Tool for measuring geometrical parameters of a blade or vane in a turbomachine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9752873-B2
Application number	US-201514837127-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 27, 2015
Priority date	Sep 16, 2014
Publication date	Sep 5, 2017
Grant date	Sep 5, 2017

Abstract

A tool for measuring geometrical parameters of a vane or a blade of a turbomachine, particularly for measuring a distance between the tip of the vane or blade and a reference plane is provided. The tool includes a first guiding plate and a second guiding plate. The first guiding plate and the second guiding plate are spaced apart from each other in a defined position by means of at least two spacers. Each of the first guiding plate and the second guiding plate is equipped with a first through hole and one or more second through holes. The first through hole is designed to insert through an airfoil of said vane or blade. Each of the second through holes is designed to receive a length measuring tool, e.g. a depth gauge.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A tool for measuring geometrical parameters of a vane or a blade of a turbomachine, particularly for measuring a distance between the tip of the vane or blade and a reference plane, the tool comprising a first guiding plate and a second guiding plate, the first guiding plate and the second guiding plate being spaced apart from each other in a defined position by means of at least two spacers, wherein each of the first guiding plate and the second guiding plate is equipped with a first through hole and one or more second through holes, the first through hole being designed to insert through an airfoil of said vane or blade and each of the second through holes being designed to receive a length measuring tool.

2. The tool according to claim 1 , wherein the reference plane is a surface of a platform of the vane or the reference plane is an inner surface of a casing of the turbomachine.

3. The tool according to claim 1 , wherein the reference plane is a surface of a platform of the blade or the reference plane is an external surface of the rotor shaft.

4. The tool according to claim 1 , wherein the first guiding plate and the second guiding plate are spaced apart from each other at a distance that is shorter than the distance between the tip and the platform of the vane or blade to be measured.

5. The tool according to claim 1 , wherein at least one, preferably each, of the first guiding plate and the second guiding plate is assembled from two elements with differing functions, wherein one element lends stiffness to the tool structure and the other element ensures a stable guiding of the airfoil and/or the length measuring tool.

6. The tool according to claim 5 , wherein at least one, preferably each, of the guiding plate and the guiding plate is assembled from two plate-shaped elements of different materials.

7. The tool according to claim 6 , wherein the guiding plates are assembled from two plates, wherein one plate is based on aluminum.

8. The tool according to claim 6 , wherein the guiding plates are assembled from two plates, wherein one plate is based on copper.

9. The tool according to claim 6 , wherein the two plate-shaped elements are detachably interconnected by bolts.

10. The tool according to claim 1 , wherein the through holes, designed to receive the length measuring tool, are aligned such that the measured values are radial lengths, i.e. when operating in situ, the axis along which the length measuring tool is guided, crosses the rotor axis.

11. The tool according to claim 10 , wherein the guiding plates are equipped with at least four through holes for the length measuring tool.

12. The tool according to claim 1 , wherein the at least four through holes for the length measuring tool are positioned in a way that enables measurements of a distance between the tip of the airfoil and a reference plane at the leading edge, at the trailing edge and at least one position between the leading edge and the trailing edge of the airfoil, wherein at least two positions target at the same point on the tip but reach different reference planes.

13. The tool according to claim 12 , wherein the different reference planes are the platform of the vane and an inner surface of the casing of the turbomachine.

14. The tool according to claim 12 , wherein the different reference planes are the platform of the blade and the external surface of the rotor shaft.

15. The tool according to claim 14 , wherein the length measuring tool is a depth gauge or a caliber.

16. The tool according to claim 1 , wherein an accurate and stable positioning of the tool on the airfoil elastic means, e.g. leaf springs are installed on the guiding plates extending into the first through hole for pushing against the airfoil during operation.

17. The tool according to claim 16 , wherein the elastic means are made of a material having a lower hardness than the surface material of the airfoil.

18. The tool according to claim 17 , wherein elastic means are made of copper.

19. The tool according to claim 16 , wherein the elastic means are leaf springs.

20. The tool according to claim 19 , wherein three leaf springs are installed.

21. The tool according to claim 16 , wherein in addition to the elastic means one or more excentric wheels for pushing against the airfoil are installed.

22. The tool according to claim 1 , wherein the bottom of the guiding plate, during operation nearby the platform of the vane or blade, is equipped with two support feet.

Assignees

• Alstom Technology Ltd
• Ansaldo Energia Switzerland AG

Inventors

• Feuillard Bernard
• Vogt Ernst
• Gubelmann Fabian
• Voskoboynikov Alexey

Classifications

• G01B21/047 Primary

  Accessories, e.g. for positioning, for tool-setting, for measuring probes · CPC title

• G01B5/205

  of turbine blades or propellers · CPC title