Abstract: An upstream side catalyst and a downstream side catalyst are disposed in an exhaust passage. A first oxygen sensor is disposed between these two catalysts and a second oxygen sensor is disposed downstream of the downstream side catalyst. The air-fuel ratio is forcibly oscillated and the oxygen storage capacity of the upstream side catalyst is detected. Deterioration of the upstream side catalyst is then detected based on whether this oxygen storage capacity is larger than a predetermined value. The forced oscillation of the air-fuel ratio is performed only when the oxygen storage state of the downstream side catalyst is appropriate.

Abstract: To provide an apparatus for evaluating the deterioration condition of a catalyst of an internal combustion engine that can improve the accuracy of an evaluation of the deterioration condition of a catalyst and can suppress a worsening of emissions. The apparatus forcedly sets the air/fuel ratio upstream of a catalyst provided in an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine at a rich condition or a lean condition on the basis of a detected value of a sub O2 sensor downstream of the catalyst in the internal combustion engine and evaluates the deterioration condition of the catalyst.

Abstract: A catalyst degradation determining method includes the steps of: controlling an upstream-of-catalyst air-fuel ratio occurring upstream of a first catalyst to an air-fuel ratio that is rich of a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio so that first and second catalysts store oxygen up to a maximum storage amount of oxygen. The method then includes the steps of controlling the upstream-of-catalyst air-fuel ratio to a first lean air-fuel ratio until an output of a downstream-of-first-catalyst sensor indicates a lean air-fuel ratio, and then to a second lean air-fuel ratio and that has a value that is determined in accordance with an oxidizing-reducing capability index value, until a time point when an output of a downstream-of-second-catalyst air-fuel ratio sensor indicates an air-fuel ratio that is lean.

Abstract: An air-fuel ratio control apparatus estimates, on the basis of an exhaust air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas flowing into an exhaust purifying catalyst unit disposed in an exhaust passage of an engine, an emission of at least one specific component contained in exhaust gas flowing out of the exhaust purifying catalyst unit. The air-fuel ratio control apparatus performs the estimation by use of a model, and controls the air-fuel ratio in such a manner that the estimation value reaches a target state. The model is previously determined in consideration of the mass balance of the specific component.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting deterioration of a catalyst in an internal combustion engine initially biases an air/fuel ratio of an air-fuel mixture supplied to the internal combustion engine to a rich amount so that an amount of oxygen stored in the catalyst is substantially zero. Then, the apparatus detects deterioration of the catalyst by alternating the air/fuel ratio lean or rich based on an amount of oxygen given to the catalyst. If the catalyst has deteriorated, a bias amount of the air/fuel ratio is set so that the amount of oxygen stored in the catalyst is substantially saturated. If the catalyst is normal, a bias amount of the air/fuel ratio is set so that the amount of oxygen stored in the catalyst is not saturated.

Abstract: An electronic controller integrates a rate of progress dK of thermal degradation of exhaust purifying catalyst at every predetermined time period, to calculate degree of thermal degradation K of the exhaust purifying catalyst, when the state of thermal degradation of the exhaust purifying catalyst is to be detected. By comparing the degree of thermal degradation K with a defect determining value S, whether the exhaust purifying catalyst is defective because of thermal degradation or not is determined. In calculating the degree of thermal degradation K, the electronic controller calculates the rate of progress dK of thermal degradation in the predetermined time period based on the integrated value of rate of progress dK of thermal degradation up to the last time (degree of thermal degradation K) and on the temperature T of exhaust purifying catalyst at that time, and adds the same to the integrated value up to the last time.

Abstract: A catalyst degradation determining method includes the steps of: controlling an upstream-of-catalyst air-fuel ratio occurring upstream of a first catalyst to an air-fuel ratio that is rich of a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio so that first and second catalysts store oxygen up to a maximum storage amount of oxygen. The method then includes the steps of controlling the upstream-of-catalyst air-fuel ratio to a first lean air-fuel ratio until an output of a downstream-of-first-catalyst sensor indicates a lean air-fuel ratio, and then to a second lean air-fuel ratio and that has a value that is determined in accordance with an oxidizing-reducing capability index value, until a time point when an output of a downstream-of-second-catalyst air-fuel ratio sensor indicates an air-fuel ratio that is lean.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an amino acid-containing drink and a method for reducing the bitterness of amino acids. The bitterness of an amino acid can be reduced by adding ornithine to the amino acid. Further, an amino acid-containing composition with reduced bitterness can be prepared by having ornithine contained in the composition.

