Jacking assembly for rotor

• US 10,344,625 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2018
• Issued: 07/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Oden, Joshua Michael, Helton, Michael, Dixson, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Hall, Jr., Tyrone V
• Application Number:
  US15/976,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20180258797A1
• Time in Patent Office: 425 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 1/107 for lifting engines
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 1/62 comprising article-engaging members of a shape complementary to that of the articles to be handled
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 3/24 fluid-pressure operated water-pressure machines F03B; hydraulic gearings F16H; cylinders, pistons F16J; fluid-pressure servomotors F15B
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/18 Load gripping or retaining means
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/285 Temporary support structures, e.g. for testing, assembling, installing, repairing; Assembly methods using such structures

Abstract

A jacking assembly for a rotor of a turbine includes an arc-shaped saddle which extends around and supports a lower portion of a rotor. A lifting beam extends over the rotor transversely to an axial direction of the rotor. The lifting beam is axially aligned with the arc-shaped saddle. Two connectors are disposed on respective lateral sides of the rotor, each connector extending between and being coupled to the lifting beam and the arc-shaped saddle such that the saddle is configured to lift the rotor vertically when the lifting beam is displaced vertically.

Claims

1. A jacking assembly for a rotor of a turbine, comprising:

an arc-shaped saddle configured to extend around and support a lower portion of a rotor;

an arc-shaped retaining member connected to the saddle and configured to extend around an upper portion of the rotor so as to hold the saddle beneath the lower portion of the rotor; and

two lifting devices disposed on respective lateral sides of the rotor, the lifting devices being configured to lift the saddle vertically.

2. The jacking assembly of claim 1, further comprising a lifting beam configured to extend over the rotor transversely to an axial direction of the rotor, the lifting beam being axially aligned with the arc-shaped saddle, each lifting device configured to support a portion of the lifting beam to displace the lifting beam vertically.

3. The jacking assembly of claim 2, wherein each lifting device is configured to move vertically so as to displace vertically the lifting beam.

4. The jacking assembly of claim 3, wherein the two lifting devices are mechanical jacks.

5. The jacking assembly of claim 2, further comprising two connectors disposed on respective lateral sides of the rotor, each connector extending between and being coupled to the lifting beam and the arc-shaped saddle,

wherein the saddle is configured to lift the rotor vertically when the lifting beam is displaced vertically.

6. The jacking assembly of claim 5, wherein each connector has a first end directly attached to the arc-shaped saddle.

7. The jacking assembly of claim 6, wherein the two connectors are threaded rods.

8. The jacking assembly of claim 7, wherein the two connectors are coupled to the lifting beam by retaining members.

9. The jacking assembly of claim 8, wherein the retaining members are nuts received on the threaded rods.

10. The jacking assembly of claim 2, wherein the lifting beam in configured to be displaced vertically so as to lift the rotor a distance of 0.008 to 0.0225 inches.

11. The jacking assembly of claim 10, wherein the lifting beam in configured to be displaced vertically so as to lift the rotor a distance of 0.01 to 0.02 inches.

12. The jacking assembly of claim 1, wherein the arc-shaped saddle has a semicircular shape.

13. The jacking assembly of claim 12, wherein the arc-shaped retaining member has a semicircular shape.

14. The jacking assembly of claim 13, wherein opposing ends of the arc-shaped retaining member are connected respectively to opposite ends of the arc-shaped saddle.

15. A gas turbine system, comprising:

a compressor section;

a turbine; and

the jacking assembly according to claim 1.

16. The gas turbine system of claim 15, further comprising a rotor,

wherein the rotor is coupled to the compressor section and the turbine, and

wherein the arc-shaped saddle is positioned at an aft portion of the rotor.

17. The gas turbine system of claim 16, wherein a clearance space is disposed between an aft end of the rotor and surrounding support structure, the clearance space having a width d1.

18. The gas turbine system of claim 17, wherein the arc-shaped saddle has a width d2,

wherein an aft edge of the arc-shaped retaining member is positioned a distance d3 from a forward edge of the arc-shaped saddle, and

wherein the width d2 of the arc-shaped saddle is larger than the width d1 of the clearance space, while the distance d3 is smaller than the width d1 such that the arc-shaped retaining member is arranged to fit in the clearance space.

19. The gas turbine system of claim 16, further comprising a lifting beam configured to extend over the rotor transversely to an axial direction of the rotor, the lifting beam being axially aligned with the arc-shaped saddle, each lifting device configured to support a portion of the lifting beam to displace the lifting beam vertically.

20. The gas turbine system of claim 19, further comprising two connectors disposed on respective lateral sides of the rotor, each connector extending between and being coupled to the lifting beam and the arc-shaped saddle,

wherein the saddle is configured to lift the rotor vertically when the lifting beam is displaced vertically.