Abstract: A heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) system includes a compressor with a gas bearing supplied with compressed gas and a controller. The controller is configured to determine an inlet pressure and outlet pressure of the gas bearing, determine a maximum speed limit based on the inlet pressure and the outlet pressure, and prevent the compressor from operating at a speed that is greater than the maximum speed limit A method of controlling a compressor includes calculating a maximum speed limit based on an inlet pressure and an outlet pressure of the gas bearing. The method also includes in response to determining that a speed setting is greater than the maximum speed limit, adjusting operation of the compressor such that a speed of the compressor is at or below the maximum speed limit.

Abstract: A method is described for operating a refrigerant circuit that includes a compressor with a driveshaft and one or more gas bearings for supporting the driveshaft. The method includes operating the refrigerant circuit in a first mode which includes supplying gaseous working fluid compressed by the compressor to the one or more gas bearings of the compressor, and the one or more gas bearings using the compressed gaseous working fluid to support the driveshaft. The method includes operating the refrigerant circuit in a second mode which includes supplying liquid working fluid to the one or more gas bearings of the compressor, and the one or more gas bearings using the liquid working fluid to support the driveshaft. A refrigerant circuit includes a compressor, a condenser, an expander, an evaporator, and a controller configured to selectively operate the refrigerant circuit in a least a first mode and a second mode.

Abstract: Embodiments of a system, a method, and a computer-program product (e.g., software) for aggregating an energy service from a group of loads with time-varying operating cycles are described. This aggregation may be performed by an aggregator, which provides the energy service to a power-system operator. In particular, for a desired demand response, a demand-response mechanism may modify a demand response of a given load by mapping an initial operating cycle of the load before a demand-response event to a final operating cycle. In addition, the demand-response mechanism may transition the given load to a new operating cycle associated with the demand-response event using a temporal set-point trajectory. This aggregation technique may ensure that a distribution of phases of the group of loads is, on average, uncorrelated with each other, either by preserving or modifying the distribution of phases prior to the demand-response event.

Abstract: Embodiments of a system, a method, and a computer-program product (e.g., software) for aggregating an energy service from a group of loads with time-varying operating cycles are described. This aggregation may be performed by an aggregator, which provides the energy service to a power-system operator. In particular, for a desired demand response, a demand-response mechanism may modify a demand response of a given load by mapping an initial operating cycle of the load before a demand-response event to a final operating cycle. In addition, the demand-response mechanism may transition the given load to a new operating cycle associated with the demand-response event using a temporal set-point trajectory. This aggregation technique may ensure that a distribution of phases of the group of loads is, on average, uncorrelated with each other, either by preserving or modifying the distribution of phases prior to the demand-response event.

Abstract: A pressure relief valve for both reducing pressure in a vessel when the pressure of a mixed media combination made up of a mixture of gaseous and nongaseous components and contained in the vessel is at a relief valve actuating pressure, and for filtering nongaseous components from a mixed media combination flowed from the valve. The valve includes a housing with an inlet and a discharge port. The housing inlet is disposed in mixed media combination receiving communication with the vessel. The housing defines a housing chamber and the housing also includes a valve member movable within in the chamber between an occluding position, relative to the inlet when the vessel pressure is not at the actuating pressure, and a non-occluding position, relative to the inlet, when the vessel pressure is at the actuating pressure. The pressure relief valve also includes a filter device expandable by the mixed media combination when the vessel pressure is at the actuating pressure.

Abstract: A pressure relief valve for both reducing pressure in a vessel when the pressure of a mixed media combination made up of a mixture of gaseous and nongaseous components and contained in the vessel is at a relief valve actuating pressure, and for filtering nongaseous components from a mixed media combination flowed from the valve. The valve includes a housing with an inlet and a discharge port. The housing inlet is disposed in mixed media combination receiving communication with the vessel. The housing defines a housing chamber and the housing also includes a valve member movable within in the chamber between an occluding position, relative to the inlet when the vessel pressure is not at the actuating pressure, and a non-occluding position, relative to the inlet, when the vessel pressure is at the actuating pressure. The pressure relief valve also includes a filter device expandable by the mixed media combination when the vessel pressure is at the actuating pressure.

Abstract: A valve device includes a valve body having an inlet bore formed therein, the valve bore having a bore axis. A first semi-circular plate having a first axis is disposed within said inlet bore. Rotation of the first semi-circular plate about the first axis results in incremental displacement of the first semi-circular plate between an open and a closed position. A second semi-circular plate having a second axis is disposed within said valve bore. The first and the second axis are substantially coaxial wherein rotation of the second semi-circular plate about the second axis results in incremental displacement of the second semi-circular plate between an open and a closed position.