Abstract: An observation plug 102 includes a spark plug body 50, an objective optical system 10, and a set of light conduction paths 16. The spark plug body 50 ignites gas in a combustion chamber by an electric discharge in a discharge gap 60, and has an observation hole 4 penetrating in an axial direction at a location dislocated from the discharge gap 60. The objective optical system 10, which is provided in the observation hole 4 to be exposed into the combustion chamber, bends a course of light received from an incident surface 10a facing toward the discharge gap included in an observation area, and forms an image of the observation area within the observation hole 4. The set of light conduction paths 16 is provided in the observation hole 4, and divides the image of the observation area into a plurality of portions to be transmitted therethrough.

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: An internal combustion engine 100 includes a cylinder 102 that defines a combustion chamber 196 causing a premixed gas to be combusted, a piston 120 that defines the combustion chamber 196 together with the cylinder 102, and reciprocates in the cylinder 102, and an active species generator 150 that generates active species. The internal combustion engine 100 promotes combustion of the mixed gas by the active species generated by the active species generator 150. The piston 120 includes an active species generation chamber 194 that is formed therein and open to a top surface of the piston 120, and in which the active species generator 150 generates the active species.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine control device which switches between a first operation of compression-igniting a premixed gas in a combustion chamber and a second operation of forcibly igniting the premixed gas through a spark plug in the combustion chamber. When switching between the first operation and the second operation, the control device inserts a transitional operation between the first operation and the second operation for the purpose of reducing torque variations in an internal combustion engine. In the transitional operation, the spark plug does not perform electric discharging, instead, the spark plug emits an electromagnetic wave to increase the temperature of the premixed gas, and subsequently, the premixed gas is compression-ignited.

Abstract: Stable and highly efficient combustion/reaction is provided, even when fuel ratio of mixture is decreased and combustion/reaction of the lean mixture is performed in a heat engine such as a reciprocating engine, by controlling dielectric constant of mixture in a combustion/reaction chamber by introducing water and/or exhaust gas into the combustion/reaction chamber. A microwave radiation antenna for irradiation of the combustion/reaction chamber, and a discharge unit for igniting the mixture in the combustion/reaction chamber are provided. The dielectric constant of the mixture before the combustion/reaction of the mixture is controlled so that the resonance frequency of the mixture corresponds to the frequency of the microwave.

Abstract: There is provided an ignition plug whereby an electrical configuration for discharge and an electrical configuration for guiding and radiating microwaves are provided concomitantly, within dimensions permitting installation in an installation space for an ordinary ignition plug, and adapted to efficiently guide and transmit microwaves into a combustion chamber. The ignition plug comprises a center electrode and a ground electrode for spark discharge; a center wire and an outside conductor forming a coaxial electromagnetic wave transmission line; and a microwave radiation antenna that is electrically integrated with the center wire; the microwave radiation antenna having a profile that defines part of a sphere or arc including a plurality of locations substantially equidistant from the center electrode.

Abstract: There is provided an ignition or plasma generation apparatus that eliminates the need for resonance means in a combustion chamber and simplifies the electrode structure within the combustion chamber in an instance where energy from each of a spark discharge and microwaves is used to ignite an air-fuel mixture gas in an internal combustion engine. The ignition or plasma generation apparatus includes a mixing circuit for mixing a high-voltage pulse from a high-voltage pulse generator and microwave energy from a microwave generator; and an ignition plug into which an output from the mixing circuit is supplied, the plug used for introducing the output into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine. The output supplied from the mixing circuit to the ignition plug is supplied in a manner in which the microwave energy and the high-voltage pulse are superimposed on each other on a same transmission line.

