Abstract: An apparatus for purifying an exhaust gas emitted from an internal combustion engine, particularly, immediately after starting of the engine, includes a mechanism for reducing the time required to heat a catalyst converter to the activation temperature. The exhaust gas is passed through a preliminary catalyst close to the engine and then through a main catalyst downstream of the catalyst. The engine is operated with an air-fuel mixture which is richer than the amount indicated by the stoichiometric air/fuel ratio for a period of time from when engine is started until the main catalyst is heated to a temperature at which the catalyst can sufficiently perform its purifying capability. The preliminary catalyst is enabled to function at lower temperatures by combusting the exhaust gas which is generated during a rich air-fuel mixture condition. The main catalyst can be heated with the generated combustion heat, resulting in an enhancement in exhaust gas purifying capability.

Abstract: A system for purifying an exhaust gas for use in an automobile is disclosed which does not externally discharge unburnt hydrocarbons until a catalyst becomes active. An adsorbent is provided upstream of the catalyst. A heat exchanger is disposed between an upstream portion of the adsorbent and a portion between the adsorbent and the catalyst for controlling the elevation of the temperature of the adsorbent and for promoting the elevation of the temperature of the catalyst. The unburnt hydrocarbons are absorbed by the adsorbent in the initial period of time from starting of an engine until the catalyst becomes active. Temperature control is made in such a manner that the unburnt hydrocarbons which are adsorbed by the adsorbent begins to be desorbed therefrom substantially simultaneously with the time when the catalyst begins to function.

Abstract: An exposing apparatus comprises: a lens group to fetch a light from an object; an iris to adjust a light amount from the lens group; an image pickup device to convert the light which passed through the iris into the electric signal; a detecting circuit to detect a luminance signal level from an output signal from the image pickup device; a reference level signal setting circuit to set an exposure control reference value to control the iris; an exposure control reference value modulating circuit to modulate the exposure control reference value when the iris is controlled; and a control circuit to set the exposure control reference value in correspondence to the luminance signal level when an output level of the detecting circuit is larger than a set value.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for purifying an exhaust gas discharged from an internal combustion engine, which comprises a first exhaust gas passage including a nitrogen oxide removing catalyst and a three way catalyst, a second exhaust gas passage including the three way catalyst, a gas flow regulator for selectively directing the exhaust gas to the first and second exhaust gas passages, and a control unit which directs the exhaust gas to the first exhaust gas passage (thereby passing exhaust gas first through the nitrogen oxide removing catalyst and thereafter through the three way catalyst) when the temperature of the nitrogen oxide removing catalyst is within a hydrocarbon adsorbing range of temperature thereof while the engine is warming up, and to the second exhaust gas passage (thereby passing the exhaust gas only through the three way catalyst) when the temperature of the nitrogen oxide removing catalyst exceeds the hydrocarbon adsorbing range of temperature thereof.

Abstract: An exposing apparatus comprises: a lens group to fetch a light from an object; an iris to adjust a light amount from the lens group; an image pickup device to convert the light which passed through the iris into the electric signal; a detecting circuit to detect a luminance signal level from an output signal from the image pickup device; a reference level signal setting circuit to set an exposure control reference value to control the iris; an exposure control reference value modulating circuit to modulate the exposure control reference value when the iris is controlled; and a control circuit to set the exposure control reference value in correspondence to the luminance signal level when an output level of the detecting circuit is larger than a set value.

Abstract: A system for purifying an exhaust gas for use in an automobile is disclosed which does not externally discharge unburnt hydrocarbons until a catalyst becomes active. An adsorbent is provided upstream of the catalyst. A heat exchanger is disposed between an upstream portion of the adsorbent and a portion between the adsorbent and the catalyst for controlling the elevation of the temperature of the adsorbent and for promoting the elevation of the temperature of the catalyst. The unburnt hydrocarbons are absorbed by the adsorbent in the initial period of time from starting of an engine until the catalyst becomes active. Temperature control is made in such a manner that the unburnt hydrocarbons which are adsorbed by the adsorbent begins to be desorbed therefrom substantially simultaneously with the time when the catalyst begins to function.

Abstract: An exhaust gas cleaning system has a catalyzer provided in the exhaust passage of the engine and an adsorbent provided upstream from the catalyzer. The adsorbent temporarily adsorbs unburned hydrocarbons emitted in large amounts immediately after the engine is started. The system provides an amount of air required to substantially eliminate unburned hydrocarbons, based on the temperature of the adsorbent and the oxygen concentration in exhaust gas upstream from the catalyzer. An air supplying unit is provided upstream from the adsorbent. A temperature sensor is provided for the adsorbent. An oxygen sensor is provided at the inlet of the catalyzer. A control unit calculates the amount of air (oxygen) necessary for the catalyzer to convert the unburned hydrocarbons released from the adsorbent, based on signals from the temperature sensor and the oxygen sensor and the exhaust flow rate. The control unit accordingly controls the air supplying unit.

