Combustor assembly lift systems and methods for using the same to install and remove combustor assemblies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10934893-B2
Application number	US-201515779317-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 31, 2015
Priority date	Dec 31, 2015
Publication date	Mar 2, 2021
Grant date	Mar 2, 2021

Abstract

A combustor assembly lift system (200) comprises an exterior lift frame (220) comprising a base portion (222) and an arm portion (224), wherein the arm portion extends away from a base portion to form an interior, and, an interior combustor assembly engagement frame (240) at least partially disposed in the interior of the exterior lift frame and configured to temporarily secure to at least a portion of a combustor assembly. The interior combustor assembly engagement frame is connected to the base portion of the exterior lift frame.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A combustor assembly lift system comprising:
an exterior lift frame comprising a base portion and an arm portion, wherein the arm portion extends away from the base portion to form an interior; and
an interior combustor assembly engagement frame at least partially disposed in the interior of the exterior lift frame and configured to temporarily secure to at least a portion of a combustor assembly,
the interior combustor assembly engagement frame is connected to the base portion of the exterior lift frame and wherein the arm portion comprises at least one side pick point on an axis extending through a center of gravity of the combustor lift assembly when the combustor lift assembly is secured to the combustor assembly thereby balancing loads of the combustor lift assembly and the combustor assembly relative to the axis and enabling selective vertical rotational alignment of the combustor assembly lift system, wherein a connection between the interior combustor assembly engagement frame and the exterior lift frame comprises a rotational connection wherein the interior combustor assembly engagement frame can rotate relative to the exterior lift frame.

2. The combustor assembly lift system of claim 1 , wherein the connection between the interior combustor assembly engagement frame and the exterior lift frame comprises a ball joint connection.

3. The combustor assembly lift system of claim 1 , wherein the base portion of the exterior lift frame comprises one or more base pick points.

4. The combustor assembly lift system of claim 1 , wherein the arm portion of the exterior lift frame extends past the interior combustor assembly engagement frame.

5. The combustor assembly lift system of claim 1 , wherein the interior combustor assembly engagement frame comprises a clam shell configuration configured to transition between an open state and a closed state to temporarily secure to the combustor assembly.

6. The combustor assembly lift system of claim 1 , wherein the interior combustor assembly engagement frame is configured to temporarily secure to at least a portion of the combustor assembly via one or more bolts.

7. The combustor assembly lift system of claim 1 , wherein the arm portion of the exterior lift frame comprises one or more alignment bolts configured to engage one or more holes on the turbomachine.

8. The combustor assembly lift system of claim 1 , wherein a protective barrier extends at least partially around the arm portion of the exterior lift frame.

9. The combustor assembly lift system of claim 1 , wherein the arm portion comprises a plurality of arms extending away from the base portion.

10. The combustor assembly lift system of claim 1 , wherein the combustor assembly comprises a unibody combustor assembly comprising a combustion can and at least one of a flow sleeve or a combustion liner connected to the combustion can.

11. The combustor assembly lift system of claim 1 , wherein the interior combustor assembly engagement frame comprises an interior base portion and an interior arm portion that extends away from the interior base portion.

12. The combustor assembly lift system of claim 11 , wherein the interior base portion of the interior combustor assembly engagement frame is connected to the base portion of the exterior lift frame.

13. A method for installing a combustor assembly on a turbomachine, the method comprising:
disposing a combustor assembly lift system proximate the combustor assembly, the combustor assembly lift system comprising:
an exterior lift frame comprising a base portion and an arm portion, wherein the arm portion extends away from the base portion to form an interior, wherein the arm portion comprises at least one pick point that enables selective vertical rotational alignment of the combustor assembly lift system;
an interior combustor assembly engagement frame at least partially disposed in the interior of the exterior lift frame and configured to temporarily secure to at least a portion of a combustor assembly and wherein the at least one side pick point is on an axis extending through the center of gravity of the combustor lift assembly when the combustor lift assembly is secured to the combustor assembly thereby balancing loads of the combustor lift assembly and the combustor assembly relative to the axis;
wherein the interior combustor assembly engagement frame is connected to the base portion of the exterior lift frame, and wherein a connection between the interior combustor assembly engagement frame and the exterior lift frame comprises a rotational connection wherein the interior combustor assembly engagement frame can rotate relative to the exterior lift frame;

temporarily securing the interior combustor assembly engagement frame to the combustor assembly;
aligning and securing the combustor assembly with the turbomachine; and,
releasing the combustor assembly from the interior combustor assembly engagement frame.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein disposing the combustor assembly lift system proximate the combustor assembly comprises disposing the combustor assembly lift system in vertical alignment over the combustor assembly while the combustor assembly is disposed in a shipping container.

15. A method for removing a combustor assembly from a turbomachine, the method comprising:
disposing a combustor assembly lift system proximate the combustor assembly, the combustor assembly lift system comprising:
an exterior lift frame comprising a base portion and an arm portion, wherein the arm portion extends away from the base portion to form an interior, wherein the arm portion comprises at least one side pick point;
an interior combustor assembly engagement frame at least partially disposed in the interior of the exterior lift frame and configured to temporarily secure to at least a portion of a combustor assembly wherein the at least one pick point is on an axis extending through the center of gravity of the exterior lift frame and the interior combustor assembly when the interior combustor assembly is secured to the combustor assembly, thereby balancing loads of the exterior lift frame, the interior combustor assembly engagement frame, and the combustor assembly relative to the axis and enabling selective vertical rotational alignment of the exterior lift frame, the interior combustor assembly engagement frame and the combustor assembly;
wherein the interior combustor assembly engagement frame is connected to the base portion of the exterior lift frame, and wherein a connection between the interior combustor assembly engagement frame and the exterior lift frame comprises a rotational connection wherein the interior combustor assembly engagement frame can rotate relative to the exterior lift frame;

temporarily securing the interior combustor assembly engagement frame to the combustor assembly;
releasing the combustor assembly from the turbomachine and moving the combustor assembly lift system away from the turbomachine via one or more connections to the exterior lift frame.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising transitioning the combustor assembly lift system to a substantially vertical orientation while the combustor assembly is still temporarily secured to the interior combustor assembly engagement frame.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising lowering the combustor assembly into a shipping container and releasing the combustor assembly from the interior combustor assembly engagement frame.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Kolvick Sandra Beverly
• Lebegue Jeffrey Scott
• Heard Ansley Michelle
• Barton Jesse Ellis
• Fernandez Paul Robert
• Klejc Adrian Adam

Classifications

• B66C13/08

  for depositing loads in desired attitudes or positions · CPC title

• F23R3/002

  Wall structures (F23R3/02 and F23R3/007 take precedence) · CPC title

• F23R2900/00017

  Assembling combustion chamber liners or subparts · CPC title

• F23R3/46

  Combustion chambers comprising an annular arrangement of {several essentially tubular} flame tubes within a common annular casing or within individual casings · CPC title

• F05D2240/35

  Combustors or associated equipment · CPC title