Patents by Inventor Stephen J. Jennings

Stephen J. Jennings 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: 4402054
    Abstract: Diagnostic apparatus for monitoring a system subject to malfunctions. Estimates are obtained relating normal system operation to operating variables. Estimates are additionally obtained relating specific malfunctions to specific variables. The variables are combined in accordance with predetermined functions to get an indication of a particular malfunction. This indication is modified by a factor related to the normal operation of the system to yield a probability of the occurrence of the malfunction, and which probability is limited to a value less than 100%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1980
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1983
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Robert L. Osborne, Paul H. Haley, Stephen J. Jennings
  • 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: 4210819
    Abstract: Two sets of hinged control doors for regulating motive steam flow from an evaporator to a condenser alternatively through a set of turbine blades in a steam bypass around the turbine blades. The evaporator has a toroidal shaped casing situated about the turbine's vertical axis of rotation and an outlet opening therein for discharging motive steam into an annular steam flow path defined between the turbine's radially inner and outer casing structures. The turbine blades extend across the steam flow path intermediate the evaporator and condenser. The first set of control doors is arranged to prevent steam access to the upstream side of the turbine blades and the second set of control doors acts as a bypass around the blades so as to maintain equilibrium between the evaporator and condenser during non-rotation of the turbine. The first set of control doors preferably extend, when closed, between the evaporator casing and the turbine's outer casing and, when open, extend away from the axis of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1978
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1980
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: J. Michael Wittig, Stephen J. Jennings