Patent Application
20170089209
This application is the U.S. National Stage of International Application No. PCT/EP2015/061452 filed May 22, 2015, and claims the benefit thereof. The International Application claims the benefit of European Application No. EP14170842 filed Jun. 2, 2014. All of the applications are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
The present invention relates to a method for assembling a stator stage of a gas turbine engine. The present invention further relates to an adjustment pin to perform the assembly method and a use of the adjustment pin in the inventive method to lock a vane segment in a central section of the stator stage.
A gas turbine engine comprises stator stages and rotor stages. The stator stages are located adjacent to the rotor stages. In order to provide a proper sealing of the stator stage between a high pressure side and a low pressure side which are divided by the stator stage, a central section, in particular the static diaphragm, of the stator stage should accurately be located relative to the rotating components, i.e. a turbine shaft and the adjacent rotor stages. Moreover, supporting elements of the central section should also allow a relative radial expansion while maintaining an accurate circumferential location. Furthermore, a proper balancing of the axial loads caused by the pressure differential across the stator stage should be achieved. It is currently known to use a pre-assembling arrangement where the central section of a stator stage is adjusted by key blocks and dowels that are drilled and fixed to the stator stage assembly. During the pre-assembling, an interim carrier ring substitutes a stator casing and vane sections with key block are positioned in the interim carrier ring. Subsequently, the vane segments are positioned by location pins in the casing and the central section is manually positioned to gain concentricity with regards to the casing. After aligning a through hole is drilled through the key blocks at the overlapping portions of the central section and the vane section. After the drilling the assembly is disassembled, cleaned and the vane segments are inserted in the central section. Next, a dowel is fixed into the through hole in order to fix the relative position between the central section and the vane section.
Such an assembling needed three days for the assembling. Moreover, the assembling, cleaning and re-assembling adds a high risk of damaging components due to increased handling. All this makes the process costly and reduces the capacity in core build.
It is a first objective of the present invention to provide a method for assembling a stator stage of a gas turbine engine with which the above-mentioned shortcomings can be mitigated, and especially providing a quick locking of a vane segment at a central section and facilitate a save assembling that also reduces costs.
It is a second objective of the invention to provide an adjustment pin to assemble the vane segment and the central section easy and quick as well as lock the central section properly. A third objective of the invention is to provide a use of an adjustment pin in the inventive method for proper locking of the vane segment in the central section of the stator stage.
These objectives may be solved by a method, an adjustment pin and a use of the adjustment pin according to the subject-matter of the independent claims.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a method for assembling a stator stage of a gas turbine engine, comprising at least one vane segment and at least a central section, wherein the vane segment comprises at least one wall segment and a gap, wherein the at least one wall segment restricts the gap in at least one direction, wherein the central section comprises at least one circumferential slot and an axial through hole passing in a direction basically perpendicular to a circumferential direction of the slot through the slot, wherein the method comprises the steps of: Inserting an adjustment pin, into the through hole, wherein the adjustment pin comprises two end sections and a middle portion extending between the end sections and having at least one action device, inserting the at least one wall segment of the vane segment in the slot of the central section so that the gap is circumferentially aligned with the through hole of central section, rotating the adjustment pin in its circumferential direction so that the central section is correctly positioned in the stator stage and/or in respect to an inner casing of the stator stage through interaction of the at least one wall segment with the at least one action device of the adjustment pin.
It is provided that the method comprises the further steps of: Deforming a deformable part of the adjustment pin so that the now deformed part establishes a force fit with at least one segment of a corresponding structure of the central section and thereby locking the adjustment pin and thus the central section in a fixed position in the stator stage.
Due to the inventive method the assembling is simplified in comparison with state of the art methods. Further, the method allows for a quick rotational locking of the adjustment pin and thus of the central section and the vane segment. Since the steps of assembling, cleaning and re-assembling are omitted the risk for damaging parts of the stator stage and especially of the vanes and their delicate coatings is minimised. Additionally, this also allows assembling and installing the stator stage inside a clean room environment. Moreover, because the need of key blocks inside the slot of the central section is obsolete, the amount of parts is also reduced and thus the overall weight and the overall costs. Furthermore, assembling time is reduced by about a factor of three. This time reduction reduces cost and improves capacity in core build. Moreover, storage space can be advantageously saved.
