Quick Disconnect Combustor Endcover Clamp Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current gas turbine combustor endcover attachment methods, relying on conventional multi-bolt metallic flange connections, are inefficient for quick removal and reinstallation, leading to prolonged service outages and inadequate access to combustor internals.
Innovation Solution
A clamp assembly with plural clamp bodies having mutually perpendicular surfaces, a rigid stiffener ring, and fasteners that extend through the clamp bodies into the casing, facilitating easy attachment and removal, along with tooling for simultaneous tightening or loosening, ensures secure sealing and reduced assembly time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional multi-bolt metallic flange connections are used for attaching endcovers to turbine casings, then sealing integrity is maintained, but service outage duration increases and accessibility to combustor internals deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The connection system is segmented into clamp bodies that can be independently positioned and secured around the combustor assembly. This segmentation allows for localized attachment points that reduce the overall number of fasteners needed compared to a conventional multi-bolt flange system, thereby reducing assembly time while maintaining sealing integrity through the distributed clamp configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The clamp bodies are designed with pre-positioned engagement features and the stiffener ring is pre-installed on the combustor casing before clamp attachment. This preliminary preparation enables faster final assembly by eliminating the need for complex alignment procedures during installation, thus reducing service outage duration while ensuring proper sealing
2Strength
If conventional multi-bolt metallic flange connections are used for attaching endcovers to turbine casings, then structural strength is maintained, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple fastening functions are merged into a single clamp body design that combines positioning, clamping, and sealing features. The clamp bodies integrate the stiffener ring support and fastener engagement into one component, eliminating the need for separate flange assemblies, multiple bolt patterns, and alignment fixtures required by conventional multi-bolt systems, thus reducing device complexity while maintaining structural strength
Solution Approach 2:
The clamp bodies are designed as universal components that can be positioned at multiple locations around the combustor assembly and perform multiple functions: providing structural support, ensuring sealing integrity, and facilitating quick attachment/detachment. This multi-functionality replaces the specialized multi-component conventional flange system, reducing overall device complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A clamp assembly for facilitating attachment and removal of a first component to or from a second component includes plural clamp bodies, each having at least two mutually perpendicular surfaces arranged about the first component. A substantially rigid ring is located between one surface of the clamp body and a surface of the first component. At least one fastener is provided for each of the plural clamp bodies, adapted to extend through a respective one of the plural clamp bodies and into the second component. Tooling is provided to allow for simultaneous tightening or loosening of all bolts on a single combustor.