Expansion Joint for Gas Turbines
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsNicholas Philip Poccia, Carlos Serafim Albuquerque Fernandes, Matthew John Canham, Ian James Morton, Thomas M. Albert
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Abstract
An expansion joint for use between a turbine duct and an exhaust duct. The expansion joint may include a flange attached to the turbine duct and a number of plates attached to the exhaust duct that extend towards the flange. The plates and the flange may include a gap therebetween, the gap being narrower when the turbine duct is hot than when the turbine duct is cold.
Claims20
An expansion joint for use between a turbine duct and an exhaust duct comprising:
- a flange attached to the turbine duct;
- and
- a plurality of plates attached to the exhaust duct and extending towards the flange;
- the plurality of plates and the flange comprising a gap therebetween, the gap being narrower when the turbine duct is hot than when the turbine duct is cold.
A method of allowing fluids to drain from an exhaust duct when an turbine duct is cold while providing a smooth aerodynamic transition when the turbine duct is hot, comprising:
- positioning a plurality of plates on the exhaust duct so as to define a gap between the turbine duct and the plurality of plates;
- heating the turbine duct;
- and
- expanding the turbine duct towards the plurality of plates so as to narrow the gap.
An expansion joint for use between a first duct and a second duct, comprising:
- a plurality of plates attached to the second duct and extending towards the first duct;
- and
- the plurality of plates and the first duct comprising a gap therebetween, the gap being narrower when the first duct is hot than when the first duct is cold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.