WO2016076852A1

WO2016076852A1 - Combustor arrangement with clamps

Info

Publication number: WO2016076852A1
Application number: PCT/US2014/065206
Authority: WO
Inventors: William M. Kieffer; Daniel O. Davies
Original assignee: Siemens Energy Inc
Current assignee: Siemens Energy Inc
Priority date: 2014-11-12
Filing date: 2014-11-12
Publication date: 2016-05-19
Anticipated expiration: 2017-05-12

Abstract

Disclosed are a combustor arrangement, a method of attaching a casing component to a combustor component, and an engine. The combustor arrangement includes a combustor component including a flange, a casing component arranged on the combustor component, a plurality of clamps, and a plurality of fasteners. The plurality of clamps secure the casing component to the combustor component and are disposed radially over the flange and a casing component flange. The method includes arranging the casing component on a flange of the combustor component, installing a plurality of clamps radially over the flange of the combustor component and a casing component flange, engaging each clamp with the radially extending lip, and tightening the fasteners on each of the clamps to secure the casing component to the combustor component. An engine including the combustor arrangement is also provided.

Description

COMBUSTOR ARRANGEMENT WITH CLAMPS

BACKGROUND

1. Field

[0001] The present application relates to gas turbines, and more particularly to a method of attaching a casing component to a combustor component, an engine, as well as a combustor arrangement with clamps.

2. Description of the Related Art

[0002] Cylindrical components are typically attached to one another with a flanged joint. In a gas turbine, a casing component, typically referred to as a tophat, is attached to a combustor casing with a plurality of bolts. Through holes are installed in the tophat flange and threaded holes are installed in the combustor casing to accept bolts that are installed through the tophat and into the combustor casing. Typically, approximately 24 holes, each with a corresponding bolt, per combustor casin may be used. Bolts shearing, case thread galling, and improper assembly may result in damage to threaded features and may increase the service time to the combustor casing and the outage time of the gas turbine. Incremental costs to replace the damaged components may also be an issue. SUMMARY

[0003] Briefly described, aspects of the present disclosure relates to a combustor arrangement, a method of attaching a casing component to a combustor component, and an engine.

[0004] A first aspect provides a combustor arrangement including a combustor component, a casing component, a plurality of clamps, and a plurality of fasteners. The combustor component includes a flange, the flange includes a radially extending lip having a top surface and an underside surface. The casing component is arranged on the combustor component flange. Each clamp includes a through hole. Each of the plurality of fasteners protrudes through a respective through hole in a corresponding clamp. The plurality of clamps secures the casing component to the combustor component. The pluralit of clamps are disposed radially over the flange and a casing component flange. [0005] A second aspect provides a method of attaching a casing component to a combustor component including arranging the casing component on a flange of the combustor component the flange including a radially extending lip, installing a plurality of clamps radially over the flange of the combusior component and a casing component flange, engaging each of a plurality of clamps with the radially extending lip, and tightening a pluralit of fasteners on each of the plurality of clamps to secure the casing component to the combustor componen

[0006] A third aspect provides an engine which includes a compressor section, a turbine section, and a combustor section. The combustor section includes the combustor arrangement. The combustor aixangement includes including a eombustor component, a casing component, a plurality of clamps, and a plurality of fasteners. The combustor component includes a flange, the flange includes a radially extending lip having a top surface and an underside surface. The casing component is arranged on the combustor component flange. Each clamp includes a through hole. Each of the plurality of fasteners protrudes through a respective through hole in a corresponding clamp. The plurality of clamps secure the casing component to the combustor component and are disposed radially over the flange and a casing component flange.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] FIG 1 shows a side view of a casing component attached to a combustor casing with a flanged bolted joint,

[0008] FIG 2 shows an exploded view of a casing component including through holes and the combustor casing includin ease bolt holes,

[0009] FIG 3 shows a side view of a clamp,

9 [0010 j FIG 4 sho ws a side view of the combustion component flange.

