Smart ceiling fan, and its method of operation. A fan includes an electric rotor to rotate a set of blades at a rotation speed. A controller operates to enforce a modification to rotation speed of the set of blades, based on a first user-configurable parameter of average rotation speed to be maintained, and further based on a second user-configurable parameter of level of variance of rotation speed; and optionally, also based on a third user-configurable parameter of length of time-interval between two consecutive modifications of rotation speed of the set of blades. The fan operates to automatically emulate a naturally-occurring breeze-like airflow.

A control system for a gas turbine engine includes an engine core, the engine core including combustion equipment, a turbine, a compressor, and a core shaft connecting the turbine to the compressor. The control system includes at least one variable stator vane for controlling the angle at which gas enters the engine core, and there is a bypass passage within the engine core for directing gas flow to bypass the combustion equipment.

Smart ceiling fan, and its method of operation. A fan includes an electric rotor to rotate a set of blades at a rotation speed. A controller operates to enforce a modification to rotation speed of the set of blades, based on a first user-configurable parameter of average rotation speed to be maintained, and further based on a second user-configurable parameter of level of variance of rotation speed; and optionally, also based on a third user-configurable parameter of length of time-interval between two consecutive modifications of rotation speed of the set of blades. The fan operates to automatically emulate a naturally-occurring breeze-like airflow.

A turbine of a turbocompound engine (10) for extracting energy from the exhaust fluid flow of an and a controller (40) thereof is described. The turbine (10) comprises a housing (30); a turbine wheel (12) rotatably coupled within the housing (30) and rotatable by a fluid flow to provide a rotational output (14); a variable load (34) applying a load to the rotational output; and a controller (40). The controller (40) is configured to: receive information (404) relating to the operating conditions of the turbine (10); calculate an optimum operating velocity (402) of the rotational output based on the operating conditions; and supply a signal (410) to the variable load (34) to vary the load applied to the rotational output (14) in response to said operating conditions so that the rotational output (14) rotates at a corrected operating velocity (408). Such an arrangement increases the ability to operate the turbine at its optimum operating velocity.

Herein provided are methods and systems for controlling an engine having a variable geometry mechanism. A power level difference between a requested engine power level and a current engine power level is determined at a computing device. The power level difference is compared to a predetermined power threshold at the computing device. When the power level difference exceeds the predetermined power threshold, a position control signal for changing a position of the variable geometry mechanism is generated and output at the computing device, the position control signal generated based on a requisite bias level, the requisite bias level being based on the power level difference.

Devices and methods for the efficient disaggregation of tissue samples, separating the tissue into individual intact cells or small aggregates of cells for analysis. A device may include a chamber to receive fluid and a tissue specimen containing more than one cell to be disaggregated. The chamber may include an opening and an agitator in fluid contact with the fluid and the tissue specimen. The agitator may include a micromotor which provides rotational motion to a shaft and an impeller fixed to the shaft such that the impeller and the shaft rotate together upon provision of the rotational motion by the micromotor. The device may include an electrical energy source electrically coupled to the micromotor to rotate the impeller sufficient to disaggregate the one or more individual cells from the tissue specimen and in a manner which does not lyse the one or more individual cells.

A ram air turbine system includes a ram air turbine and an actuator to move the ram air turbine between a stowed position and a deployed position. The actuator is in fluid communication with an aircraft hydraulic system configured to return the ram air turbine to the stowed position from the deployed position during operation of the aircraft utilizing hydraulic fluid pressure from the aircraft hydraulic system. A method of operating a ram air turbine system includes slowing or stopping rotation of the ram air turbine during flight of the aircraft, directing hydraulic fluid pressure from an aircraft hydraulic system to a ram air turbine actuator to urge movement of the actuator from a deployed position to a stowed position and urging movement of the ram air turbine from a deployed position to a stowed position via movement of the actuator from the deployed position to the stowed position.

A fan array fan section in an air-handling system includes a plurality of fan units arranged in a fan array and positioned within an air-handling compartment. One preferred embodiment may include an array controller programmed to operate the plurality of fan units at peak efficiency. The plurality of fan units may be arranged in a true array configuration, a spaced pattern array configuration, a checker board array configuration, rows slightly offset array configuration, columns slightly offset array configuration, or a staggered array configuration.

An auxiliary power unit (APU) control system for an aircraft is disclosed. The APU control system includes an APU, one or more processors, and a memory coupled to the one or more processors. The memory stores data comprising a database and program code that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the APU control system to receive a one or more ambient signals indicative of an air density value and one or more power signals indicative of a specific amount of power generated by the APU. The APU control system is further caused to determine a variable rotational speed of the APU based on the air density value and instruct the APU to operate at the variable rotational speed. The APU continues to generate the specific amount of power when operating at the variable rotational speed.

An auxiliary power unit (APU) control system for an aircraft is disclosed, and includes an APU drivingly coupled to one or more generators, one or more processors, and a memory coupled to the one or more processors. The memory stores data comprising a database and program code that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the APU control system to receive one or more ambient signals indicative of an air density value and one or more power signals indicative of a specific amount of power generated by the APU. The system is further caused to determine a first variable rotational speed of the APU based on the air density value. The APU continues to generate the specific amount of power when operating at the first variable rotational speed. After instructing the APU to operate at the first variable rotational speed, the system receives an electrical load signal.