Abstract: When the low SOC control request is output and the catalyst warming request is not output, the low SOC control mode is set as a control mode and the state of charge (SOC) of the battery is controlled according to the managing center SOC* set as the smaller value S2 than the value S1 for the normal time. When the catalyst warming request is output, the catalyst warming mode is set as a control mode regardless of the low SOC control request and the engine is controlled to perform the self sustained operation (no-load operation) at the idling rotation speed Nidl with the spark-retard state. Namely, when the battery temperature is low and the catalyst temperature is also low, the catalyst warm-up is given a higher priority than the low SOC control and prevents the exhaust emission from becoming worse.

Abstract: A sprung vibration damping for suppressing sprung vibration which is generated to a vehicle by an input from a road surface to wheels provided with the vehicle by controlling a torque of a motor, and the sprung vibration damping is subjected to a restriction including a prohibition in response to a state of) battery, which supplies power to the motor, such as a voltage and a temperature of the battery or a state of a control, which affects the power of the battery, such as a charge/discharge amount feedback control and the like.

Abstract: A connector unit includes a communication line connecting a receiving port of a physical layer unit of a node to one adjacent node, and a communication line connecting a transmitting port of the physical layer unit to the one adjacent node via a capacitor, and a connector unit includes a communication line for connecting a receiving port of a physical layer unit of the node to the other adjacent node, and a communication line for connecting a transmitting port of the physical layer unit to the other adjacent node via a capacitor, wherein the connector unit is connected to a connector unit of the one adjacent node, so that the communication line of the node is connected to the communication line of the one adjacent node, and the communication line of the node is connected to the communication line of the one adjacent node.

Abstract: A sprung mass damping control system of a vehicle, which aims to suppress sprung mass vibration generated in a vehicle body of a vehicle provided with at least a motor-generator (first and second motor-generators) as a drive source, includes a sprung mass damping control amount calculating device that sets a sprung mass damping control amount for suppressing the sprung mass vibration, and a drive source control device (a motor-generator control device) that executes sprung mass damping control by controlling a motor-generator control amount of the motor-generator to realize the sprung mass damping control amount.

Abstract: A control unit of a vehicle control apparatus includes a module for receiving an ON signal from an eco switch, a module for reducing a step-up upper limit value of a converter from a predetermined normal upper limit value to a restricted upper limit value at a predetermined voltage reduction rate, and a module for determining an accelerator opening based on an accelerator operation performed by a user. When it is determined that the accelerator opening is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold while the eco switch is ON, the step-up upper limit value of the converter is restored to the normal upper limit value from the restricted upper limit value at a predetermined voltage increase rate.

Abstract: In a hybrid vehicle, once an engine is started in response to prohibition of an operation stop of the engine based on a deterioration factor, the operation stop of the engine is not allowed irrespective of the value of the deterioration factor D until elapse of a certain time period since the start of the engine. The deterioration factor has an increase according to discharge of a battery and a decrease according to charge of the battery and represents start of deterioration of the battery when exceeding a specific reference value. Such prohibition of the engine operation stop prevents a stop of the engine within a relatively short time period after a start of the engine based on the deterioration factor. This arrangement effectively prevents the driver from feeling odd and uncomfortable due to frequent stops and starts of the engine based on the deterioration factor, which is not apparently correlated to the driver's accelerating operations.

Abstract: Disclosed are an acrolein production method capable of producing acrolein from a glycerin mixture including either one or both of a fatty acid and a fatty acid salt, a glycerin; a fatty acid ester, and the like with a little consumption of energy, and an acrylic acid production method. Specifically disclosed is an acrolein production method having the steps of: dehydrating glycerin in the glycerin mixture to produce an acrolein mixture including acrolein; either one of a fatty acid and a fatty acid salt, and the like; and collecting acrolein from the acrolein mixture. Also specifically disclosed is an acrylic acid production method having the step of reacting acrolein produced by the acrolein production method with molecular oxygen.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing acrolein, comprising step (1) of subjecting glycerol to dehydration reaction in the presence of a copper compound and a compound containing a heteroatom; step (2) of recovering acrolein generated in the dehydration reaction step (1); step (3) of recovering part or all of the copper compound which remained after the recovery of acrolein; step (4) of treating part or all of the recovered copper compound with at least one member selected from a group consisting of an oxidizing agent and acid; and step (5) of returning part or all of the copper compound treated in the above step to step (1); and a method for producing acrylic acid, comprising reacting acrolein obtained by the above method with molecular oxygen.

Abstract: A control unit of a vehicle control apparatus includes a module for receiving an ON signal from an eco switch, a module for reducing a step-up upper limit value of a converter from a predetermined normal upper limit value to a restricted upper limit value at a predetermined voltage reduction rate, and a module for determining an accelerator opening based on an accelerator operation performed by a user. When it is determined that the accelerator opening is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold while the eco switch is ON, the step-up upper limit value of the converter is restored to the normal upper limit value from the restricted upper limit value at a predetermined voltage increase rate.

Abstract: An engine, motors MG1 and MG2 are controlled to ensure a torque demand Tr* to a ring gear shaft without an operation of the engine while restricting a discharge of a battery within a range of an output limit Wout when a driving power demand Pr* is less than an engine start determination power Pref obtained by subtracting an engine start electric power Wcrk and the like from a base output limit Woutb while the operation of the engine is stopped. When the driving power demand Pr* becomes equal to or more than the engine start determination power Pref while the operation of the engine is stopped, the engine, motors MG1 and MG2 are controlled to ensure the torque demand Tr* to the ring gear shaft with a start of the engine while restricting the discharge of the battery within the range of the output limit Wout.