[001 Ϊ] FIG 5 shows a side view of a comhustor arrangement, and

[0012} FIG 6 shows a cross sectional view of the comhustor arrangement according to FIGs 3 and 5,

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] To facilitate an understanding of embodiments, principles, and features of the present disclosure, they are explained hereinafter with reference to implementation in illustrative embodiments. Embodiments of the present disclosure. however, are not limited to use in the described systems or methods_*

[0014] The components and materials describe hereinafter as making up the various embodiments are intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many suitable components and materials that would perionn the same or a similar function as the materials described herein are intended to he embraced within the scope of embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0015] A method, a comhustor^' arrangement to attach a casing component to a comhustor casing, and an engine are provided. The easing component may attach to any casing that includes an. interface that corresponds to the flange of the casing component so thai they may be mated. For illustrative purposes, the casing component is described hereinafter as a tophat component that attaches to a combtistor casing. This method and arrangement could minimize the threaded features i the combustor casirtg. Minimization of the threaded features may result in a shorter turnaround time to service the comhustor as each time the casing component is remo ved, a plurality f fasteners need to be removed which potentially can be, fo example, 24 bolts per comhustor and with 16 eombustors per engine typically, approximately 384 bolts may- need to be removed. In addition, the minimization of the bolts and the corresponding washers may also have a cost saving b not including this additional hardware. Furthermore, machining the comhustor casing in order to include the holes for the fasteners and/or eliminate faulty threads may be dispensed with using the provided arrangement and method. It will be appreciated to one skilled in the art that the attachment method and arrangement may be desirable anywhere a flanged joint arrangement is used. An engine is also provided. The engine includes a compressor section, a combustor section including a pluralit of burners where each burner includes the arrangement_* and a turbine section,

[0016] FIG I illustrates a side view of a conventional attachment (10) of a combustor casing (30) to a tophat eompdnent (20). Conventionally, the attachment of the tophat component (20) to a combustor casing (30) uses a flanged joint (40) where the tophat flange (50) is secured by fasteners (60). FIG 2 shows an exploded view of the tophat (20) and the combustor casing (30) with a plurality of bolts (60) before inserting them through the corresponding holes (70) in the tophat (20) and holes in the combustor casing (80). According to this illustration, the bolts (60) are evenly spaced around the circumference of the tophat flange (50).

[0017] FIG 3 illustrates a side view of a clamp type component (100), hereinafter to be called a clamp (100). The clamp (100) includes a top portion (120), a side portion (130), a bottom portion (140) and a through hole to accommodate a fastener (110). The top portion (120) extends radially and includes a thickness. The top portion (120) includes a through hole extending through the thickness. The bottom portion extends radially in same direction as the to portion (120) and includes a thickness. The side portion (130) connect the to portion (120) and the bottom portion (140) and extends perpendicularly from a radial edge of the top portion (120) and the bottom portion (140). The bottom portion (140) includes a top surface (150) and a bottom surface (160). The contour of the clamp (1 00) may accommodate different radial extensions of the combustor component flange and the flange of the tophat component.

[0018] A fastener (1 10) may protrude through a respective hole in the top portion (120). The fasteners may be bolts, screws, rivets, tapered pins, and/or pins. The hole in the top portion (120) may include threads into which a correspondingly threaded fastener (110) may be threaded into the clamp. [0019] Illustrated in FIG 4 is an embodiment of a combustion component flange (250) οα the combustor component (230). The combustor component flange (250) includes a radially extending lip (210) including a top surface (240) and an underside surface (270). The combustion component flange (250) may include a spigot (200) positioned radially behind the radially extending lip, on the interior of the combustion component flange (250). The surface of the spigot (200) may be at a different height than a top surface (240) of radially extending lip in the axial direction (260).

[0020] FIG 5 illustrates an embodiment of a combustor arrangement (300) including a plurality of clamps (100) spaced around the circumference of the combustion component flange (250), The number of clamps used may vary, however, a typical range ma be .12-24 in order to achieve a sufficient minimum contact stress to provide a leak free joint. The combustor arrangement (300) may include the combustor component (230), a tophat component (320), and the plurality of clamps (100), The tophat component (320) is arranged on the combustion component flange (250) such that the tophat component (320) abuts the combustion component flange (250). The plurality of clamps (100) surround an outer surface of the interface of the tophat component (320) and the flange of the combustor component (250).

[0021] The tophat component (320), as show in VIG 5, comprises a cylindrical element (340) with a bottom surface which may extend to and abut the combustion component flange (250). The bottom surface of the cylindrical element (340) includes a notch which abuts the spigot (200). The tophat (320) also includes a shallow flange on which a fastener may rest.

