Shaped and stiffened lower exhaust hood sidewalls
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsDaniel R. Predmore, Edward J. Sharrow, Kumar Navjot
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An arrangement and method adapted for providing a stiffened lower exhaust hood for a steam turbine. Sidewalls of the lower exhaust hood may taper inward between a horizontal joint and an inlet to a condenser for the steam turbine, providing an enhanced flow path for the exhaust steam. Stiffening of the sidewalls may be provided by stiffening bends, stiffening curvature, and external stiffening beams on the wall plate of the sidewalls of the lower exhaust hood, permitting reduction or elimination of structural supports within the exhaust hood, which degrade exhaust steam flow.
Claims20
A steam turbine exhaust hood comprising:
- a lower hood joined at a horizontal joint with an upper exhaust hood;
- a chute section of the lower exhaust hood;
- opposing sidewalls on the chute section, wherein the sidewalls taper inward below the horizontal joint;
- and
- means for stiffening the opposing sidewalls.
A method for stiffening sidewalls of a lower exhaust hood of a steam turbine exhaust hood comprising:
- tapering opposing sidewalls inward on a chute section below a horizontal joint of the lower hood;
- and
- providing means for stiffening the opposing sidewalls, wherein the means for stiffening are adapted to at least one of reduce and eliminate internal transverse stiffeners.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.