Abstract: A power supply apparatus has a lead storage battery and an electric double-layer capacitor which are connected in parallel to each other, and a starter generator for being supplied with electric power discharged from the storage battery and the electric double-layer capacitor and for operating as an electric generator after an engine is started. Electric power generated by the starter generator is supplied to charge the storage battery and the electric double-layer capacitor. An IPU as a connection switching device is connected between the storage battery and the electric double-layer capacitor, and the starter generator. A line length between the electric double-layer capacitor and the starter generator is shorter than a line length between the lead storage battery and the starter generator.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for easily determining the specifications of a fuel cell and a capacitor constituting a fuel cell power generation system according to an operational mode of an electric load connected to the fuel cell power generation system and a fuel cell power generation system having its specification set using the method. The specifications of the fuel cell and the capacitor connected in parallel to the fuel cell are determined by meeting three requirements: the driving performance, the fuel economy, and the durability, in good balance.

Abstract: A control apparatus for controlling a regenerative operation of a vehicle motor includes a vehicle motor as a drive source of a vehicle, an energy storage device, including plural cells, for storing regenerative energy generated by a regenerative operation of the vehicle motor, and a total voltage measuring device for measuring a total voltage that is a sum of inter-terminal voltages of the plural cells, a cell voltage judgment device for determining whether the inter-terminal voltage of any one of the plural cells exceeds a predetermined regeneration limitation voltage, a total voltage estimating device for determining, when it is determined by the cell voltage judgment device that the inter-terminal voltage of any one of the cells exceeds the predetermined regeneration limitation voltage, an estimated total voltage which is defined as a total voltage at a time when the inter-terminal voltage of the one of the cells reaches a regeneration prohibition voltage that is higher than the predetermined regenerative

Abstract: A method for easily determining the specifications of a fuel cell and a capacitor constituting a fuel cell power generation system according to an operational mode of an electric load connected to the fuel cell power generation system. The specifications of the fuel cell and the capacitor connected in parallel to the fuel cell are determined by a first step for determining a limit value di/dt_lmt of an increasing rate di/dt of an output current density per unit cell area of the fuel cell according to at least an operational mode of the electric load connected to the fuel cell system, a second step for determining an internal resistance Rfc of the fuel cell on the basis of a current-voltage (I-V) characteristic of the fuel cell based on the di/dt_lmt determined by the first step, and a third step for determining the internal resistance Rcap of the capacitor such that a characteristic value K calculated by weighted multiplication of Rfc determined by the second step and Rcap lies within the range of 0.

Abstract: A control apparatus for controlling a regenerative operation of a vehicle motor includes a vehicle motor as a drive source of a vehicle, an energy storage device, including plural cells, for storing regenerative energy generated by a regenerative operation of the vehicle motor, and a total voltage measuring device for measuring a total voltage that is a sum of inter-terminal voltages of the plural cells, a cell voltage judgment device for determining whether the inter-terminal voltage of any one of the plural cells exceeds a predetermined regeneration limitation voltage, a total voltage estimating device for determining, when it is determined by the cell voltage judgment device that the inter-terminal voltage of any one of the cells exceeds the predetermined regeneration limitation voltage, an estimated total voltage which is defined as a total voltage at a time when the inter-terminal voltage of the one of the cells reaches a regeneration prohibition voltage that is higher than the predetermined regenerative

Abstract: When the voltage of a battery is dropped down to a first threshold value (9.5 V) or less, the driving force of a motor is decreased to a level Y(0)-Y(7) of a limit power determined in accordance with a remaining capacity of the battery. When the voltage is not restored even after a predetermined time is lapsed from the decreasing of the driving force to the level Y(0)-Y(7), the driving force is further decreased down to a lower level Y(0)-Y(7). When the voltage of the battery is restored to a second threshold value (10 V), the driving force of the motor is gradually increased up to a level Z(0)-Z(7) of a limit power determined in accordance with the capacity of the battery. Thus, it is possible to prevent a deep discharging of the battery, while minimizing the influence on the traveling of the vehicle.

Abstract: An engine part with a cast main body and a manifold type ceramic liner which is cast in the main body to define a manifold type exhaust passage therein, the ceramic liner including a hollow cylindrical liner body and a plurality of cylinder members branched from the liner body, a through portion being provided at a branched area of the ceramic liner for communicating inside and outside of the ceramic liner at which area adjacent cylinder members are branched apart, the through portion being filled with a molten metal at the time of casting the main body.