Abstract: A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine according to the invention is applied to an internal combustion engine in which EGR gas and condensed water generated by an EGR cooler are supplied into a cylinder. The control apparatus calculates an equivalence ratio of the internal combustion engine, and controls an EGR valve and a condensed water supply valve such that, when the equivalence ratio is high, a supply rate of the condensed water increases and a supply rate of the EGR gas decreases relative to when the equivalence ratio is low.

Abstract: There is provided a contact force evaluation method for evaluating a contact force against a supporting member of a tube bundle positioned in a fluid and supported by the supporting member, including a contact force setting step of setting a contact force of the tube bundle, a probability density function calculation step of calculating a probability density function of a reaction force received by the supporting member from the tube bundle in response to a predetermined input, using a vibration analysis model of the tube bundle and the supporting member, a probability calculation step of calculating a probability that a reaction force equal to or higher than the set contact force occurs, based on the calculated probability density function, and an evaluation step of evaluating the set contact force, based on the calculated probability.

Abstract: A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine according to the invention is applied to an internal combustion engine in which EGR gas and condensed water generated by an EGR cooler are supplied into a cylinder. The control apparatus calculates an equivalence ratio of the internal combustion engine, and controls an EGR valve and a condensed water supply valve such that, when the equivalence ratio is high, a supply rate of the condensed water increases and a supply rate of the EGR gas decreases relative to when the equivalence ratio is low.

Abstract: The internal combustion engine comprises a swirl control valve able to change a strength of a swirl generated in a combustion chamber; a load sensor for detecting an engine load; and a control device for controlling the swirl control valve. The control device controls the swirl control valve, when the engine load detected by the load sensor is lower than a predetermined load, so that the swirl ratio is higher when a suction intake gas amount is increasing, compared to when it is decreasing.

Abstract: The present invention provides the following: a photo alignment method-use liquid crystal aligning agent used to obtain a photo alignment method-use liquid crystal alignment film that does not cause bright spots even when negative liquid crystals are used, and that is capable of achieving good after-image characteristics; a liquid crystal alignment film obtained from the liquid crystal aligning agent; and a liquid crystal display element provided with the liquid crystal aligning agent. Provided is the liquid crystal aligning agent which contains a polyimide or polyimide precursor obtained from a reaction between: a tetracarboxylic acid dianhydride represented by formula (1) (in the formula, X1 is as set forth in the present specification) or a derivative thereof; and a diamine component that contains a diamine represented by formula (2) (in the formula, R1, Z1 and n are as set forth in the present specification).

Abstract: A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine according to the invention is applied to an internal combustion engine in which EGR gas and condensed water generated by an EGR cooler are supplied into a cylinder. The control apparatus calculates an equivalence ratio of the internal combustion engine, and controls an EGR valve and a condensed water supply valve such that, when the equivalence ratio is high, a supply rate of the condensed water increases and a supply rate of the EGR gas decreases relative to when the equivalence ratio is low.

Abstract: A stirling engine 10A includes: cylinders 22 and 32; pistons 21 and 31, gas lubrication being performed between the corresponding cylinders 22 and 32 and the pistons 21 and 31; a crankcase 62 that is provided with a crankshaft 61 converting a reciprocating movement of the pistons 21 and 31 into a rotational movement; and a cooler 45 that cools a working fluid performing expansion work, wherein a start timing is adjusted based on an internal humidity of the crankcase 62.

Abstract: A Stirling engine includes a base member that connects a housing portion with a heater that heats a working fluid using exhaust heat of a main engine, and a support member that supports the Stirling engine at the base member is provided.

Abstract: An output controller for a stirling engine is provided in a cooling system that causes common cooling water to flow through both the stirling engine and an internal combustion engine serving as a motive power source other than the stirling engine. The output controller for the stirling engine includes a temperature adjustment portion that adjusts a temperature of the cooling water supplied to the stirling engine. Specifically, the temperature adjustment portion includes a temperature adjustment valve capable of adjusting the temperature of the cooling water supplied to the stirling engine by switchably setting at least one of partial cooling paths and into a communication state.

Abstract: An ECU is used for a Stirling engine that is provided with a starter that drives an output shaft of the Stirling engine. The ECU includes a control portion that commences an engine-starting drive of the starter within a phase interval, during which the torque of the Stirling engine that varies according to phase of the output shaft is relatively small. The phase interval is an interval during which the torque of the Stirling engine is less than or equal to the torque obtained when the compression begins. The phase at which the driving of the starter is commenced is set to the phase at which the torque of the Stirling engine becomes smaller than the torque obtained when the compression begins.

Abstract: A heat exchanger for a stirling engine 10A of a twin-cylinder ? type includes a heat transfer tube group 70A formed with heat transfer tubes 71A causing a working fluid of the stirling engine 10A to flow between a high-temperature cylinder 20 and a low-temperature cylinder 30 arranged linearly and parallel to each other in the stirling engine. The heat transfer tube group 70A includes a rising section G1 extending upward, a falling section G2 extending downward, and a connecting section G3 connecting the rising section G1 and the falling section G2 in a turn-back manner, where the heat transfer tube group 70A is regarded as extending from one end or the other end thereof.

