Abstract: A turbine engine having a compressor section, a combustor section, a turbine section, and a rotatable drive shaft that couples a portion of the turbine section and a portion of the compressor section. A bypass conduit couples the compressor section to the turbine section while bypassing at least the combustion section. At least one particle separator is located in the turbine engine having a separator inlet that receives a bypass stream, a separator outlet that receives a reduced-particle stream flows, and a particle outlet that receives a concentrated-particle stream comprising separated particles. A conduit, fluidly coupled to the particle outlet, extends through an interior of at least one stationary vane.

Abstract: A method for establishing or reinforcing a path through an asymmetric network of interconnected nodes includes storing navigation data at one or more nodes, for use by an agent in traveling from that node to a subsequent node, while ultimately traveling from a first terminal node (for example, a source node) to a second terminal node (for example, a destination node). As the agent travels from a first terminal node to a second terminal node via an intermediate node, the agent modifies the navigation data intended for use by an agent traveling from the second terminal node to the first terminal node via the intermediate node. Agents traveling complementary routes reinforce each other paths, allowing paths to be determined and reinforced.

Abstract: A method for establishing or reinforcing a path through an asymmetric network of interconnected nodes includes storing navigation data at one or more nodes, for use by an agent in traveling from that node to a subsequent node, while ultimately traveling from a first terminal node (for example, a source node) to a second terminal node (for example, a destination node). As the agent travels from a first terminal node to a second terminal node via an intermediate node, the agent modifies the navigation data intended for use by an agent traveling from the second terminal node to the first terminal node via the intermediate node. Agents traveling complementary routes reinforce each other paths, allowing paths to be determined and reinforced.

Abstract: A system for deriving a cartographic projection having minimum distortion with respect to selected elements of distortion. A first function contains modifiable parameters for mapping earth coordinates into two-dimensional coordinates on the surface of a map, the parameters being varied in such a way as to minimize a function containing a selected set of distortion components normalized according to a predetermined set of relative weights. The selected distortion components may include distortion with respect to distance, angle, and area.