# US 10,865,660 B2 · Transition piece support structure, gas turbine combustor including same, and method of installing same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,865,660 B2 - Document ID: US10865660B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/029,636 - Filed: 2018-07-08 - Published: 2019-03-14 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2017-09-12 - Assignees: Doosan Heavy Industries Construction Co., Ltd - Applicants: Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Sung Wan Park - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10865660B2 ## CPC - F01D 25/28: Supporting or mounting arrangements, e.g. for turbine casing - F01D 9/023: {Transition ducts between combustor cans and first stage of the turbine in gas-turbine engines; their cooling or sealings} - F23R 3/60: Support structures; Attaching or mounting means - F05D 2220/32: in gas turbines - F05D 2230/60: Assembly methods - F05D 2230/64: using positioning or alignment devices for aligning or centring, e.g. pins - F05D 2240/35: Combustors or associated equipment - F05D 2250/411: in rotation - F05D 2260/30: Retaining components in desired mutual position - F05D 2260/31: Retaining bolts or nuts - F23R 3/002: {Wall structures (F23R3/02 and F23R3/007 take precedence)} - F23R 2900/00017: Assembling combustion chamber liners or subparts - F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D) - F23R: GENERATING COMBUSTION PRODUCTS OF HIGH PRESSURE OR HIGH VELOCITY, e.g. GAS-TURBINE COMBUSTION CHAMBERS (fluidised bed combustion apparatus specially adapted for operation at superatmospheric pressures F23C10/16) - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS ## Abstract A transition piece support structure for a gas turbine combustor, and a method of installing same, reliably prevent leakage at the flange of a lower-side combustor, which is greatly influenced by gravity. The structure supports a rear end portion of a transition piece when fixed to a turbine end and includes a flange provided at a rear end of the transition piece, to be coupled to the end of the turbine, the flange having a shape to fit a periphery of a turbine inlet; a support bracket integrated with an upper surface of a flow sleeve surrounding an outer surface of the transition piece, to face the end of the turbine coupled to the flange; and a connection piece fixed to the end of the turbine and configured to be coupled to the support bracket in a hinged manner allowing the flange to pivotally approach the turbine inlet. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A transition piece support structure for supporting a rear end portion of a transition piece fixed to an end of a turbine, the transition piece support structure comprising: a flange provided at a rear end of the transition piece and configured to be coupled to the end of the turbine, the flange having a shape to fit a periphery of an inlet of the turbine; a support bracket integrated with an upper surface of a flow sleeve surrounding an outer surface of the transition piece and configured to face the end of the turbine coupled to the flange; a connection piece coupled to the end of the turbine and configured to be coupled to the support bracket in a hinged manner allowing the flange to pivotally approach the inlet of the turbine; and a rotation control member provided at a contact between the support bracket and the connection piece, the rotation control member protruding from a first surface of the support bracket and from a second surface of the connection piece, the first and second surfaces facing each other. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The transition piece support structure according to claim 1, wherein the rotation control member includes a first rotary plate that protrudes from the first surface of the support bracket and a second rotary plate that protrudes from the second surface of the connection piece, the first and second rotary plates configured to engage with each other. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The transition piece support structure according to claim 2, wherein each of the first rotary plate and the second rotary plate includes teeth-shaped protrusions configured to allow a first direction rotation but to prohibit a second direction rotation which is reverse with respect to the first direction rotation. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The transition piece support structure according to claim 2, wherein the rotation control member comprises: a key for preventing rotation of the support bracket; and a first key-receiving recess formed in a surface of the first rotary plate and a second key-receiving recess formed in a surface of the second rotary plate, the first and second key-receiving recesses having an equal width, wherein, by a relative rotation of the first and second rotary plates, the first key-receiving recess and the second key-receiving recess can be aligned with each other to form a key hole for receiving the key. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The transition piece support structure according to claim 1, wherein the flange includes a bolting plate extending downward from a lower end of the flange, for coupling the flange to the end of the turbine. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The transition piece support structure according to claim 5, wherein the bolting plate is provided with at least two coupling holes spaced apart from each other in a width direction of the flange. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The transition piece support structure according to claim 1, further comprising: a pin unit provided to couple the connection piece and the support bracket and configured to enable a relative rotation between the connection piece and the support bracket. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The transition piece support structure according to claim 7, wherein the support bracket is configured as at least two brackets protruding from the upper surface of the flow sleeve, and the pin unit is configured with at least two pins to couple the at least two brackets respectively to the connection piece in the hinged manner. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The transition piece support structure according to claim 7, wherein the pin unit comprises: a bolt passing through the support bracket and the connection piece to engage with a nut; a first washer disposed between a bolt head of the bolt and the support bracket; and a second washer disposed between the connection piece and the nut. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The transition piece support structure according to claim 1, wherein the support bracket protrudes from the upper surface of the flow sleeve so as to be disposed in front of the flange. ### Claim 11 A gas turbine combustor provided with a transition piece support structure, the gas turbine combustor comprising: a transition piece; a liner having one end connected to the transition piece; and a flow sleeve configured to surround outer surfaces of the transition piece and the liner, wherein the transition piece support structure comprises: a flange provided at a rear end of the transition piece and configured to be coupled to the end of the turbine, the flange having a shape to fit a periphery of an inlet of the turbine; a support bracket integrated with an upper surface of a flow sleeve surrounding an outer surface of the transition piece and configured to face the end of the turbine coupled to the flange; a connection piece coupled to the end of the turbine and configured to be coupled to the support bracket in a hinged manner allowing the flange to pivotally approach the inlet of the turbine; and a rotation control member provided at a contact between the support bracket and the connection piece, the rotation control member protruding from a first surface of the support bracket and from a second surface of the connection piece, the first and second surfaces facing each other. ### Claim 12 A method of installing a transition piece support structure to fix a transition piece for a gas turbine combustor to a turbine end, the method comprising: bringing a support bracket integrated with an upper surface of a flow sleeve surrounding an outer surface of the transition piece close to a connection piece fixed with respect to the turbine end; coupling the connection piece and the support bracket in a hinged manner using a rotation control member provided at a contact between the support bracket and the connection piece, the rotation control member protruding from a first surface of the support bracket and from a second surface of the connection piece, the first and second surfaces facing each other; rotating the transition piece together with the support bracket with respect to the connection piece so that a flange provided at a rear end of the transition piece pivotally approaches a turbine inlet; fitting the flange to a periphery of the turbine inlet; and fixing the flange to the turbine end. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein the fixing of the flange comprises inserting a bolt through a coupling hole formed in a bolting plate extending downward from a lower end of the flange. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein the coupling of the connection piece and the support bracket comprises inserting a pin unit, the pin unit enabling the rotation of the transition piece together with the support bracket with respect to the connection piece.