Patents by Inventor Robert A. Yannone

Robert A. Yannone 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: 4380146
    Abstract: A gas turbine power plant is provided with an industrial gas turbine which drives a rotating brushless exciter generator coupled to a power system through a breaker. One or more of the turbine-generator plants are operated by a hybrid digital computer control system during sequenced startup, synchronizing, load, and shutdown operations. The program system for the computer and external analog circuitry operate in a multiple gas turbine control loop arrangement. Logic macro instructions are employed in programming the computer for logic operations of the control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1979
    Date of Patent: April 19, 1983
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Robert A. Yannone, Roy W. Kiscaden
  • Patent number: 4349744
    Abstract: Two gas turbine power plants are started and accelerated by fuel controls on selection of dead load mode. The startup is coordinated so that one turbine-generator is controlled as the lead unit and it is driven to a speed higher than normal, short of overspeed condition at which time its breaker is closed on an auxiliary bus. Shortly thereafter the second turbine-generator is synchronized to the first and its generator breaker is closed to the auxiliary bus. The two units are then ready for a simultaneous 200% load pickup from the dead load bus. After the load is applied, the lead unit is placed under isochronous control and the follow unit is tracked to the lead unit. Turbine lead/follow roles can be reversed during startup under certain conditions, and predetermined data is exchanged between the controls to enable coordinated dead load pickup operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1980
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1982
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: John F. Reuther, Stephen J. Jennings, Robert A. Yannone
  • Patent number: 4314441
    Abstract: A gas turbine power plant is provided with an industrial gas turbine which drives a generator coupled to a power system through a braker. The turbine-generator plant is operated by a hybrid control system having digital function capability during sequenced startup, synchronizing, load buildup and steady state load, and shutdown operations. The control system also contains monitoring and protective subsystems which function through all stages of operation, with redundancy and permissive features which maximize turbine availability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1979
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1982
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Robert A. Yannone, James J. Shields
  • Patent number: 4305129
    Abstract: An optimized high load blocking limit is independently computer calculated for each gas turbine-generator unit as a dynamic function of combustor shell pressure and exhaust temperature every second. A low load blocking limit can be calculated as a function of the high blocking limit. The high and low dynamic limits then define a band of megawatts instantaneously available to the system. At the dispatch computer, load-frequency control is executed and the calculated load demands are dispatched to the various gas turbine-generator units which respond without exceeding the respective high and low load blocking limits. A turbine control unit load reference is modified by the dispatched load change and each unit load control operates its turbine fuel control valves to satisfy the load demand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1980
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1981
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Robert A. Yannone, John F. Reuther
  • Patent number: 4283634
    Abstract: A hybrid digital computer gas turbine power plant control system which may operate in a multiple control loop arrangement is provided with selected process variable monitoring and control and turbine system failure detection means. More specifically, open, shorted, grounded and reversed thermocouples are detected and alarmed. Problems of any one combustor in a multiple combustor arrangement are similarly detected and alarmed. Additionally, automatic correction of previously computed temperature related control inputs is provided in response to detected variations from a predetermined temperature reasonability criterion. Novel placement and orientation of system thermocouples facilitates achieving improved monitoring, detection and control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 1972
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1981
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Robert A. Yannone, Terry J. Reed
  • Patent number: 4259835
    Abstract: A hybrid digital computer gas turbine power plant control system which may operate in a multiple-control loop arrangement is provided with selected process variable monitoring means. Control system inputs representative of current values of such variables are continuously available to provide positive highly responsive control over a broad range of gas turbine operating conditions. Predictable process sensor errors are effectively eliminated by means of programmed computer operations to thereby insure highly accurate control variable derivation essential to maintaining gas turbine operation at or near design limits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1978
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1981
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Terry J. Reed, Robert A. Yannone
  • Patent number: 4242592
    Abstract: A gas turbine power plant is provided with an industrial gas turbine which drives a generator coupled to a power system through a breaker. The turbine-generator plant is operated by a hybrid control system having digital function capability during sequenced startup, synchronizing, load buildup and steady state load, and shutdown operations. The control system also contains monitoring and protective subsystems which function through all stages of operation, with redundancy and permissive features which maximize turbine availability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1977
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1980
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Robert A. Yannone, James J. Shields
  • Patent number: 4208591
    Abstract: A gas turbine power plant is provided with an industrial gas turbine which drives a generator coupled to a power system through a breaker. The turbine-generator plant is operated by a hybrid control system having digital function capability during sequenced startup, synchronizing, load buildup and steady state load, and shutdown operations. The control system also contains monitoring and protective subsystems which function through all stages of operation, with redundancy and permissive features which maximize turbine availability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 1973
