Abstract: A method for controlling power consumption includes receiving a flexibility request from an electrical utility and discovering energy relevant devices in a building. The energy relevant devices include electrical loads and alternative energy sources. Power requirements are predicted from an electrical utility for the loads, the prediction takes into account available power from the alternative power sources. Power set points are determined for the energy relevant devices based on the prediction. The power set points meet the flexibility request. The energy relevant devices are directed to operate at the power set points. A building energy management system is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of making an electrocaloric article is disclosed. The method includes mounting a supported electrocaloric film to a frame. The supported electrocaloric film includes an electrocaloric film and a first support film disposed on a first side of the electrocaloric film. An active area of the electrocaloric film is provided, which is not covered by the first support film on the first side of the electrocaloric film. Electrical connections are provided to electrodes disposed on opposing sides of the electrocaloric film in the active area.

Abstract: A system is provided and includes refrigerated storage containers (20), local controllers (30) respectively coupled with corresponding refrigerated storage containers (20) to control operations thereof in accordance with controller parameters and a supervisory controller (40). The supervisory controller (40) is configured to issue control commands to the local controllers (30) based on respective responses of the refrigerated storage containers (20) to local controller control.

Abstract: A detection system for measuring one or more conditions within an area. At least one fiber optic cable transmits light wherein the at least one fiber optic cable defines a plurality of nodes arranged to measure the one or more conditions. A control system communicates with the at least one fiber optic cable such that scattered light and a time of flight record is transmitted from the at least one fiber optic cable to the control system. The control system includes a detection algorithm operable to identify a portion of the scattered light associated with each of the plurality of nodes. When determining an alert, the control system transmits data associated with a presence and magnitude of the one or more conditions at each of the plurality of nodes to a cloud computing environment and, in return, receives a notification based on the data transmitted.

Abstract: A building heating or cooling system is disclosed that includes an air handling system having an air delivery flow path in fluid communication with a conditioned space in the building. The building heating or cooling system also includes an electrocaloric heating or cooling system that includes first and second electrocaloric modules. A first inlet receives air from the conditioned space or the air delivery flow path and directs it through the first or second electrocaloric module to a first outlet to the conditioned space or the air delivery flow path, and a second inlet that receives air from the conditioned space or the air delivery flow path and directs it through the first or second electrocaloric module to a second outlet to outside the conditioned space.

Abstract: Provided are embodiments including a system for operating an augmented reality model-based fire extinguisher training platform. The system includes a computation engine configured to receive one or more inputs and generate a simulation based on the one or more inputs, and a fire extinguisher configured to communicate with the computation engine, wherein the fire extinguisher includes a plurality of sensors to provide feedback to the computation engine. The system also includes a display device that is operably coupled to the computation engine and is configured to display the generated simulation from the computation engine, and wherein the computation engine is configured to perform analytics to generate a recommendation for a design of the fire extinguisher based at least in part on the feedback from fire extinguisher. Also provided are embodiments that include a method for operating an augmented reality model-based fire extinguisher training platform.

Abstract: A detection system for measuring one or more conditions within an area. At least one fiber optic cable transmits light wherein the at least one fiber optic cable defines a plurality of nodes arranged to measure the one or more conditions. A control system communicates with the at least one fiber optic cable such that scattered light and a time of flight record is transmitted from the at least one fiber optic cable to the control system. The control system includes a detection algorithm operable to identify a portion of the scattered light associated with each of the plurality of nodes. When determining an alert, the control system transmits data associated with a presence and magnitude of the one or more conditions at each of the plurality of nodes to a cloud computing environment and, in return, receives a notification based on the data transmitted.

Abstract: A refrigerated storage container is provided and includes a container housing defining an interior, an air conditioner operable to maintain control of temperatures within the interior and a local controller configured to cycle the air conditioner on and off within a time window based on waste heat ingestion from neighboring refrigerated storage containers.

Abstract: A method of making an electrocaloric article is disclosed in which a continuous sheet of an electrocaloric film is bent back and forth to form a plurality of connected aligned segments of electrocaloric film with gaps between film surfaces of adjacent aligned segments. The continuous sheet of electrocaloric film is secured in this with a securing method that includes attaching a spacer to the continuous sheet of electrocaloric film prior to the back and forth bending; or providing a spacer comprising a base and a plurality of projections extending from the base, and inserting the projections into the gaps between the film surfaces of adjacent aligned segments after the back and forth bending; or interweaving a continuous spacer through the gaps between the aligned segments of the electrocaloric film; or attaching an end cap to a plurality of connecting portions of the electrocaloric film between the aligned segments.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for managing power in a transport refrigeration unit (TRU) installed on a trailer, having: a TRU controller configured to perform steps such as: executing a system-level energy manager, wherein the TRU controller: adaptively selects energy flow parameters based on one or more mission specific parameters and TRU power health; executes a predictive analytics module for collecting mission specific parameters and predicting TRU cooling power demands; and executes an online optimization module for generating a power source schedule for the TRU based on the predicted TRU cooling power demands; and operating the TRU according to the generated power source schedule.

