Chiba Experiment Station

The Chiba Experiment Station is part of the Institute of Industrial Science of the University of Tokyo. The station covers an area of 9.2 ha and was established in 1962 when the Institute moved its campus from the city of Chiba to Roppongi, the location of the former campus till March, 2001. Its purpose is to accommodate large scale research facilities and experimental works that cannot be carried out on the Komaba II campus in downtown Tokyo. Research projects are renewed according to the progress made in respective fields and to meet social needs. In recent years, about 30 laboratories have been engaged in roughly 40 projects at the station. Some of the projects carried out at the station are summarized here.

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Motion and vibration control of guideway vehicle is investigated. Running experiment of straight/transition curve/constant curve is performed by 1/10 scale vehicle model. Moreover, actual-sized running experiment is conducted by using the Chiba experimental test track and actual bogies. Development of new concept bogie, friction control between wheel and rail, active controlled vehicle are being conducted using these experimental facilities.

SUDA Lab.

1/10 scaled vehicle model

Chiba experimental track

A new concept of a ground-source heat pump system called multiple source and multiple use heat pump system has been developed. In this system, soil temperature is daily restored to the original state with artificial heat supply to replenish with natural recovery. And this system has higher efficiency and needs less soil volume than typical ground source heat pump system.

OOKA Lab.

System diagram

Exposure tests are performed at Chiba Experiment Station and Izu exposure site to clarify the deterioration mechanism of reinforced concrete and to develop countermeasures. Chemical analyses and Electron Probe Micro Analyzer (EPMA) are used to investigate contamination by harmful ions from the environment and their movements within concrete.

KISHI Lab.

Exposure site at the Chiba Experiment Station

Izu exposure site in marine environment

Electron Probe Micro Analyzer (EPMA)

In recent years, the creation of new ocean spaces, relationships between global environmental changes and oceans, and development of ocean resources such as renewable energy, offshore oil, and methane hydrate have attracted attention and have been widely discussed. Experiments and observations carried out in the IIS ocean engineering basin support the development of related elemental technologies. The dimensions of the basin are 50 m in length, 10 m in width, and 5 m in water depth. It can artificially generate various ocean conditions using wind blower, multidirectional wave maker, and current generator.

KINOSHITA Lab. / RHEEM Lab.

To establish the biomass refinery system, we are investigating some key technology to covert lignocellulosic biomass into fuels and chemicals. As one of the promising technologies, we focused on high temperature/pressure water treatment, such as supercritical/subcritical water treatment and steam-explosion. In these processes hydrothermal reactions occur to decompose lignocellulosic biomass. We have tested the production of sugars and furfurals and their separation under hydrothermal condition.
Also, some applications of the hydrothermal treatment in the filled of biomass pretreatment for boiethanol process were developed.

SAKODA Lab. / MOCHIDZUKI Lab.

Continuous high temperature / pressure water treatment apparatus with a screw feeder

Batch type steam-explosion apparatus

To demonstrate the effectiveness of a next-generation short-distance public transport system called "Eco-Ride," which targets lower energy consumption and lower construction cost, a 100-m test track has been installed at Chiba Experiment Station. Basic track performance and adaptability to public traffic systems are verified with the facilities and a full-scale vehicle.

SUDA Lab. / NAKANO, K. Lab.

The integrated coal gasification combined cycle (IGCC) and integrated coal gasification fuel cell combined cycle (IGFC) were developed to use coal more efficiently. In our laboratory, we propose an advanced IGCC / IGFC to achieve highly efficient power generation through exergy recuperation. In this power generation system, coal gasification is carried out at low temperatures and the heat required for gasification is provided by steam from the exhausted heat of a high-temperature gas turbine or a fuel cell.

TSUTSUMI Lab.

Schematic image of advanced integrated coal gasification fuel cell combined cycle and exergy conversion diagram

A large-scale triple-bed CFB cold model

The objective of this study is to develop a seismic capacity evaluation method in the in- and out-of-plane directions for an RC frame with an URM wall. One-fourth scale specimens having different CB wall boundary conditions due to beam deformation are designed and in-plane tests under cyclic loadings are carried out. The failure mechanism due to beam deformation and the load bearing capacity of overall frames are investigated based on test results.

NAKANO, Y. Lab.

Because the supply of silicon materials for solar cells is not sufficient to meet strong demand, a refining process that supplies inexpensive materials is required. Scrap silicon has been successfully upgraded to solar-cell grade by removing impurities such as P and Sb with the electron beam melting method.
New metallurgical refining methods on an industrial scale are currently being studied.

MAEDA Lab.

Polycrystalline silicon ingots

Electron beam melting equipment

A tensegrity system has been appealing for many designers due to its applicability to the building structures with a unique appearance. Its complicated self-stress nature, however, prevented itself from the real application. The precise and elaborate investigation of structural behavior and prestress scheme of the basic tensegrity unit, a three-strut system, enabled the world first successful construction of the real tensegrity building.
The enclosed area is used for the several research purposes, such as steel structure research, dynamic systems and control for vehicles, and spatial structure engineering.

FUJII, A. Lab / KAWAGUCHI Lab.