Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system for controlling a chilled water plant comprising one or more chillers, one or more water pumps, and a controller. The system comprise one or more processors configured to receive information comprising historical data for a plurality of system variables for the chilled water plant; determine historical performance information for the chilled water plant; prepare performance models comprising: at least one chiller predictive model; and at least one pump predictive model; prepare a field load predictive model for a field load demand; prepare a chilled water plant model; simulate operation of the chilled water plant and determining first optimised control parameters for the chilled water plant; determine an energy consumption of the chilled water plant; determine optimised control parameters for the chilled water plant; and output the optimised control parameters to the controller of the chilled water plant to optimise control of the chilled water plant.

Abstract: A system for enhancing personnel safety on a railroad track is presented. The system can receive data from sensors and/or a PTC system to determine positions of clients/worker and/or vehicles, and further utilize such data to determine if a vehicle is within a certain proximity of the client/worker location. The system can further generate geofences around clients/vehicles to and determine when such geofences intersect one another. Additionally, the present disclosure can assign severity levels and generate alerts with the assigned severity levels, and such severity levels can indicate how close a vehicle is to a particular location. It is an object of the invention to provide a system for generating alerts to notify personnel when they much retreat to a place of safety.

Abstract: A method for defogging a window of a vehicle includes steps of automatically selecting a climate control system operating mode and determining a risk of window fogging. The climate control system operating mode is selected from an outside air mode, an air-conditioning mode, and a defrost mode. A controller determines the risk of window fogging according to one or more inputs, and the same or a different controller may automatically select the climate control system operating mode. The controller is configured to increase a climate control system blower speed to increase a rate of airflow provided by the currently-actuated climate control system operating mode. The controller may sequentially advance the climate control system operating mode through the outside air mode, air-conditioning mode, and defrost mode.

Abstract: Electrical control and power supply systems are provided for powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs). An exemplary electrical control system for a PAPR may be adapted to control the supply of power between a battery and a blower motor of a filtration unit of the PAPR. The electrical control system may include a plurality of integrated circuits that are capable of meeting minimum operating times while balancing power usage of various “off-the-shelf” components of the filtration unit.

Abstract: Thermal Marine Coating System is a bio-inhibitor for a water immersive surface including and not limited to a ship hull, off-shore windmill, buoy, and/or any other aquatic object. The bio-inhibiting action repels micro and macro organisms thereby preventing attachment to a vessel or other aquatic object immersed in seawater and/or freshwater. The coating matrix comprises waxes and a metallic soap very slowly and continuously agitated at constant temperature from blending of ingredients through application onto prepared substrate. The integrity of the matrix is non-porous and long lasting.

Abstract: A method of operating a vehicle climate system when an ambient temperature is below a threshold temperature is provided. In response to an ambient temperature being less than a threshold temperature, a controller is adapted to operate a blower motor at a voltage that depends on whether the vehicle is in charge sustain mode or charge deplete mode. In response to an ambient temperature being greater than a threshold temperature, the controller is adapted to operate the blower motor at a voltage that does not depend on whether in the charge sustain or charge deplete modes.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to an electrified vehicle having a cabin pre-cooling strategy for managing battery and cabin cooling loads. A corresponding method is also disclosed. An example electrified vehicle includes a battery for propulsion, a cabin, a thermal management system configured to thermally condition both the battery and the cabin, and a controller configured to follow a cabin pre-cooling strategy to pre-cool the cabin when an expected cooling load of the battery, if the electrified vehicle were to be driven in present conditions, exceeds an upper battery cooling load threshold.

Abstract: A method for defogging a window of a vehicle includes steps of automatically selecting a climate control system operating mode and determining a risk of window fogging. The climate control system operating mode is selected from an outside air mode, an air-conditioning mode, and a defrost mode. A controller determines the risk of window fogging according to one or more inputs, and the same or a different controller may automatically select the climate control system operating mode. The controller is configured to increase a climate control system blower speed to increase a rate of airflow provided by the currently-actuated climate control system operating mode. The controller may sequentially advance the climate control system operating mode through the outside air mode, air-conditioning mode, and defrost mode.

Abstract: A method for defogging a window of a vehicle includes steps of automatically selecting a climate control system operating mode and determining a risk of window fogging. The climate control system operating mode is selected from an outside air mode, an air-conditioning mode, and a defrost mode. A controller determines the risk of window fogging according to one or more inputs, and the same or a different controller may automatically select the climate control system operating mode. The controller is configured to increase a climate control system blower speed to increase a rate of airflow provided by the currently-actuated climate control system operating mode. The controller may sequentially advance the climate control system operating mode through the outside air mode, air-conditioning mode, and defrost mode.

Abstract: A respirator includes a head unit configured to be received on a human head and a purifying unit configured to provide purified air to the head unit. The purifying unit includes a first housing portion having an interior side defining a blower cavity, an exterior side defining a partial filter chamber with a filter sealing surface, and an inlet hole circumscribed by the sealing surface and extending between the interior and exterior sides. A second housing portion has an interior side defining a blower cavity. The first and second housings are attached to each other to form a housing such that the blower cavities are opposite each other to define a blower chamber within the housing. A blower is disposed in the blower chamber. A filter covers over the inlet hole and is disposed against the sealing surface such that air entering the hole passes through the filter.

Abstract: A system for enhancing personnel safety on a railroad track is presented. The system can receive data from sensors and/or a PTC system to determine positions of clients/worker and/or vehicles, and further utilize such data to determine if a vehicle is within a certain proximity of the client/worker location. The system can further generate geofences around clients/vehicles to and determine when such geofences intersect one another. Additionally, the present disclosure can assign severity levels and generate alerts with the assigned severity levels, and such severity levels can indicate how close a vehicle is to a particular location. It is an object of the invention to provide a system for generating alerts to notify personnel when they much retreat to a place of safety.