Even if a term like vane segment, central section, wall segment, gap, slot, through hole, end section, middle portion or action device, deformable part, corresponding structure, protrusion, groove, drive slot, sector is used in the singular or in a specific numeral form in the claims and the specification the scope of the patent (application) should not be restricted to the singular or the specific numeral form. It should also lie in the scope of the invention to have more than one or a plurality of the above mentioned structure(s).
A stator stage may be any stage in a gas turbine engine feasible for a person skilled in the art. Advantageously it is a stage of a turbine section of the gas turbine engine positioned intermediate to two rotor stages and is also referred to as a nozzle assembly. A vane segment is an assembly with at least one aerofoil, embodied as a vane, and an assembly section with at least one wall segment, like a radially extending protrusion intended to interact with the central section during assembly. The vane segment may further comprise an inner and an outer platform or shroud, wherein the outer platform is used to connect the stator stage with a casing of the gas turbine engine.
The central section comprises at least a slot intended to receive the assembling section of the vane segment and a through hole intended for the receiving of the adjustment pin. The slot is advantageously embodied as a circumferential slot in the outer circumference with a radial depth to receive the assembling section of the vane segment. Moreover, the central section comprises a centre hole for mounting of the stator stage to a turbine shaft of the gas turbine engine, thus the turbine shaft is insertable through the centre hole. A radially inner surface of the centre hole is either in slidable contact with the turbine shaft or comprises sealing elements which seals a gap between the radially inner surface and the turbine shaft for sealing purposes. In order to provide a proper sealing, the central section has to be adjusted properly with respect to the turbine shaft.
The central section is supported and fixed to the vane segment which is again fixed to the housing/casing of the gas turbine engine. In addition, the central section or inner ring transfers cooling air that passes through the vanes/nozzles into a pre-swirl ring and then onto a disc cavity of an adjacent turbine wheel to provide pressure. Advantageously, the central section is aligned with respect to the turbine shaft in such a way that a centre point of the centre hole is located onto the rotary axis of the turbine shaft. In other words, the central section is adjusted advantageously in such a way that the central section is concentric with the rotary axis of the turbine shaft. Alternatively, depending on where in the turbine section the stator stage is located, particular in relation to the rotor bearings, a slightly offset position between the centre of the turbine shaft and the centre hole may be advantageous to compensate for any bending of the turbine rotor that may occur during operation from rotor dynamics and thereby minimise the clearance and leakage path between the static and rotating part.
The order or sequence of insertion of the adjustment pin and the vane segment may be reversed. Thus the vane segment may be inserted first and the adjustment pin thereafter. The insertion may be even performed simultaneously. It may be also possible to insert the pieces, like the vane segment or the adjustment pin, stepwise or alternatingly. In other words, it may be possible to first insert the piece (vane segment or wall segment thereof, adjustment pin) partially, subsequently insert the other part (adjustment pin or vane segment) and finally insert the up till now partly inserted part (vane segment or adjustment pin) fully.
In case the adjustment pin is inserted first and the wall segment of the at least one vane segment subsequently, the adjustment pin is advantageously held in position by the vane segment or between radial extension thereof as these are axially narrower than the end sections of the adjustment pin. Hence, the vane segment or its extensions are trapped between the end sections of the adjustment pin and consequently the adjustment pin cannot move axially beyond the play of the assembly. Thus, by inserting the at least one wall segment of the vane segment in the slot of the central section the adjustment pin is axially locked into position in the central section or its through hole.
After the vane segment(s), the adjustment pin(s) and the central section are assembled the method comprises the further step of: Placing the assembly within a casing and/or a carrier ring of the stator stage. Moreover, the method comprises the further step of: Positioning the at least one vane segment at the inner casing by location pins. Thus, via the rotation of the adjustment pins and the interaction with the wall segment of the vane segment the central section can be positioned in respect to the inner casing of the stator stage.