Abstract: A refrigerated storage container is provided and includes a container housing defining an interior, an air conditioner operable to maintain control of temperatures within the interior and a local controller configured to cycle the air conditioner on and off within a time window based on waste heat ingestion from neighboring refrigerated storage containers.

Abstract: A heat transfer system includes first (62) and second (64) electrocaloric module with aligned first and second sides. First and second prime movers (80,82) are arranged to direct a working fluid in opposite directions along flow paths through the electrocaloric modules. A rotary fluid control device (92,98) including a plurality of openings (94,96,100,102) is disposed around the electrocaloric modules, and is configured to rotate between positions relative to the modules. In a first position, the first module is in operative fluid communication through the openings with the first prime mover, and the second module is in operative fluid communication through the openings with the second prime mover. In a second position, the first module is in operative fluid communication through the openings with the second prime mover, and the second module is in operative fluid communication through the openings with the first prime mover.

Abstract: A method of determining potential routes for a transportation refrigeration unit (TRU) powered by an electric energy storage device is provided.

Abstract: Method of stacking refrigerated shipping containers (10) including categorizing a plurality of refrigerated shipping containers (10) as a low temperature container (L) or a high temperature container (H), each of the refrigerated shipping containers (10) having a condenser (16). The method also includes disposing the plurality of refrigerated shipping containers (10) relative to each other based on the temperature categorization of the refrigerated shipping containers (10).

Abstract: A refrigerated storage container is provided and includes a container housing defining an interior in which cargo is storable, a condenser configured to receive air to remove heat from a refrigerant passing through the condenser, a condenser air inlet receptive of the air, a condenser air outlet configured to direct air exhausted from the condenser away from the condenser air inlet and a reefer air outlet configured to direct conditioned air exhausted from the interior toward the condenser air inlet.

Abstract: A method of making an electrocaloric article is disclosed. The method includes mounting a supported electrocaloric film to a frame. The supported electrocaloric film includes an electrocaloric film and a first support film disposed on a first side of the electrocaloric film. An active area of the electrocaloric film is provided, which is not covered by the first support film on the first side of the electrocaloric film. Electrical connections are provided to electrodes disposed on opposing sides of the electrocaloric film in the active area.

Abstract: An electrocaloric module includes a housing and an electrocaloric element in the housing. The electrocaloric element includes an electrocaloric film, a first electrode on a first surface of the electrocaloric film, and a second electrode on a second surface of the electrocaloric film. The electrocaloric module also includes a first thermal connection configured to connect to a first thermal flow path between the electrocaloric elements and a heat sink, a second thermal connection configured to connect to a second thermal flow path between the electrocaloric elements and a heat source, and a power connection connected to the first and second electrodes and configured to connect to a power source.

Abstract: A method for controlling power consumption includes receiving a flexibility request from an electrical utility and discovering energy relevant devices in a building. The energy relevant devices include electrical loads and alternative energy sources. Power requirements are predicted from an electrical utility for the loads, the prediction takes into account available power from the alternative power sources. Power set points are determined for the energy relevant devices based on the prediction. The power set points meet the flexibility request. The energy relevant devices are directed to operate at the power set points. A building energy management system is also disclosed.

Abstract: A building heating or cooling system is disclosed that includes an air handling system comprising an air delivery flow path (44) in fluid communication with a conditioned space (40) in the building. The building heating or cooling system also includes an electrocaloric heating or cooling system (10, 11) that includes first and second modules (12, 14). A first inlet receives air from the conditioned space (40) or the air delivery flow path (44) and directs it through the first or second module (12, 14) to a first outlet to the conditioned space (40) or the air delivery flow path (44), and a second inlet that receives air from conditioned space (40) or the air delivery flow path (44) and directs it through the first or second module (12,14) to a second outlet to outside the conditioned space (40).

Abstract: A method of operating a heat exchanger is disclosed in which an electric field is applied to a hydrophobic surface having condensed water droplets thereon to reduce a contact angle between the individual droplet surfaces and the hydrophobic surface, and to increase droplet surface energy to a second surface energy level. The electric field is removed to increase the contact angle between the individual droplet surfaces and the hydrophobic surface, and to reduce droplet surface energy to a third surface energy level. The third surface energy level is greater than the first surface energy level and greater than a surface energy level for a free droplet. A portion of the droplet surface energy is converted to kinetic energy to detach droplets from the hydrophobic surface. The detached droplets are removed from the heat rejection side fluid flow path.