Abstract: In the conventional distributed control system, since each control device updates the data area at a timing when a control packet is received, in a case where there is a difference in communication delay between the control devices or in a case where the communication delay includes jitter, it is difficult to match the contents of data in all the control devices in a case of focusing on a certain moment during system operation. Therefore, depending on the start timing of a control application, the control application operates on the basis of different data between the control devices, thus limiting control performance improvement. Accordingly, time slots on the network are allocated according to the result of a calculation unit, and a cyclic memory synchronization update unit synchronizes the timing of reflecting data in the input/output and the cyclic memory and the timing of using data of a cyclic memory.

Abstract: Provided is a methanation catalyst processing method capable of suppressing degradation of a catalyst performance. A methanation catalyst processing method of the present disclosure includes oxidizing nickel through a heat treatment of a methanation catalyst by supplying an oxygen gas containing oxygen to a reactor, the reactor housing the methanation catalyst containing the nickel as a catalyst component. In the oxidizing, the oxygen gas is supplied to the reactor such that the oxygen is supplied to 1 g of the methanation catalyst at a supply rate in a range of from 0.0213 mmol-O2/sec·g-cat. to 0.0638 mmol-O2/sec·g-cat., and a time period of the heat treatment of the methanation catalyst by supplying the oxygen gas to the reactor is set to 30 minutes or more.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet bundle housing unit that houses recording sheets piled as a sheet bundle; a swing member having a sheet contact portion on one end side, and swinging between a projection position at which the sheet contact portion projects above a sheet placement surface of the housing unit and a non-projection position at which the sheet contact portion does not project above the sheet placement surface, the swing member moving from the projection position to the non-projection position by the sheet bundle; a sheet detection unit that detects the sheet bundle in the housing unit using the swing member; and an interlocking mechanism that moves the swing member to the non-projection position, regardless of presence or absence of the sheet bundle in the housing unit, by interlocking with the housing unit being pulled out from an apparatus body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet bundle housing unit that houses recording sheets piled as a sheet bundle; a swing member having a sheet contact portion on one end side, and swinging between a projection position at which the sheet contact portion projects above a sheet placement surface of the housing unit and a non-projection position at which the sheet contact portion does not project above the sheet placement surface, the swing member moving from the projection position to the non-projection position by the sheet bundle; a sheet detection unit that detects the sheet bundle in the housing unit using the swing member; and an interlocking mechanism that moves the swing member to the non-projection position, regardless of presence or absence of the sheet bundle in the housing unit, by interlocking with the housing unit being pulled out from an apparatus body.