The disclosure relates to the structure of a refurbished gas turbine exhaust strut. The disclosure also relates to a method for refurbishing a gas turbine exhaust strut.
Working medium gases discharged from a gas turbine of a turbomachine can have a residual velocity component perpendicular to the turbine axis. Reducing this perpendicular velocity component from the exhaust flow may be desirable to impact operation of the machine. In this regard, gas turbines can include an exhaust case having plural struts, the profile and orientation of which can be configured to reduce the perpendicular velocity component from the exhaust flow in an effort to deswirl the exhaust flow.
It is known to modify a gas turbine machine by replacing the compressor with a higher-flow compressor. However, characteristics of the working medium gases discharged from the gas turbine can change as a result of such a modification whereby the geometry of the existing exhaust case can become less effective in deswirling the exhaust flow. Previously, it was known to replace the entire exhaust case, including the plural struts, with an exhaust case configured for the modified turbine. However, replacing the entire exhaust case can be costly and/or time-consuming.
A gas turbine exhaust strut installed in an exhaust case of a gas turbine is disclosed which includes a trailing portion configured with an inner surface for mounting to an inner annular member of the exhaust case and an outer surface for mounting to an outer annular member of the exhaust case, a block attached to the trailing portion, an angled piece attached to the block and configured with a surface on a pressure side of the strut angled with respect to a surface of the trailing portion on the pressure side of the strut, and a transition piece attached to the block and configured with a surface on the pressure side of the strut for smoothing the transition between a height of the block on the pressure side of the strut and a height of the trailing portion on the pressure side of the strut.
A gas turbine is disclosed which includes an exhaust case having an inner member and an outer member, and plural struts spanning a flow path formed by the inner member and the outer member. At least one of the struts including a trailing portion, a block attached to the trailing portion, an angled piece attached to the block, and a transition piece attached to the block.
Also disclosed is a method of refurbishing an exhaust strut installed in an exhaust case of gas turbine while retaining at least a portion of the strut in the exhaust case including removing a leading edge portion from a trailing portion of the strut and attaching a replacement leading edge portion to the trailing portion of the strut.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from reading the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the drawings, wherein like elements are represented by like reference numerals, and wherein:
a) illustrates an end view of the top half of an exhaust case according to an exemplary embodiment;
b) illustrates an exemplary strut as seen in the view along line A-A of
a)-2(d) illustrate an exemplary method of refurbishing; and
a)-3(d) illustrate views along the respective lines B-B of
a) illustrates an exemplary gas turbine exhaust strut 130 installed in an exhaust case 100 of a gas turbine. Referring to
Referring to
a)-2(d) show an exemplary method for refurbishing a gas turbine strut. As shown in
The method can also include attaching a replacement leading edge portion to the trailing portion of the strut as shown, for example, in
An angled piece 160 can be attached to the side of the block 180 opposite the trailing portion 170, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
a) illustrates an end view of the exemplary removal of the leading edge portion 200 from a trailing portion 170 of the strut.
As shown in
As shown in
As illustrated in
When the characteristics of the exhaust flow change, such as when the compressor of the turbine is changed, the struts 130 can be refurbished to accommodate a modified exhaust flow. The refurbishing can be performed while the struts 130 remain attached to the exhaust casing 100 of the gas turbine.
In a further aspect of the exemplary method, the angled piece 160, block 180, transition piece 190, and/or bolts 320 can be formed from STOX5 (10 CrAl 7). It has been discovered that heat treatment is not necessary after welding STOX5. Thus, in an exemplary method, welding of the components formed from STOX5 can be performed in situ without heat treatment.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present invention can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presently disclosed exemplary embodiments are therefore considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restricted.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20110103947 A1 | May 2011 | US |