Abstract: A cooling system 1A includes an internal combustion engine 10, a pump 31, a radiator 32, a main passage section 41, a stirling engine 20, a branch passage section 43 branching from the main passage section 41 at a first connection point P1 and joining a downstream part of the main passage section 41 from the first connection point P1 at a second connection point P2, and a thermostat 33. The first connection point P1 and the second connection point P2 are provided in a part of the main passage section 41 between the radiator 32 and the pump 31. The thermostat 33 is provided in another part of the main passage section 41 between the first connection point P1 and the second connection point P2.

Abstract: In a case of performing a static pressure gas lubrication by a stirling engine provided with a pair of cylinders of a high-temperature-side cylinder 20 and a low-temperature-side cylinder 30, a stirling engine gas lubrication structure is provided with an introduction pipe 70A for introducing a working fluid existing within a low-temperature working space into at least an inside of an expansion piston 21 of the expansion piston 21 and a compression piston 31, the low-temperature working space being included in a working space where the working fluid circulates between the cylinders 20 and 30, a temperature of the working fluid in the low-temperature working space lower than that of the working fluid in a working space of a high-temperature side cylinder 22 in a driving state.

Abstract: A stirling engine 10A includes: cylinders 22 and 32; pistons 21 and 31, gas lubrication being performed between the corresponding cylinders 22 and 32 and the pistons 21 and 31; a crankcase 62 that is provided with a crankshaft 61 converting a reciprocating movement of the pistons 21 and 31 into a rotational movement; and a cooler 45 that cools a working fluid performing expansion work, wherein a start timing is adjusted based on an internal humidity of the crankcase 62.

Abstract: An exhaust heat recovery system includes a plurality of Starling engines. Heaters of the Starling engines are disposed in an exhaust passage that is a heat medium passage. An inside of the exhaust passage is partitioned with a partitioning member into a first exhaust passage and a second exhaust passage. The heater of the Starling engine disposed on an upstream side in a flowing direction of exhaust gas is provided in the first exhaust passage, and the heater of the Starling engine disposed on a downstream side in the flowing direction of the exhaust gas is provided in the second exhaust passage.

Abstract: A gas lubrication structure is provided with a high-temperature-side cylinder, an expansion piston lubricated relative to the high-temperature-side cylinder by gas, and a layer provided to the outer peripheral surface of the expansion piston and composed of a material flexible and having a higher linear expansion coefficient than the base material of the expansion piston. The thickness of the layer under normal temperatures is not less than the size of the clearance formed between the layer and the high-temperature-side cylinder. Also, even if the layer is thermally expanded under use conditions, the layer under normal temperatures has a thickness enabling a clearance to be formed between the layer and the high-temperature-side cylinder.

Abstract: An output controller for a stirling engine is provided in a cooling system that causes common cooling water to flow through both the stirling engine and an internal combustion engine serving as a motive power source other than the stirling engine. The output controller for the stirling engine includes a temperature adjustment portion that adjusts a temperature of the cooling water supplied to the stirling engine. Specifically, the temperature adjustment portion includes a temperature adjustment valve capable of adjusting the temperature of the cooling water supplied to the stirling engine by switchably setting at least one of partial cooling paths and into a communication state.

Abstract: A cooling system 1A includes an internal combustion engine 10, a pump 31, a radiator 32, a main passage section 41, a stirling engine 20, a branch passage section 43 branching from the main passage section 41 at a first connection point P1 and joining a downstream part of the main passage section 41 from the first connection point P1 at a second connection point P2, and a thermostat 33. The first connection point P1 and the second connection point P2 are provided in a part of the main passage section 41 between the radiator 32 and the pump 31. The thermostat 33 is provided in another part of the main passage section 41 between the first connection point P1 and the second connection point P2.

Abstract: A Stirling engine has a fluid passage that connects a low temperature-side actuating fluid space and a crankcase inner space, and a passage opening/closing valve that is provided in the fluid passage and that opens and closes the fluid passage. The passage opening/closing valve enables communication through the fluid passage upon startup of the Stirling engine, and shuts off communication through the fluid passage when the rotational speed of the crankshaft of the Stirling engine is equal to or greater than a pre-established start-enabling rotational speed.

Abstract: A Stirling engine is provided with a fluid passage that connects a low temperature-side actuating fluid space and a crankcase inner space, and a passage opening/closing valve that is provided in the fluid passage and that opens and closes the fluid passage. Upon stopping of the Stirling engine, the passage opening/closing valve enables communication through the fluid passage, at a region at which the piston floats in the cylinder. This region is determined based on the pressure of an actuating fluid in the actuating fluid space and the rotational speed of a crankshaft of the Stirling engine.