Abstract: A display, a display method and an apparatus are disclosed which produce a summary display depicting function states using discrete state bars centered in one window of a two-window display. The status bars represent the states of functions in a process as determined by status decision trees. The discrete states are emphasized by reference lines which indicate the state of each function. Priority among functions is indicated by vertically ranking the bars with the most important function bar appearing at the top. Each bar includes the name of the function, the state of the function and a procedure name for a procedure which can be used to solve the problem identified. The discrete function state is also indicated by the width of the bar and the bar color. On both sides of each bar, a data quality indicator can appear when the quality of the data is less than the best.

Abstract: A hybrid parallel/serial alarm management system in which sensor signals are intelligently processed to produce abnormality indication signals. The abnormality indication signals are divided into groups defined by functions of the system being monitored and are used to generate abnormality messages according to goal violation, process disturbance and process unavailability requirements for each function. Within each goal, process and support category the messages are ranked according to a predetermined local priority and chronologically within the same priority. Each function includes a spatially dedicated parallel display location which displays the highest priority portion of each category of messages associated with each function. The messages not displayed on the parallel display are displayed on a serial display unit in ranked order by category within function.

Abstract: A torque transmitting apparatus which includes a tubular drive shaft defining a deaeration chamber integral with the interior of the shaft. Aerated liquid is ducted into one axial end of the deaeration chamber and separated air and residual liquid are ducted from the opposite end of the chamber, generally near the center thereof. Relative rapid rotation of the drive shaft causes radial acceleration of the liquid to effect separation of the more dense liquid from the air under the influence of centrifugal force. The deaerated liquid is ported from the outer periphery of the chamber during rotation of the drive shaft.

Abstract: The real time actual and reference values of parameters pertinent to the key safety concerns of a pressurized water reactor nuclear power plant are used to generate an integrated graphic display representative of the plant safety status. This display is in the form of a polygon with the distances of the vertices from a common origin determined by the actual value of the selected parameters normalized such that the polygon is regular whenever the actual value of each parameter equals its reference value despite changes in the reference value with operating conditions, and is an irregular polygon which visually indicates deviations from normal otherwise. The values of parameters represented in analog form are dynamically scaled between the reference value and high and low limits which are displayed as tic marks at fixed distances along spokes radiating from the common origin and passing through the vertices.

Abstract: The operation of a nuclear fueled, electric power generating unit is monitored by utilizing decision tree analysis of selected system parameters to generate a representation of the real time system status. Current system status is presented to the operator either in the form of conclusory indications, such as verbal statements, representative of system status, or in the form of a visual display of the entire decision tree including indications of the path through the tree representative of current conditions. In either case, indications of off-normal conditions are accompanied by directions as to appropriate action to be taken, either by the operator or the automatic control system, to steer the system toward more acceptable conditions. In addition, the status indications are prioritized to indicate the seriousness of the off-normal conditions and to direct the sequence of corrective action to be taken when multiple off-normal conditions exist.