Gas turbine fuel nozzle manufacturing

• US 7,497,012 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2004
• Issued: 03/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Gagnon, Lafleche, Prociw, Lev Alexander, Shafique, Harris
• Primary Examiner(s): Bryant; David P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Taousakis; Alexander P
• Application Number:
  US11/016,831
• Publication Number:
  US 20060130328A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,533 Days
• Field of Search: 298/892.2, 295/59, 294/18, 298/901.42, 298/892, 298/900.9, 298/901.28, 60/393.4, 607/40, 607/42, 608/00
• US Class Current: 29/889.2
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 1/00 Methods for turning or working essentially requiring the use of turning-machines; Use of auxiliary equipment in connection with such methods
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 15/00 Making specific metal objects by operations not covered by a single other subclass or a group in this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 2700/13 Parts of turbine combustion chambers
• CPC Class Codes: F23D 11/38 Nozzles; Cleaning devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F23D 2213/00 Burner manufacture specifications
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4932 Turbomachine making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49346 Rocket or jet device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/494 Fluidic or fluid actuated device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49419 including machining or drilling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49432 Nozzle making

Abstract

A method and a pre-shaped workpiece for making at least a portion of a gas turbine fuel nozzle are disclosed having opposed gripping tabs which can be secured to machine tool holders during manufacturing by a machine tool.

Claims

1. A method of making at least a portion of a gas turbine fuel nozzle, the method comprising:

providing a pre-shaped workpiece, the workpiece having a fuel nozzle stem portion integrated with a fuel nozzle flange portion, the workpiece further having two gripping tabs projecting therefrom adjacent opposite ends, the gripping tabs being coaxial with one another;

securing the gripping tabs to machine tool holders;

rotating the workpiece;

machining the workpiece into a near-final form; and

removing the gripping tabs from the workpiece.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the pre-shaped workpiece is made by one among the group consisting of casting, forging, stamping or a combination thereof.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the pre-shaped workpiece flange portion and stem portion are cast together as a single casting.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the machine tool holders are co-rotating collets adapted to rotate the workpiece in the machine tool around its main axis.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the gripping tabs are removed from the workpiece while the workpiece is still held by at least one of the machine tool holders.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the gripping tabs are coaxial about a workpiece axis, and wherein the workpiece is non-axisymmetric about said axis.

7. A method of making a gas turbine fuel nozzle, the method comprising:

providing a non-axisymmetric fuel nozzle stem workpiece having two opposite gripping tabs thereon, the gripping tabs being aligned on a main axis of the workpiece;

inserting the gripping tabs into holders of a machine tool;

rotating the workpiece;

machining the workpiece with the machine tool into a fuel nozzle in a near-final form; and

removing the gripping tabs from the fuel nozzle using the machine tool.