Abstract: A method for driving a discharge lamp that lights by performing discharge between two electrodes while alternately switching a polarity of a voltage applied between the two electrodes includes: modulating an anode duty ratio, which is a ratio of an anode time for which one of the electrodes operates as an anode in one period of the polarity switching, by setting first and second periods with different anode duty ratios; and setting the first period, in which the anode duty ratio is higher than that in the second period, longer than the second period in one modulation period, which includes the first and second periods and for which the modulation is performed, when a predetermined condition is satisfied.

Abstract: A driving method for a discharge lamp that lights by performing discharge between two electrodes while alternately switching a polarity of a voltage applied between the two electrodes includes: modulating an anode duty ratio, which is a ratio of an anode time for which one of the electrodes operates as an anode in one period of the polarity switching, within a predetermined range; and changing the predetermined range to make a maximum value of the modulated anode duty ratio higher than a maximum value of an initial anode duty ratio of the discharge lamp when a predetermined condition is satisfied.

Abstract: A light source device is provided. The light source device has: a discharge lamp that emits light by discharge in an interelectrode space between a first electrode and a second electrode; a main mirror arranged at the first electrode side that reflects light flux generated by the discharge in the interelectrode space so as to emit the light flux to an area to be illuminated; a sub-mirror arranged at the second electrode side facing opposite the main mirror that reflects the light flux from the interelectrode space toward the interelectrode space; and a driver that supplies alternating current to the first and the second electrodes, and changes duty ratio of the alternating current supplied to the first and the second electrodes in accordance with a predetermined pattern.

Abstract: To prevent biased consumption of electrodes in a discharge lamp and to prevent biased precipitation of the electrode material, a light source is provided. The light source device has a discharge lamp that emits light by discharge between a first electrode and a second electrode; and a driver that supplies alternating current to the first and the second electrodes so as to maintain the discharge, and changes duty ratio of the alternating current in accordance with predetermined pattern. The predetermined pattern includes a plurality of section periods for which the duty ratio maintains mutually different values for a predetermined period.

Abstract: A light source includes an arc tube having a first electrode and a second electrode that emit light by discharge between the electrodes, and a driving unit that supplies a current between the first electrode and the second electrode and can change at least a waveform of frequency and waveform of the supplied current. The driving unit can perform lighting drive of the arc tube, using a driving waveform formed by combining a first lighting waveform having a maximum current value at a part other than a half-cycle rear end of the waveform and a second lighting waveform having a maximum current value at the half-cycle rear end of the waveform.

Abstract: A light source includes an discharge lamp including a first electrode and a second electrode emitting light by discharge between them, a drive unit performing a steady operation which supplies steady energy to the first and second electrodes and an initial operation which supplies energy to the first and second electrodes with an operation different from the steady operation before performing the steady operation, a determination unit determining states of the discharge lamp and a data storage unit storing plural initial power feeding conditions provided corresponding to states of the discharge lamp as examples of the initial operation and plural steady power feeding conditions provided corresponding to the states of the discharge lamp as examples of the steady operation, in which the drive unit performs the initial operation in any one of conditions selected from the plural initial power feeding conditions according to a determination result by the determination unit and performs the steady operation in any

Abstract: A purification catalyst and a gas-purifying apparatus are provided which are capable of sufficiently purifying a gas subject to treatment at low temperatures. The purification catalyst includes ZrO2 having a specific surface area of 50 m2/g or less and a monoclinic crystal system. The gas-purifying apparatus includes the aforementioned purification catalyst as a first purification catalyst, and a second purification catalyst containing Mn as a major component and disposed upstream of the first purification catalyst.

Abstract: It is not possible to store heat of a domestic hot water supply level at a high density. If thermal storage temperature is T, variation in enthalpy in a chemical reaction is ?H, variation in entropy is ?S, and variation in free energy is ?G, a thermal storage material satisfying a relationship of T?S??G is used under a condition of ?H>0 so as to promote a reaction for putting the thermal storage material in a thermal storage reaction portion in an energy storing state by having supplemental energy added by an electrode portion when putting the thermal storage material in the energy storing state by decomposing or separating it.

