Abstract: Photovoltaic systems with managed output and methods for managing variability of output from photovoltaic systems are described. A system includes a photovoltaic module configured to receive and convert solar energy to DC power. The system also includes a sensor configured to detect a future change in solar energy to be received by the photovoltaic module. The system further includes a power conditioning unit coupled with the photovoltaic module and the sensor.

Abstract: A photovoltaic system includes solar cells and photovoltaic inverters configured to convert direct current generated by the solar cells to alternating current. Grid voltage at the point of interconnection (POI) of the photovoltaic system and the power grid is measured and compared to a setpoint. A control signal is generated based on the measured grid voltage. The control signal is provided to the photovoltaic inverters. The control signal is adjusted to cause the photovoltaic inverters to generate or absorb reactive power to respond to transient grid voltage changes.

Abstract: A system and method of managing secure integration of a cloud-based computing resource with a private domain are disclosed. One system includes a hybrid cloud arrangement including a plurality of virtual machines, the plurality of virtual machines including at least a first virtual machine within the private domain and a second virtual machine within a public cloud. The system also includes a virtual data relay within the private domain and associated with the second virtual machine. The virtual data relay includes a private domain interface used to establish a secure communication link according to a first security protocol with each virtual machine within the private domain that is a member of a community of interest, the virtual data relay assigned a community of interest key used by the private domain interface and defining the community of interest of which the second virtual machine is a member.

Abstract: A food homogenizer includes a drive assembly including a driving motor. The driving motor engages a rotatable mating portion that extends along a rotation axis. A homogenizer assembly is removably attached with respect to the drive assembly. The homogenizer assembly includes a homogenizing chamber, a blade assembly positioned within the homogenizing chamber and a driven shaft that extends from the blade assembly along the rotation axis. The driven shaft is received within the mating portion such that rotation of the mating portion by the driving motor causes rotation of the blade assembly about the rotation axis. A supply assembly engages a receiving opening in the homogenizer and supplies a food product. The food homogenizer includes a rinse system including a drive assembly that engages a homogenizer assembly. The rinse system includes a dispenser assembly that dispenses a liquid to the homogenizer assembly.

Abstract: A method of forming a pitot tube includes forming a substantially cylindrical body portion including an outer surface, a tip portion having an inlet opening and an interior defining a flow passage, radially tapering the outer surface from the body portion toward the inlet opening, and disposing at least one electrical coil including one or more coil wraps along the flow passage of the pitot tube.

Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling and managing identity and access management risks are presented. A computing device may generate a maturity model that maps a plurality of access management controls to a plurality of information technology (IT) resources associated with an IT environment. Subsequently, the computing device may determine, for each IT resource of the plurality of IT resources, a plurality of access management maturity scores. Each access management maturity score of the plurality of access management scores may correspond to an access management control of the plurality of access management controls that are associated with the corresponding IT resource. The computing device then may determine an aggregate maturity score for the IT environment based on the plurality of access management maturity scores for the plurality of IT resources. Thereafter, the computing device may provide the maturity model and the aggregate maturity score to at least one governance system.

Abstract: A pitot tube includes a substantially cylindrical body portion having an interior defining a flow passage, and a tip portion extending along a pitot tube axis from the body portion. The tip portion includes an inlet opening, a radially tapered outer surface extending from the body portion toward the inlet opening, one or more bulkheads disposed at the interior to limit travel of particles ingested into the interior, at least one drain opening disposed directly adjacent to one of the one or more bulkheads, and one or more electrical coils comprising one or more coil wraps disposed at an interior of the pitot tube. The one or more coil wraps establish a variable watt density along the interior of the pitot tube. The one or more coil wraps also establish a variable watt density downstream of one or more of the one or more bulkheads.

Abstract: Photovoltaic systems with managed output and methods for managing variability of output from photovoltaic systems are described. A system includes a photovoltaic module configured to receive and convert solar energy to DC power. The system also includes a sensor configured to detect a future change in solar energy to be received by the photovoltaic module. The system further includes a power conditioning unit coupled with the photovoltaic module and the sensor.

Abstract: Provided are apparatus and systems having a lessened pulsation through the use of a pulse flow control mechanism. In performing a cyclical swing adsorption process, various streams are passed through adsorbent bed units during various steps in the swing adsorption process. The pulse flow control mechanism is utilized within a manifold of one of the streams to lessen pulsation within the manifold that results from performing the various steps.

Abstract: Methods and systems of communicating with secure endpoints included within a secured network from a mobile device external to the secured network is disclosed. The method includes initiating a VPN-based secure connection to a VPN appliance, and initializing a stealth-based service on the mobile device. The method further includes transmitting user credential information from the mobile device to a VDR broker via the VPN appliance, and receiving status information from the VDR broker identifying a VDR associated with the mobile device and providing a connected status. The method also includes communicating with one or more secure endpoints within the secured network via a VPN connection to the VDR via the VPN appliance and through the VDR to the one or more secure endpoints within a community of interest based on the user credential information transmitted to the VDR broker.

Abstract: A system and method of managing secure integration of a cloud-based computing resource with a private domain are disclosed. One system includes a hybrid cloud arrangement including a plurality of virtual machines, the plurality of virtual machines including at least a first virtual machine within the private domain and a second virtual machine within a public cloud. The system also includes a virtual data relay within the private domain and associated with the second virtual machine. The virtual data relay includes a private domain interface used to establish a secure communication link according to a first security protocol with each virtual machine within the private domain that is a member of a community of interest, the virtual data relay assigned a community of interest key used by the private domain interface and defining the community of interest of which the second virtual machine is a member.

Abstract: A gateway computing system includes a memory storing cleartext gateway software and a programmable circuit communicatively connected to the memory. The programmable circuit is configured to execute computer-executable instructions including the cleartext gateway software. Execution of the cleartext gateway software by the programmable circuit causes the gateway computing system to instantiate at the gateway computing system a virtual device router including a cleartext interface configured to send and receive data packets from a cleartext endpoint and a secured interface configured to exchange data packets with one or more secured endpoints within a secured enterprise network, and load the virtual device router with community of interest material from an authentication server, the community of interest material associated with one or more communities of interest configured to allow access to the cleartext endpoint.

Abstract: A system and method of initializing a virtual machine within a secure hybrid cloud is disclosed. One method includes transmitting service mode credentials to a cloud broker from a cloud-based virtual machine, receiving a service mode community of interest key from a credentialing service based on the service mode credentials, and establishing a secure service mode connection based on the service mode community of interest key. The method also includes receiving role VPN credentials at the cloud-based virtual machine and establishing a secure role connection to the cloud broker using the role VPN credentials, thereby providing, in response to the role VPN credentials, a role VPN community of interest key to a virtual data relay dedicated to the cloud-based virtual machine.

Abstract: Methods and systems for managing a secure enterprise are disclosed. One method includes initiating a management service at a server within the secure enterprise, the management service including a web interface providing administrative access to configuration settings associated with the secure enterprise, the management service initializing a secure communications protocol and managing access to a credential store, the credential store including a plurality of credentials defining communities of interest within the secure enterprise, each of the communities of interest defining a collection of authenticated endpoints having common access and usage rights. The method includes initiating an object management service at the server defining an interface to a configuration database, and accessing the configuration database to obtain data defining a configuration of the enterprise according to a configuration profile.