Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a centrifuge, a centrifuge pump, and a controller. The centrifuge is configured to separate foreign particles from a lubricant, wherein the centrifuge is so designed that a lubricant volumetric flow directed into the centrifuge produces and/or maintains a rotational movement of the centrifuge. The centrifuge pump is configured to produce and/or increase the lubricant volumetric flow directed into the centrifuge. A controller is configured to provide control of the centrifuge pump according to a setpoint value for a kinematic operating parameter and/or for a setting parameter of the centrifuge pump. The controller is configured to gradually change the setpoint value for control of the centrifuge pump upon shutdown or starting of the centrifuge pump.

Abstract: A line cart puller for moving a line cart along overhead conductors and past support towers. The line cart puller has a workspace for supporting a user and/or payload therein, and has a drive wheel able to connect to and disconnect from an overhead conductor hi order to reposition the puller around and past a support tower. The puller also has a motor of a hand-operated tool able to removably connect to a transmission system for driving the drive wheel.

Abstract: A line cart puller is provided for moving a line cart along at least one overhead conductor and past at least one support tower. The line cart puller comprises a workspace defined at least by one or more sidewalls for supporting a payload therein and at least one drive wheel capable of connecting to and disconnected from a first surface of the at least one overhead conductor. A motor of a hand-operated tool is operable to rotate at least one motor power output wherein the motor is located entirely within the workspace, said motor comprising a throttle control, a starter and a motor brake. A transmission system removably connectable to receive power from the motor via the motor power output to provide power to the at least one drive wheel for moving the line cart and the payload along the at least one overhead conductor.

Abstract: Method of determining an islanding solution for a power system comprising representing synchronising coefficients between generators and couplings between load buses and generators of the power system as a dynamic graph, calculating eigenvalues and eigenvectors of a graph laplacian describing the synchronising coefficients, identifying reference generators, calculating eigenvectors describing dynamic coupling between load buses and reference generators, using the synchronising coefficient and dynamic coupling eigenvectors to determine proximities between reference generators and other buses, assigning other buses to reference generators according to the proximities, selecting a threshold, identifying buses in weak-areas by using the threshold to identify buses having a proximity to their reference generator sufficiently similar to their proximity to another reference generator, determining the islanding solution by selecting connections to disconnect to split the power system into two or more islands based on

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for pulling a line cart along a section of suspended cable. The apparatus comprises a frame; a motor that is supported by the frame; one or more drive wheels that are cooperative with the cable for suspending the frame from the cable and the drive wheels rotate along the cable. The apparatus further comprises a transmission system for operatively connecting the motor to the drive wheels and a brake that engages the drive wheels. The present invention further comprises a line cart with an apparatus that includes the features described above. The apparatus provides the required power to pull the line cart up steep sections of suspended cables and the brake allows an operator to hold the line cart in a desired section of the suspended cable.

Abstract: A sodium sensor to measure a concentration of sodium methylate in methanol. The sensor assembly includes a solid alkali ion conducting membrane, a reference electrode, and a measurement electrode. The solid alkali ion conducting membrane transports ions between two alkali-containing solutions, including an aqueous solution and a non-aqueous solution. The reference electrode is at least partially within an alkali halide solution of a known alkali concentration on a first side of the solid alkali ion conducting membrane. The measurement electrode is on a second side of the solid alkali ion conducting membrane. The measurement electrode exhibits a measurable electrical characteristic corresponding to a measured alkali concentration within the non-aqueous solution, to which the measurement electrode is exposed.

Abstract: A sodium sensor to measure a concentration of sodium methylate in methanol. The sensor assembly includes a solid alkali ion conducting membrane, a reference electrode, and a measurement electrode. The solid alkali ion conducting membrane transports ions between two alkali-containing solutions, including an aqueous solution and a non-aqueous solution. The reference electrode is at least partially within an alkali halide solution of a known alkali concentration on a first side of the solid alkali ion conducting membrane. The measurement electrode is on a second side of the solid alkali ion conducting membrane. The measurement electrode exhibits a measurable electrical characteristic corresponding to a measured alkali concentration within the non-aqueous solution, to which the measurement electrode is exposed.

Abstract: A probe and associated apparatus for treating oesophageal tissue with microwave radiation (e.g. radiation having a frequency of 5-60 GHz) are disclosed. The probe comprises a flexible substrate that expands and retracts between an access configuration, e.g. suitable for insertion through an endoscope, and a treatment configuration in which radiating elements, e.g. conducting patches, monopole antennas, slots in a conducting strip or the like, are brought into close proximity with tissue to be treated. The radiating elements are arranged to emit a substantially uniform electromagnetic field with a suitable penetration depth into the tissue. The apparatus can monitor and control the power delivered from the probe into tissue. A method of hollow tube, e.g. oesophageal, pathological treatment and a device for opening and closing the probe are also disclosed.

Abstract: Methods and systems for detecting and alerting one to a condition of Compartment Syndrome provide for determining concentration data of biochemical compounds in tissues, preferably at a shallow depth beneath the skin; analysing the concentration data to detect a condition of Compartment Syndrome; and triggering an alarm if a condition of Compartment Syndrome is detected. The concentration of biochemical compounds may be measured using Near Infrared Spectroscopy. The biochemical compounds may comprise at least one compound from the group consisting of Hemoglobin, Oxygenated Hemoglobin, Cytochromes and Myoglobin.

Abstract: A system for monitoring urinary system operation comprises a sensor for detecting a level of one or more compounds in tissues of a subject's bladder. A processor identifies a pattern in a time variation of the level detected by the sensor. The processor generates an indicator of bladder function based at least in part on the identified pattern. In some embodiments the processor generates a possible diagnosis based upon the identified pattern and one or more pieces of additional information. The additional information may comprise one or more of: a residual amount of urine after urination; a maximum uroflow rate; and, a delay in onset of urination.

