Abstract: An engine cover of an outboard motor includes an upper cover and a lower cover that are vertically separable. A fixing belt capable of fixing the upper cover and the lower cover to each other is attached to the rear end of the engine cover. The upper cover includes a belt holding portion that holds the fixing belt. The belt holding portion includes a holding frame that forms a belt insertion hole. A head portion of the fixing belt includes a pair of contact portions that come into contact with upper surfaces of a pair of first frame portions of the holding frame.

Abstract: Heat transfer members (H4, H3, H2, H1) are sequentially disposed within an exhaust port (18), within a pre-catalytic device (34), and on the downstream of a main catalytic device (35); the exhaust port (18), the pre-catalytic device (34), and the main catalytic device (35) being provided in an exhaust passage (33) of an internal combustion engine. The heat transfer surface density (heat transfer area/volume) of the heat transfer members (H4) on the upstream side of the exhaust passage (33) is the lowest, and that of the heat transfer members (H1) on the downstream side is the highest. Thus, even though the temperature of the exhaust gas is higher on the upstream side of the exhaust passage (33) than it is on the downstream side of the exhaust passage (33), a uniform heat transfer performance across all of the heat exchangers (H4, H3, H2, H1) may be maintained.

Abstract: Pistons (41) are slidably received in a plurality of cylinders (39) disposed radially in a rotor (31), and a plurality of vanes (42) cooperating with the pistons (41) are disposed radially in the rotor (31), so that a vane chamber (54) is defined between a pair of the adjacent vanes (42). The radial movements of each of the pistons (41) and each of the vanes (42) are substantially stopped, so that the volumes of each of the cylinders (39) and each of the vane chambers (54) are not changed, for a period from the end of an exhaust stroke at which a gas-phase working medium is discharged from the cylinder (39) and the vane chamber (54) to the start of an intake stroke at which the supplying of the gas-phase working medium is started. Thus, it is possible to prevent the generation of a water hammer phenomenon due to a liquid-phase working medium confined in the cylinder (39) and the vane chamber (54).

Abstract: A piston of an axial piston cylinder group A of an expander is driven by a cam surface with a height that changes in a direction of an axis L of a rotor formed on a cam member fixed to a casing to surround the axis L. A roller rotatably provided at a tip end of the piston abuts against the cam surface. Therefore, timing and length of each intake stroke, expansion stroke and exhaust stroke are optionally set, and the piston is driven in an optional timing and at an optional speed, to enhance the efficiency of the expander. The roller rolls on the cam surface to minimize transmission, from the cam surface to the piston, of the reaction force which does not contribute to torque of the rotor, and to prevent the sliding surfaces of the piston and the cylinder sleeve from twisting to enhance durability.

Abstract: There is provided an evaporator (23) disposed between an exhaust manifold (22) and an exhaust pipe (24), the evaporator (23) including, in sequence from the upstream side toward the downstream side, a first exhaust gas passage (56) having a third stage heat exchanger (H3), a second exhaust gas passage (55) having a second stage heat exchanger (H2), and a third exhaust gas passage (50) having a first stage heat exchanger (H1). Formed in the annular second exhaust gas passage (55) of the second stage heat exchanger (H2) is a spiral passage divided by a spiral heat transfer plate (68), and arranged in a spiral shape so as to follow the heat transfer plate (68) are a plurality of undulating heat transfer tubes (67) that are stacked out of phase.

Abstract: An engine block includes a cylinder head, a plurality of bearing caps for a crankshaft, a cylinder block disposed between the cylinder head and the bearing caps, a plurality of fastening members for fastening the cylinder head and the bearing caps to each other, and a plurality of columnar members interposed between the cylinder head and the bearing caps to receive the fastening forces of the fastening members. Thus, it is possible to provide an engine block including a cylinder block reduced in weight by a remarkable reduction in required strength.

Abstract: In a rotary fluid machine for converting the reciprocal movement of pistons and the rotational movement of a rotor from one into another by the engagement of rollers and annular grooves with each other, a value in a positive peak region of a pressure load of pistons received by the rollers engaged in the annular grooves and a value of a positive peak region of a centrifugal force load received by the rollers are set, so that they are substantially equal to each other, and phases of the two peak regions are deviated from each other. In addition, the phase negative peak region of a vane pushing-down load received by the rollers and the phase of the positive peak region of the pressure load of the pistons received by the rollers are established, so that they are overlapped at least partially on each other.

Abstract: A small capacity pre-catalytic system (34) is disposed immediately downstream of an exhaust port (18), and a large capacity main catalytic system (35) is disposed immediately downstream of the pre-catalytic system (34). The pre-catalytic system (34) includes finely divided catalyst supports (48), and a third stage heat exchanger (H3) is disposed between these catalyst supports (48) so that a heat transfer tube (49) is bent in a zigzag manner. Fourth stage and fifth stage heat exchangers (H4, H5) are disposed on the upstream side, in the flow of the exhaust gas, of the pre-catalytic system (34), and first and second stage heat exchangers (H1, H2) are disposed on the downstream side, in the flow of the exhaust gas, of the main catalytic system (35). Water is made to flow through the first stage heat exchanger (H1) to the fifth heat exchanger (H5) in a direction opposite to that in which the exhaust gas flows, thereby exchanging heat with the exhaust gas.

