Abstract: In one embodiment, a combined cycle power plant includes first and second superheaters to generate first and second main steams, first and second reheaters to heat first and second discharge steams to generate first and second reheat steams, and a steam turbine to be supplied with the merged first and second reheat steams. The plant further includes a first valve to adjust a flow rate of the first discharge or reheat steam, and a second valve to adjust a flow rate of the second discharge or reheat steam. A plant control apparatus includes a determination module to determine a target opening degree of the second valve by using flow rates of the first and second main steams, and a controller to compare the determined target opening degree with a valve opening degree of the second valve and to control the second valve based on a comparison result.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a plant control apparatus controls a combined cycle power generation plant. The plant includes a gas turbine, an exhaust heat recovery boiler including an evaporator to recover heat from an exhaust gas discharged from the gas turbine to generate steam and including a heat exchanger to exchange heat between the steam and an exhaust gas from the gas turbine and generate main steam, and a steam turbine driven by the main steam. The apparatus includes a control unit to increase output of the gas turbine to a target output after the gas turbine is paralleled with a generator. The target output is set so that an exhaust gas temperature of the gas turbine exceeds a maximum operating temperature of the exchanger and that a temperature of the exchanger becomes the maximum operating temperature or less by using a cooling effect given by the main steam.

Abstract: An input device, wherein the screen (18a) of a display device (18) is divided into two regions, a region (A1) and a region (A2), and the icon switch displayed in the region including the position of an invisible pointer (P?) is selected. Thus, one of an icon switch (1) and an icon switch (2) that are displayed on the screen (18a) is selected at any time. Consequently, the user will no longer have to watch the screen carefully and perform an operation for moving an instruction marker such as a visible pointer to a desired icon switch, for example as in conventional devices. Accordingly, the user can enter a desired instruction in a short time by selecting a desired icon switch in a short time.

Abstract: A high-strength seamless steel pipe for oil wells excellent in sulfide stress cracking resistance which comprises, on the percent by mass basis, C: 0.1 to 0.20%, Si: 0.05 to 1.0%, Mn: 0.05 to 1.0%, Cr: 0.05 to 1.5%, Mo: 0.05 to 1.0%, Al: 0.10% or less, Ti: 0.002 to 0.05% and B: 0.0003 to 0.005%, with a value of equation “C+(Mn/6)+(Cr/5)+(Mo/3)” of 0.43 or more, with the balance being Fe and impurities, and in the impurities P: 0.025% or less, S: 0.010% or less and N: 0.007% or less. The seamless steel pipe may contain a specified amount of one or more element(s) of V and Nb, and/or a specified amount of one or more element(s) of Ca, Mg and REM. The seamless steel pipe can be produced at a low cost by adapting an in-line tube making and heat treatment process having a high production efficiency since a reheating treatment for refinement of grains is not required.

Abstract: Disclosed is a zoom lens having a first lens group G1 having positive refractive power; a second lens group G2 having negative refractive power; a third lens group G3 having positive refractive power; and a fourth lens group G4 having positive refractive power. Upon zooming from a wide-angle end state to a telephoto end state, a distance between the first lens group G1 and the second lens group G2 is changed, a distance between the second lens group G2 and the third lens group G3 is changed, and the fourth lens group G4 is moved toward the object first, then moved toward an image. The third lens group G3 has a first positive lens L31, a negative lens L32 and a second positive lens L33, and the fourth lens group G4 has two lenses: L41 and L42.

Abstract: Provided is a driving support device that allows a driver to confirm the travelling routes of the wheels of a vehicle from an image indicating the circumference of the vehicle. The driving support device includes: an imaging unit which takes a travelling direction image by shooting in the travelling direction of a vehicle; a steering angle detection unit which detects the steering angle of the vehicle; a route image generation unit which predicts travelling routes of wheels provided on the travelling direction side of the vehicle, and generates a route image that indicates the travelling routes of the wheels as seen from the viewpoint of the imaging unit; a superimposed image generation unit which generates a superimposed image by superimposing the route image on the travelling direction image; and an image display unit which displays the superimposed image.