[0022] I the illustrated embodiment, each bottom portion (140) of the plurality of clamps (100) engages with the radiall extending lip (210) of the combustor component flange (250) securing the tophat (320) to the combustor component (230). An underside surface (270) of the radially extending lip (210) mates with the top surface (150) of the bottom portion (140) such that the underside surface (270) is in contact with the top surface ( 150) ofthe bottom portion (140), The overlap ofthe two surfaces (150, 270) should be enough to provide a secure interface so that an appropriate amount of contact pressure exists between the two contacted surfaces without sliding or bending. When the plurality of fasteners (1 10) are fastened in the plurality of clamps ( 100), the top surface ( 150) of the bottom portion (140) engages with the radially extending lip (210) producing a reacting force on the tophat flange forcing it against the combustof componen flange (250). A targeted contact pressure between the eombusto casing flange (250) and the clamp (100) may range between 4200 psi to 12,700 psi. [0023] FIG 6 shows a cross section through the eombustor arrangement (300) from the embodiments shown in FIGs 3 and 5. In the illustrated embodiment, the fastener (110) is shown in cross section extending through a respective hole (400) in the top portion (120) of damp (100). When fastened, each fastener (1 10) abuts the tophat flange (450) and provides a clamping force to assist in securing the tophat (320) to the eombustor component (230).

{0024} For the embodiment of FIG 6, the engagement (460) of the radially extending Hp (210) with the bottom portion (140) is also shown. For the engagement (460), the underside surface (270) of the radially extending lip (210) is engaged with the top surface (150) of the bottom portion (140), Additionally, the embodiment shows the spigot (200) on the combustion component flange (250) positioned radially behind the radially extending lip (210). on the interior of the combust ion component flange (250). A notch (420) in the tophat (320) is arranged on the spigot (200) of the eombustor component (230) which provide a sealing interlace (470). The sealing interface (470) contributes to the overall sealing between the tophat component (320) and the eombustor component (230).

J 0025] Referring to FIGs 1-6, a method for attaching a casing component, also know as the tophat (320), to a eombustor component (230) is also provided. In an embodiment, the tophat component (320) may be loosely arranged on the eombustor component flange (250). The notch (420), the radially interior portion of the bottom surface of the tophat (320), may be centered on the spigot (200) portion of the eombustor component flange (250). The spigot (200) is a portion of the eombustor component flange (250) that is at a different height, in the axial direction (260) than the remaining radially exterior portion of the eombustor component flange (250). The spigot (200) helps to keep the tophat (320) centered on the eombustor component flange (250) and also contributes to sealing the interface (470). The remaining portion of the bottom surface of the tophat (320) may be disposed on the eombustor component flange (250) to the interior of the radiall extending lip (210). This positioning may be seen in FIG 6.

[0026] In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of clamps (100) may be installed around the outer surface o f a portion of the interface between bottom surface of the tophat and the flange. Each clamp (100) may be installed radially over the combustor component flange (250) and the tophat flange (450).

[0027] The plurality of clamps are installed radially oyer the radially extending lip (210) of the combustion component flange (250) in order to attach the casing component (320) to the combustor component (230), The installation would be complete when the underside surface (270) of the radially extending lip (210) is in contact with a top surface (150) of the bottom portion (140) of the elamp (100) and the overlap of the two surfaces would be enough to provide a secui'e interface. A secure interface is one in which an appropriate amount of contact pressure exists between the two contacted surfaces (150, 270) without sliding or bending. [0028] After the engagement of the top surface (150) of the bottom portion (140) of the elamp (100) and the underside surface (270) of the radially extending lip (100), the plurality of fasteners (110) of the individual clamps (100) may then be tightened in order to more fully secure the casing component (320) to the combustor component (230). Fasteners such as bolts, screws, pins, tapered pins or rivets may be inserted through the corresponding holes in the clamping device and may be secured by a nut.

[0029] The method provides a quicker way to attach the tophat component (320) to the combustor component (230). Additionally, the method provides a way to attach the tophat component (320) to the combustor component (230 without drilling holes directly into the combustor component (230), which is a costly component, in order to provide holes for the flanged joint (40). Additionally, the flange (250) comprisin a radially extending lip (210) would be easy to form.