Abstract: A waste heat recovery system for an internal combustion engine. The internal combustion engine includes first and second raised temperature portions. The raised temperature is higher at the first portion than at the second portion. A first evaporating portion generates a first vapor from the first raised temperature portion. A second evaporating portion generates a second vapor from the second raised temperature portion and with a lower pressure than the first vapor. First and second energy converting portions of a displacement type expander converts expansion energy of the first and second vapor into mechanical energy. A condenser and a supply pump are also provided.

Abstract: In a rotary fluid machine for converting the reciprocal movement of pistons (41) and the rotational movement of a rotor (31) from one into another by the engagement of rollers (59) and annular grooves (60) with each other, a value in a positive peak region of a pressure load of pistons (41) received by the rollers (59) engaged in the annular grooves (60) and a value of a positive peak region of a centrifugal force load received by the rollers (59) are set, so that they are substantially equal to each other, and phases of the two peak regions are deviated from each other. In addition, the phase of a negative peak region of a vane (42) pushing-down load received by the rollers (59) and the phase of the positive peak region of the pressure load of the pistons (41) received by said rollers (59) are established, so that they are overlapped at least partially on each other.

Abstract: Pistons (41) are slidably received in a plurality of cylinders (39) disposed radially in a rotor (31), and a plurality of vanes (42) cooperating with the pistons (41) are disposed radially in the rotor (31), so that a vane chamber (54) is defined between a pair of the adjacent vanes (42). The radial movements of each of the pistons (41) and each of the vanes (42) are substantially stopped, so that the volumes of each of the cylinders (39) and each of the vane chambers (54) are not changed, for a period from the end of an exhaust stroke at which a gas-phase working medium is discharged from the cylinder (39) and the vane chamber (54) to the start of an intake stroke at which the supplying of the gas-phase working medium is started. Thus, it is possible to prevent the generation of a water hammer phenomenon due to a liquid-phase working medium confined in the cylinder (39) and the vane chamber (54).

Abstract: Heat exchangers (H4, H3, H2, H1) are sequentially disposed within an exhaust port (18), within a pre-catalytic device (34), and on the downstream of a main catalytic device (35); the exhaust port (18), the pre-catalytic device (34), and the main catalytic device (35) being provided in an exhaust passage (33) of an internal combustion engine. With regard to the heat transfer surface densities (heat transfer area/volume) of these heat exchangers (H4, H3, H2, H1), that of the heat exchanger (H4) on the upstream side of the exhaust passage (33) is the lowest, and that of the heat exchanger (H1) on the downstream side is the highest.

Abstract: A small capacity pre-catalytic system (34) is disposed immediately downstream of an exhaust port (18), and a large capacity main catalytic system (35) is disposed immediately downstream of the pre-catalytic system (34). The pre-catalytic system (34) includes finely divided catalyst supports (48), and a third stage heat exchanger (H3) is disposed between these catalyst supports (48) so that a heat transfer tube (49) is bent in a zigzag manner. Fourth stage and fifth stage heat exchangers (H4, H5) are disposed on the upstream side, in the flow of the exhaust gas, of the pre-catalytic system (34), and first and second stage heat exchangers (H1, H2) are disposed on the downstream side, in the flow of the exhaust gas, of the main catalytic system (35). Water is made to flow through the first stage heat exchanger (H1) to the fifth heat exchanger (H5) in a direction opposite to that in which the exhaust gas flows, thereby exchanging heat with the exhaust gas.

Abstract: A waste heat recovery system for an internal combustion engine is provided, which is configured as follows. The internal combustion engine (1) generates first and second raised temperature portions (202, 204) by operation thereof. A degree of raised temperature is higher at the first raised temperature portion (202) than at the second raised temperature portion (204). A first evaporating portion (205) of evaporating device (3) generates a first vapor with raised temperature by using the first raised temperature portion (202). A second evaporating portion (206) generates a second vapor with raised temperature by using the second raised temperature portion (204) and with a lower pressure than the first vapor. A first energy converting portion (207) of a displacement type expander (4) converts an expansion energy of the first vapor into a mechanical energy. A second energy converting portion (208) converts an expansion energy of the second vapor into a mechanical energy.

Abstract: A method of decreasing the content of nitrogen oxides in a combustion exhaust gas which comprises the steps of mixing the combustion exhaust gas with at least one material selected from the group consisting of ammonia, an ammonium salt, urea and an aqueous solution thereof, and bringing the resulting mixture into contact at a temperature of 600.degree. C. to 1,500.degree. C. with any of the baked materials obtained during the process extending from preparation of cement blending materials to production of cement clinker by baking said cement blending materials, thereby decreasing the content of, for example, nitrogen monoxide (NO) in the combustion exhaust gas.