Abstract: A mixer for mixing pulse voltage energy and electromagnetic wave energy in the same transmission line is provided with a first input terminal to which an electromagnetic wave is inputted, a second input terminal to which pulse voltage is inputted, a mixing output terminal from which the pulse voltage and the electromagnetic wave are outputted, a bar-shaped first conductive member of which one end is electrically connected to the second input terminal and the other end is electrically connected to an inner conductor of the mixing output terminal, a cylindrical second conductive member which surrounds the first conductive member with a gap therebetween and is disposed coaxially with the first conductive member and electrically connected to an inner conductor of the first input terminal, and a cylindrical third conductive member which houses the first conductive member and the second conductive member with a gap between the second conductive member and the third conductive member and is disposed coaxially with t

Abstract: Stable and highly efficient combustion/reaction is provided, even when fuel ratio of mixture is decreased and combustion/reaction of the lean mixture is performed in a heat engine such as a reciprocating engine, for controlling dielectric constant of mixture in a combustion/reaction chamber 8 by introducing water and/or exhaust gas into the combustion/reaction chamber, by introducing water and/or exhaust gas into the combustion/reaction chamber. A microwave radiation antenna for irradiation of the combustion/reaction chamber, and a discharge unit for igniting the mixture in the combustion/reaction chamber are provided. The dielectric constant of the mixture before the combustion/reaction of the mixture is controlled so that the resonance frequency of the mixture corresponds to the frequency of the microwave.

Abstract: The invention provides a practical diesel engine that uses plasma formed by microwave emissions. In a compression-ignition internal combustion engine, fuel is sprayed by an injector in the combustion chamber in which compressed oxidizing gas is present, and the fuel is compressed and ignited. The engine has one antenna or a plurality of antennas in the combustion chamber, and when the oxidizing gas or moisture and charged particles are present in the combustion chamber, an electromagnetic wave is emitted using the antenna in a space in which the oxidizing gas and the charged particles are present, and plasma is generated in the space by the energy fed to the charged particles.

Abstract: Provided is a spectroscope that can be manufactured easily, can be reduced in size, and can provide high wavelength resolution of a specific spectral band. Specifically, provided is a spectroscope with a diffraction grating 331 that deflects and separates incident light in different directions depending on to an element of the incident light, at least one optical element 332a, diffusing a light that has passed through this diffraction grating 331 and has entered the optical element 332a, a line sensor 333, which receives the light that has passed through the optical element 332a, thereby only light that has a specific deflection angle within a specific range of wavelengths from among all the light that entered said optical element 332a is selectively expanded and received.

Abstract: Stable and highly efficient combustion/reaction is provided, even when fuel ratio of mixture is decreased and combustion/reaction of the lean mixture is performed in a heat engine such as a reciprocating engine, for controlling dielectric constant of mixture in a combustion/reaction chamber 8 by introducing water and/or exhaust gas into the combustion/reaction chamber, by introducing water and/or exhaust gas into the combustion/reaction chamber. A microwave radiation antenna for irradiation of the combustion/reaction chamber, and a discharge unit for igniting the mixture in the combustion/reaction chamber are provided. The dielectric constant of the mixture before the combustion/reaction of the mixture is controlled so that the resonance frequency of the mixture corresponds to the frequency of the microwave.

Abstract: Stable and highly efficient combustion/reaction is provided, even when fuel ratio of mixture is decreased and combustion/reaction of the lean mixture is performed in a heat engine such as a reciprocating engine, for controlling dielectric constant of mixture in a combustion/reaction chamber 8 by introducing water and/or exhaust gas into the combustion/reaction chamber, by introducing water and/or exhaust gas into the combustion/reaction chamber. A microwave radiation antenna for irradiation of the combustion/reaction chamber, and a discharge unit for igniting the mixture in the combustion/reaction chamber are provided. The dielectric constant of the mixture before the combustion/reaction of the mixture is controlled so that the resonance frequency of the mixture corresponds to the frequency of the microwave.

