Support assembly for a turbomachine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9624933-B2
Application number	US-201414456040-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 11, 2014
Priority date	Aug 29, 2013
Publication date	Apr 18, 2017
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017

Abstract

A support assembly and method for supporting an internal assembly in a casing of a turbomachine are provided. The support assembly may include a support member that may be slidably disposed in a recess formed in the internal assembly and configured to engage an inner surface of the casing. A biasing member may be disposed in a pocket extending radially inward from the recess. The biasing member may at least partially extend into the recess and may be configured to apply a biasing force to the support member disposed therein.

First claim

We claim:

1. A support assembly for supporting an internal assembly in a casing of a turbomachine, comprising:
a support member slidably disposed in a recess formed in the internal assembly, the support member configured to engage an inner surface of the casing; and
a biasing member disposed in a pocket extending radially inward from the recess, the biasing member at least partially extending into the recess and configured to apply a biasing force to the support member disposed therein.

2. The support assembly of claim 1 , wherein the support member comprises an insulating material configured to electrically isolate the internal assembly from the casing.

3. The support assembly of claim 1 , wherein the support member comprises a contact member and a backing member coupled with one another, the biasing member configured to engage the backing member and apply the biasing force thereto, and the contact member configured to engage the inner surface of the casing.

4. The support assembly of claim 3 , wherein the contact member defines a protuberance configured to mate with a groove formed in the backing member to thereby couple the contact member with the backing member.

5. The support assembly of claim 3 , wherein an outer surface of the contact member has a radius of curvature substantially equal to a radius of curvature of the inner surface of the casing.

6. The support assembly of claim 3 , wherein the contact member comprises a low friction material configured to facilitate sliding of the contact member along the inner surface of the casing.

7. The support assembly of claim 3 , further comprising a mechanical fastener extending through at least a portion of the support member and coupled with the internal assembly, the mechanical fastener configured to retain the support member within the recess while allowing the support member to be slidably disposed in the recess.

8. The support assembly of claim 7 , wherein the mechanical fastener comprises:
a threaded portion configured to couple the mechanical fastener with the internal assembly;
a shoulder portion extending through the backing member, the backing member configured to slide along the shoulder portion; and
a head portion configured to engage the backing member, thereby retaining the support member within the recess.

9. A support assembly for installing an internal assembly in a casing of a turbomachine, comprising:
a support member slidably disposed in a recess formed in the internal assembly and configured to engage an inner surface of the casing, the support member including a piston slidably disposed in a pocket extending radially inward from the recess; and
an accumulator fluidly coupled with the pocket and configured to direct a hydraulic fluid to the pocket to thereby apply a biasing force to the piston disposed in the pocket.

10. The support assembly of claim 9 , wherein the support member comprises an insulating material configured to electrically isolate the internal assembly from the casing.

11. The support assembly of claim 9 , wherein the internal assembly defines a port in an axial end portion thereof and further defines a passage fluidly coupling the port with the pocket, the accumulator fluidly coupled with the pocket via the port and the passage.

12. The support assembly of claim 11 , further comprising a valve fluidly coupled with the port and configured to fluidly couple the port with the accumulator.

13. The support assembly of claim 9 , wherein the support member comprises an arcuate contact member configured to engage the inner surface of the casing.

14. The support assembly of claim 13 , wherein the support member further comprises a backing member coupled with the arcuate contact member, the backing member defining a protuberance configured to mate with a groove formed in the arcuate contact member.

15. The support assembly of claim 13 , wherein the arcuate contact member defines a beveled edge extending along an outer edge portion thereof, the beveled edge configured to facilitate contact between the arcuate contact member and the inner surface of the casing.

16. The support assembly of claim 13 , wherein the arcuate contact member comprises a friction material configured to allow the arcuate contact member to slide along the inner surface of the casing.

17. A method for supporting an internal assembly in a casing of a turbomachine, comprising:
directing a hydraulic fluid from an accumulator to a pocket to apply a biasing force to a piston of a support member slidably disposed in the pocket, the support member slidably disposed in a recess formed in the internal assembly, and the pocket extending radially inward from the recess;
actuating the support member radially outward such that the support member engages an inner surface of the casing; and
applying the biasing force to the inner surface of the casing with the support member to thereby support the internal assembly in the casing.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
actuating the support member radially inward;
directing the hydraulic fluid from the pocket to the accumulator; and
maintaining the hydraulic fluid in the pocket at a pressure sufficient to support the internal assembly.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the support member comprises an insulating material configured to electrically isolate the internal assembly from the casing.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising monitoring contact between the internal assembly and the casing by measuring electrical continuity between the internal assembly and the casing.

Assignees

• Peer David J
• Ranz Andrew J
• Maier William C
• Johnson Joel D
• Dresser-Rand Company

Inventors

• Peer David J
• Ranz Andrew J
• Maier William C
• Johnson Joel D

Classifications

• F04D17/12 Primary

  Multi-stage pumps · CPC title

• F04D29/624

  especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps · CPC title

• F01D25/28

  Supporting or mounting arrangements, e.g. for turbine casing · CPC title

• F05D2230/644

  for adjusting the position or the alignment, e.g. wedges or eccenters · CPC title

• F04D29/4206 Primary

  especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps · CPC title