Tool for alignment of seal segments

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12338745-B2
Application number	US-202418786028-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 26, 2024
Priority date	Sep 2, 2020
Publication date	Jun 24, 2025
Grant date	Jun 24, 2025

Abstract

An alignment tool includes a mounting flange, a support leg fixedly coupled to the mounting flange and cooperating with the mounting flange to define a partial annular ring that extends in an arc between 190 degrees and 350 degrees, and a second quantity of jack bolt pairs movably coupled to the support leg, each jack bolt pair arranged to engage one of the first quantity of seal segments. A third quantity of mounting fasteners is positioned to fixedly attach the mounting flange to the inner casing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus arranged to form a seal between an inner casing and a rotor, the apparatus comprising:
a plurality of seal segments, each seal segment arranged to define a partial arc that extends around a portion of a central axis of the rotor and includes a first hook having an open portion facing the central axis and arranged to engage a second hook coupled to the inner casing;
an alignment tool removably connected to the inner casing, the alignment tool including a partial annular ring that extends in an arc between 190 degrees and 350 degrees;
a plurality of jack bolt pairs movably coupled to the alignment tool, each jack bolt pair arranged to engage one of the seal segments of the plurality of seal segments to position the seal segment in a desired radial position with respect to the rotor; and
a plurality of fasteners arranged to removably connect each seal segment of the plurality of seal segments to the inner casing.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the arc is 240 degrees.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of seal segments includes six individual seal segments, and the plurality of jack bolt pairs includes four jack bolt pairs arranged to support only four of the six seal segments.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the two seal segments not supported by one of the plurality of jack bolt pairs are at least partially supported by the engagement of the first hook and the second hook.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each jack bolt is threadably engaged with the alignment tool.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the rotor includes a plurality of radially extending rotor seal tips that are spaced apart from one another, a first of the rotor seal tips defines a first diameter, and wherein each seal segment defines a plurality of radially extending segment seal tips that are spaced apart from one another, a first of the segment seal tips defines a second diameter.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of radially extending rotor seal tips and the plurality of radially extending segment seal tips are arranged axially in an alternating fashion such that each of the rotor seal tips is spaced apart from the segment seal tips in an axial direction, and where the first diameter is larger than the second diameter to define a non-see-through labyrinth seal between the rotor and the seal segments.

Assignees

• Siemens Energy Global Gmbh & Co Kg

Inventors

• Eek Dennis
• Silfver Daniel
• Björklund Erik
• Widgren Thomas
• Frejd Mikael
• Nilsson Johan

Classifications

• F16J15/447

  Labyrinth packings · CPC title

• B25B1/08

  using cams · CPC title

• F01D25/246

  Fastening of diaphragms or stator-rings · CPC title

• B25B5/101

  C-clamps · CPC title

• F05D2260/83

  Testing, e.g. methods, components or tools therefor · CPC title