Brassinolide (BR), a novel plant growth-regulating steroidal lactone, markedly retarded the abscission of leaf explants of Calamondin (Citrus madurensis Lour .), when dissolved in water and fed through the p etiole . B R was effective at concentrations as low as 0 .021µM, and showed a stronger effect than IAA which also retarded abscission . Trifluoperazine (TFP), an inhibitor of the calmodulin-calcium complex, accelerated abscission, and this acceleration could be counteracted by a simultaneous addition of IAA or BR, the effect of IAA being s tronger . B R in lanolin applied to the cut surface of the leaf blade of the explant showed a weaker abscission-retarding effect than that applied in water via the petiole. B R and IAA also markedly retarded the abscission of fruitlet explants of Calamondin .

No abstract

A pressurized molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC) and a micro gas turbine (MGT) hybrid power system has been developed to demonstrate high power generation efficiency (target of 55%), very low NOx emissions, and the operation using high-temperature gasification gas (biogas) as its fuel. The MCFC generator is pressurized, and is operating on process air supplied by the compressor of the MGT and reformed fuel. The power system achieves increased power output and higher efficiency thanks to its utilization by the gas turbine generator of thermal energy from the pressurized MCFC exhaust gas. The MGT is a single-shaft gas turbine that powers a high-speed direct-drive alternator. A heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) and the low-temperature heat exchanger of a hot water driven absorption refrigeration machine are also equipped using the heat recovered from the MGT exhaust gas. The MGT combustor plays an important role during system start-up. But the system is able to operate with no combustor firing in the range of 75% to 100% load. Therefore the NOx emissions are almost zero. The demonstration of this system was carried out at the 2005 World Exposition, Aichi, Japan. Wood waste that had to be cut during the construction of the EXPO 2005 site and waste plastic bottles at 1200°C in a high-temperature gasifier produce hydrogen and carbon monoxide. The MCFC/MGT hybrid system can use both high-temperature gasification gas (biogas) as well as Town Gas as its fuel. This system was started in February 22nd, and was operated by controlling from Distributed Power Supply Management System. A maximum efficiency was 52% at 300kW, and the total on-site operating time reached about 5200 hours with no failures. After the end of the half-year term of Aichi Expo., this system will be located to Central Japan Airport City, and the endurance test of next phase will be continued there.

A 300 kWe class gas turbine which has a two-shaft and simple-cycle has been developed to apply to co-generation systems. The gas turbine engine is operated in the range of about 30% partial load to 100% load. The gas turbine combustor requires a wide range of stable operations and low NOx characteristics. A double staged lean premixed combustor, which has a primary combustion duct made of Si3N4 ceramics, was developed to meet NOx regulations of less than 80 ppm (corrected at 0% oxygen). The gas turbine with the combustor has demonstrated superior low-emission performance of around 40 ppm (corrected at 0% oxygen) of NOx, and more than 99.5% of combustion efficiency between 30% and 100% of engine load. Endurance testing has demonstrated stable high combustion performance over 3,000 hours in spite of a wide compressor inlet air temperature (CIT) range of 5 to 35 degree C.. While increasing the gas generator turbine speed, the flow rate of primary fuel was controlled to hold a constant equivalence ratio of around 0.5 in the CIT range of more than 15 C. The output power was also decreased while increasing the CIT, in order to keep a constant temperature at the turbine inlet. The NOx decreases in the CIT range of more than 15 C. On the other hand, the NOx increases in the CIT range of less than 15 C when the output power was kept a constant maximum power. As a result, NOx emission has a peak value of about 40 ppm at 15 C.

No abstract