A deformable part should be understood as a part that can be deformed or processed or that is processable and specifically shape processable or processable in shape. The occurring deformation causes a detectable change, like a change in shape, of the deformable part. In this context, a minor deformation should not be understood as a deformation according to the invention. The force fit is established between the now deformed part and at least a section of the corresponding structure. There may be a contact of a first degree, like a loose contact, between the deformable part and the at least one segment of the corresponding structure that will be strengthened during the deformation and locking to a second degree. Alternatively and advantageously, there will be no contact between the deformable part and the at least one segment of the corresponding structure before the deformation and locking and the contact will be established due to the deformation and locking. Additionally to the force fit there may be also a form fit between the deformable part and the at least one segment of the corresponding structure.
An adjustment pin is for example a dowel. The deformation may be facilitated by any mechanism feasible for a person skilled in the art, like a thermal processing, e.g. welding, brazing, sintering or laser treatment, or a mechanical processing. Advantageously, it is provided that the deformable part of the adjustment pin is deformed by peening. Thus, an easy process can be used. Further, special, complex and expensive treatment means can be avoided. Beneficially, at least one section of the deformable part of the adjustment pin is deformed. This reduces the time and the treatment strength or force and needed for the deforming process. Moreover, it may be a space saving solution. Generally, it would also be possible to deform the entire deformable part.
In an advantageous embodiment the deformable part is embodied as a protrusion of at least one end section of the adjustment pin. Hence, the deformable part is easily accessible. Advantageously, the deformable part extends in an axial direction of the adjustment pin and at least partially along a circumference of the at least one end section. Due to this, the deformable part is a space saving, compact arrangement. In other words, the deformable part is a castellated circumference or ridge. The axial protrusion or overlap over a radial surface of the end section may be between 5 millimetre (mm) and 0.5 mm, in particular between 3 mm and 1 mm, more particular between 2.25 mm and 1.75 mm and most particular 2 mm. In other words, the protrusion may have an axial length between 5 millimetre (mm) and 0.5 mm, in particular between 3 mm and 1 mm, more particular between 2.25 mm and 1.75 mm and most particular of 2 mm.
Moreover, for greater sizes of gas turbine engines the radial protrusion or overlap may be greater than 5 mm or even 10 mm to 20 mm. Generally, the proportions of the protrusion remain similar with regards to the diameter of the adjustment pin and the axial length of the protrusion may be between 5% to 20% of the diameter of an end section of the adjustment pin.
The corresponding structure of the central section may be any structure suitable for a person skilled in the art, like an interaction surface, a bulge, a bump, a recess, a slot or a groove. A part of the corresponding structure is a section of the corresponding structure that contacts the deformable part or a section thereof and establishes thereby the force fit. Thus, it may be possible that the whole corresponding section contacts the deformable part or just a part or parts thereof, like a bottom and/or a top and/or a wall. In a further advantageous embodiment the corresponding structure of the central section is a groove, wherein the deformed part of the adjustment pin is locked in the groove of the central section. The embodiment as a groove provides a space efficient structure. The corresponding structure is easy to manufacture, when the groove extends in an outer surface of the central section and in circumferential direction of the central section. In case of a deforming of the entire deformable part the corresponding structure could be a circular groove with a slightly wider diameter than the diameter of the end section comprising the deformable part.
The corresponding structure may have additional functions. In case of an embodiment as a groove that may be the use of the groove as a reference or as a fix location e g a tool end resting in the groove for measuring/repair operations particularly in the centre hole for example related to seal features.
Advantageously, at least two deformed sections of the deformed part are built during the deformation. Hence, the locking is particularly secure. According to a further realisation of the invention the central section comprises at least two circumferential grooves in an outer surface of the central section and wherein each deformed section is locked in one of the two circumferential grooves. This avoids an accidental alignment of a drive slot provided to rotate the adjustment pin and dividing the deformable part with a sole groove. Such an alignment would prevent the deforming due to missing material of the deformable part in end regions of the slot. The two grooves are advantageously arranged in parallel towards each other in circumferential direction of central section. A width of the groove is selected in such a way to provide enough interlocking space with the deformable part or the axial protrusion, respectively.
