Systems and methods for a turbine trailer mechanical docking and alignment system

• US 9,950,758 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2014
• Issued: 04/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Fong, Raymond Ka Lok, Baten, Robert Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): Wiley, Daniel J
• Application Number:
  US14/489,323
• Publication Number:
  US 20160075387A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,315 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/36 for facilitating connection, e.g. hitch catchers , visual guide means, signalling aids B60D1/465 takes precedence; vehicle signalling in general B60Q; optical arrangements specially adapted for viewing trailer-hitches B60R1/003
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/62 involving supply lines, electric circuits, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/64 Couplings or joints therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 53/04 comprising a vehicle carrying an essential part of the other vehicle's load by having supporting means for the front or rear part of the other vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 63/08 Component parts or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 15/10 Adaptations for driving, or combinations with, electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 21/003 Arrangements for testing or measuring for measuring vibrations G01H
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/285 Temporary support structures, e.g. for testing, assembling, installing, repairing; Assembly methods using such structures
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/36 Power transmission arrangements between the different shafts of the gas turbine plant, or between the gas-turbine plant and the power user F02C3/107 - F02C3/13 and F02C7/32 take precedence; couplings for transmitting rotation F16D; gearing in general F16H
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2240/90 Mounting on supporting structures or systems
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/403 through the shape of the drive components
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/08 for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S17/46; active triangulation systems G01S17/48
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles

Abstract

A system includes a docking guide comprising a first alignment guide configured to couple with a first mobile unit that supports a turbine engine and a second alignment guide configured to couple with a second mobile unit that supports a generator. The first and second alignment guides are configured to guide a coupling between the first and second mobile units to help align the turbine engine with the generator.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a docking guide, comprising;

a plurality of alignment guides, comprising;

first and second alignment guides configured to couple with a first mobile unit that supports a turbine engine; and

first and second mating alignment guide configured to couple with a second mobile unit that supports a generator, wherein the first and second alignment guides are configured to axially engage with the respective first and second mating alignment guides to guide a coupling between the first and second mobile units to help align the turbine engine with the generator;

wherein at least one alignment guide of the plurality of alignment guides comprises opposing tapered sides relative to a central axis of the at least one alignment guide.

2. The system of claim 1, comprising an alignment system configured to help align the coupling between the first mobile unit and the second mobile unit, wherein the alignment system comprises a laser configured to emit a beam of light to a target and a camera configured to capture a visual of the target.

3. The system of claim 2, comprising a control system configured to receive the visual of the target, wherein the visual comprises an alignment status of the coupling between the first mobile unit and the second mobile unit.

4. The system of claim 1, comprising a camera configured to monitor the docking guide during a docking procedure between the first and second mobile units.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first alignment guide and the first mating alignment guide are configured to couple together as a first pair and the second alignment guide and the second mating alignment guide are configured to couple together as a second pair, wherein each of the first and second pairs comprises a male alignment guide configured to mate with a female alignment guide.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the male alignment guide comprises a pin and the female alignment guide comprises an opening.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the pin comprises a tapered portion having the opposing tapered sides relative to the central axis.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising the first mobile unit having the first and second alignment guides and the second mobile unit having the first and second mating alignment guides, wherein the first and second mobile units are configured to move toward one another in a direction while the first and second alignment guides are configured to axially engage with the respective first and second mating alignment guides in the direction to guide the coupling.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second alignment guides are configured to axially engage with the respective first and second mating alignment guides to guide the coupling between the first and second mobile units to help align a first rotational axis of a turbine shaft of the turbine engine with a second rotational axis of a generator shaft of the generator.

10. The system of claim 1, comprising an alignment frame having a rotational axis reference configured to provide a rotational axis reference to facilitate an alignment of a first rotational axis of a turbine shaft of the turbine engine and a second rotational axis of a generator shaft of the generator.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising the turbine engine disposed on the first mobile unit, and the generator disposed on the second mobile unit, wherein the first and second mobile units are removably coupled together.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein at least two alignment guides of the plurality of alignment guides comprise the opposing tapered sides relative to the central axis of the respective alignment guide.

13. A system, comprising:

an alignment system configured to help align a coupling between a first mobile unit that supports a turbine engine and a second mobile unit that supports a generator, wherein the alignment system comprises a laser configured to emit a beam of light to a target and a camera configured to capture a visual of the target to evaluate an alignment of a structural portion of at least one of the first or second mobile units relative to a longitudinal axis of the at least one of the first or second mobile units.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the evaluation of the alignment comprises an evaluation of a straightness of the structural portion along the longitudinal axis, a bending or bowing of the structural portion along the longitudinal axis, an angle of the structural portion relative to the longitudinal axis, or a combination thereof.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the structural portion comprises a spine, the laser is configured to mount within a first region along the spine, the target and the camera are configured to mount within a second region along the spine, and the first and second regions are offset from one another by a distance along the spine.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the laser is configured to emit a beam of light onto the target, and the camera is configured to obtain a visual of a position of the beam of light on the target as an indication of alignment of the structural portion relative to the longitudinal axis.

17. The system of claim 16, comprising a control system configured to receive the visual of the beam of light on the target, wherein the control system is configured to determine an alignment status of the structural portion relative to the longitudinal axis based on the position of the beam of light on the target.

18. The system of claim 13, comprising a docking guide comprising:

first and second alignment guides configured to couple with the first mobile unit; and

first and second mating alignment guides configured to couple with the second mobile unit, wherein the first and second alignment guides are configured to axially engage with the respective first and second mating alignment guides to guide the coupling between the first and second mobile units to help align a first rotational axis of the turbine engine with a second rotational axis of the generator.

19. A system, comprising:

a first mobile unit supporting a turbine engine;

a second mobile unit supporting a generator;

a docking guide comprising a first alignment guide coupled with the first mobile unit and a second alignment guide coupled with the second mobile unit, wherein the first and second alignment guides are configured to guide a coupling between the first and second mobile units to help align the turbine engine with the generator; and

an alignment system configured to help align the coupling between the first mobile unit and the second mobile unit, wherein the alignment system comprises a laser configured to emit a beam of light to a target and a camera configured to capture a visual of the target.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the first mobile unit comprises a first trailer and the second mobile unit comprises a second trailer.