Abstract: A direction and speed control device includes a casing, a sensing unit, and a magnet assembly. The sensing unit includes a magnetic sensor. The magnet assembly includes a pivot axle that is mounted rotatably on the casing and that has a magnet carrying portion extending into the casing, and a driven portion extending from the magnet carrying portion and disposed outwardly of the casing, and further includes first and second magnets mounted on the magnet carrying portion and disposed on opposite sides of the magnetic sensor. The driven portion is operable to rotate the pivot axle relative to the casing so as to displace the first and second magnets relative to the magnetic sensor. The sensing unit generates a control output for controlling direction and speed of a motor vehicle in accordance with the displacement of the first and second magnets relative to the magnetic sensor.

Abstract: A heat exchanger assembly for use in an HVAC system is provided. The heat exchanger assembly includes: a shell-type casing; a plurality of tubes located inside the shell-type casing, each of the tubes having an outer surface and an irregular inner surface; and a plurality of electrodes. Each electrode is located inside one of the corresponding tubes to create a space between the electrode and the inner surface of the tube. A first fluid is located in each space between the electrodes and the inner surfaces of the tubes. A second fluid is located in a space between the tubes and the shell-type casing to flow across the outer surfaces of the tubes. A voltage is applied on the electrodes in order to increase the rate of heat transfer between the first fluid and the second fluid. The invention also includes a method of exchanging heat between a heat transfer fluid and a refrigerant in a shell and tube heat exchanger.

Abstract: A three phase motor starting system is provided to reduce the in-rush current to the motor in order to obtain a soft start of the motor. The soft start of the motor equates to reduced impact forces on motor parts and device components connected to the motor during startup of the motor, especially a startup resulting from a reversal of the direction of rotation of the motor. The system uses an impedance load in series with the motor windings of the motor to reduce the in-rush current to the motor windings, which results in a reduced acceleration of the motor shaft and a soft start to the motor. The impedance loads used by the system can be a resistive load, a capacitive load or an inductive load, depending on the type of impedance load that is desired for the soft start of the motor.

Abstract: A control system is provided to maintain stable operating conditions for centrifugal compressors operating in parallel when one of the centrifugal compressors enters into an unstable operating condition. The control system determines an unstable operating condition in response to signals indicating the motor current or power consumption of each compressor and the position of the pre-rotation vanes of the compressors. Once an unstable operating condition is determined, the control system closes the pre-rotation vanes to each compressor until the unstable operating condition has been corrected.

Abstract: A vertical band saw machine includes an endless band saw trained on a lower blade mounting pulley which is driven by an output shaft of a motor for sawing a workpiece placed on a worktable. A sawdust collecting member is mounted on a lower support below the worktable, and has first and second sawdust passageways with first and second intake ports disposed above and under the worktable in the vicinity of the blade. An impeller is rotatable coaxially with the lower blade mounting pulley so as to draw sawdust from the sawdust collecting member into a blower casing for discharge through a discharge port.

Abstract: A motor mount constructed from a single piece of sheet metal. The motor mount contains a band portion and at least three leg portions. The band portion clamps around a motor and the leg portions radiate from the band portion. The leg portions secure the motor to a housing.

Abstract: A probe is used to detect axial movement of a rotating part such as a shaft. The probe includes a probe tube portion that protrudes into an annular groove on the rotating part. When the rotating part moves axially, one or the other side surfaces of the groove contacts the probe tube. This contact leads to a changed state of the probe, that is sensed by a sensor.

Abstract: A nozzle for delivering fuel to an engine is disclosed which is profiled with adjoining converging and diverging sections to accelerate the flow of fuel to a supersonic rate.

Abstract: A compression device for use in a HVAC&R system that includes a compressor for compressing vaporized refrigerant having a compressor inlet and compressor outlet for directing compressed refrigerant downstream along a first conduit to a condenser. An accumulator is provided for preventing liquid refrigerant from reaching the compressor. The accumulator has an accumulator inlet for receiving refrigerant along a second conduit from an upstream evaporator and an accumulator outlet in fluid communication with the compressor inlet for receiving vaporized refrigerant therein. The accumulator and compressor are integrally connected thereto so that the accumulator and compressor may be installed into a refrigerant recycling system by connecting the compressor outlet with the first conduit and connecting the accumulator inlet with the second conduit. A desiccant is disposed inside the accumulator between the accumulator inlet and outlet for removing moisture from the refrigerant.

Abstract: Pipelines are controlled by specifying operations along them. Control specifies sequential control values defining operations at each station to control the pipeline state. The time-dependent state is determinable by software calculations using continuous measurements along the pipeline. Forecasted deliveries dictate that the current pipeline state must change by future time (T). Control sequences are determined at pipeline stations to exercise optimum pipeline control while achieving predetermined goals from the current state to a sustainable target state which supports future deliveries by simulating current pipeline states through time interval T, while satisfying time-dependent forecast deliveries. An initial computable control set is iteratively improved and evaluated by computing the gradient of pipeline operational cost, costs of missing target(s), and costs of violating constraints by solving an adjoint problem each time the simulation is made.

Abstract: Methods and programs are disclosed for a computer-based teaching method for various subjects, including grammar. The program includes one or more lessons to test a student's skills relative to a particular subject. A database with coded information allows a computer to search the information, such as sentences and word functions provided therein. A guide for identifying the appropriate code for each respective lesson is provided such that as a student progresses through the lessons, the computer searches the database to provide the appropriate information to the student based upon the code of the information and the guide for the respective lesson. Further, the method of coding answers to a test given with the use of a computer program is discussed. Answers given by a student are compared to the correct answers located in a computer database.

