Aft inner cap plate removal method and tooling for a combustor with micromixer tubes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025108493-A1
Application number	US-202418807033-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 16, 2024
Priority date	Oct 2, 2023
Publication date	Apr 3, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present application provides an aft plate removal tool for servicing a combustor. The combustor includes an aft plate with a central passage and a number of tubes extending through the aft plate. The aft plate removal tool includes a central screw, a lower housing attached to the central screw, the lower housing including a number of spring loaded lower housing feet, and an upper housing attached to the center screw, the upper housing including a number of spring loaded upper housing feet. The aft plate removal tool is inserted through the central passage of the aft plate such that rotation of the upper housing advances the spring loaded upper housing feet against the aft plate until the spring loaded upper housing feet push the aft plate off of the tubes.

First claim

1 .- 9 . (canceled)

9 . A method of removing an aft plate from a plurality of tubes of a combustor, comprising:
inserting an aft plate removal tool through the aft plate; releasing a plurality of feet of the aft plate removal tool; rotating an upper housing of the aft plate removal tool to advance a number of the plurality of feet into contact with the aft plate; rotating further the upper housing to deform the aft plate; and rotating further the upper housing to push the aft plate off of the plurality of tubes.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the aft plate removal tool is inserted through a central passage of the aft plate.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein a lower housing and the upper housing are attached to a central screw.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the central screw is fixed within the lower housing.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the upper housing rotates about the central screw.

14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of feet comprises a plurality of spring loaded feet.

15 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of feet comprises a pair of upper housing feet and a pair of lower housing feet.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the pair of upper housing feet comprises pads thereon.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the pads comprise a polyoxymethylene material.

18 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the lower housing comprises a slide rod fixed therein and wherein the upper housing rotates about the slide rod.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the slide rod comprises a bearing thereon.

Assignees

• Ge Infrastructure Technology Llc

Inventors

• Craig Tiffany M
• Barton Jesse
• Belsom Keith C
• Brown Martin
• Steadman Mark

Classifications

• F05D2230/80

  Repairing, retrofitting or upgrading methods · CPC title

• F05D2230/70

  Disassembly methods · CPC title

• F05D2240/35

  Combustors or associated equipment · CPC title

• F23R2900/00019

  Repairing or maintaining combustion chamber liners or subparts · CPC title

• F23R2900/00017

  Assembling combustion chamber liners or subparts · CPC title