Shaft centerline alignment system for rotating equipment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11099010-B2
Application number	US-201816014427-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 21, 2018
Priority date	Jun 21, 2018
Publication date	Aug 24, 2021
Grant date	Aug 24, 2021

Abstract

An alignment system and method for aligning the shaft centerline of rotating equipment positioned on opposing roller stands are provided. The system includes a laser transmission unit on the first stand and a target unit on the second stand. The laser transmission unit includes a laser that transmits a laser beam to a target on the target unit. When the laser beam contacts the center of the target, the roller stands are aligned. The system may be automated to detect the position of the laser beam relative to the target center and to adjust, as needed, the position of one of or both the roller stands using hydraulic cylinders coupled to a roller stand platform. The system and method reduce the time, effort, and manpower required to perform the alignment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An alignment system comprising:
a laser transmission unit configured for engagement with a first roller stand, the laser transmission unit comprising:
a first front plate defining a first laser transmission hole therethrough,
a first back plate axially spaced from the first front plate,
a first arcuate panel extending axially between the first front plate and the first back plate and being configured to contact a first pair of roller wheels of the first roller stand, and
a laser centrally mounted through the first back plate and extending to the first front plate, such that a laser beam produced by the laser is transmitted through the first laser transmission hole of the first front plate; and

a target unit configured for engagement with a second roller stand axially spaced from the first roller stand, the target unit comprising:
a second front plate defining a second laser transmission hole therethrough,
a second back plate axially spaced from the second front plate and being provided with an image of a target, the target having a center aligned with the second laser transmission hole, and
a second arcuate panel extending axially between the second front plate and the second back plate and being configured to contact a second pair of roller wheels of the second roller stand;

wherein, when a laser beam from the laser transmission unit passes through the second laser transmission hole of the second front plate and reaches the center of the target on the second back plate, the first roller stand and the second roller stand are aligned.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first front plate and the first back plate each comprise a first arcuate portion having a shape matching a first profile of the first arcuate panel, a transverse cross-piece extending across the first arcuate portion, and a vertical portion extending from a midpoint of the first arcuate portion through the midpoint of the transverse cross-piece, thereby forming an intersection region, the first laser transmission hole being defined through the intersection region of the first front plate and the laser being mounted through the intersection region of the first back plate.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the first back plate defines an opening through which the laser is mounted; and wherein a support collar extends from a rear surface of the back plate around the opening, the support collar being configured to hold the laser.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the vertical portion of the first front plate and the vertical portion of the first back plate extend beyond the intersection region; and wherein a spacer block extends axially between an end of the vertical portion of the first front plate and a respective end of the vertical portion of the first back plate.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the laser is a single-dot, Class IIIA laser.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first laser transmission hole has a uniform diameter.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the laser transmission unit further comprises a first front locking plate and a first rear locking plate, the first front locking plate being removably coupled to the first front plate and the first rear locking plate being removably coupled to the first back plate.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the laser transmission unit further comprises a first level attached to the first arcuate panel.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second front plate of the target unit comprises a second arcuate portion having a shape matching a second profile of the second arcuate panel, a transverse cross-piece extending across the second arcuate portion, and a vertical portion extending from a midpoint of the second arcuate portion to the transverse cross-piece, thereby forming an intersection region, the second laser transmission hole being defined through the intersection region of the second front plate.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the intersection region of the second front plate comprises a perimeter having a first thickness, a recessed area radially inward of the perimeter and extending axially inward from a rear surface of the intersection region, and a central area extending axially between the recessed area and a front surface of the intersection region, the central area having a second thickness less than the first thickness; and wherein the second laser transmission hole is defined through the central area.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the second laser transmission hole comprises a cylindrical hole portion having a first diameter and extending inwardly from the front surface and a conical hole portion whose diameter increases from the first diameter to a second diameter at the rear surface of the intersection region, thereby defining a funnel-shaped hole.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the second back plate of the target unit comprises a primary arcuate portion and a secondary arcuate portion integral with the primary arcuate portion, the primary arcuate portion having a shape and a first diameter corresponding to a profile of the second arcuate panel, and the secondary arcuate portion having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter; and wherein the target is disposed across the primary arcuate portion and the secondary arcuate portion.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the target unit further comprises a second front locking plate and a second rear locking plate, the second front locking plate being removably coupled to the second front plate and the second rear locking plate being removably coupled to the second back plate.

14. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a laser beam sensing screen disposed over a front surface of the second back plate, the laser beam sensing screen being configured to detect a location at which the laser beam contacts laser beam sensing screen; and a computing device configured to receive signals from the laser beam sensing screen and to quantify the location relative to the center of the target.

15. The system of claim 14 , further comprising a conical mirror disposed between the second front plate and the second back plate of the target unit, the conical mirror having a reflective body with a tip and a base, the reflective body defining an aperture extending through the tip and the reflective body along a longitudinal axis of the conical mirror, the conical mirror being oriented such that the tip is proximate to the front plate of the target unit and the base is proximate to the back plate of the target unit; and wherein, when the laser beam strikes the conical mirror at a location other than the aperture, the reflective body deflects the laser beam onto the laser beam sensing screen.

16. The system of claim 14 , further comprising a roller stand platform disposed beneath at least one of the first roller stand and the second roller stand; and wherein the system further comprises, disposed beneath and in contact with the roller stand platform, a first plurality of hydraulic cylinders configured to adjust a vertical height of the roller stand platform, a second plurality of hydraulic cylinders configured to adjust an axial position of the roller stand platform, and a third plurality of hydraulic cylinders configured to adjust a transverse position of the roller stand platform.

17. The system of claim 16 , further comprising a control unit configured to receive instructions from the computing device and to communicate the instructions to each of the first plurality of hydraulic cylinders, the second plurality of hydraulic cylinders, and the third plurality of hy

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Troitino Lopez Jose
• Huth Robert Edward
• Walters Zachary Lane

Classifications

• F01D21/003

  Arrangements for testing or measuring (for measuring vibrations G01H) · CPC title

• G01B11/10

  of objects while moving · CPC title

• F01D5/027

  Arrangements for balancing (for balancing rotating bodies in general F16F15/32; for compensating imbalance G01M1/36) · CPC title

• G01B11/272 Primary

  using photoelectric detection means · CPC title

• F01D25/285

  Temporary support structures, e.g. for testing, assembling, installing, repairing; Assembly methods using such structures · CPC title