Abstract: Apparatus (10) is defined for regulating the level of liquid on a first side of a barrier (12) with respect to a moveable level of liquid on a second side of the barrier. The apparatus includes an inlet conduit (30) for positioning on the second side of the barrier and having an inlet (38) that is arranged for moving up and down with the liquid level, and an outlet conduit (16) for positioning on the first side of the barrier (12) and in liquid communication with the inlet conduit (30) across the barrier. The outlet conduit has an outlet (22) that can be located at a predetermined liquid level at the first side.

Abstract: A system for disseminating information over a wide area network includes a central caching unit for storing data to be made available over the wide area network. Local access give users access to the wide area network. Distributed caching units associated with the local access nodes for store cacheable material. A satellite communications system establishes satellite communications between the central caching unit and the local caching units for the transfer of cacheable material from the central caching unit to the local units. A router at the local access nodes routes packets from users to a destination address. The router includes local routing tables containing the addresses of material cached at the associated local node and responds to routing requests for locally cached material by directing the requests to the local cache.

Abstract: Apparatus (10) is defined for regulating the level of liquid on a first side of a barrier (12) with respect to a moveable level of liquid on a second side of the barrier. The apparatus includes an inlet conduit (30) for positioning on the second side of the barrier and having an inlet (38) that is arranged for moving up and down with the liquid level, and an outlet conduit (16) for positioning on the first side of the barrier (12) and in liquid communication with the inlet conduit (30) across the barrier. The outlet conduit has an outlet (22) that can be located at a predetermined liquid level at the first side.

Abstract: A signal conditioning circuit reduces an interferrometric fiber optic gyro (IFOG) noise, the IFOG including a light source, Integrated Optics Chips (IOC) and a coupler to output an optical power signal corresponding to a rotation-induced phase shift in a fiber coil of the IFOG. The signal conditioning circuit includes a photodiode that converts the optical power signal to a corresponding electrical compensation signal and one or more switched integrators that receive and process the electrical compensation signal by selectively switching between a plurality of modes of each one of the one or more switched integrators. A method of signal conditioning in the IFOG to reduce IFOG noise includes the steps of converting the optical power signal to a corresponding electrical compensation signal and selectively integrating a current of the electrical compensation signal using at least one switched integrator.

Abstract: A noise reducing thermal-electrically cooled photodetector for an Interferrometric Fiber Optic Gyro (IFOG) includes a photodiode that converts an optical power signal received from a coupler of the IFOG to an electrical compensation signal. The photodiode is in mechanical contact with one or more thermoelectric coolers (TEC) to lower an operating temperature of the photodiode. The photodetector also includes an amplifier circuit to amplify the electrical compensation signal. The amplifier circuit includes an operational amplifier having an input and an output, with a feedback resistor interposed between the input and output. The feedback resistor is also in mechanical contact with a TEC to lower an operating temperature of the feedback resistor. By reducing the operating temperature of the feedback resistor and the photodiode the thermal noise of the IFOG is reduced.

Abstract: A system for minimizing non-linearity in an Interferometric Fiber Optic Gyro (IFOG) that includes a light source, an Integrated Optics Chip (IOC) with first and second optical modulators, and a coupler to output an optical power signal corresponding to a rotation-induced phase shift in a fiber coil of the IFOG to processing electronics of the IFOG. The processing electronics include signal processing means to produce a digital signal corresponding to the optical power signal. A first digital-to-analog converter (DAC) receives the digital signal and provides a corresponding first modulation signal to the first optical modulator via a first amplifier. However, the first DAC and first optical modulator inherently introduce non-linearities into the first modulation signal. A second DAC receives the digital signal and provides a corresponding second modulation signal to the second optical modulator via a second amplifier.

Abstract: A noise reducing thermal-electrically cooled photodetector for an Interferrometric Fiber Optic Gyro (IFOG) includes a photodiode that converts an optical power signal received from a coupler of the IFOG to an electrical compensation signal. The photodiode is in mechanical contact with one or more thermoelectric coolers (TEC) to lower an operating temperature of the photodiode. The photodetector also includes an amplifier circuit to amplify the electrical compensation signal. The amplifier circuit includes an operational amplifier having an input and an output, with a feedback resistor interposed between the input and output. The feedback resistor is also in mechanical contact with a TEC to lower an operating temperature of the feedback resistor. By reducing the operating temperature of the feedback resistor and the photodiode the thermal noise of the IFOG is reduced.

Abstract: A signal conditioning circuit reduces an interferrometric fiber optic gyro (IFOG) noise, the IFOG including a light source, Integrated Optics Chips (IOC) and a coupler to output an optical power signal corresponding to a rotation-induced phase shift in a fiber coil of the IFOG. The signal conditioning circuit includes a photodiode that converts the optical power signal to a corresponding electrical compensation signal and one or more switched integrators that receive and process the electrical compensation signal by selectively switching between a plurality of modes of each one of the one or more switched integrators. A method of signal conditioning in the IFOG to reduce IFOG noise includes the steps of converting the optical power signal to a corresponding electrical compensation signal and selectively integrating a current of the electrical compensation signal using at least one switched integrator.

Abstract: A system for disseminating information over a wide area network includes a central caching unit for storing data to be made available over the wide area network. Local access give users access to the wide area network. Distributed caching units associated with the local access nodes for store cacheable material. A satellite communications system establishes satellite communications between the central caching unit and the local caching units for the transfer of cacheable material from the central caching unit to the local units. A router at the local access nodes routes packets from users to a destination address. The router includes local routing tables containing the addresses of material cached at the associated local node and responds to routing requests for locally cached material by directing the requests to the local cache.