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Large animals are increasingly used as experimental models of respiratory diseases. Precise characterization of respiratory mechanics requires dedicated equipment with specific characteristics which are difficult to find together in the same commercial device. In this work, we describe building and validation of a computer-controlled ventilator able to perform rapid airways occlusions during constant flow inflations followed by a prolonged inspiratory hold. A constant airflow is provided by a high pressure source (5 atm) connected to the breathing circuit by three proportional valves. The combined action of three 2-way valves produces the phases of the breath. During non-inspiratory breath phases, airflow is diverted to a flowmeter for precise feedback regulation of the proportional valves. A computer interface enables the user to change the breathing pattern, trigger test breaths or run predetermined breaths sequences. A respiratory system model was used to test the ability of the ventilator to correctly estimate interrupter resistance. The ventilator was able to produce a wide range of constant flows (0.1–1.6 L/s) with the selected timing. Errors in the measurement of interrupter resistance were small (1 ± 5% of the reference value). The device described reliably estimated interrupter resistance and can be useful as a measuring tool in large animal research.

This review explores the performance and reliability of power semiconductor devices required to enable the electrification of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs). HGV electrification can be implemented using (i) batteries charged with ultra-rapid DC charging (350 kW and above); (ii) road electrification with overhead catenaries supplying power through a pantograph to the HGV powertrain; (iii) hydrogen supplying power to the powertrain through a fuel cell; (iv) any combination of the first three technologies. At the heart of the HGV powertrain is the power converter implemented through power semiconductor devices. Given that the HGV powertrain is rated typically between 500 kW and 1 MW, power devices with voltage ratings between 650 V and 1200 V are required for the off-board/on-board charger’s rectifier and DC-DC converter as well as the powertrain DC-AC traction inverter. The power devices available for HGV electrification at 650 V and 1.2 kV levels are SiC planar MOSFETs, SiC Trench MOSFETs, silicon super-junction MOSFETs, SiC Cascode JFETs, GaN HEMTs, GaN Cascode HEMTs and silicon IGBTs. The MOSFETs can be implemented with anti-parallel SiC Schottky diodes or can rely on their body diodes for third quadrant operation. This review examines the various power semiconductor technologies in terms of losses, electrothermal ruggedness under short circuits, avalanche ruggedness, body diode and conduction performance.

This study presents a study on the time when the short-circuit fault current in an MV distribution network will cross the zero point in the presence of DC offset affected by the local synchronous and/or induction machines. The motivation of the study is to examine using thyristors to bypass a series compensator in the network while the subsequent turning-off of the thyristors depends on the zero-crossing of the current. One of the main uncertainties is the DC offset in the fault current due to the machines connected locally, which may defer the thyristor turning-off. This possibility has been examined in this study and the results demonstrate the parameters of the machines that have most influence on the time when the fault current will pass the zero point. It is shown that machines with higher unit ratings usually cause more delays in comparison with smaller units.