Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a plasma generation device including: a plasma generation part which generates plasma; diluent gas supply means which supplies a diluent gas for diluting the plasma generated by the plasma generation part; and a spray port through which a plasma gas resulting from the dilution of the plasma with the diluent gas is sprayed, in which the characteristics of the plasma gas are changed and controlled so as to enlarge the plasma gas and enhance the activity of the plasma gas, without controlling the power input from a power source to the plasma generation part. The plasma generation device of the present invention includes an electromagnetic wave production device which irradiates at least one of a region where the plasma is generated and a region where the plasma gas passes with an electromagnetic wave from an antenna.

Abstract: In an plasma generation device 30 that generates electromagnetic wave plasma by emitting electromagnetic waves to a combustion chamber 21 of an internal combustion engine 20, combustion is promoted by increasing the amount of gas to be brought into contact with the electromagnetic wave plasma in the combustion chamber 21. An antenna 36 extends along a ceiling surface of the combustion chamber 21. The antenna 36 is provided with an adjustment unit 37 that changes the location of a strong electric field on the antenna 36, which is supplied with the electromagnetic wave. During a generation period of the electromagnetic wave plasma, a control device 10 controls the adjustment unit 37 based on a condition of the combustion chamber 21 and changes the location of the electromagnetic wave plasma.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine has an ignition promotion unit that has a function of promoting ignition of fuel sprays formed by the small quantity injections by supplying the fuel sprays with electric energy. The engine is provided with a control device which has a combustion control unit that carries out processing of causing the fuel injection valve to perform the plurality of times of small quantity injections so that fuel sprays formed by the first-time small quantity injection from among the plurality of times of small quantity injections are connected with one another by the fuel sprays formed by the subsequent small quantity injections from among the plurality of times of small quantity injections.

Abstract: In an internal combustion engine 20 that promotes combustion of fuel injected from an injector 50 to a combustion chamber 21 by way of electromagnetic wave plasma, a plurality of pieces of the electromagnetic wave plasma are generated respectively for a plurality of jet flows injected from the injector 50. A plurality of antennae 36 are provided respectively for a plurality of injection holes of the injector 50. Each antenna 36 is disposed on an exposed surface 46a of a piston 46 exposed to the combustion chamber 21 at a location corresponding to each injection hole 55. While the injector 50 injects fuel, each antenna 36 emits the electromagnetic wave to the combustion chamber 21, thereby generating the electromagnetic wave plasma.

Abstract: To effectively improve flame propagation speed utilizing active species in an internal combustion engine 10 that promotes combustion utilizing active species. The internal combustion engine 10 is provided with an internal combustion engine main body 11 that combusts fuel air mixture in a combustion chamber 20 and an active species generation unit 13 that generates active species in a region which a flame surface has not yet reached during flame propagation in the combustion chamber 20. In a region which the flame will eventually pass through, the active species generation unit 13 generates the active species while the flame surface has not yet reached the region.

Abstract: The internal combustion engine has an internal combustion engine main body and a substantially columnar ignition coil. A head part at one end of the ignition coil is provided with an electromagnetic wave element for outputting electromagnetic waves irradiated into a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine main body, and a plurality of supporting components are provided for supporting the ignition coil when an attaching part at the other end of the ignition coil is attached to a spark plug, the supporting components supporting the ignition coil either at or near a nodal point in a characteristic vibration mode of vibration occurring in the ignition coil along with vibration of the internal combustion engine main body. The ignition coil is not supported on the side toward the head part relative to the support member nearest the head part.

Abstract: To suppress the reflection of an electromagnetic wave from a load in a plasma generation device 30 that generates electromagnetic wave plasma by emitting the electromagnetic wave to a combustion chamber 10 of an engine 20. The plasma generation device 30 includes an electromagnetic wave oscillator 33 that oscillates the electromagnetic wave, an antenna 15a for emitting the electromagnetic wave oscillated by the electromagnetic wave oscillator to the combustion chamber 10 of the engine 20, and a stub adjustment unit 52, 53. The stub 51 is provided on a transmission line 60 for electromagnetic wave from the electromagnetic wave oscillator 33 to the antenna 15a. While the engine 20 is operating, the stub adjustment unit 52, 53 adjusts a short circuit location on the stub 51 based on the intensity of a reflected wave of the electromagnetic wave reflected from the antenna 15a.

Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to reduce the loss in functionality due to the burn-out of micro-coils in a heating device, which uses micro-coils formed of carbon or molecules that include carbon as a principal component for heating a target object located in a space where high-temperature gases flow. The present invention relates to a heating device comprising: a heat producing layer having a micro-coil formed of carbon or molecules that include carbon as a principal component, where the heat producing layer is installed together with the target object located in a target space where high-temperature gases flow; and an electromagnetic (EM)-wave-emitting device that emits EM radiation into the target space. The target object is heated by producing heat in the micro-coil by EM radiation from the EM wave emitting device emitted to the target space. The heating device further comprises a covering layer, which coats the entirety of the heat producing layer.

Abstract: An ignition apparatus comprising a microwave device emitting microwave into a combustion/reaction field to increase temperature of a mixture, and create a plasma discharge, in the combustion/reaction field to increase radical concentration, an igniter igniting the mixture in the combustion/reaction field, and a controller controlling the microwave radiator and the igniter. The microwave radiator and igniter are controlled to repeat a cycle wherein the microwave radiator radiates the microwave into the combustion/reaction field to increase the temperature of the mixture in the combustion/reaction field and creates the plasma in the combustion/reaction field. When the igniter ignites the mixture, the microwave radiator creates the plasma in the combustion/reaction field by radiating the microwave into the combustion/reaction field to increase the radical concentration, so that the flame propagation speed is promoted, and the combustion reaction of the mixture is promoted in the combustion/reaction field.

Abstract: A heat flux measurement apparatus 100 includes a first measurement unit 110, a second measurement unit 120, and heat flux calculation units 130, 140. The first measurement unit 110 measures a temperature difference between a first measurement location and a second measurement location that is lower in temperature than the first measurement location, using a thermocouple 112. The second measurement unit 120 measures a temperature difference between a third measurement location that can be assumed to be isothermal with the first measurement location and a fourth measurement location that can be assumed to be isothermal with the second measurement location, using a thermocouple 122 different in time constant from the thermocouple 112.

Abstract: The volume measuring device has a coating forming means which, using pyrolytic resin, forms a coating on either part or all of the inner surface of the cylinder; a pressure measuring means which introduces a fixed quantity of gas into the cylinder in which the coating has been formed, or derives a fixed quantity of gas from the inside of the cylinder, and measures the pressure within the cylinder before and after the introduction/derivation; and a volume calculating means which uses the pressure value obtained by the pressure measuring means to calculate the volume of the cylinder.

Abstract: A high frequency switch device includes a branch transmission line corresponding to each output terminal provided with a switching part. In the branch transmission line, the switching part includes a transmission side diode provided in such a manner that a cathode thereof is arranged on a side of an input terminal 41 and an anode thereof is arranged on a side of the output terminal, and a ground side diode provided in such a manner that a cathode thereof is grounded and an anode thereof is electrically connected between the output terminal and the transmission side diode in the branch transmission line. The branch transmission line includes a first capacitor and a second capacitor on the side of the output terminal from the transmission side diode in such a manner that the anode of the ground side diode is connected between the first capacitor and the second capacitor.

Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to reduce the dispersion of a powdered substance, which is the target substance, during the analysis period in an analyzing device that analyzes the target substance by analyzing the light originated from the substance which is in the plasma state. The present invention relates to an analyzing device including a plasma generation means which generates plasma in the space and maintains plasma using the energy of EM radiation emitted from a radiation antenna; and an optical analysis means which analyzes a target substance by analyzing the plasma light generated from target substance of plasma state in the plasma area during the plasma maintenance period where the plasma is maintained by the plasma generation means using the energy of EM radiation. The plasma generation means emits the EM radiation from the radiation antenna in continuous waves during the plasma maintenance period.

Abstract: To simplify a configuration of a plasma generation device that generates plasma by means of an electromagnetic wave using thermal electrons as a trigger. The plasma generation device 30 includes: a thermal electron emission member 14 that emits thermal electrons when heated; a heating device 13 that heats the thermal electron emission member 14 by means of an electromagnetic wave; and an electric field concentration member 61 that concentrates in the vicinity of the thermal electron emission member 14 an electric field of the electromagnetic wave generated by the heating device 13. The plasma generation device 30, while causing the heating device 13 to heat the thermal electron emission member 14, causes the electric field concentration member 61 to concentrate the electric field of the electromagnetic wave in the vicinity of the thermal electron emission member 14, thereby generating plasma in the vicinity of the thermal electron emission member 14.

Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to reduce the loss in functionality due to the burn-out of micro-coils in a heating device, which uses micro-coils formed of carbon or molecules that include carbon as a principal component for heating a target object located in a space where high-temperature gases flow. The present invention relates to a heating device comprising: a heat producing layer having a micro-coil formed of carbon or molecules that include carbon as a principal component, where the heat producing layer is installed together with the target object located in a target space where high-temperature gases flow; and an electromagnetic (EM)-wave-emitting device that emits EM radiation into the target space. The target object is heated by producing heat in the micro-coil by EM radiation from the EM wave emitting device emitted to the target space. The heating device further comprises a covering layer, which coats the entirety of the heat producing layer.

Abstract: To alleviate or eliminate a problem of unburned fuel discharged to the outside of a cylinder in a case in which an air fuel mixture is insufficiently combusted in a combustion chamber. During the expansion stroke in which a high voltage is applied to an ignition plug via an ignition coil, and a spark discharge is caused to occur at the ignition plug, thereby the air fuel mixture in the combustion chamber is ignited and combusted, in a case in which deterioration of combustion state is detected, a microwave electric field is created in the combustion chamber prior to an opening timing of an exhaust valve at an end stage of the expansion stroke, thereby plasma is generated and enlarged in the combustion chamber.

Abstract: The present invention aims at realizing a gas concentration estimation apparatus with versatility wherein the gas concentration estimation apparatus estimates concentration of a target component in an analyte gas by analyzing a light emitted from plasma of the analyte gas. The present invention is directed to a gas concentration estimation apparatus including: a plasma generation device that turns an analyte gas into a plasma state; and an analysis device that analyzes plasma light emitted from the plasma generated by the plasma generation device and estimates concentration of a target component in the analyte gas wherein the analysis device estimates the concentration of the target component based on luminescence intensity of a wavelength component corresponding to luminescence from a predetermined radical within the plasma light, and the predetermined radical is different in atomic structure from the target component and includes an atom or a molecule separated from the target component.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a plasma generation device including: a plasma generation part which generates plasma; diluent gas supply means which supplies a diluent gas for diluting the plasma generated by the plasma generation part; and a spray port through which a plasma gas resulting from the dilution of the plasma with the diluent gas is sprayed, in which the characteristics of the plasma gas are changed and controlled so as to enlarge the plasma gas and enhance the activity of the plasma gas, without controlling the power input from a power source to the plasma generation part. The plasma generation device of the present invention includes an electromagnetic wave production device which irradiates at least one of a region where the plasma is generated and a region where the plasma gas passes with an electromagnetic wave from an antenna.

Abstract: To improve a heat conductance of an center electrode of a spark plug in which its center electrode protrudes to a combustion chamber from the defining surface of the chamber, the ignition plug includes a center electrode to where high voltage for spark discharge is applied; an insulator having a penetration hole to where the center electrode is fit; and an earth electrode that forms a discharge gap between the center electrode at where the spark discharge is generated. The center electrode protrudes from a defining surface of an internal combustion engine to a combustion chamber when the ignition plug is attached to the engine. The entirety of a main body of the center electrodes that is fixed by fitting into a penetration hole of the insulator is made of high heat conductance material having heat-conductivity of 250 W/mK or more.

Abstract: A plasma generation device, including: an ionization unit that ionizes gas in a target space; an electromagnetic wave oscillator that oscillates an electromagnetic wave to be radiated to the target space; and an antenna that radiates the electromagnetic wave supplied from the electromagnetic wave oscillator to a gas ionization region in which gas ionized by the ionization unit is provided. The ionization unit ionizes gas and the antenna radiates the electromagnetic wave thereto to generate plasma. A plurality of strong electric field regions are formed around the antenna when the electromagnetic wave is supplied from the electromagnetic wave oscillator. The strong electric field region is a region stronger in electric field than the surrounding area. The ionization unit ionizes gas around the plurality of strong electric field regions, or gas around a plurality of regions in which immediately before strong electric fields come into existence.