Apparatus and methods for installing, removing and adjusting an inner turbine shell section relative to an outer turbine shell section

A method of disassembling a turbine having a pair of arcuate upper and lower outer shell sections and a pair of arcuate upper and lower inner shell sections concentric about a rotor having an axis and without removing the rotor from the turbine, comprising the steps of:

• (a) removing the upper outer shell section;
• (b) removing the upper inner shell section;
• (c) supporting a fixture from said lower outer shell section;
• (d) transferring support of said lower inner shell section from said lower outer shell section to said fixture;
• (e) subsequent to step (c), securing roller assemblies to said lower outer shell section for engaging said lower inner shell section;
• (f) transferring support for said lower inner shell section from said fixture to said roller assemblies and said lower outer shell section;
• (g) rotating said lower inner shell section about said axis to a location above said lower outer shell section;
• and
• (h) subsequent to step (g), removing said lower inner shell section.

An alignment fixture for securement to an outer shell of a turbine having inner and outer shells secured to one another about a rotor having an axis, comprising:

• a pair of mounts for securement to the outer shell;
• a frame having support members movable thereon between (i) a support position passing through access openings of the outer shell and in engagement with the inner shell to support the inner shell from the frame and (ii) a non-support position spaced from the inner shell;
• and
• at least one adjustable element interconnecting said frame and at least one of said mounts for adjusting the position of the frame relative to the outer shell in one of an axial direction or in a plane normal to the axis of the rotor, when said support members lie in said support position, thereby adjusting the inner shell relative to the outer shell.

An alignment fixture for securement to an outer shell of a turbine having inner and outer shells secured to one another about a rotor having an axis, comprising:

• a pair of mounts for securement to the outer shell;
• a frame having support members movable thereon between (i) a support position passing through access openings of the outer shell and in engagement with the inner shell to support the inner shell from the frame and (ii) a non-support position spaced from the inner shell;
• and
• a first pair of axially spaced forward and aft elements connected between one of said mounts and said frame on one side of a vertical plane through said rotor axis, a second pair of axially spaced forward and aft elements connected between another of said mounts on an opposite side of said vertical axis, whereby differential adjustment of said forward and aft elements, respectively, causes movement of said frame to incline the inner shell relative to the outer shell in said vertical plane.

An alignment fixture for securement to an outer shell of a turbine having inner and outer shells secured to one another about a rotor having an axis, comprising:

• a pair of mounts for securement to the outer shell;
• a frame having support members movable thereon between (i) a support position passing through access openings of the outer shell and in engagement with the inner shell to support the inner shell from the frame and (ii) a non-support position spaced from the inner shell;
• and
• a first pair of axially spaced forward and aft elements connected between one of said mounts and said frame on one side of a vertical plane through said rotor axis, a second pair of axially spaced forward and aft elements connected between one of said mounts and said frame on an opposite side of said vertical plane for adjusting the position of the frame relative to the outer shell thereby adjusting the inner shell relative to the outer shell, a fifth element connected between one of said mounts and said frame for adjusting the position of the frame relative to the outer shell in one of axial and lateral directions thereby adjusting the inner shell relative to the outer shell in one of said axial and lateral directions.