An adaptive, any-fuel reciprocating engine using sensor feedback integration of high-speed optical sensors with real-time control loops to adaptively manage the electronic actuation schemes over a range of engine loads and fuels. The engine uses one or more optical sensors to collect specific types of gas property data via a spectroscopic technique to adaptively control various components within the engine.

Embodiments of the invention relate to the microbial production of polyhydroxyalkanoic acids, or polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), from substrates which cannot be used as a source of carbon and/or energy for microbial growth or PHA synthesis and which have microbial and environmental toxicity. According to one embodiment of the invention, a process for the production of PHA is provided wherein an enzyme such as methane monooxygenase is used to convert volatile organic compounds into PHA through the use of microorganisms that are unable to use volatile organic compounds as a source of carbon for growth or PHA production.

A fuel injection control apparatus including a microprocessor. The microprocessor is configured to perform calculating a target injection time, determining a first crank angle defining a start of fuel injection and a second crank angle defining an end of fuel injection, controlling a fuel injector in a first injection mode in which the fuel is injected for the first target injection time from a first time point corresponding to the first crank angle or a second injection mode in which the fuel is injected for the second target injection time from a second time point corresponding to a target crank angle, and the controlling including controlling the fuel injector so as to inject the fuel in an intake stroke in the first injection mode, while inject the fuel in a compression stroke in the second injection mode.

An internal combustion engine control apparatus including an electronic control unit having a microprocessor and a memory. The microprocessor is configured to perform switching an injection mode between a first injection mode in which the fuel is injected in a range including an intake stroke and a compression stroke of an internal combustion engine and a second injection mode in which the fuel is injected in the range so that an injection frequency in the compression stroke in the second injection mode is greater than an injection frequency in the compression stroke in the first injection mode; and determining whether the injection mode needs to be switched based on an ignition timing of the ignitor.

Misfire classification method for an internal combustion engine, comprising: a step of determining whether the engine is subjected to a misfire; a step of obtaining at least one temperature signal being indicative of a temperature prevailing in a cylinder of the engine; and a step of determining a type of misfire in dependence on the obtained temperature signal.

An internal combustion engine system for a vehicle includes an internal combustion engine, ICE, operable on a low cetane fuel and having a cylinder at least partly defining a combustion chamber and an ignition source for the low cetane fuel; a fuel injector for injecting the low cetane fuel into the combustion chamber; an ignition improver device in fluid communication with the fuel injector and further configured to supply an ignition improver fluid to the low cetane fuel; a control unit configured to selectively operate the ICE in a spark ignition, SI, mode and a compression ignition, CI, mode. The control unit determines an ICE operating condition and controls the ignition improver device to supply a given amount of ignition improver fluid to the low cetane fuel on the basis of said determined ICE operating condition.

An adaptive, any-fuel reciprocating engine using sensor feedback integration of high-speed optical sensors with real-time control loops to adaptively manage the electronic actuation schemes over a range of engine loads and fuels. The engine uses one or more optical sensors to collect specific types of gas property data via a spectroscopic technique to adaptively control various components within the engine.

In a control device for an internal combustion engine in which internal EGR and external EGR are conducted, an ideal in-cylinder gas amount and an ideal in-cylinder gas temperature in an ideal state in which neither of EGR gas recirculates into a cylinder are calculated (steps 1 and 2). A mixed gas amount of intake air and the external EGR gas present on a downstream side of a throttle valve is calculated, based on a rotation speed of the internal combustion engine and intake air pressure (step 21) to detect a mixed gas temperature. An actual in-cylinder gas temperature and amount and an EGR ratio are calculated, based on the ideal in-cylinder gas amount, the ideal in-cylinder gas temperature, the mixed gas amount, and the mixed gas temperature (steps 24, 4, and 5), and an internal combustion engine is controlled based on the EGR ratio.

A surgical stapler including an anvil, a staple cartridge, and a buttress material removably retained to the anvil and/or staple cartridge. In various embodiments, the staple cartridge can include at least one staple removably stored therein which can, when deployed, or fired, therefrom, contact the buttress material and remove the buttress material from the anvil and/or staple cartridge. In at least one embodiment, the anvil can include at least one lip and/or groove configured to removably retain the buttress material to the anvil until deformable members extending from the surgical staple are bent by the anvil and are directed toward and contact the buttress material.

To provide a controller and a control method for internal combustion engine which can set appropriately an angle interval for estimating the combustion state in accordance with change of a burning angle interval, and can reduce calculation processing load for estimation of the combustion state. A controller for internal combustion engine changes the estimation crank angle interval based on an operating condition of the internal combustion engine; calculates an increment of gas pressure torque by burning at each crank angle of the estimation crank angle interval; and estimates the combustion state of the internal combustion engine, based on the increment of gas pressure torque by burning in the estimation crank angle interval.