Nozzle maintenance apparatus and method
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsAndrew James Fisher, John William Herbold, Thomas Alan Mogle, II
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Various embodiments include apparatuses for performing maintenance on a gas turbine (GT) nozzle, along with related methods. One apparatus can include: a nozzle engagement sled for releasably engaging the nozzle, the nozzle engagement sled including: a sled body; a locking member coupled with the sled body, the locking member sized to complement a slot in the nozzle; a sled slot within a side of the sled body, the sled slot for engaging a rail within the GT; and at least one wheel for transporting the sled body within the GT.
Claims20
An apparatus for performing maintenance on a nozzle of a gas turbine (GT), the apparatus comprising:
- a nozzle engagement sled for releaseably engaging the nozzle, the nozzle engagement sled including:
- a sled body including two opposing sides and a first side extending between and positioned adjacent the two opposing sides;
- a locking member coupled with the sled body, the locking member sized to complement a slot in the nozzle;
- a sled slot within the first side of the sled body and formed between the two opposing sides of the sled body, the sled slot for engaging a rail within the GT;
- at least one first wheel positioned at least partially within and extending at least partially through one side of the two opposing sides of the sled body, the at least one first wheel extending at least partially into the sled slot to contact the rail within the GT for transporting the sled body within the GT;
- and
- at least one second wheel positioned at least partially within and extending at least partially through other side of the two opposing sides of the sled body, the at least one second wheel extending at least partially into the sled slot, opposite the at least one first wheel, to contact the rail within the GT for transporting the sled body within the GT.
A method of installing a nozzle below a horizontal joint surface of a gas turbine (GT), the method comprising:
- coupling a nozzle maintenance apparatus to the nozzle, the nozzle maintenance apparatus having:
- a nozzle engagement sled for releaseably engaging the nozzle, the nozzle engagement sled including:
- a sled body including two opposing sides and a first side extending between and positioned adjacent the two opposing sides;
- a locking member coupled with the sled body, the locking member sized to complement a slot in the nozzle;
- a sled slot within the first side of the sled body and formed between the two opposing sides of the sled body, the sled slot for engaging a rail within the GT;
- at least one first wheel positioned at least partially within and extending at least partially through one side of the two opposing sides of the sled body, the at least one first wheel extending at least partially into the sled slot to contact the rail within the GT for transporting the sled body within the GT;
- and
- at least one second wheel positioned at least partially within and extending at least partially through other side of the two opposing sides of the sled body, the at least one second wheel extending at least partially into the sled slot, opposite the at least one first wheel, to contact the rail within the GT for transporting the sled body within the GT;
- lowering the nozzle maintenance sled and the nozzle into the GT;
- and
- actuating the locking member to disengage the nozzle inside the GT.
A method of un-installing a nozzle from a location below a horizontal joint surface of a gas turbine (GT), the method comprising:
- coupling a nozzle maintenance apparatus to the nozzle, the nozzle maintenance apparatus having:
- a nozzle engagement sled for releaseably engaging the nozzle, the nozzle engagement sled including:
- a sled body including two opposing sides and a first side extending between and positioned adjacent the two opposing sides;
- a locking member coupled with the sled body, the locking member sized to complement a slot in the nozzle;
- a sled slot within the first side of the sled body and formed between the two opposing sides of the sled body, the sled slot for engaging a rail within the GT;
- at least one first wheel positioned at least partially within and extending at least partially through one side of the two opposing sides of the sled body, the at least one first wheel extending at least partially into the sled slot to contact the rail within the GT for transporting the sled body within the GT;
- and
- at least one second wheel positioned at least partially within and extending at least partially through other side of the two opposing sides of the sled body, the at least one second wheel extending at least partially into the sled slot, opposite the at least one first wheel, to contact the rail within the GT for transporting the sled body within the GT;
- and
- raising the nozzle maintenance sled and the nozzle out of the GT.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.