General Electric Company

Oleg Klufas

Robert Edward Deallenbach

Eloy Vincent Emeterio

Martin Francis O'Connor

Calvin H Soldan

William V Coll, Jr

A method for axially aligning adjacent opposing faces of a first and second shaft segment having a respective joint face, of a steam turbine rotor to be welded together includes mating the joint faces of each shaft segment, placing a crushable lip, which axially extends from one of the joint faces, under an axially compressive force, and supporting the joined shaft segments at their axially outboard ends. An apparatus for axially aligning opposing end faces of a first and second shaft segment to be welded together, the first and second shaft segments including a respective joint face. An adjustable support for raising and lowering the joined shaft segments thereby changing the axial distance across the annular groove defined by adjacent opposing end faces to be welded. Means for measuring the force at the adjustable support, provides an indication of the weight counteracted by the support when optimum axial alignment of the shaft segments is achieved. Heating regions proximate adjacent opposing end faces and welding adjacent end faces together are accomplished while maintaining optimum axial alignment of the shaft segments.

Method and apparatus for welding turbine rotor shafts

A method for axially aligning adjacent opposing faces of a first and second shaft segment having a respective joint face, of a steam turbine rotor to be welded together includes mating the joint faces of each shaft segment, placing a crushable lip, which axially extends from one of the joint faces, under an axially compressive force, and supporting the joined shaft segments at their axially outboard ends. An apparatus for axially aligning opposing end faces of a first and second shaft segment to be welded together, the first and second shaft segments including a respective joint face, comprises an adjustable support for raising and lowering the joined shaft segments thereby changing the axial distance across the annular groove defined by adjacent opposing end faces to be welded. Means for measuring the force at the adjustable support, provides an indication of the weight counteracted by the support when optimum axial alignment of the shaft segments is achieved. Heating regions proximate adjacent opposing end faces and welding adjacent end faces together are accomplished while maintaining optimum axial alignment of the shaft segments.

In a steam turbine, a device for keying hubs of adjacent wheels together, wherein the wheels are not an integral part of the shaft of a rotor of the steam turbine and may be secured to the shaft by an interference shrink-fit at the surface of a bore through the hub of the wheel, comprises a substantially I-beam shaped key disposed in a keyway formed between adjacent hubs. A lip extends axially from the outer periphery of a pair of opposing end faces of adjacent hubs, the outboard surface of one lip of the pair of opposing end faces being in close proximity to the outboard lip of the other lip of the pair of opposing end faces. A respective pair of lands on each respective pair of opposing end faces defines a substantially radial slot respectively between the pair of lands. Streamlined fillets respectively transition the leading and trailing faces of each respective member of the pair of lands to the respective opposing end face. Radial extensions of the key contact the shaft and an inner radial portion of one of the lips.

Captured radial key for steam turbine wheels

A method and apparatus for axially aligning axially coupled shafts of a steam turbine includes means for changing the elevation of the outboard end of each shaft. The outboard end of each shaft is rotatably supported by a bearing above a turbine foundation. Means is included for measuring the supporting force at the bearing. A strain gauge is disposed on the surface of each shaft which provides an output signal indicative of the degree of bending of that shaft. The apparatus includes means for comparing and minimizing the output signals of the strain gauges by affecting the means for changing the elevation and comparing the resultant output signals at different levels of elevation. The method for axially aligning two axially coupled shafts includes measuring the degree of bending on the surface of the shaft, changing the elevation of the outboard end of each shaft, measuring the supporting force at each bearing at each outboard end of the shaft, comparing the signals representative of the bending at different levels of elevation, minimizing the signals, and repeating the step of changing the elevation and the step of comparing the signals, and recording the supporting forces during the minimization step to obtain the optimal axial alignment of the axially coupled shafts.

Method and apparatus for axially aligning the coupled shafts of a steam

In a steam turbine, apparatus for preventing rotation of a first wheel with respect to a second wheel adjacent the first wheel, wherein the first and second wheels are secured to a shaft of a rotor of the steam turbine by an interference shrink fit, comprises a key disposed in a keyway defined by and between respective hubs of the wheels. The key is exposed to ambient environment of the rotor and is spaced from the axial ends of the keyway to permit steam to flow through portions of the keyway. Key and keyway configurations for prohibiting radial movement of the key are illustrated.

Radial key for steam turbine wheels

A turbine rotor structure is disclosed in which shrink-fitted turbine wheels are keyed to the turbine shaft to prevent rotation of the wheels with respect to the shaft in the event of any loosening of the shrink fit. In a preferred arrangement, the rotatable shaft of the turbine is provided with an integral flange, near one end, having two diametrically opposed, notched keyways formed at peripheral locations thereon. Each wheel of the set of wheels used to carry the turbine buckets includes an integral, central hub which extends axially to both sides of the wheel. Further, each hub has pairs of complementary keys and keyways whose members are axially opposite each other at peripheral locations on the wheel hubs. Thus, the key of the first wheel on the shaft mates with the keyway of the integral flange of the shaft and subsequently added wheels mate with each other. The high levels of mechanical stress found with previously used keying means located at the wheel bore are avoided and potential problems of steam condensation leading to water erosion and stress corrosion cracking in the keying means are eliminated.

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Schenectady, NY, United States of America

Oleg Klufas