Abstract: A catalyst degradation determining method includes the steps of: controlling an upstream-of-catalyst air-fuel ratio occurring upstream of a first catalyst to an air-fuel ratio that is rich of a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio so that first and second catalysts store oxygen up to a maximum storage amount of oxygen. The method then includes the steps of controlling the upstream-of-catalyst air-fuel ratio to a first lean air-fuel ratio until an output of a downstream-of-first-catalyst sensor indicates a lean air-fuel ratio, and then to a second lean air-fuel ratio and that has a value that is determined in accordance with an oxidizing-reducing capability index value, until a time point when an output of a downstream-of-second-catalyst air-fuel ratio sensor indicates an air-fuel ratio that is lean.

Abstract: An epoxy resin composition for semiconductor encapsulation which is for use in the resin encapsulation of semiconductor elements other than optical semiconductor elements including photoreceptors and light-emitting elements. This epoxy resin composition comprises the following ingredients (A) to (D) and has a content of ingredient (D) of 75-95% by weight based on the whole epoxy resin composition: (A) an epoxy resin, (B) a phenolic resin, (C) a specific release agent, and (D) an inorganic filler. The epoxy resin composition for semiconductor encapsulation which has improved adhesive force in application to metallic frame parts/heat radiation plates and can be inhibited from suffering separation from metallic frame parts/heat radiation plates during molding.

Abstract: A catalyst degradation determining method includes the steps of: controlling an upstream-of-catalyst air-fuel ratio occurring upstream of a first catalyst to an air-fuel ratio that is rich of a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio so that first and second catalysts store oxygen up to a maximum storage amount of oxygen. The method then includes the steps of controlling the upstream-of-catalyst air-fuel ratio to a first lean air-fuel ratio until an output of a downstream-of-first-catalyst sensor indicates a lean air-fuel ratio, and then to a second lean air-fuel ratio and that has a value that is determined in accordance with an oxidizing-reducing capability index value, until a time point when an output of a downstream-of-second-catalyst air-fuel ratio sensor indicates an air-fuel ratio that is lean.

Abstract: A catalyst degradation determining method includes the steps of: controlling an upstream-of-catalyst air-fuel ratio occurring upstream of a first catalyst to an air-fuel ratio that is rich of a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio so that first and second catalysts store oxygen up to a maximum storage amount of oxygen. The method then includes the steps of controlling the upstream-of-catalyst air-fuel ratio to a first lean air-fuel ratio until an output of a downstream-of-first-catalyst sensor indicates a lean air-fuel ratio, and then to a second lean air-fuel ratio and that has a value that is determined in accordance with an oxidizing-reducing capability index value, until a time point when an output of a downstream-of-second-catalyst air-fuel ratio sensor indicates an air-fuel ratio that is lean.

Abstract: During sulfur release control in an internal combustion engine, a rich period and a lean period are alternately repeated. The air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas is controlled toward a target air-fuel ratio (14.3) by adding fuel from a fuel adding valve in the rich period. An ECU determines whether the actual air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas detected by an air-fuel ratio sensor has reached a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio each time the rich period ends at which addition of fuel from the fuel adding valve is stopped. A counter counts the number of times the ECU has determined that the actual air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas has not reached the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio. When the value of the counter becomes greater than or equal to a permissible value, the ECU determines that there is an abnormality in the sulfur release control.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting deterioration of a catalyst in an internal combustion engine initially biases an air/fuel ratio of an air-fuel mixture supplied to the internal combustion engine to a rich amount so that an amount of oxygen stored in the catalyst is substantially zero. Then, the apparatus detects deterioration of the catalyst by alternating the air/fuel ratio lean or rich based on an amount of oxygen given to the catalyst. If the catalyst has deteriorated, a bias amount of the air/fuel ratio is set so that the amount of oxygen stored in the catalyst is substantially saturated. If the catalyst is normal, a bias amount of the air/fuel ratio is set so that the amount of oxygen stored in the catalyst is not saturated.