Abstract: The present invention provides a regenerative heat pump system including a heat pump cycle, first storage vessel for storing a heat storage material, heat exchange device between first refrigerant and heat storage material for heating and decomposing the heat storage material by heat from a refrigerant, and heat exchange device between second refrigerant and an other heat storage material for transferring heat from the separated heat storage material to the refrigerant. The system also includes second storage vessel for storing the decomposed heat storage material, and heat generating device for generating heat by recombining the heat storage material stored in the second storage vessel and for heating a heating medium.

Abstract: The present invention provides a regenerative heat pump system including a heat pump cycle, first storage vessel for storing a heat storage material, heat exchange device between first refrigerant and heat storage material for heating and decomposing the heat storage material by heat from a refrigerant, and heat exchange device between second refrigerant and an other heat storage material for transferring heat from the separated heat storage material to the refrigerant. The system also includes second storage vessel for storing the decomposed heat storage material, and heat generating device for generating heat by recombining the heat storage material stored in the second storage vessel and for heating a heating medium.

Abstract: It is not possible to store heat of a domestic hot water supply level at a high density. If thermal storage temperature is T, variation in enthalpy in a chemical reaction is &Dgr;H, variation in entropy is &Dgr;S, and variation in free energy is &Dgr;G, a thermal storage material satisfying a relationship of T&Dgr;S≧&Dgr;G is used under a condition of &Dgr;H>0 so as to promote a reaction for putting the thermal storage material in a thermal storage reaction portion in an energy storing state by having supplemental energy added by an electrode portion when putting the thermal storage material in the energy storing state by decomposing or separating it.

Abstract: A catalyst combustion apparatus, includes: a fuel feed course for feeding liquid fuel; an air feed course for feeding air; a mixing unit for mixing fuel to be fed from the fuel feed course with air to be fed from the air feed course; a vaporizing unit for heating mixture obtained by mixing in the mixing unit to vaporize the liquid fuel; a catalyst heating unit disposed on the downstream side of the vaporizing unit in contact with or in close proximity to the vaporizing unit in terms of conduction of heat, for carrying an oxidation catalyst component; and a catalyst combustion unit provided on the downstream of the catalyst heating unit, having a multiplicity of conductive holes, and the vaporizing unit is capable of utilizing heat from the catalyst heating unit.

Abstract: There is provided a catalytic combustion apparatus that allows power consumption of a carburetor heater to be significantly reduced, and allows a fuel consumption amount to be reduced. A catalytic combustion apparatus including: a fuel tank 1 for feeding fuel and others, an air feeding fan 5 for feeding air and others, a carburetor 8 for evaporating the above described fuel, a gas mixture space 15 that holds the above described evaporated fuel and the above described air, a catalytic combustion unit 17 adjacent to the above described gas mixture space, and a catalyst heating element 10 provided in the gas mixture space 15, characterized in that the catalyst heating element 10 has a first heating compartment 11 and a second heating element compartment 12 provided from upstream to downstream of a flow of the above described gas mixture, and that the compartments carry catalysts on all or part thereof and are provided with a first gas mixture vent 13 and a second gas mixture vent 14.

Abstract: A low-cost, high-mass-productivity catalytic combustion apparatus having a construction that permits easy maintenance is realized. There is provided a catalytic combustion apparatus in which, by means of a combustion chamber having a fuel supply portion 1 and a combustion air supply portion on the upstream side thereof and a combustion gas exhaust port on the downstream side thereof and a catalytic combustion portion with an upstream surface and a downstream surface provided in the combustion chamber, the upstream surface and the downstream surface being substantially parallel to each other, a fuel-air mixture supplied to the interior of the combustion chamber is caused to react to liberate heat.

