Recuperator duct assembly line
AssigneeSolar Turbines Incorporated
InventorsCharles W. Bucey, Steven W. Clayton, Douglas R. Ervin, Robert M. Jones, Chad Miars
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An assembly line for economically and efficiently assembling a core into a recuperator. The assembly line has an inlet end, an assembly station, a welding station, a control station and an outlet end. The inlet end has a plurality of the cores to be used for assembly thereat. The core is positioned within the assembly station and an assembly fixture locates a ducting structure in a preestablished relationship to the core. The control station using a plurality of sensors sends an input to a controller and the welding station performs a weld fixedly securing the ducting structure to the core.
Claims14
A recuperator assembly line for assembling a core, said core having a plurality of donor passages therein and a plurality of recipient passages therein;
- comprising:
- an inlet end having said core positioned thereat;
- an assemble station including an upper stacking portion defining a first side and a second side, said upper stacking portion being rotatable between a first position and a second position, and said core being positioned in said upper stacking portion;
- an assembly fixture being positioned at one of said first side and said second side, said assembly fixture including a plate having a bore therein;
- a plurality of locating members being positioned in one of said assembly fixture and said assembly station, said plurality of locating members defining a preestablished relationship between said assembly fixture and said assembly station;
- a locating mechanism being positioned in said bore, said locating mechanism having a first end having a positioning portion located near said first end;
- a one of a plurality of ducting structures being attached to said positioning portion of said locating mechanism, said one of said plurality of ducting structures being positioned in a preestablished position relative to one of said plurality of donor passages and said plurality of recipient passages;
- a welding station having a welding head and forming a weld;
- a control station having a plurality of sensors, a plurality of switches and a controller operatively receiving an input from said plurality of sensors and said plurality of switches, said controller defining a relative position of said one of said plurality of ducting structures and said core and said one of said plurality of ducting structures being attached to said core with said weld;
- and
- an out put end having said core and one of a plurality of ducting structures welded together being positioned thereat.
A circular recuperator assembly line comprising:
- an inlet end;
- an assembly station defining an axis and having a core defining an axis “A” being aligned about the axis of said assembly station and being removably positioned within said assembly station;
- an assembly fixture defining an axis and having a ducting structure removably positioned therein relative to said axis of said assembly fixture, and said assembly fixture being position in axial alignment with said axis “A” of said core;
- a control station having a controller, a plurality of switches and a plurality of sensors defining an input to said controller of the relative position of said core within said assembly station and said ducting structure relative to said core;
- and
- a welding station having a welding head and a lead, said welding station being operatively connected to said control station and said assembly station.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.