    Date of Patent: June 17, 1980
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Robert A. Yannone, James J. Shields
  • Patent number: 4103178
    Abstract: A black start generating system for a steam plant comprises a gas turbine-generator and a control system which operates the turbine in a modified dead load mode to accept successive load steps in accordance with a black plant startup sequence. In the dead load mode, certain limits are placed on control operations to protect the turbine while permitting load stepping during plant startup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1977
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1978
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Robert A. Yannone, John F. Reuther
  • Patent number: 4051669
    Abstract: A gas turbine power plant is provided with an industrial gas turbine which drives a generator coupled to a power system through a breaker. The turbine-generator plant is operated by a hybrid control system having digital function capability during sequenced startup, synchronizing, load buildup and steady state load, and shutdown operations. The control system also contains monitoring and protective subsystems which function through all stages of operation, with redundancy and permissive features which maximize turbine availability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1974
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1977
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Robert A. Yannone, James J. Shields
  • Patent number: 4039804
    Abstract: A hybrid digital computer gas turbine power plant control system which may operate in a multiple-control loop arrangement is provided with selected process variable monitoring means. Control system inputs representative of current values of such variables are continuously available to provide positive highly responsive control over a broad range of gas turbine operating conditions. Predictable process sensor errors are effectively eliminated by means of programmed computer operations to thereby insure highly accurate control variable derivation essential to maintaining gas turbine operation at or near design limits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1973
    Date of Patent: August 2, 1977
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Terry J. Reed, Robert A. Yannone
  • Patent number: 4019315
    Abstract: A gas turbine power plant is provided with an industrial gas turbine which drives a generator coupled to a power system through a breaker. The turbine-generator plant is operated by a hybrid control system having digital function capability during sequenced startup, synchronizing, load buildup and steady state load, and shutdown operations. The control system also contains monitoring and protective subsystems which function through all stages of operation, with redundancy and permissive features which maximize turbine availability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 1973
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1977
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Robert A. Yannone, James J. Shields
  • Patent number: 3975902
    Abstract: A local maintenance controller permits continued power generation during maintenance or failure of a primary gas turbine control system by manually for maintenance purposes or automatically for failure purposes assuming turbine control to thereby insure continued operation. The local maintenance controller set forth is particularly suitable for use in conjunction with a computer implemented gas turbine control system.Transfer between the local maintenance controller and the primary control system is effected in a bumpless manner so that load swings are absent. However, if the turbine was operating at system reserve at the time of transfer, the local maintenance controller reduces the load to peak value until primary control is resumed. Operation at any other load at the time of transfer is maintained by the controller. Transfer back to primary control is also effected in a bumpless manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1974
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1976
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Jack R. Smith, Leonard H. Burrows, Richard S. Heiser, Richard J. Hertz, Joseph A. Pesavento, John F. Reuther, James J. Shields, Robert A. Yannone
  • Patent number: 3955359
    Abstract: A gas turbine power plant is provided with an industrial gas turbine which drives a generator coupled to a power system through a breaker. The turbine-generator plant is operated by a hybrid control system having digital function capability during sequenced startup, synchronizing, load buildup and steady state load, and shutdown operations. The control system also contains monitoring and protective subsystems which function through all stages of operation, with redundancy and permissive features which maximize turbine availability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 1973
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1976
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Robert A. Yannone, James J. Shields
  • Patent number: 3943371
    Abstract: A gas turbine power plant is provided with an industrial gas turbine which drives a generator coupled to a power system through a breaker. The turbine-generator plant is operated by a hybrid control system having digital function capability during sequenced startup, synchronizing, load buildup and steady state load, and shutdown operations. The control system also contains monitoring and protective subsystems which function through all stages of operation, with redundancy and permissive features which maximize turbine availability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 1973
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1976
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Robert A. Yannone, James J. Shields
  • Patent number: 3943373
    Abstract: A gas turbine power plant is provided with an industrial gas turbine which drives a generator coupled to a power system through a breaker. The turbine-generator plant is operated by a hybrid control system having digital function capability during sequenced startup, synchronizing, load buildup and steady state load, and shutdown operations. The control system also contains monitoring and protective subsystems which function through all stages of operation, with redundancy and permissive features which maximize turbine availability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 1973
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1976
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Robert A. Yannone, James J. Shields