Patents by Inventor Lyle F. Martz

Lyle F. Martz has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 4455614
    Abstract: A combined cycle electric power plant includes in interconnected relationship a steam turbine, two gas turbines, three electric generators, two heat recovery steam generators, a hybrid computer control system, a plant protection system and various items of auxiliary equipment. A computerized simulator is interfaced with the control system at the factory site to test the controls and the control system is then modularly disassembled in various structures and shipped to the field site for reassembly without need for extensive field testing. The control system includes a digital control computer, a digital monitor computer and modular analog controls for the turbines. Various levels of automated control can be employed including coordinated plant control which involves supervisory operation of the analog controls by the control computer. In analog control, complete plant operation is produced by operation of the analog controls without the control computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1973
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1984
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Lyle F. Martz, Roy W. Kiscaden, Robert Uram
  • Patent number: 4184324
    Abstract: A combined cycle electric power plant includes gas and steam turbines and a steam generator for recovering the heat in the exhaust gases exited from the gas turbine and for using the recovered heat to produce and supply steam to the steam turbine. The steam generator includes a superheater tube through which a fluid, e.g. water, is directed to be additionally heated into superheated steam by the exhaust gas turbine gases. An afterburner further heats the exhaust gas turbine gases passed to the superheater tube. The temperature of the gas turbine exhaust gases is sensed for varying the fuel flow to the afterburner by a fuel valve, whereby the temperatures of the gas turbine exhaust gases and therefore of the superheated steam, are controlled. A plant load demand error signal is utilized for correcting a coordinated gas turbine load reference and for trimming a feedforward afterburner control signal derived from the sensed gas turbine exhaust temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1975
    Date of Patent: January 22, 1980
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Roy W. Kiscaden, Lyle F. Martz, Robert Uram
  • Patent number: 4102248
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a system for protecting pneumatic cylinders and diaphragm valves against failure of both electrical and pneumatic supplies. In the event of a failure of the air supply, the loss of air pressure is detected and all drives are locked in position. The position pneumatic feedback signal from the pneumatic cylinder diaphragm valve is then connected directly to a pneumatic memory. Thus when the air supply recovers, the pneumatic memory will be equal to the instantaneous position of the pneumatic cylinder or diaphragm valve.In the event of an electrical failure, a solenoid valve interrupts the flow of the pneumatic signal from an electropneumatic transducer to the pneumatic memory, so that the air cylinder or valve is directly connected to the pneumatic memory. By selectively energizing a pair of solenoid valves connected to the memory, the operator using an emergency d.c.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1976
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1978
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventor: Lyle F. Martz
  • Patent number: 4064699
    Abstract: A boiler control regulates the input fuel and air to satisfy load demand. Simultaneously, the air flow is adjusted by an air flow control to correct for changes in fuel heating value by means of a circuit which operates in response to outlet steam flow and input mass fuel flow to determine the difference in presumed heat input and actual heat output and, by inference from the heat imbalance or error, a change in fuel heating value. The heat error is used to adjust the air flow demand to the air flow control. In another embodiment, boiler heat pickup is derived to remove from the heat imbalance any heat input changes other than fuel heating value changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1976
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1977
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Lyle F. Martz
  • Patent number: 4031404
    Abstract: A combined cycle electric power plant includes gas and steam turbines and a steam generator for recovering the heat in the exhaust gases exited from the gas turbine and for using the recovered heat to produce and supply steam to the steam turbine. The steam generator includes a superheater tube through which a fluid, e.g. water, is directed to be additionally heated into superheated steam by the exhaust gas turbine gases. An afterburner further heats the exhaust gas turbine gases passed to the superheater tube. The temperature of the gas turbine exhaust gases is sensed for varying the fuel flow to the afterburner by a fuel valve, whereby the temperatures of the gas turbine exhaust gases and therefore of the superheated steam, are controlled. Further, override signals are generated to prevent the temperature of the superheated steam from falling below a predetermined minimum level and for preventing the temperature and pressure of the superheated steam from exceeding maximum levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1974
    Date of Patent: June 21, 1977
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Lyle F. Martz, Richard J. Plotnick
  • Patent number: 4028884
    Abstract: A combined cycle electric power generating plant includes gas and steam turbines and a heat recovery steam generator recovering the heat in the exhaust gases exited from the gas turbine and for using the recovered heat to produce and supply steam to the steam turbine. The gas turbine includes a plurality of variably set guide vanes whose position may be set to determine the inlet flow to the gas turbine. Guide vane control apparatus is provided to limit the inlet guide vane position as a function of gas turbine compressor inlet temperature in accordance with a desired gas turbine exhaust flow, and to match the gas turbine exhaust flow to the steam requirements of the steam generator as in turn determined by the load placed upon its steam turbine. In addition, an afterburner is provided to supplementally heat the exhaust gas turbine gases before they are directed to the steam generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1974
    Date of Patent: June 14, 1977
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Lyle F. Martz, Jack R. Smith, Francis A. Lebonette, Robert A. Putnam, Paul A. Berman
  • Patent number: 4011735
