Abstract: A first continuous fiber component and a second continuous fiber component are stacked with a non-woven fabric interposed therebetween to thereby prepare a fiber base material. The fiber base material is placed between an upper mold and a lower mold. The upper mold and the lower mold are brought close to each other to thereby form an enclosed space therebetween. The enclosed space is larger in volume than a product cavity. A liquid matrix resin is supplied to the enclosed space. The upper mold and the lower mold are brought closer to each other to thereby form the product cavity in a manner that a pressing load is applied to the fiber base material. Then, the liquid matrix resin with which the fiber base material has been impregnated is hardened in the product cavity, whereby a fiber-reinforced plastic molded article is produced.

Abstract: A first continuous fiber component and a second continuous fiber component are stacked with a non-woven fabric interposed therebetween to thereby prepare a fiber base material. The fiber base material is placed between an upper mold and a lower mold. The upper mold and the lower mold are brought close to each other to thereby form an enclosed space therebetween. The enclosed space is larger in volume than a product cavity. A liquid matrix resin is supplied to the enclosed space. The upper mold and the lower mold are brought closer to each other to thereby form the product cavity in a manner that a pressing load is applied to the fiber base material. Then, the liquid matrix resin with which the fiber base material has been impregnated is hardened in the product cavity, whereby a fiber-reinforced plastic molded article is produced.

Abstract: [Problems to be Solved] Provide is a saccharified-solution manufacturing method and a saccharified-solution manufacturing device, which increases the amount of sugar yielded as a saccharified-solution, when lignocellulose-based biomass is subjected to saccharifying enzyme treatment. [Solution] A substrate and ammonia water are mixed at a predetermined mass ratio to yield a substrate mixture, the mixture is retained at a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time period for dissociating lignin from the substrate or swelling the substrate to yield a pretreated ammonia-containing product for saccharification. To a pretreated product for saccharification, which is yielded by separating ammonia from the pretreated ammonia-containing product for saccharification, an acid is added for pH adjustment, and also a saccharifying enzyme is added to yield a substrate/saccharifying enzyme mixture liquid containing a substrate of 15 to 30% by mass.

Abstract: A method for processing lignocellulose-based biomass capable of yielding a saccharide solution with an adequately high concentration by carrying out an enzymatic saccharification reaction of a pre-treated lignocellulose-based biomass is provided.

Abstract: A valve-operating mechanism for an internal combustion engine having intake and exhaust valves and valve control members for controlling the intake and exhaust valves. The intake and exhaust valves are configured as dual valves having an outer valve and an inner valve. The valve control members, at least during scavenging, simultaneously close the outer valves of the intake and exhaust valves, producing a non-overlapping state, and simultaneously open the inner valves of the intake and exhaust valves, producing an overlapping state.

Abstract: No-load valve lift correction curves of opening and closing cams are set by offsetting no-load curve sections of basic valve lift curves of the cams in such directions as to increase a clearance between the curves, and they are connected with remaining sections of the curves to provide normal valve lift curves of the cams. Cam profiles of the cams are set on the basis of such normal valve lift curves. The cam profiles are set so that an ultimate speed difference between jumping and landing speeds of a follower on an ultimate valve speed curve determined from ultimate valve lift curves, having first and second shift sections where the follower shifts from the opening cam to the closing cam and from the closing cam to the opening cam, is smaller than a basic speed difference between jumping and landing speeds on a basic valve speed curve.

Abstract: A plurality of information processing terminals 100 to 130 are connected to a network. Each processing terminal parameter-manages the total of the idle time units obtained through the detection of the idle time on the network. The processing terminal acquires a transmission privilege when the parameter and its own node ID agree with each other, and sends out the transmission frame inclusive of its own node ID to the network. The reception means 105 receives, from the network, the transmission frame transmitted from the other information processing terminals. The control means 103 extracts the node ID included in the transmission frame thus received and updates the parameter to the node thus extracted, and adjusts the synchronization of the parameters commonly possessed on the same network. In accordance with such a configuration, the transmission privilege can be rounded without exchanging a token frame between specified nodes.

Abstract: An expander (M) employing steam as a working medium is formed from a first radially inner group of axial piston cylinders (49) arranged annularly on a rotor (27) so as to surround the axis (L) of an output shaft (28), and a second radially outer group of axial piston cylinders (57) arranged annularly so as to surround the first group of axial piston cylinders (49). The first and second groups of axial piston cylinders (49, 57) are driven by a common swash plate (39), and the first and second groups of axial piston cylinders (49, 57) are arranged with circumferentially displaced pitches. High-temperature, high-pressure steam firstly operates the first group of axial piston cylinders (49), then operates the second group of axial piston cylinders (57), and the outputs from the two are combined to drive the output shaft (28). This achieves a further reduction in the size and a further increase in the output of the axial type expander (M).

Abstract: No-load valve lift correction curves of opening and closing cams are set by offsetting no-load curve sections of basic valve lift curves of the cams in such directions as to increase a clearance between the curves, and they are connected with remaining sections of the curves to provide normal valve lift curves of the cams. Cam profiles of the cams are set on the basis of such normal valve lift curves. The cam profiles are set so that an ultimate speed difference between jumping and landing speeds of a follower on an ultimate valve speed curve determined from ultimate valve lift curves, having first and second shift sections where the follower shifts from the opening cam to the closing cam and from the closing cam to the opening cam, is smaller than a basic speed difference between jumping and landing speeds on a basic valve speed curve.