[0030] While embodiments of the present disclosure have been disclosed in exemplary forms, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications, additions, and deletions can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and its equivalents, as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A combustor arrangement (300), comprising:

a combustor component (230) including a flange (250) wherein the flange (250) comprises a radially extending lip (210) having a top surface (240) and an underside surface (270);

a casing component (320) arranged on the combustor component flange (250); a plurality of clamps (100) each including a through hole (400); and a plurality of fasteners (110) each protruding through a respective through hole (400) in a corresponding clamp (100),

Avherein the plurality of clamps (100) secures the casing component (320) to the combustor component (230), and

wherein the plurality of clamps (Ί 00) are disposed radially over the flange (250) and a casing component flange (450),

2. The combustor arrangement as claimed in elaim 1,

wherein each of the plurality of clamps (100) includes a radially extending top portion (120), a radially extending bottom portion (140), and a side portion (130) connecting the top portion (120) and the bottom portion (140) and perpendicular to the top portion (120) and the bottom portion (1 0).

3. The combustor arrangement as claimed in claim 2, wherein the contour of each of the plurality of clamps (100) accommodate the flange (250) and the casing component flange (450) having different radial extensions.

4. The combustor arrangement as claimed in claims 2 and 3, wherein the through hole (400) protrudes through the top portion (120).

5. The combustor arrangement (300) as claimed in the previous claims, wherein each of the plurality of clamps (100) is configured to engage the radially extending lip (210) such that a top surface (150) of a bottom portion (140) and the underside surface (270) of the radially extending lip (210) are mated.

6. The eombustor arrangement as claimed in claim 5, wherein each of the bottom portions (140) provides a reacting force to the radially extending lip (210).

7. The eombustor arrangement as claimed in the preceding claims, wherein each of the through holes (400) is a threaded hole. 8. The eombustor arrangement as claimed in the preceding claims, wherein each of the plurality of listeners (110) is selected from the group consisting of a bolt, screw, rivet, tapered pin, and pin,

9. The eombustor arrangement (300) as claimed in the previous claims, wherein each of the plurality of clamps (100) provide a clamping force to the flange. 10. The eombustor arrangement (300) as claimed in claimed in the previous claims, wherein the plurality ofclamps (100) are positioned evenly spaced around the circumference of the eombustor component (230).

1 1. The eombustor arrangement (300) as claimed in the previous claims, wherein the pluralit ofclamps surrounds a portion of an outer surface of the interface of the the casing component (320) and the flange (250).

12. The eombustor arrangement as claimed in the previous claims, wherein the plurality of fasteners (110) provide a clamping force to secure the casing component (320) to the eombustor component (230).

13. A method of attaching a casing component (320) to a eombustor component (230) comprising:

arranging the casing component (320) on a flange (250) of the eombustor component (230), the flange (250) comprising a radially extending lip (210);

installing a plurality of clamps (100) radially over the flange (250) of the eombustor component and a casing component flange (450)

engaging each of the plurality ofclamps (100) with the radially extending lip

(210); and tightening a plurality of fasteners (1 10) on each of the plurality of clamps (100) to secure the casing component (320) to the combustor component (230). i 4. The method as claimed i claim 13, wherein the arranging further comprises cen tering a notch (420) of the casing component (320) on a spigot (250) portion of the combustor component flange (250),

15. The method as claimed in the previous claims,

wherein the radially extending lip (21 ) includes a top surface (240) and an underside surface (270), and

wherein each of the plurality of clamps (100) includes a radially extending top portion (120), a radially extending bottom portion (140), and a side portion (130) connecting the top portion (120) and the bottom portion (140) and perpen icular to the top portion (120) and the bottom portion (140).

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the engaging further comprises mating a top surface (150) of the bottom portion (140) of each clamp ( 100) with the underside surface (270) of the radially extending lip (210).

17. The method as claimed in the previous claims, wherein each of the plurality of clamps (1 0) is■ arranged radially around the circumference of the combustor component flange (250).

18. The method as claimed in c laim 17, wherein the plurality of clamps (100) are evenly spaced around the circumference of the combustor component flange.

1 . An engine comprising:

a compressor section;

a turbine section;

a combustor section comprising,

a casing component (320) arranged on the combustor component flange (250);

a plurality of clamps ( 00) each including a through hole (400); and a plurality of fasteners (1 10) each protruding through a respective through hole (400) in a corresponding clamp (100),

wherein the plurality of clamps (100) secures the casing component (320) to the combustor component (230), and

wherein the plurality of clamps (100) are disposed radially over the flange (250) and a casing component flange (450).