Abstract: A heat exchange system for controlling the temperature of the blood of a patient. The heat exchange system comprises a disposable component having a blood inlet to receive blood from the patient and a blood outlet to return blood to the patient, and a permanent component. The permanent component includes a first housing having an inlet and an outlet to exchange thermal fluid with an external device and a second housing having an inlet and an outlet to exchange thermal fluid with the external device. The disposable component is inserted between the first housing and the second housing, such that in a closed position of the permanent component, a first surface of the disposable component is pressed into contact with a surface of the first housing and a second surface of the disposable component is pressed into contact with a surface of the second housing.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for searching and monitoring assets available for acquisition. The method includes receiving a first signal including data associated with an acquiring entity, receiving a second signal including search data generated by the acquiring entity when interacting with at least one electronic listing service comprising searchable data associated with a plurality of assets available for acquisition, storing user profile data for the acquiring entity, the user profile data comprising at least a portion of the data associated with the acquiring entity, and at least a portion of the search data. The method also includes using the user profile data to search or monitor assets listed in the at least one electronic listing service to generate a result list of matched assets and sending a third signal including an electronic notification related to the result list, to a device associated with the acquiring entity.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for controlling visibility of elements of displayed electronic content. The method includes providing via a communications module a user interface viewable by a plurality of entity devices, and enabling via the communications module the user interface to display electronic content comprising at least one element. The method also includes determining at least one filtering criterion for controlling visibility of the at least one element of the electronic content being displayed, and concealing or modifying at least one element of the electronic content as displayed in the user interface for at least one of the plurality of entity devices, according to the at least one filtering criterion.

Abstract: Surgical articles, such as sponges, are provided in a pack which contains individual surgical articles having UHF RFID or other electronic labels which provide both (a) unique identification information for each article as well as (b) unique identification information for all articles in the pack. Prior to the surgical procedure, the labels are scanned and the identification information for all articles in the pack uploaded to a processor to create a list of available individual surgical articles. At the end of the surgical procedure, the surgical articles are collected and the electronic labels read and compared to the initial list to determine if there are any unaccounted individual surgical articles. The UHF RFID tag may then be used to determine a location of the unaccounted article outside the patient’s body.

Abstract: A vehicle thermal management system including an electric powertrain, a single thermal loop, and a controller is provided. The electric powertrain includes a high voltage battery. The single thermal loop is for managing thermal conditions of the high voltage battery and a vehicle cabin and may include a climate control system, a blower, and a front evaporator in fluid communication with the vehicle cabin. The controller is programmed to, responsive to detection of a climate control system off request, output a command to direct the blower to push air through a heater core to the vehicle cabin at a predetermined temperature such that a temperature within the vehicle cabin is maintained at a predetermined temperature and refrigerant continues to flow through the front evaporator. The system may include a vehicle cabin temperature sensor and an ambient temperature sensor, each in electrical communication with the controller.

Abstract: A thermal accessory controller for controlling the temperature of a thermal accessory. The thermal accessory controller comprises a liquid reservoir for storing a thermal liquid that circulates through the thermal accessory, a temperature control system (TCS) in liquid communication with the liquid reservoir that adjusts the temperature of the thermal liquid according to a TCS target temperature value, and a control unit that controls the temperature control system using the TCS target temperature value. The control unit receives a TCS target temperature, receives a temperature measurement from a temperature sensor, and determines a magnitude of a difference between the TCS target temperature and the temperature measurement. The control unit executes a proportional-integral-differential (PID) algorithm to cause the temperature control system to adjust the temperature of the thermal liquid based on the difference between the TCS target temperature and the temperature measurement.

Abstract: A thermal accessory controller comprising an input conduit providing a liquid path for a thermal liquid from the thermal accessory controller to a thermal accessory, an output conduit providing a liquid path for the thermal liquid from the thermal accessory to the thermal accessory controller, a first liquid pump in liquid communication with the input conduit and the output conduit, and a thermal liquid reservoir in liquid communication with the first liquid pump. The thermal accessory controller includes a first liquid block in liquid communication with the first liquid pump, the first liquid block including an internal channel for transferring the thermal liquid, and a second liquid block including an internal channel for transferring a coolant liquid.

Abstract: A thermal accessory controller for controlling the temperature of a thermal accessory. The thermal accessory controller includes a liquid reservoir for storing a glycol-based liquid, a heating component in liquid communication with the liquid reservoir for heating the glycol-based liquid, and a cooling component for cooling the glycol-based liquid. The thermal accessory controller includes an input conduit that provides a liquid path for the glycol-based liquid from the thermal accessory controller to the thermal accessory and an output conduit that provides a liquid path for the glycol-based liquid from the thermal accessory to the thermal accessory controller. The thermal accessory controller also includes a first liquid pump in liquid communication with the input conduit and the output conduit and configured to pump the glycol-based liquid through the thermal accessory, the liquid reservoir, and the heating component.

Abstract: A method of operating a cooling system for a vehicle including providing a cooling system including a coolant loop having a coolant valve, a first refrigerant loop having a first compressor and a first chiller configured to exchange heat with the coolant loop, a second refrigerant loop having a second compressor and a second chiller configured to exchange heat with the coolant loop, and a cooling system controller operably coupled to the first compressor, the second compressor, and the coolant valve. The coolant valve is configured to selectively direct or prevent the flow of coolant between the battery and each of the first chiller and the second chiller. The method further includes operating the cooling system in one of a second chiller only mode, a first chiller only mode, an air conditioning (AC) only mode, a first refrigerant loop only mode, and a dual refrigerant loop mode.