Connection system for condenser and steam turbine and methods of assembling the same

A steam turbine system comprising:

• a steam turbine;
• a condenser configured to receive steam exhausted from said steam turbine, said condenser comprising a condenser neck;
• and
• a connection system for coupling said steam turbine to said condenser neck, said connection system defining a first direction, a second direction, and a third direction, the three directions orthogonal to each other, said connection system comprising:
• a resiliently deformable dog-bone connector comprising a curvilinear symmetrical first end, a second end opposite said first end with respect to the third direction, and a body extending therebetween;
• a first clamp coupled to one of said steam turbine and said condenser neck, said first clamp comprising a first portion, a second portion coupled to said first portion, and a first retention cavity defined therebetween, wherein said first end of said dog-bone connector is retained in said first retention cavity, wherein said first portion comprises a first curvilinear retention surface contoured complementary to a portion of said dog-bone connector first end and said second portion comprises a flat second retention surface which facilitates deforming another portion of the first end such that the deformed portion of the first end is contoured complimentary to the second retention surface, wherein said first and second retention surfaces cooperate to define said first retention cavity, and wherein said first portion is movable relative to said second portion along the third direction and said first end is configured to slide in the third direction along said second retention surface;
• and
• a second clamp coupled to the other of said steam turbine and said condenser neck and comprising a third portion, a fourth portion coupled to said third portion, and a second retention cavity defined therebetween, wherein said second end of said dog-bone connector is retained in said second retention cavity.

A method of coupling a steam turbine to a condenser using a connection system, the connection system defining a first direction, a second direction, and a third direction, the three directions orthogonal to each other the said method comprising:

• coupling a first clamp to one of the steam turbine and the condenser, wherein the first clamp includes a first portion, a second portion coupled to the first portion, and a first retention cavity defined therebetween, and wherein the first portion is movable relative to the second portion along the third direction;
• coupling a second clamp to the other of the steam turbine and the condenser, wherein the second clamp includes a third portion, a fourth portion coupled to the third portion, and a second retention cavity defined therebetween;
• retaining a second end of a resiliently deformable dog-bone connector within the second retention cavity, wherein the dog-bone connector further includes a curvilinear symmetrical first end opposite the second end with respect to the third direction, and a body extending therebetween;
• and
• retaining the first end of the dog-bone connector in the first retention cavity;
• wherein said first portion comprises a first curvilinear retention surface contoured complementary to a portion of said dog-bone connector first end and said second portion comprises a flat second retention surface which facilitates deforming another portion of the first end such that the deformed portion of the first end is contoured complementary to the second retention surface, wherein said first and second retention surfaces cooperate to define said first retention cavity and said first end is configured to slide in the third direction along said second retention surface.