Abstract: A valve-operating mechanism for an internal combustion engine having intake and exhaust valves and valve control members for controlling the intake and exhaust valves. The intake and exhaust valves are configured as dual valves having an outer valve and an inner valve. The valve control members, at least during scavenging, simultaneously close the outer valves of the intake and exhaust valves, producing a non-overlapping state, and simultaneously open the inner valves of the intake and exhaust valves, producing an overlapping state.

Abstract: Cooling control device for a condenser is provided which includes the condenser, a cooling device for cooling the condenser, and a control device for controlling the cooling device. The cooling device includes a first cooling fan for cooling a gaseous-phase portion of the condenser, and two second cooling fans for cooling a liquid-phase portion of the condenser independently of the first cooling fan. The control device also includes a pressure control section for optimally adjusting a pressure within the gaseous-phase portion, and a temperature control section for optimally adjusting a temperature within the liquid-phase portion. The pressure control section operates the first cooling fan, in accordance with a detected pressure within the gaseous-phase portion, to adjust the pressure within the gaseous-phase portion.

Abstract: When a flow of a working medium stagnates in an expander or evaporator of a Rankine cycle apparatus including a closed working medium circulation circuit, a high pressure exceeding an allowable maximum pressure level of the expander or evaporator is produced within the closed working medium circulation circuit. In such a case, the water-phase working medium is first discharged via relief valves out of the circulation circuit, so that the pressure within the circulation circuit can be lowered. Then, once vapor within the evaporator, having been lowered in temperature and pressure, flows backward within the closed working medium circulation circuit, the vapor is also discharged via the relief valves out of the circulation circuit. In this way, the pressure within the expander or evaporator can be reliably prevented from exceeding the allowable maximum pressure level.

Abstract: Gaseous-phase portion of a condenser contains vapor and a non-condensing gas, such as air, that impedes condensation of the vapor, and a non-condensing gas discharge device of the condenser is arranged to discharge only the non-condensing gas from the condenser. The non-condensing gas discharge device includes a valve device, in the form of an air vent, for separating the non-condensing gas from the vapor and selectively discharging only the non-condensing gas from the condenser.

Abstract: In a liquid-level-position control device for a condenser in a Rankine cycle apparatus, first and second reference liquid level positions are set. When a position of the fluid level is lower than the first reference liquid level position, water is replenished to a condenser by a liquid-phase working medium supply section. When the position of the fluid level is higher than the second reference liquid level position, the liquid-phase working medium is discharged from within the condenser by a liquid-phase working medium discharge section. In this way, the liquid level, which is a boundary surface between water vapor and condensed water within the condenser, can be constantly kept at an optimal position.

Abstract: Rankine cycle apparatus, having closed working medium circulation circuitry, includes a collection mechanism for collecting a working medium leaked or discharged out of the circulation circuitry. The working medium collected via the collection mechanism is stored in an open tank, and the thus-stored liquid-phase working medium is returned to a condenser by means of a return pump.

Abstract: An expander is provided in which a rotor (22) is rotated by supplying high-temperature, high-pressure steam to an expansion chamber (43) defined between a piston (42) and a cylinder sleeve (41) so that the piston (42) pushes a swash plate (31). Since an annular heat-insulating space (70) is formed in a rotor head (38) facing the expansion chamber (43), it is possible to suppress the escape, to the rotor (22), of the heat of high-temperature, high-pressure steam supplied to the expansion chamber (43), thereby preventing the heat efficiency from deteriorating.

Abstract: An expander that converts the thermal energy and the pressure energy of a working medium into mechanical energy includes, within a casing (12, 15, 18), an operating part such as a group of axial piston cylinders operated by the working medium introduced into an operating chamber, and a hermetically sealed lubrication chamber (102) in which oil for lubricating at least the operating part resides. Breather chambers (101, 103) are provided in an upper part of the lubrication chamber (102), and a working medium discharge chamber (90) into which the working medium is discharged from the operating chamber is made to communicate with the breather chambers (101, 103) via breather passages (B1 to B4).

Abstract: An expander is provided in which a rotor (22) is rotated by supplying high-temperature, high-pressure steam to an expansion chamber (43) defined between a piston (42) and a cylinder sleeve (41) so that the piston (42) pushes a swash plate (31), and sliding surfaces of the piston (42) and the cylinder sleeve (41) are lubricated with oil supplied via an oil hole (32c). The piston (42) includes a top part (63) that is exposed to high-temperature, high-pressure steam within the expansion chamber (43), an end part (61) that abuts against the swash plate (31), and a middle part (62) that is present between the end part (61) and the top part (63) and is in sliding contact with the cylinder sleeve (41), the top part (63) being formed from a heat-resistant and corrosion-resistant material, the end part (61) being formed from a material having high surface pressure resistance, and the middle part (62) being formed from a material having high abrasion resistance.

Abstract: Rankine cycle apparatus, having closed working medium circulation circuitry, includes a collection mechanism for collecting a working medium leaked or discharged out of the circulation circuitry. The working medium collected via the collection mechanism is stored in an open tank, and the thus-stored liquid-phase working medium is returned to a condenser by means of a return pump.

Abstract: Cooling control device for a condenser is provided which includes the condenser, a cooling device for cooling the condenser, and a control device for controlling the cooling device. The cooling device includes a first cooling fan for cooling a gaseous-phase portion of the condenser, and two second cooling fans for cooling a liquid-phase portion of the condenser independently of the first cooling fan. The control device also includes a pressure control section for optimally adjusting a pressure within the gaseous-phase portion, and a temperature control section for optimally adjusting a temperature within the liquid-phase portion. The pressure control section operates the first cooling fan, in accordance with a detected pressure within the gaseous-phase portion, to adjust the pressure within the gaseous-phase portion.