Abstract: A multiple discharge plasma apparatus is provided with a plurality of discharge devices, each with an electrode exposed to the combustion chamber and installed in at least one of members constituting the combustion chamber; an antenna installed in at least one of the members constituting the combustion chamber so as to radiate electromagnetic waves to the combustion chamber; an electromagnetic wave transmission line installed in at least one of the members constituting the combustion chamber, with one end connected to the antenna and the other end covered with an insulator or dielectric and extending to a portion, of at least one of the members constituting the combustion chamber, distant from the combustion chamber; and an electromagnetic wave generator for feeding electromagnetic waves into the electromagnetic wave transmission line; wherein the multiple discharge plasma apparatus is configured such that discharge is generated by the electrodes of a plurality of discharge devices and the electromagnetic wav

Abstract: Provided is an after-treatment apparatus for exhaust gas right after a combustion chamber, which apparatus comprises a discharge device with an electrode exposed to an exhaust port installed in a cylinder head, an antenna installed on the back face of a valve head, an electromagnetic wave transmission line installed in a valve stem with one end connected to the antenna and the other end, covered with an insulator or dielectric and extending to and connected to a power-receiving portion, which is positioned at a location fitting into the guide hole or at a location farther from the valve head in the valve stem, and an electromagnetic wave generator for feeding electromagnetic waves to the power-receiving portion. The after-treatment apparatus is configured such that discharge is generated with the electrode of the discharge device and electromagnetic waves fed from the electromagnetic wave generator through the electromagnetic wave transmission line are radiated from the antenna.

Abstract: Provided is a plasma apparatus using a valve, which comprises a discharge device with an electrode exposed to the combustion chamber installed in a cylinder head, an antenna installed on the valve face of a valve head, an electromagnetic wave transmission line installed in a valve stem with one end connected to the antenna and the other end covered with an insulator or dielectric and extending to a power-receiving portion positioned at a location fitting into the guide hole in the valve stem, and an electromagnetic wave generator for feeding an electromagnetic waves to the power-receiving portion. At the compression stroke when the combustion chamber side opening of an intake port or an exhaust port is closed with the valve head, discharge is generated with the electrode of the discharge device and the electromagnetic waves fed from the electromagnetic wave generator through the electromagnetic wave transmission line are radiated from the antenna.

Abstract: Provided is a plasma apparatus using a cylinder head, which comprises a discharge device installed with an electrode exposed to the combustion chamber and installed in the cylinder head, an antenna installed to protrude from the cylinder head into the combustion chamber, a bulging portion bulging from the cylinder head to the combustion chamber so as to cover the antenna, made from insulator or dielectric, an electromagnetic wave transmission line installed in the cylinder head and with one end connected to the antenna and the other end, covered with insulator or dielectric, penetrating the cylinder head to extend to an outer wall of the cylinder head, and an electromagnetic wave generator for feeding electromagnetic waves to the electromagnetic wave transmission line.

Abstract: An after-treatment apparatus for exhaust gas in a combustion chamber includes a discharge device with an electrode exposed to the combustion chamber and installed in at least one of members constituting the combustion chamber, an antenna installed in at least one of the members constituting the combustion chamber so as to radiate electromagnetic waves into the combustion chamber, an electromagnetic wave transmission line installed in at least one of the members constituting the combustion chamber and with one end connected to the antenna and the other end covered with an insulator or dielectric and extending to a portion, in at least one of the members constituting the combustion chamber, distant from the combustion chamber, and an electromagnetic wave generator for feeding electromagnetic waves to the electromagnetic wave transmission line.

Abstract: A gasket of an internal combustion engine includes a discharge line installed in an intermediate layer and having an outer end exposed from the outer peripheral edge of the gasket to be a first connection part and an inner end exposed from a inner peripheral edge around the opening to be an electrode, configured such that discharge is generated between electrodes with voltage applied between first connection parts; an antenna installed at least partly in the intermediate layer at the inner peripheral edge around the opening to radiate electromagnetic waves into a combustion chamber; and an electromagnetic wave transmission line installed in the intermediate layer, having an outer end exposed from an outer peripheral edge to be a second connection part and an inner end connected to the antenna, and guiding electromagnetic waves to the antenna.