive studies on the arc dynamics around current zero and had realized demerit of air blast circuit breakers and excellence of SF6 gas circuit breakers in case of SLF. This conclusion led to the development of original gas circuit breakers, and finally to the best and most reliable puffer type GCB, at that time.That was a big step to the age of SF6.

Development of lithium batteries for energy storage and EV applications

The results of the Japanese national project of R&D on large-size lithium rechargeable batteries by Lithium Battery Energy Storage Technology Research Association (LIBES), as of fiscal year (FY) 2000 are reviewed. Based on the results of 10 Wh-class cell development in Phase I, the program of Phase II aims at further improvement of the performance of large-size cells and battery modules, and the formulation of roadmaps toward worldwide dissemination of large-size lithium secondary batteries. In addition to the above R&D programs, a new target was presented particularly for the near-term practical application of several kWh-class battery modules in FY 1998. For the large-size battery modules, two types of 2 and 3 kWh-class battery modules have been developed for stationary device and electric vehicle applications, respectively. The battery modules for both types have achieved most of the targets other than cycle life. Currently, further improvements in the cycle life of the cells themselves are being pursued. For this purpose, the materials for cathodes and anodes, the shapes and structures for batteries and the methods for cell connection are being re-investigated. The development of middle-size battery systems for mini-size electric vehicles (EVs), as well as for demand-side stationary device applications is under way. These battery systems have been fabricated and their fundamental performance confirmed. They are now being subjected to field tests.

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.

Erwin Tomash: his life and work

Erwin and Adelle Tomash were instrumental in establishing the Charles Babbage Institute, out of which came the highly regarded library, archives, and fellowship program, and, later, the CBI Reprint Series. Before turning his attention to computer history, Erwin played an active role in the computer industry at Engineering Research Associates, Remington Rand, Telemeter Magnetics, Ampex, and especially Dataproducts, which he cofounded. This article describes his career and briefly tells the history of the companies he worked for or cofounded.

Safety target of very large floating structure used as a floating airport

Technological Research Association of Mega-float is developing pontoon-type very large floating structures (VLFS). This system consists of floater, moorings and breakwater. If the VLFS is used as an airport, many passenger, crews and ground service persons will stay on the VLFS. VLFS also supports many facilities and properties. VLFS must be highly safe and this paper presents a discussion on target safety of VLFS as a structural system. Risk analysis and scenarios of catastrophic failure of pontoon-type VLFS are briefly reviewed. Safety levels of various activities in Japan are investigated in historical context and fatal accidental rate for the activities was calculated. Psychological aspect of acceptable risk when the VLFS is provided for public use is discussed. Acceptable safeties are also estimated based on the equations proposed in the past. A trial calculation was made for an international airport using several methods.

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.