Blade Wheel Holding System for Turbine Rotor Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for dismantling a turbine rotor's blade wheel are time-consuming and costly due to the need to individually remove and reassemble blades to access and replace the worn-out holding ring, which is subject to rapid wear.
Innovation Solution
A holding system comprising inserts that are inserted into inter-blade spaces to hold the relative position of the blades, allowing the disc to be dismantled without removing the downstream blade wheels, enabling rapid and effective dismantling and reassembly of all blades in a single operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If the holding ring is replaced by withdrawing downstream blade wheels, then the holding ring can be accessed and replaced, but the operation becomes time-consuming and costly due to individual blade removal and reassembly
Solution Approach 1:
The blade wheel assembly is segmented into modular components: the disc with blades can be separated from the downstream blade wheels, while the holding system remains intact. This segmentation allows the holding ring to be accessed by removing only the necessary disc-blade assembly rather than the entire downstream blade wheel assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
A holding system comprising holding elements and inserts acts as an intermediary mechanism. The holding elements engage with the disc and blades, while the inserts positioned in inter-blade spaces maintain blade relative positions. This intermediary holding system enables the disc to be detached for holding ring replacement while keeping downstream blade wheels attached.
2Ease of operation
If individual blades are removed one by one for disc dismantling, then the disc can be accessed, but the process becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The blade wheel is segmented into a disc portion and blade portion that can be detached as a unit. The holding system further segments the connection mechanism, with holding elements on the disc and corresponding engagement features on the blades, allowing clean separation without individual blade removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The holding elements are pre-positioned on the disc and the inserts are pre-positioned in the inter-blade spaces before dismantling begins. This preliminary positioning of the holding system prepares the assembly for straightforward separation, eliminating the need for complex sequential blade removal procedures.
3Ease of repair
If downstream blade wheels are dismantled to access the holding ring, then the holding ring is accessible, but productivity decreases due to extensive dismantling operations
Solution Approach 1:
The turbine rotor maintenance task is segmented into minimal necessary operations. Only the specific disc-blade assembly containing the holding ring needs to be detached, while downstream blade wheels remain in place. This selective segmentation dramatically reduces maintenance time and improves productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The holding system (holding elements and inserts) is extracted as a separate functional unit that enables selective detachment. This extraction allows the disc to be removed from the downstream blade wheels without requiring removal of the downstream wheels themselves, streamlining the holding ring replacement process.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a holding system for the dismantling of a blade wheel, the blade wheel comprising: a disc, a plurality of blades configured to be mounted circumferentially around the disc, the plurality of blades defining a plurality of inter-blade spaces, each of the inter-blade spaces being defined circumferentially between two adjacent blades of the plurality of blades, the holding system comprising a plurality of inserts, each of the inserts being configured to be inserted into each of the inter-blade spaces in a holding position so as to hold the relative position of the blades when the plurality of blades is dismantled from the disc.