Beneficially, the deformable part of the adjustment pin is arranged in such a way in the through hole to be accessible from an outside of the stator stage. Consequently, a tool for rotating the adjustment pin can actuate the adjustment unhindered. Therefore the adjustment pin comprises at least one drive slot (see below).
The action device of the middle portion of the adjustment pin may be any means feasible for a person skilled in the art, like a recess, a lug or a shape (e.g. elliptic or egg shaped) and advantageously a specifically selected arrangement of the middle portion in respect to the end sections. According to a further embodiment of the invention the action device of the adjustment pin is embodied as an eccentrically arranged middle portion and wherein the eccentric middle portion contacts the at least one wall segment of the vane segment to correctly position the central section in the stator stage and/or in respect to the inner casing. Thus, the vane segment can be positioned constructively easy just by rotating the adjustment pin.
A concentricity of the central section with respect to the rotary axis of the turbine shaft is achievable and/or a relative radial and tangential/circumferential position of the central section is adjustable by pivoting the adjustment pin, because the end sections of the adjustment pin are coupled to the central section and the eccentric middle portion of the adjustment pin is coupled to the assembly section of the vane segment. The central section may thus be moved relative to the vane segment along a radial and/or circumferential direction by adjusting the adjustment pin.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention the adjustment pin and/or the central section is locked in its circumferential position in the stator stage. Hence, the locking is mediated simply by the rotation of the adjustment pin.
The present invention further relates to an adjustment pin embodied in such a way to perform the inventive method.
Hence, an adjustment pin with two end sections and with a middle portion extending between the two end sections and having an action device is provided.
It is proposed that the adjustment pin comprises a deformable part embodied in such a way to established a force fit with at least a part of a corresponding structure of a central section of a stator stage and thereby locking the adjustment pin and thus the central section of the stator stage into a fixed position in the stator stage in an assembled state of the stator stage.
Due to the inventive matter the assembling is simplified in comparison with state of the art methods. Further, the such embodied assembling pin allows for its quick rotational locking. Since the assembling, cleaning and re-assembling steps are omitted the risk for damaging parts of the stator stage and especially of the vanes and their delicate coatings is minimised. Additionally, this also allows assembling and installing the stator stage inside a clean room environment. Moreover, because the need of key blocks inside the central section slot is obsolete, the amount of parts is also reduced and thus the overall weight and the overall costs. Furthermore, assembling time is reduced by about a factor of three. This time reduction reduces cost and improves capacity in core build. Moreover, storage space can be advantageously saved.
As stated above the adjustment pin comprises the deformable part that is embodied as a protrusion of at least one end section of the adjustment pin. Hence, the deformable part is easily accessible. Advantageously, the deformable part extends in an axial direction of the adjustment pin and at least partially along a circumference of the at least one end section. Due to this, the deformable part is a space saving, compact arrangement. In other words, the deformable part is a castellated circumference or ridge.
In a further realisation of the invention it is provided that the adjustment pin comprises a drive slot extending basically perpendicular to the axial direction of the adjustment pin. As a result, the adjustment pin can be easily actuated e.g. by a screw driver. Advantageously, the drive slot is positioned in one of the end sections of the adjustment pin providing good access for the actuation of the adjustment pin. Advantageously, the drive slot divides the deformable part in two sectors. Hence, the drive slot can be inserted in the adjustment pin easily.
As discussed above the embodiment with two grooves that engage two deformable sections of the deformable part is needed to avoid the problem of missing material for the deformation at the regions where the drive slot divides the deformable part or circumferential ridge. This problem could be solved by using a shorter slot that avoids dividing or does not divide the deformable part. According to an alternative embodiment the drive slot is embodied as a hex head slot providing a means to interact with another kind of tool than the standard screw driver. In a further alternative embodiment the drive slot is embodied as a cross head slot providing still another actuation possibility. Nevertheless, the embodiment of the drive slot as a rectangular slot has the advantage that it represents and shows the orientation of the adjustment pin. That is especially advantageous when the action device is the eccentrically arrangement of the middle portion in respect to the end section.