Abstract: An ascorbic acid derivative composition of a first aspect according to the present invention consists of a salt of a compound (1) represented by a general formula (1) shown below; and a salt of a compound (2) represented by a general formula (2) shown below, wherein a ratio of the salt of the compound (2) with respect to a total amount of the salt of the compound (1) and the salt of the compound (2) is from 0.1 to 10% by mass, wherein R1 represents a linear or branched alkyl group of 6 to 20 carbon atoms, R2 represents a linear or branched alkyl group of 6 to 20 carbon atoms, and R1 and R2 are the same or are different from each other.

Abstract: There is provided a calibrating apparatus for an on-board camera of a vehicle, which allows speedy, yet reliable decision of acceptance/rejection of calibration result, with a simple apparatus construction, without depending on or being influenced by the calibration environment. An image processing target region on which an image processing for detection of each calibration point in each one of calibration markers in a camera-captured image which is a projecting plane of a camera coordinate system is displayed as a region frame in the form of a graphic image, in superposition with the camera-captured image.

Abstract: According to the embodiment of the present invention, there are provided a first stage auxiliary burner configured to heat up the exhaust gas in the upstream side of the superheater, a second stage auxiliary burner configured to heat up the exhaust gas in the upstream side of the evaporator, a fuel supply system configured to distribute fuel so as to be supplied to the first stage auxiliary burner and the second stage auxiliary burner. Distribution of fuel charged to each of the first stage auxiliary burner and the second stage auxiliary burner is controlled in accordance with a predetermined distribution ratio of each charging quantity to whole charging quantity in all the range thereof.

Abstract: An auxiliary burner configured to heat exhaust gas on an upstream side of any one of heat exchangers, and a fuel supply system configured to supply fuel to the auxiliary burner. To avoid damage of a heat-transfer pipe by exhaust gas of high temperature, a reference value on which the restriction on the charging quantity to be supplied to the auxiliary burner is based is set, and the charging quantity of fuel to the auxiliary burner is restricted so as not to exceed a limit defined by the reference value.

Abstract: A heat recovery steam generator has a plurality of heat exchangers, including superheaters 28, 30, an evaporator 32 and an economizer 34, disposed in a duct 27 along the flow direction of an exhaust gas 25 from a gas turbine 14, and generates steam by utilizing the exhaust gas 25 from the gas turbine 14. The heat recovery steam generator includes: auxiliary combustors 50, 52, each disposed upstream of one of the heat exchangers, for heating the exhaust gas by means of burners; and an air supply device for supplying air to the burners of the auxiliary combustor 52 from the outside of the duct.

Abstract: A method for producing a ceramic heater includes performing firing at 1,600° C. to 1,750° C. in a state in which front and back surfaces of an inner shaped body composed of low-temperature sinterable raw material powder containing aluminum nitride powder as a main component and 0.03% to 1% by weight of rare earth oxide powder are sandwiched between a pair of outer layers composed of aluminum nitride sintered bodies having a volume resistivity of 1015 ?cm or more through resistive heating elements composed of metal meshes, thereby obtaining a ceramic heater.

Abstract: A tooth-hardening apparatus according to the present invention includes a tooth-hardening member of a plate shape having a projection on its surface, and a nipple attached on the tooth-hardening member. The nipple has a predetermined hardness to provide a pacifier function and a tooth-hardening function. A space is formed in the tooth-hardening member. The space is covered with an upper transparent cover and a lower transparent cover.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method which allows simply, easily and accurately evaluating the fastening state of shoulder parts of a threaded joint for use as a joint of pipes or tubes, such as OCTG, during fastening or after fastening. The fastening state evaluation method for a threaded joint 100 of pipes or tubes according to the present invention is characterized in that it transmits ultrasonic surface waves from the internal surface of either one of the pin 1 and the box 2 toward the internal surface of the other one of the pin 1 and the box 2 through the shoulder parts 13, 23 of the pin 1 and the box 2, and on the basis of the transmitted wave intensity or the reflected wave intensity thereof, determines whether or not the fastening state of the threaded joint 100 is satisfactory.

