Fuel Head Assembly Wear Liners

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional fuel head assemblies in pulverized coal delivery systems suffer from abrasive wear and coal rope formation, leading to erosion and reduced burning efficiency, and are difficult to maintain due to structural constraints in confined spaces.

Innovation Solution

A fuel head assembly with removable, wear-resistant liners featuring curved vanes that direct the coal/air stream in two dimensions to reduce erosion and facilitate easy maintenance, allowing for horizontal removal and replacement of internal components without disconnecting the outlet flange, providing additional support during servicing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of repair

If conventional fuel head assemblies are used with fixed internal structures, then structural strength is maintained, but maintenance becomes difficult and time-consuming in confined spaces

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemaintenance accessibilityVSAvoidstructural complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of repairVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The fuel head assembly is divided into separable components: the outer casing remains fixed while internal liners and vanes are made removable. This segmentation allows maintenance personnel to access and replace wear-prone internal components without dismantling the entire assembly, significantly improving maintenance accessibility in confined spaces while maintaining structural integrity of the permanent casing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The internal liners and vanes are designed with dynamic characteristics - they can be removed and reinstalled based on wear conditions. This transforms the previously static, fixed internal structure into a dynamic system where components can be adapted, replaced, or adjusted during operation, enabling easy maintenance without permanent structural modifications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If wear-resistant liners with curved vanes are installed, then erosion is reduced and burning efficiency improves, but component replacement becomes complex requiring disconnection of outlet flange

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewear resistanceVSAvoidcomponent replacement ease
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The wear-resistant liner and vanes are designed as separate, modular components that can be independently removed from the casing. This segmentation allows maintenance personnel to extract and replace worn liners without disconnecting the outlet flange or disturbing other fixed structures, making the replacement process simple and quick while maintaining the erosion protection benefits.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The internal wear-prone components (liners and vanes) are designed to be completely extractable from the fuel head assembly. This extraction capability allows full removal of worn components for inspection and replacement without affecting the permanent casing or requiring disconnection of external piping, significantly simplifying the maintenance operation while preserving the wear resistance functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of repair

If the outlet flange is disconnected for maintenance, then internal components can be accessed, but downtime increases and maintenance costs rise

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomponent accessibilityVSAvoidmaintenance downtime
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of repairVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The fuel head assembly is segmented into a permanent outer casing and removable internal components. This segmentation enables maintenance personnel to access and service the liners and vanes through a simplified removal process that does not require disconnecting the outlet flange, thereby reducing maintenance downtime while maintaining full component accessibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The removable liner design anticipates future maintenance needs by pre-configuring the internal components for easy extraction. This preliminary design decision eliminates the need for complex disassembly procedures during maintenance, allowing quick component replacement without flange disconnection, thus minimizing downtime and maintenance costs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2802816B1Fuel head assembly with replaceable wear components
Publication Date: 2020.06.10 GENERAL ELECTRIC TECH GMBH
  • EP2802816B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2802816B1 patent drawingFigure 2~14
  • EP2802816B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A fuel head assembly (120) for a pulverized coal nozzle includes removeable back cover (123) that may be removed substantially horizontally to allow access to liners (141,143,145) inside of the fuel head assembly (120) for servicing. This may be used in places where there access from above the fuel head assembly (120) is restricted. The liners (141,143,145) are constructed of a wear-resistant material and include curved vanes (131,133) for more evenly distributing pulverized solid fuel particles, and for reducing erosion of the fuel head assembly (120).