    Abstract: An automatic control system for high pressure blower applications prevents surging under variable supply flow rate requirements and achieves maximum efficiency of operation. The supply flow rate establishes the set point of a proportional plus reset controller, the latter receiving a feedback signal corresponding to the static discharge pressure of the supply blower and responding thereto for controlling the output of the supply blower. A return blower is controlled either through a characterizer relay in proportion to the control of the supply blower to maintain a fixed precalibrated relationship between supply and return flow rates or by a further proportional plus reset controller responsive to the supply flow rate, for establishing the set point thereof, and to the return flow rate, as a feedback signal thereto, for controlling the output of the return blower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1974
    Date of Patent: March 15, 1977
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Lyle F. Martz, John W. Nanz
  • Patent number: 3974644
    Abstract: A combined cycle electric power plant includes gas and steam turbines and a steam generator for recovering the heat in the exhaust gases exited from the gas turbine and for using the recovered heat to produce and supply steam to the steam turbine. The steam generator includes a superheater tube and a steam drum from which heated steam is directed through the superheater to be additionally heated into superheated steam by the exhaust gas turbine gases. An afterburner serves to further heat the exhaust gas turbine gases passed to the superheater tube and a bypass conduit is disposed about the superheater tube whereby a variable steam flow determined by a bypass valve disposed in the bypass conduit may be directed about the superheater tube to be mixed with the superheated steam therefrom, whereby the temperature of the superheated steam supplied to the steam turbine may be accurately controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1974
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1976
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Lyle F. Martz, Richard J. Plotnick
  • Patent number: 3965675
    Abstract: A combined cycle electric power plant includes gas and steam turbines and a steam generator for recovering the heat in the exhaust gases exited from the gas turbine and for using the recovered heat to produce and supply steam to the steam turbine. The steam generator includes an economizer tube and a high pressure evaporator tube and a boiler feed pump for directing the heat exchange fluid serially through the aforementioned tubes. A condenser is associated with the steam turbine for converting the spent steam into condensate water to be supplied to a deaerator for removing undesired air and for preliminarily heating the water condensate before being pumped to the economizer tube. Condensate flow through the economizer tube is maintained substantially constant by maintaining the boiler feed pump at a predetermined, substantially constant rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1974
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1976
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Lyle F. Martz, Richard J. Plotnick
  • Patent number: 3955358
    Abstract: A combined cycle electric power plant includes gas and steam turbines and a steam generator for recovering the heat in the exhaust gases exited from the gas turbine and for using the recovered heat to produce and supply steam to the steam turbine. A condenser receives the spent steam from the steam turbine for converting it into condensate. The steam generator includes a deaerator for receiving the condensate flow from the condenser and for storing it in a storage portion, a feedwater pump for directing the stored condensate through a first heat exchange tube whereby heat is transferred from the gas turbine exhaust gases to the fluid, a main drum for receiving and storing the heated fluid and a second heat exchange tube for heating the fluid by the gas turbine exhaust gases into superheated steam to be supplied to the steam turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1974
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1976
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Lyle F. Martz, Richard J. Plotnick
  • Patent number: 3953966
    Abstract: A combined cycle electric power plant includes gas and steam turbines and a steam generator for recovering the heat in the exhaust gases exited from the gas turbine and for using the recovered heat to produce and supply steam to the steam turbine. A condenser is associated with the steam turbine for converting the spent steam from the steam turbine into condensate to be supplied to the steam generator. The steam generator includes a low pressure storage tank, a first heat exchange tube, a boiler feedwater pump for directing fluid from the low pressure storage tank through the first heat exchange tube, a main storage drum, a second heat exchange tube, and a high pressure recirculation pump for directing water from the main storage drum through the second heat exchange tube. An afterburner further heats the exhaust gas turbine gases passed to the first and second heat exchange tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1974
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1976
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Lyle F. Martz, Richard J. Plotnick
  • Patent number: 3948043
    Abstract: A combined cycle power plant includes gas and steam turbines, gas turbine afterburners, steam generators, and a digital/analog control system. A megawatt load control system varies a fuel control signal to govern a detected power output according to a reference value, the fuel control signal determining the flow rate of fuel to a gas turbine. An afterburner is connected to heat the exhaust gas from the gas turbine. Both the gas turbine and the afterburner are adapted to use gas and liquid fuels. During gas turbine fuel transfer, the gas and liquid fuel flows are controlled in response to the fuel control signal to compensate power output disturbances that typically result from various nonlinearities of fuel system elements. Afterburner fuel transfer is initiated upon completion of gas turbine transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1974
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1976
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Lyle F. Martz
  • Patent number: RE28946
    Abstract: An automatic control system for high pressure blower applications prevents surging under variable supply flow rate requirements and achieves maximum efficiency of operation. The supply flow rate establishes the set point of a proportional plus reset controller, the latter receiving a feedback signal corresponding to the static discharge pressure of the supply blower and responding thereto for controlling the output of the supply blower. A return blower is controlled either through a characterizer relay in proportion to the control of the supply blower to maintain a fixed precalibrated relationship between supply and return flow rates or by a further proportional plus reset controller responsive to the supply flow rate, for establishing the set point thereof, and to the return flow rate, as a feedback signal thereto, for controlling the output of the return blower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1974
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1976
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Lyle F. Martz, John W. Nanz