Electric Power Research Institute Incorporated

George Heinz Quentin

David Joseph Wunderlin

Renee Bedros

Arch W Butler

Charles P Bloom

Stephen R Sweet

Brian A Isle

David Spoor

Francis M Campos

Robert Alfred Yannone

An apparatus and method to assess the performance of a start of a turbine is described. The apparatus includes an accumulator to compare a set of on-line data signals corresponding to the starting performance of the turbine to a set of normative starting parameters so as to identify a set of comparison signals. The comparison signals may also be identified by comparing the set of on-line data signals with a database of historical information relating to starts and design profiles of the turbine. In addition, the comparison signals may be identified by comparing the set of on-line data signals with information in an expert system defining fault conditions in previous starts of the turbine. The comparison signals are processed by an analyzer to identify those comparison signals that exceed predetermined thresholds. Those comparison signals that exceed the predetermined thresholds are processed by a risk factor assessor, which generates quality-of-start predication signals corresponding to the likelihood of success of future starts of the turbine. An anticipator then processes the quality-of-start prediction signals and generates output signals that are used to improve the starting performance of the turbine.

System to assess the starting performance of a turbine

A multimedia interface presents information and receives user commands and data for a computer system. The multimedia interface operates in parallel with another application software module, such as an expert system. To add multimedia features to the application software module, the module is modified so as to generate multimedia commands at the same time as it displays text on a text monitor. The multimedia commands, which are held in a queue, provide additional information in the form of video images and generated speech corresponding to the displayed text. In addition, the multimedia commands are split into at least two sets: one set which is dispatched to the user substantially immediately after displaying the corresponding text, and one set which is dispatched upon request by the user. In the preferred embodiment, the multimedia interface presents information to the user through text, graphics, video, sound, speech production, and printed output. User inputs are made through a keyboard and voice recognition. In one preferred embodiment two data processing units are used: one for an expert system module and one for a video output processing module. Each module includes its own flat VGA display. The video module includes a digital video controller which enables it to display drawings, photographs, still and animated graphics, video stills, full-motion video and motion video with graphic overlays. An optional satellite station facilitates use of the system in environments where it is inconvenient or impossible to bring the complete system.

Multimedia interface and method for computer system

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

George Heinz Quentin