Abstract: A brake system includes a series of rotors for operatively coupling to a shaft and stators for operatively coupling to a frame. A service brake system includes a singular annular service piston extending continuously around the series of rotors and stators and a parking brake system includes a singular annular parking piston positioned to extend continuously around the series of rotors and stators. The service piston nests with the parking piston, under a spring bias, such that the parking piston and service piston continuously engage together around the series of rotors and stators to thereby create the parking brake forces. Springs act on the parking piston to drive the parking piston and nested service piston to engage for parking brake forces. Pressurization of the parking piston deactuates the nested pistons. Then separate pressurization of fluid acts on the service piston to overcome the spring bias and separate the service piston from the parking piston to create service brake forces.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an optical amplifier configured to receive an input optical signal and generate an amplified output optical signal. The optical amplifier includes multiple amplifier stages including at least a first amplifier stage and a second amplifier stage. The apparatus also includes a gain clamp configured to accumulate optical power from the first amplifier stage after an optical power level of the input optical signal drops and provide a first portion of the accumulated optical power to the first amplifier stage to clamp a gain applied by the first amplifier stage. The gain clamp is also configured to provide a second portion of the accumulated optical power to the second amplifier stage to adjust a gain applied by the second amplifier stage. The second amplifier stage is configured to amplify the second portion of the accumulated optical power.

Abstract: A system and method for managing electrical energy output by a power utility facility are disclosed. The system comprises a computing device associated with a power utility facility that is connected to a computing device operating at a customer facility. The power meters linked to the computing devices provide readings of energy consumption by the customer facility and energy output by the utility. The computing device associated with the utility is configured to control electrical energy output by the power utility facility by predicting a peak energy demand and by requesting the computing device associated with the customer facility to reduce energy consumption when the predicted peak energy demand by the customer facility exceeds a predetermined peak energy consumption setpoint. If the peak energy demand still exceeds the setpoint after the customer reduced its energy consumption, the utility dynamically adjusts the setpoint to match the demand.