Abstract: Disclosed is a zoom lens having a first lens group G1 having positive refractive power; a second lens group G2 having negative refractive power; a third lens group G3 having positive refractive power; and a fourth lens group G4 having positive refractive power. Upon zooming from a wide-angle end state to a telephoto end state, a distance between the first lens group G1 and the second lens group G2 is changed, a distance between the second lens group G2 and the third lens group G3 is changed, and the fourth lens group G4 is moved toward the object first, then moved toward an image. The third lens group G3 has a first positive lens L31, a negative lens L32 and a second positive lens L33, and the fourth lens group G4 has two lenses: L41 and L42.

Abstract: The zoom lens Z1 having, in order from an object, a first lens group G1 having positive refractive power, a second lens group G2 having negative refractive power, a third lens group G3 having positive refractive power, and a fourth lens group G4 having positive refractive power, wherein the conditional expression 2.70<TLt/(fw×ft)1/2<3.70 as well as the conditional expression 0.05<D1/ft<0.29 are, where TLt denotes a total length of the zoom lens ZL in a telephoto end state, fw denotes a focal length of the zoom lens ZL in a wide-angle end state, ft denotes a focal length of the zoom lens ZL in a telephoto end state, and D1 denotes a thickness of the first lens group G1 on the optical axis.

Abstract: A seamless steel pipe produced by heating a steel billet, which has a chemical composition C: 0.15 to 0.20%, Si: not less than 0.01% to less than 0.15%, Mn: 0.05 to 1.0%, Cr: 0.05 to 1.5%, Mo: 0.05 to 1.0%, Al?0.10%, V: 0.01 to 0.2%, Ti: 0.002 to 0.03%, B: 0.0003 to 0.005% and N: 0.002 to 0.01%, further optionally one or more of Ca, Mg and REM in a specific amount, under the provision that the conditions “C+(Mn/6)+(Cr/5)+(Mo/3)?0.43” and “Ti×N<0.0002?0.0006×Si” are satisfied, with the balance being Fe and impurities, wherein P?0.025%, S?0.010% and Nb<0.005% among the impurities, to a temperature of 1000 to 1250° C. followed by pipe-making rolling at a final rolling temperature 900 to 1050° C., and then quenching the resulting steel pipe directly from a temperature not lower than the Ar3 transformation point followed by tempering at a temperature range from 600° C.

Abstract: A vehicle surroundings monitoring system includes: an image pick-up device (10) that picks up an image of an area on the passenger side of a vehicle (200); a display device (30) that displays the image of the area on the passenger side of the vehicle, which is picked up by the image pick-up device; a foot illuminating device (40) that illuminates the ground outside the vehicle on the passenger side, —and a foot illumination controller (50) that controls the foot illuminating device, wherein when the image of the area on the passenger side of the vehicle, which is picked up by the image pick-up device, is being displayed on the display device, the foot illumination controller turns off the foot illuminating device.

Abstract: A ceramic electrostatic chuck according to the present invention includes a dielectric layer with a support layer in contact with the back side of the dielectric layer, and an embedded electrostatic electrode. A wafer is placed on the dielectric layer and the dielectric layer is formed of sintered aluminum nitride containing Sm and has a volume resistivity in the range of 4×109 to 4×1010 ?cm at room temperature. The support layer is formed of sintered aluminum nitride containing Sm and Ce and has a volume resistivity of 1×1013 ?cm or more at room temperature.

Abstract: Provided is a calibrating apparatus for an on-board camera of a vehicle, which apparatus allows completion of calibration process with a simple additional calibration, even when rejection has issued on the result of automatic calibration. Based upon a camera parameter obtained at the time of completion of adjustment by an automatic adjusting section, a confirmation marker indicating the position of coordinate of a calibration point is displayed in superposition with a camera-captured image. A manual adjusting section adjusts the camera parameter, based on an amount of displacement of the coordinate of the calibration point corresponding to an amount of movement of the confirmation marker moved in response to input of adjustment instruction.