As stated above the adjustment pin comprises a first and a second end section. In a further alternatively embodiment it is provided that the drive slot is arranged in the first end section and the deformable part is arranged at the second end section. Thus a possible conflict during machining, actuating or treatment of the deformable part and the drive slot can be avoided.
The present invention further relates to a use of the inventive adjustment pin in the inventive method to lock the central section in the stator stage and/or in respect to the inner casing of the stator stage.
Due to the inventive use the assembling is simplified in comparison with state of the art methods. Further, the use allows for a quick rotational locking of the adjustment pin. Since the assembling, cleaning and re-assembling steps are omitted the risk for damaging parts of the stator stage and especially of the vanes and their delicate coatings is minimised. Additionally, this also allows assembling and installing the stator stage inside a clean room environment. Moreover, because the need of key blocks inside the central section slot is obsolete, the amount of parts is also reduced and thus the overall weight and the overall costs. Furthermore, assembling time is reduced by about a factor of three. This time reduction reduces cost and improves capacity in core build. Moreover, storage space can be advantageously saved.
The above-described characteristics, features and advantages of this invention and the manner in which they are achieved are clear and clearly understood in connection with the following description of exemplary embodiments which are explained in connection with the drawings.
The present invention will be described with reference to drawings in which:
The terms upstream and downstream refer to the flow direction of the airflow and/or working gas flow through the gas turbine engine 12 unless otherwise stated. If used and not otherwise stated, the terms axial, radial and circumferential are made with reference to a rotational axis 66 of the gas turbine engine 12.
In operation of the gas turbine engine 12, air 70, which is taken in through the air inlet 58 is compressed by the compressor section 60 and delivered to the combustion section or burner section 62. The burner section 62 comprises a burner plenum 72, one or more combustion chambers 74 defined by a double wall can 76 and at least one burner 78 fixed to each combustion chamber 74. The combustion chamber(s) 74 and the burner(s) 78 are located inside the burner plenum 72. The compressed air passing through the compressor section 60 enters a diffuser 80 and is discharged from the diffuser 80 into the burner plenum 72 from where a portion of the air enters the burner 78 and is mixed with a gaseous or liquid fuel. The air/fuel mixture is then burned and the combustion gas 82 or working gas from the combustion is channelled via a transition duct 84 to the turbine section 64.
The turbine section 64 comprises a number of blade carrying production discs 86 or turbine wheels attached to the shaft 68. In the present example, the turbine section 64 comprises two discs 86 each carry an annular array of turbine blades 88. However, the number of blade carrying production discs 86 could be different, i.e. only one production disc 86 or more than two production discs 86. In addition, stator stages 10 or turbine cascades are disposed between the turbine blades 88. Each stator stage 10 carries an annular array of guiding vanes 90, which are fixed to a stator 92 of the gas turbine engine 12. Between the exit of the combustion chamber 74 and the leading turbine blades 88 inlet guiding vanes or nozzle guide vanes 94 are provided.
The combustion gas 82 from the combustion chamber 74 enters the turbine section 64 and drives the turbine blades 88 which in turn rotate the shaft 68. The guiding vanes 90, 94 serve to optimise the angle of the combustion or working gas 82 on to the turbine blades 88. The compressor section 60 comprises an axial series of guide vane stages 96 and rotor blade stages 98 with turbine blades 88 or vanes 90, respectively.
In
After adjusting (details see below) the relative position of the central section 16 with respect to the vane segments 14, a plurality of concentric pins 104 may be attached in order to fix and support the central section 16 to the vane segments 14.
With reference to
The vane segment 14 comprises at an inner platform 106 two radial extensions 108, 108′ and a gap 20 separating the extensions 108, 108′ in circumferential direction 22. To interact with the extension 108, 108′ the central section 16 comprises a circumferential slot 24 with a radial depth matched to the radial length of the extensions 108, 108′. Moreover, the central section 16 comprises an axial through hole 26 passing in a direction 28 basically perpendicular to the circumferential direction 22 as well as in radial direction 102 of the slot 24 and specifically in axial direction 28 through the slot 24.
