Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

Ihi Corporation

Ishikawajima-harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.

Hidetoshi Takimoto

Yasunori Kotani

Yoshiyuki Saito

Minoru Mizusawa

Takehito Yagi

Tsuyoshi Terauchi

Yasuhiko Fukuchi

A film thickness measurement device, which measures the film thickness of an oil film of lubricating oil, formed in a gap between a piston ring and an electrode provided flush with a piston ring sliding surface of a cylinder liner, by detecting the electrostatic capacitance across the gap, employs an electrostatic capacitance detection portion, which charges the electrostatic capacitance by supplying a constant current to the electrode, detects the electrostatic capacitance based on changes in the charging voltage accompanying the charging, and outputs a detection signal indicating the electrostatic capacitance, and a film thickness computation portion, which calculates the film thickness of the oil film based on the electrostatic capacitance indicated by the detection signal input from the electrostatic capacitance detection portion.

Film thickness measurement device and method

A reforming catalyst is composed of a plurality of catalyst layers arranged in series, and when started from a low temperature, preheated air is supplied in parallel to a point upstream of each catalyst layer, thereby the catalyst in each layer is self-heated simultaneously so that the catalyst is heated. After the catalyst is heated, feed of air is temporarily stopped, and supply of fuel gas is started. Next, air is supplied while controlling its flow rate so that temperatures in the catalyst do not exceed the temperature that the catalyst can withstand. Thus, no other special equipment is needed, and the catalyst can be started quickly (cold start). The catalyst can be made compact enough to install it in a electric vehicle.

Fuel reforming apparatus and the method of starting it

Growing community of inventors

Tokorozawa, Japan

Hidetoshi Takimoto