Inverted Positioning System for Gas Turbine Combustor Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional overhead cranes are unable to access equipment fixture points located below the centerline of large machinery, such as gas turbine combustors, making it difficult to safely and efficiently install or remove heavy and complex components like combustors.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a height adjustable table, a tilt adjuster, an equipment support structure, and a drive mechanism, along with a bracket for removably attaching the equipment, allows for positioning of heavy components at inaccessible fixture points by adjusting height and angle to align with the fixture point and sliding the support structure into place.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional overhead cranes are used for positioning equipment, then heavy equipment can be lifted and moved, but equipment fixture points located below the centerline of large machinery remain inaccessible
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using conventional overhead cranes that approach equipment from above, the system inverts the approach by accessing equipment from below the centerline. The positioning system is installed at the bottom of the machinery, allowing it to reach fixture points that are completely inaccessible to top-down overhead cranes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary positioning mechanism that bridges the gap between the inaccessible fixture points and the equipment. This intermediary system includes adjustable arms and positioning devices that can extend into tight spaces and manipulate equipment at locations that cannot be reached by conventional overhead tools.
2Ease of operation
If manual positioning of equipment is used, then equipment can be positioned in inaccessible locations, but it is not feasible where equipment is very heavy or large
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates counterweight mechanisms to balance the heavy equipment being positioned. By using counterweights, the system can manipulate and position equipment weighing up to one thousand kilograms without requiring excessive manual force, effectively compensating for the heavy weight that would otherwise make manual positioning infeasible.
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning system employs dynamic, adjustable components including height-adjustable tables and tiltable platforms that can adapt to different equipment weights and positions. This dynamic design allows the system to handle varying loads and reach different fixture points, making it feasible to position heavy equipment in previously inaccessible locations.
3Manufacturing precision
If precise alignment is required for equipment installation, then positioning accuracy improves, but the complexity of positioning mechanisms increases
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning system is designed as a multi-functional platform that combines height adjustment, tilting capability, and lateral positioning in a single integrated structure. This universal system can achieve precise alignment for different types of equipment and fixture points without requiring multiple separate complex mechanisms, thereby maintaining precision while controlling overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system achieves precise alignment by independently adjusting multiple parameters including height, tilt angle, and lateral position. These parameter changes allow the platform to precisely position equipment at the correct orientation and location, with each parameter adjustment contributing to the overall alignment precision without requiring overly complex mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems for the positioning of equipment are disclosed. A system of the present disclosure can provide an apparatus including: a height adjustable table; an arm support structure coupled to and positioned above the height adjustable table; a length adjustable arm slidably connected to the arm support structure, the length adjustable arm being configured to support a piece of equipment; and an equipment support bracket coupled to the length adjustable arm configured to removably attach the piece of equipment.