Abstract: A method for producing an epoxy resin composition for semiconductor encapsulation, which does not cause void generation and the like and is excellent in reliability. A method for producing an epoxy resin composition for semiconductor encapsulation, which contains the following components (A) to (C): (A) an epoxy resin, (B) a phenol resin, and (C) a hardening accelerator, which comprises mixing the whole or a part of the components excluding the component (A) among the components containing the components (A) to (C) in advance under a reduced pressure of from 1.333 to 66.65 kPa and under a heating condition of from 100 to 230° C., and then mixing the component (A) and remaining components with the resulting mixture.

Abstract: A catalyst degradation determining method includes the steps of: controlling an upstream-of-catalyst air-fuel ratio occurring upstream of a first catalyst to an air-fuel ratio that is rich of a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio so that first and second catalysts store oxygen up to a maximum storage amount of oxygen. The method then includes the steps of controlling the upstream-of-catalyst air-fuel ratio to a first lean air-fuel ratio until an output of a downstream-of-first-catalyst sensor indicates a lean air-fuel ratio, and then to a second lean air-fuel ratio and that has a value that is determined in accordance with an oxidizing-reducing capability index value, until a time point when an output of a downstream-of-second-catalyst air-fuel ratio sensor indicates an air-fuel ratio that is lean.

Abstract: A catalyst degradation determining apparatus determines whether a catalyst provided in an exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine has degraded. The apparatus includes a controller. The controller acquires a degradation index value that changes in accordance with a degree of degradation of the catalyst. The controller corrects the degradation index value acquired, based on a factor that affects the degradation index value, so that the degradation index value becomes equal to a post-normalization index value that is a degradation index value acquired when the factor is a predetermined value. The controller also determines whether the catalyst has degraded, based on a result of comparison regarding whether the post-normalization index value is greater than a catalyst degradation criterion value.

Abstract: An air-fuel ratio control apparatus according to the present invention estimates, on the basis of an exhaust air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas flowing into an exhaust purifying catalyst unit 19 disposed in an exhaust passage 7 of an engine 1, an emission of at least one specific component contained in exhaust gas flowing out of the exhaust purifying catalyst unit. The air-fuel ratio control apparatus performs the estimation by use of a model, and controls the air-fuel ratio in such a manner that the estimation value reaches a target state. The model is previously determined in consideration of the mass balance of the specific component.

Abstract: When determining a maximum storable oxygen amount of a catalyst disposed in an exhaust passage, a target air-fuel ratio of the gas upstream of the catalyst is set to a predetermined lean air-fuel ratio upon determining that the output of a downstream-side air-fuel ratio sensor indicating a lean air-fuel ratio has changed to indicate a rich air-fuel ratio. Then, a feedback correction amount is calculated such that the air-fuel ratio detected by an upstream-side air-fuel ratio sensor matches the target air-fuel ratio, and a feed-forward amount required for the gas, to be supplied into the internal combustion engine, to become lean is determined. A final injection amount is determined by correcting the feed-forward amount by the feedback correction amount.

Abstract: A catalyst deterioration detection apparatus and method detect deterioration of a catalyst connected to an exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine by: determining a deterioration characteristic value that indicates a state of deterioration of the catalyst; determining a temperature of the catalyst occurring at a time of the determination of the deterioration characteristic value, as a detection-time catalyst temperature; determining an amount of intake air occurring at the time of the determination of the deterioration characteristic value, as a detection-time amount of air, determining whether the detection-time catalyst temperature and the detection-time amount of air satisfy a predetermined relationship; and prohibiting a determination of the state of deterioration of the catalyst based on the deterioration characteristic value if the detection-time catalyst temperature and the detection-time amount of air do not satisfy the predetermined relationship.