Abstract: A catalyst combustion apparatus, includes: a fuel feed course for feeding liquid fuel; an air feed course for feeding air; a mixing unit for mixing fuel to be fed from the fuel feed course with air to be fed from the air feed course; a vaporizing unit for heating mixture-obtained by mixing in the mixing unit to vaporize the liquid fuel; a catalyst heating unit disposed on the downstream side of the vaporizing unit in contact with or in close proximity to the vaporizing unit in terms of conduction of heat, for carrying an oxidation catalyst component; and a catalyst combustion unit provided on the downstream of the catalyst heating unit, having a multiplicity of conductive holes, and the vaporizing unit is capable of utilizing heat from the catalyst heating unit.

Abstract: A low-cost, high-mass-productivity catalytic combustion apparatus having a construction that permits easy maintenance is realized. There is provided a catalytic combustion apparatus in which, by means of a combustion chamber 200 having a fuel supply portion 1 and a combustion air supply portion 2 on the upstream side thereof and a combustion gas exhaust port 4 on the downstream side thereof and a catalytic combustion portion 5 with an upstream surface and a downstream surface provided in the combustion chamber 200, the upstream surface and the downstream surface being substantially parallel to each other, a fuel-air mixture supplied to the interior of the combustion chamber 200 is caused to react to liberate heat.

Abstract: A purification catalyst and a gas-purifying apparatus are provided which are capable of sufficiently purifying a gas subject to treatment at low temperatures. The purification catalyst includes ZrO2 having a specific surface area of 50 m2/g or less and a monoclinic crystal system. The gas-purifying apparatus includes the aforementioned purification catalyst as a first purification catalyst, and a second purification catalyst containing Mn as a major component and disposed upstream of the first purification catalyst.

Abstract: There is provided a catalytic combustion apparatus that allows power consumption of a carburetor heater to be significantly reduced, and allows a fuel consumption amount to be reduced. A catalytic combustion apparatus including: a fuel tank 1 for feeding fuel and others, an air feeding fan 5 for feeding air and others, a carburetor 8 for evaporating the above described fuel, a gas mixture space 15 that holds the above described evaporated fuel and the above described air, a catalytic combustion unit 17 adjacent to the above described gas mixture space, and a catalyst heating element 10 provided in the gas mixture space 15, characterized in that the catalyst heating element 10 has a first heating compartment 11 and a second heating element compartment 12 provided from upstream to downstream of a flow of the above described gas mixture, and that the compartments carry catalysts on all or part thereof and are provided with a first gas mixture vent 13 and a second gas mixture vent 14.

Abstract: A combustion control method for use in a catalytic combustion system having (a) a gaseous mixture inlet port, located at the upstream side of said catalytic combustion system, for the entrance of a fuel-air mixture; (b) an exhaust gas outlet port, located at the downstream side of said catalytic combustion system, for the exit of an exhaust gas; (c) a primary combustion chamber in which a catalyst body is disposed, said catalyst body being formed of a porous base material with numerous communicating holes that supports thereon an oxidation catalyst; (d) a secondary supply port, located downstream of said primary combustion chamber, for the supply of a gaseous mixture or air; and (e) a secondary combustion chamber located downstream of said secondary supply port; comprising such process that an excess air ratio of said primary combustion chamber is initially set above 1 and after the rate of combustion of said secondary combustion chamber exceeds a given level, combustion is made to take place, with the

Abstract: To present a ceramic sheet with catalyst high in porosity, excellent in combustion efficiency, and easy to process into any desired shape, an inorganic oxide 4 carrying a noble metal catalyst 5 is dispersed and mixed together with ceramic fibers 1 and an inorganic binder 2, and an inorganic flocculant and an organic binder 3 possessing the flocculating effect are added to form flocs, a sheet is formed by a paper making method, and it is heated at 950.degree. C. or less, thereby obtaining a ceramic sheet carrying the noble metal catalyst in a state of being uniformly dispersed in the entire inner parts.