General Electric Company

Joseph Daniel Becker

Stuart Craig Hanson

Thomas Michael Merlau

Lukasz Sajdak

Piotr Hubert Wojciechowski

Andrew James Fisher

John William Herbold

Gregory Scott Means

Brian Michael Leinonen

Kyle Joseph Banwart

Jereld Alen Meiers

Various embodiments include methods for performing maintenance on a gas turbine bearing area. In some cases, a method includes: separating sections of an inlet bellmouth of the gas turbine without removing the sections of the inlet bellmouth from the gas turbine; removing a housing from over a bearing of the gas turbine; mounting a bearing maintenance apparatus adjacent the inlet bellmouth and the bearing; and performing maintenance on the bearing area while the sections of the inlet bellmouth remain separated.

Turbine bearing maintenance apparatus and method

Various embodiments include apparatuses for performing maintenance on a gas turbine bearing area, along with related methods. One apparatus can include: a set of rails sized to couple with the gas turbine and rest coaxially with a bearing adjacent the gas turbine, the set of rails for supporting a portion of a housing of the bearing; a first platform spanning between the set of rails; a lifting device coupled to the first platform for engaging an inlet bellmouth of the gas turbine; and a second platform suspended from the set of rails sized to accommodate an operator.

The present disclosure is directed to a coupling assembly for a turbomachine. The coupling assembly includes a liner and a sleeve at least partially positioned circumferentially around the liner. A frame is positioned between the liner and the sleeve. The frame includes a first side wall, a second side wall, and a base wall extending from the first side wall to the second side wall. A block is positioned between the liner and the sleeve and is movable relative to the frame to permit the block to move toward and away from the base wall. Moving the block away from the base wall causes the block to exert an inward force on the liner and the base wall to exert an outward force on the sleeve.

Turbomachine coupling assembly

A tool for repairing an out-of-round component such as a combustor body is disclosed. The tool includes a base including a first arcuate member; a second arcuate member; and a linear actuator coupling the second arcuate member to the base. The linear actuator moves the second arcuate member between a retracted position out of engagement with the out-of-round component and an extended position in which the first arcuate member and the second arcuate member engage an interior surface of the out-of-round component in an opposing relationship to force the out-of-round component into a more round state compared to an initial state of the out-of-round component. A related method is also disclosed.

Tool for repairing out-of-round component

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to the manipulation of turbomachine combustors. An apparatus according to the present disclosure can include: a bracket body including an operative head configured to removably attach a turbomachine combustor; a rotatable joint rotatably coupled to the bracket body through a gear bearing, wherein the gear bearing is configured to rotate the bracket body relative to the rotatable joint; and a suspended member rotatably coupled to the rotatable joint at a first end, and coupled to a suspension joint at a second end, wherein the rotatable joint rotates the gear bearing and the bracket body relative to the suspended member to center the gear bearing about a predetermined axis of rotation.

Manipulation of turbomachine combustors

The present disclosure is directed to a component handling assembly. The component handling assembly includes a base member, an arm pivotably coupled to the base member, and a beam rotatably coupled to the base member. The component handling assembly also includes a counterweight rotatably coupled to a first end of the beam. The component handling assembly further includes a coupling assembly coupled to a second end of the beam. The coupling assembly is configured for coupling to a component. Rotating the counterweight in a first direction rotates the beam, the coupling assembly, and the component in a second direction.

Turbomachine component handling assembly

Various embodiments include approaches for installing a flow sleeve relative to a gas turbine transition piece. Some embodiments include an apparatus for coupling a gas turbine transition piece with a flow sleeve, the installation apparatus having: a radially inner ring; a plurality of expander segments extending radially outward from the radially inner ring, the plurality of expander segments each having an axially ramped segment sized to gradually expand the flow sleeve to couple with the gas turbine transition piece as the flow sleeve is moved along the plurality of expander segments; and a circumferentially disposed space separating each pair of adjacent expander segments in the plurality of expander segments.

Growing community of inventors

Travelers Rest, SC, United States of America

Joseph Daniel Becker