Abstract: To provide a method of producing acrylic acid which enables low energy-consumption production of acrylic acid from glycerin mixtures including glycerin and one or more compound selected from the group consisting of fatty acids, fatty acid salts, glycerides, fatty acid esters, alkali compounds and alkali compound salts. The method of producing acrylic acid according to the present invention includes the steps of obtaining an acrolein mixture by causing a dehydration reaction to a glycerin mixture; and obtaining an acrylic acid mixture by causing an oxidation reaction to the acrolein mixture; and recovering acrylic acid from the acrylic acid mixture.

Abstract: A process of producing ?,?-unsaturated ethers includes pyrolyzing an acetal represented by Formula (2) below in a gas phase in the presence of a catalyst and a compound having at least one hydrogen atom capable of hydrogen bonding to produce an ?,?-unsaturated ether represented by Formula (3) below: R1R2CH—CR3(OR4)2??(2) R1R2C?C—R3(OR4)??(3) In Formulae (2) and (3), R1, R2 and R3 are each independently a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkenyl group or an aryl group; R4 is an alkyl group, an alkenyl group or an aryl group; the plurality of R4 in Formula (2) may be the same or different from each other.

Abstract: A running mode is determined on the basis of an input mode setting signal MSW. A lower intermittence prohibition vehicle speed is set when the running mode is a power mode than when the running mode is a normal mode. When a vehicle speed is equal to or higher than the set intermittence prohibition vehicle speed, an engine is prohibited from being operated intermittently. When the vehicle speed is not equal to or higher than the intermittence prohibition vehicle speed, a vehicle runs with the engine permitted to be operated intermittently. When the power mode is set, the engine is more often prohibited from being operated intermittently and hence is more often in operation. Therefore, the responsiveness of a driving force is enhanced. Further, when the normal mode is set, the engine is more often permitted to be operated intermittently. Therefore, no deterioration in fuel economy is caused.

Abstract: A method for producing a platelet type slit-incorporated vapor grown carbon fiber by bringing raw materials into contact with a catalyst in a heating zone, wherein the raw materials contain at least ethylene as a carbon source, and a platelet type slit-incorporated vapor grown carbon fiber obtained by the method are disclosed.

Abstract: When the low SOC control request is output and the catalyst warming request is not output, the low SOC control mode is set as a control mode and the state of charge (SOC) of the battery is controlled according to the managing center SOC* set as the smaller value S2 than the value S1 for the normal time. When the catalyst warming request is output, the catalyst warming mode is set as a control mode regardless of the low SOC control request and the engine is controlled to perform the self sustained operation (no-load operation) at the idling rotation speed Nidl with the spark-retard state. Namely, when the battery temperature is low and the catalyst temperature is also low, the catalyst warm-up is given a higher priority than the low SOC control and prevents the exhaust emission from becoming worse.

Abstract: It is the objective to provide a method of stabilizing hydroxylamine at a high temperature and a high concentration or in a case that metal impurities such as Fe got mixed therewith, and a stabilized hydroxylamine solution. A method for stabilizing hydroxylamine related to the present invention is characterized by adding ethylenediamine-N,N?-di(o-hydroxyphenylacetic acid) as a preservation stabilizer.

Abstract: An engine, motors MG1 and MG2 are controlled to ensure a torque demand Tr* to a ring gear shaft without an operation of the engine while restricting a discharge of a battery within a range of an output limit Wout when a driving power demand Pr* is less than an engine start determination power Pref obtained by subtracting an engine start electric power Wcrk and the like from a base output limit Woutb while the operation of the engine is stopped. When the driving power demand Pr* becomes equal to or more than the engine start determination power Pref while the operation of the engine is stopped, the engine, motors MG1 and MG2 are controlled to ensure the torque demand Tr* to the ring gear shaft with a start of the engine while restricting the discharge of the battery within the range of the output limit Wout.

Abstract: An ECU executes a program including the steps of: calculating a period of time elapsing after a stage was immediately previously shifted before the stage is currently shifted; if the elapsed period of time is at most a predetermined period of time, performing a process to advance an elevation rate applied to the rotation speed of an engine; determining an elevation rate applied to the rotation speed of the engine; and performing a process to control elevating the rotation speed of the engine.

Abstract: In a hybrid vehicle, once an engine is started in response to prohibition of an operation stop of the engine based on a deterioration factor, the operation stop of the engine is not allowed irrespective of the value of the deterioration factor D until elapse of a certain time period since the start of the engine. The deterioration factor has an increase according to discharge of a battery and a decrease according to charge of the battery and represents start of deterioration of the battery when exceeding a specific reference value. Such prohibition of the engine operation stop prevents a stop of the engine within a relatively short time period after a start of the engine based on the deterioration factor. This arrangement effectively prevents the driver from feeling odd and uncomfortable due to frequent stops and starts of the engine based on the deterioration factor, which is not apparently correlated to the driver's accelerating operations.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for producing a vapor-grown carbon fiber by supplying a raw material at least containing a carbon source and a catalyst and/or catalyst precursor compound into a heating zone, wherein the raw material further containing an oxygen-containing carbon source compound which is selected from the group consisting of ketones and ethers. The process for producing a vapor-grown carbon fiber according to the present invention does not leave a residue in a reaction device because a raw material used contains a particular oxygen-containing carbon source compound and, thereby, can continuously produce a vapor-grown carbon fiber.