Abstract: A fluid-damping vibration-isolating support device comprising a main support body having a rubber base member and a closed enclosure internally thereof; and a partition plate dividing the enclosure into two chambers which intercommunicate through an orifice and are filled with a liquid. The partition plate comprises a separator member and a stopper member. The separator member is formed of an outer peripheral thick wall portion having an orifice and an inner thin flat plate portion having at least one through-hole. The stopper member has two opposed plate sections provided so as to cover the through-hole and is captured to the separator member slightly movably to the degree that the plate sections are in contact with or separate from both faces of the flat plate portion. The stopper member serves to close upon low frequency vibration and open upon high frequency vibration, so that in the high frequency region rise of hydraulic pressure can be suppressed and dynamic spring rate can be lowered.

Abstract: The method and apparatus for concentration aqueous solution in accordance with the present invention is characterized in that a hydrophobic porous membrane through which vapor can permeate, but not liquid, is brought into contact with an aqueous solution containing a solute at a concentration of at least 30%, and the water contained in the aqueous solution at the interface with the membrane is evaporated and permeates through the membrane. A method and an apparatus of recovering temperature of an aqueous solution comprising an aqueous solution concentration step in which the aqueous solution contact with the membrane, the water being evaporated; and a dilution step in which the resultant concentrated solution is diluted; wherein a temperature is obtained higher or lower than that of said aqueous solution.

Abstract: In electrodialysis of desalting or concentrating an electrolyte solution in desalting chambers and concentrating chambers constituted by alternately juxtaposing a plurality of anion and cation exchange membranes between at least a pair of electrodes by supplying the electrolyte solution into the desalting and concentrating chambers while introducing a gas in a bubble state into the electrolyte solution between the ion exchange membranes, the electrolyte solution is made to contact the gas in the bubble state while providing a temperature difference between the gas and the electrolyte solution. The scale deposition onto the ion exchange membranes is prevented with an increase in electrodialysis efficiency.

Abstract: In electrodialysis for desalting or concentrating an electrolyte solution in desalting chambers and concentrating chambers constituted by alternately juxtaposing a plurality of anion and cation exchange membranes between at least a pair of electrodes by supplying the electrolyte solution into the desalting and concentrating chambers while introducing a gas in a bubble state into the electrolyte solution between the ion exchange membranes, the electrolyte solution is made to contact the gas in the bubble state while providing a temperature difference between the gas and the electrolyte solution. The scale deposition onto the ion exchange membranes is prevented with an increase in electrodialysis efficiency.

Abstract: In a process for electro-dialysis which comprises passing an electrolyte through dilution chambers and concentration chambers formed between a large number of alternately counterposed anion exchange membranes and cation exchange membranes, and applying an electric potential to a pair of electrodes provided at both ends of a plurality of these chambers, thereby migrating ions in the electrolyte through the membranes and effecting dilution or concentration of the electrolyte, such a volumic rate of air bubbles is introduced to the lower parts of the dilution chambers as to make the thickness of a diffusion layer formed by concentration polarization near the ion exchange membranes in the dilution chambers smaller than when air bubbles are not introduced thereto, and make the resistance between the electrodes smaller than when the air bubbles are not introduced thereto. Superficial air velocity of air bubbles introduced into the dilution chambers is preferably 1-4 cm/sec.

Abstract: A muffler for automobiles having a drum-shaped expansion chamber of diameter D and length h, to which gas inlet and outlet pipes and an insert pipe of a Helmholtz resonator open so that the gas flow traverses the expansion chamber substantially diametrically therethrough, wherein the ratio h/D is substantially 0.25 - 0.4.

Abstract: A waste flue gas desulfurizing method in which a waste flue gas containing sulfurous acid gas is contacted directly with sea-water, whereby the sulfurous acid gas is absorbed in the sea-water and concurrently sulfites are formed in the sea-water by the reaction between the sulfurous acid ions and metal ions present in the sea-water, and then the carbonic acid component contained in the sea-water which is then in the acidic region is released therefrom by a decarbonation operation to restore the pH value of the sea-water in the neutral region, and thereafter oxygen contained in air or from other source is introduced into the sulfite-containing sea-water to convert said sulfites into sulfates.