Abstract: A method for producing apertures in hot section components of gas turbine engines made from ceramic matrix composites that have at least one oxidizable component. The method involves forming the apertures using a laser beam controlled by parameters that ablate the ceramic matrix composite in the path of the beam, while simultaneously heating the matrix material, SiC or SiN, to a sufficient temperature to oxidize it to form a silica. Sufficient heat is supplied by the beam to melt the silica to cause it to flow. The melted silica is quickly solidified as recast silica along the walls of the newly created aperture before it has an opportunity to flow and form undesirable geometries. The wall of the aperture is formed of recast silica that is a smooth surface and that forms an oxidation barrier to inhibit any further oxidation of the underlying composite as it is exposed to the high temperatures and oxidative, corrosive atmosphere of an operating gas turbine.

Abstract: A differential thickness pattern can be induced in a coating that is sprayed on an aircraft engine part using a robotic system. The robotic system includes a spray mechanism with a triggering device to spray the coating on the aircraft engine part and a controller. The controller is used to move the spray mechanism along a predetermined path and to activate and deactivate the triggering device. To obtain the differential thickness pattern, a predetermined profile of the aircraft engine part corresponding to areas of the aircraft engine part requiring a thicker coating is integrated into a control program used by the controller. The controller uses the control program to activate and deactivate the triggering mechanism to limit the spraying of the coating to only those areas of the part in the predetermined profile to obtain a different coating thickness.

Abstract: A probe is used to detect axial movement of a rotating part such as a shaft. The probe includes a probe tube portion that protrudes into an annular groove on the rotating part. When the rotating part moves axially, one or the other side surfaces of the groove contacts the probe tube. This contact leads to a changed state of the probe, that is sensed by a sensor.

Abstract: A stringed instrument is provided wherein a generally thin soundboard is stretched across a frame, keeping the weight away from the soundboard area that needs to vibrate, without muffling the tone. In a preferred form, a neck, or neck extension, reaches substantially through the body of the instrument. A block is anchored to the neck in close proximity to where the neck enters the body. The soundboard is attached securely to this block. Near the opposite end, a floating block is fastened securely to the soundboard. The neck is cut to an effective length to push against the floating block and act as fulcrum. At least one rod is anchored to the neck near the end where the neck enters the body and an opposite, threaded, rod end is inserted through holes near the bottom of the floating block to receive threaded nuts. Tightening the nuts effectively shortens the rod length, pulling the floating block back towards the end where the neck enters the body.

Abstract: A rotary compressor having a housing with a motor and an internal accumulator located on the low pressure side and an oil sump located on the high pressure side. A sealing means positioned within the housing defines a first chamber and a second chamber. The sealing means substantially maintains the pressure differential between the chambers by segregating high pressure fluid in the second chamber from low pressure fluid in the first chamber. The fluid entering the housing is separated into a gas portion and a liquid portion, the liquid portion being directed downward toward the motor to provide cooling for the motor while the gas portion is directed to a compressor portion. The liquid portion collects about the motor above the sealing means. An orifice or aperture through the sealing means allows liquid collected above the sealing means to be reintroduced into the compressor suction inlet and metered into the refrigerant gas in a controlled fashion and resupply the sump with lubricant.

Abstract: A method of controlling an economizer is provided. A heating, ventilating, and air conditioning unit is operated in one of a heating mode and a cooling mode to provide conditioned air to a plurality of zones. A first temperature representative of air returned to the unit from the plurality of zones is sensed and a second temperature representative of the outdoor air is sensed. An economizer is modulated to increase the amount of outdoor air entering the unit when the first temperature falls below a cooling setpoint, the second temperature is greater than the first temperature, and the unit is operating in the cooling mode. The economizer is also modulated to increase the amount of outdoor air entering the unit when the first temperature rises above a heating setpoint, the second temperature is lower than the first temperature, and the unit is operating in the heating mode.

Abstract: A pull-down control algorithm for an HVAC refrigeration system is provided. The control algorithm utilizes a fuzzy logic methodology to automatically adjust a flow of refrigerant in the system during a pull-down to maintain a desired pull-down rate. The desired pull-down rate is decreased proportionately as the temperature of the fluid being pulled down approaches a desired operating setpoint to avoid or minimize any overshoot of the operating setpoint. The desired pull-down rate is obtained by adjusting a rate sensitivity factor used in the control algorithm. When the temperature of the fluid being pulled down is above a predetermined value from the operating setpoint, the control algorithm uses a fuzzy logic methodology to determine a rate sensitivity that results in the desired pull-down rate that approaches the operating setpoint without overshoot.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling a variable capacity compressor driven by a motor. Preferably, said system and method are used with a reversible, two-stage compressor motor. In one embodiment, the method includes, for example, operating the variable capacity compressor at a first capacity to satisfy a demand for heating or cooling; detecting a change in the demand for heating or cooling; operating the variable capacity compressor at a second, different capacity based on the detected change in demand; detecting an operating parameter that can indicate an opportunity to increase compressor efficiency when the compressor is operating at a given capacity; and varying the torque applied by the motor when the detected operating parameter indicates an opportunity to increase efficiency of the compressor by varying the torque.

Abstract: An incinerator includes a furnace with a supporting plate that defines a combustion chamber thereabove and an ash receiving chamber therebelow in the furnace. An ash control unit includes a partitioning member that divides the ash receiving chamber into upper and lower ash chambers and that defines a vertically extending ash channel communicated with the upper and lower ash chambers. A rake is disposed over the partitioning member for stirring and permitting uniform distribution of the high temperature ash on the partitioning member and for moving the high temperature ash into the ash channel. A rotary member is disposed rotatably in the ash channel and is formed with a plurality of angularly spaced apart fins which carry the high temperature ash falling from the upper ash chamber to the lower ash chamber.