To assemble the stator stage 10 the adjustment pin 30 is inserted into the through hole 26 (see arrow) such that the extensions 108, 108′ straddles the middle portion 36 of the adjustment pin 30. Subsequently, the radial extension 108, 108′ of the vane segment 14 are inserted into the slot 24 of the central section 16 (see arrow) so that the gap 20 between the extensions 108, 108′ is circumferentially aligned with the through hole 26 of central section 16. Since the radial extensions 108, 108′ are narrower than the end sections 32, 34 of the adjustment pin 30 the adjustment pin 30 is axially held in position by the vane segment 14. This is so, because the radial extension 108 and 108′ are trapped between the end section 32, 34 i.e. the adjustment pin 30 cannot move axially beyond the play of the assembly.
Once all vane segments 14 and adjustment pins 30 are in the central section 16 the whole assembly is lifted into a carrier ring/inner casing of the gas turbine engine 12 and the vane segment 14 is positioned by location pins in the inner casing (not shown in detail).
To position the central section 16 correctly in the stator stage 10 and in respect to the inner casing the adjustment pin 30 is now rotated in circumferential direction 22. This is done through an interaction of a wall segment 18 or a surface of the extension 108 with an action device 38 of the adjustment pin 30 (details see below).
The adjustment pin 30 is shown in
The first end section 32 and the second end section 34 comprise a common centre axis 110 (symmetry axis). The eccentric middle portion 36 in turn comprises a further centre axis 112 (symmetry axis) which is parallel to the centre axis 110 of the first and second end sections 32, 34, wherein the further centre axis 112 is spaced by a predefined distance from the centre axis 110. Hence, because the central section 16 is due to a tight fit between the end sections 3234 and the through hole 26 coupled to the end sections 32, 34 and the vane segment 14 is coupled via the contact of the wall segment 18 with the eccentric middle portion 36 to the eccentric middle portion 36, a pivoting of the adjustment pin 30 adjusts the relative position between the central section 16 and the vane segment 14.
Moreover, as shown in
Once the require concentricity has been achieved the adjustment pin 30 must be locked into place to avoid movement of the central section 16. Therefore the adjustment pin 30 comprises a deformable part 40 embodied as a protrusion 40 or a castellated ridge 40 of the first end section 32. The protrusion 40 extends with about 2 mm in axial direction 28 of the adjustment pin 30 and at least partially along a circumference 52 of the first end section 32. The deformable part 40 is divided by the drive slot 54 in two sectors 56, 56′.
For the correct positioning of the vane segment 14 and the central section 16 the deformable part 40 of the adjustment pin 30 is deformed so that the now deformed part 40 establishes a force fit with a segment 42 of a corresponding structure 44 of the central section 10 and thereby locking the adjustment pin 30 and thus the central section 16 in a fixed or their respective circumferential position in the stator stage 10.
The deformation of the deformable part 40 of the adjustment pin 30 is done by peening. This can be easily performed because the deformable part 40 is arranged in such a way in the through hole 26 to be accessible from an outside of the stator stage 10 (see
The corresponding structure 44 of the central section 16 is for each section 46, 46′ embodied as a groove 50 extending in an outer surface 52 of the central section 16 and in circumferential direction 22 of the central section 16. Thus, each deformed section 46, 46′ is locked in one of the two circumferential grooves 50.
In short a use of an adjustment pin 30 in an assembling method to lock the central section 16 in the stator stage 10 is described. And specifically, a use of a conjunction of an eccentric adjustment pin 30 with a castellated circumferential ridge 40 for deformation especially by peening.
In
In
In
It should be noted that the term “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps and “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. Also elements described in association with different embodiments may be combined. It should also be noted that reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described in detail by the preferred embodiments, the invention is not limited by the examples disclosed, and other variations can be derived therefrom by a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14170842.0 | Jun 2014 | EP | regional |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2015/061452 | 5/22/2015 | WO | 00 |
