Surgical systems can include evacuation systems for evacuating smoke, fluid, and/or particulates from a surgical site. A surgical evacuation system can be intelligent and may include one or more sensors for detecting one or more properties of the surgical system, evacuation system, surgical procedure, surgical site, and/or patient tissue, for example.

Estimating components of a grid impedance, Z, of a power grid being coupled to a power generating unit at a point of interconnection is disclosed. A voltage, Vmeas, across the point of interconnection; an active current, IP, and/or an active power, P, delivered by the power generating unit to the power grid; and a reactive current, IQ, and/or a reactive power, Q, delivered by the power generating unit are determined. A parameter estimation vector is estimated using a recursive adaptive filter algorithm, and on the basis of Vmeas, IP, P, IQ and/or Q. A model representation of the power grid is created on the basis of the parameter estimation vector, and a system DC gain vector for the power grid is calculated, using the model representation. Finally, Z, and/or a resistance, R, of Z, and/or a reactance, X, of Z, is derived from the system DC gain vector.

A method for redundant control in a distributed automation system, preferably a real-time automation system, for operating a client device of the distributed automation system is discussed. The method includes using the client device to monitor for the occurrence of a fault in communication between the client device and a first computing infrastructure that is part of the distributed automation system and operates the client device. The method may also include using the client device, once the fault occurs, to instruct a second computing infrastructure of the distributed automation system to operate the client device.

An HVAC controller provides control values to or more output ports of the HVAC controller. Operation of the HVAC controller is monitored for one or more irregularities. When one or more irregularities in the operation are identified, a hold mode is entered. The hold mode includes holding the one or more current control values on the one or more output ports of the HVAC controller until the one or more irregularities in the operation of the HVAC controller are corrected or a predetermined hold time expires, whichever occurs first. When the one or more irregularities in the operation of the HVAC controller are not corrected before the predetermined hold time expires, a back off mode is entered. The back off mode includes setting each of one or more control values on one or more output ports of the HVAC controller to a corresponding configurable back off value.

A central plant includes a plurality of subplants and circuitry. The circuitry is configured to obtain an expert model associated with a first subplant of the plurality of subplants. The expert model includes a map of values of independent variables to one or more dependent variables. The circuitry is also configured to receive input data indicating input values for the independent variables and estimate outputs values for the one or more dependent variables associated with the input variables by determining a spatial relationship between the input data and the expert model, reducing the expert model to a reduced model based on the spatial relationship, and performing an interpolation using the reduced model to generate the output values for the one or more dependent variables. The circuitry is also configured to initiate an automated action using the output values.

In one embodiment, a method includes initiating a protection mode at a network device having a protective cover installed to filter airflow entering a network device, reducing one or more of a fan speed, processing functions, or power at the network device, exiting the protection mode upon removal of the protective cover from the network device, and increasing one or more of the fan speed, the processing functions, or the power to resume normal operation at the network device.

A method for controlling functional elements and a device for use in bioprocess engineering or medical technology is disclosed. The method includes providing a first functional element, which has a memory, in which items of element information having specifications about the type and the function of the functional element are stored, and providing a second functional element. The method includes connecting the first and the second functional element to a control unit, reading the items of element information out of the first functional element and carrying out a check of the read-out items of element information from the second functional element or using items of information which are stored in the control unit. The first functional element is controlled by the control unit in dependence on the check or in dependence on the items of element information.

A method is proposed for establishing termination criteria for a partial stroke test on a safety valve, including: a) A partial stroke test is carried out when the safety valve is operational. b) Position of the valve member and pressure in the drive fluid are recorded. c) A first relation is derived, which relates position of the valve member, time, pressure of the drive fluid, and/or control deviation to one another. d) This relation is defined as a safety valve reference curve. e) A second relation is defined, which has a predetermined distance from the reference curve. f) Termination criterion include: If the partial stroke test is repeated on the same valve, the same data are recorded and a third relation is derived for the reference curve, the partial stroke test is not passed if the third relation has a greater distance to the reference curve than the second relation.

Techniques are described for facilitating automation of a self-lifting forklift. According to one or more embodiments, a system is provided that can be located on or within a forklift. The system can comprise a lifting system that provides for vertically lifting or lowering the forklift, a power supply, a memory that stores computer readable and executable components, and a processor that executes the computer readable and executable components stored in the memory. The processor can be operably couple to: a plurality of sensors that sense conditions associated with the forklift, a context component that determines context of the forklift, an analysis component that analyzes information from the plurality of sensors and the context component, and a control component that controls the forklift based on an output from the analysis component, wherein the control includes automatically lifting or lowering of the forklift.

Systems, devices, and methods include protective functions in an electrical power system. For example, a processing subsystem may include a first processor and a second processor. The first processor and the second processor may operate independently. A memory subsystem may comprise a first memory section and a second memory section. A memory management subsystem may enable memory access between the first processor and the first memory section and disable memory access between the first processor and the second memory section. The memory management subsystem may further enable memory access between the second processor and the second memory section and disable memory access between the second processor and the first memory section. A protection subsystem may include the first processor and the first memory section and enable a protection function. The second processor and the second memory section may provide a second function that operates independently of the protection function.