Fuel Nozzle Tip Refurbishment Using an Annular Replacement Coupon
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Solution Overview
Problem
Turbomachine fuel nozzles experience wear due to vibrational and thermal stresses, leading to costly and time-consuming replacement of entire components, rather than just the worn sub-components.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the removal of material from the nozzle tip to form an annular groove, followed by the insertion and fixed coupling of a replacement coupon with increased wear resistance, restoring the interference fit between the nozzle tip and inner tube without replacing the entire nozzle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the entire fuel nozzle is replaced when wear occurs, then reliability is restored, but cost and service time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The fuel nozzle is divided into separable components: the nozzle body and the nozzle tip. The nozzle tip can be independently removed and replaced when worn, while the nozzle body remains in service. This segmentation allows selective replacement of only the worn component rather than the entire assembly, reducing service time and cost while restoring reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The worn nozzle tip is discarded and replaced with a new or refurbished tip, while the still-functional nozzle body is recovered and retained in the system. This approach maximizes the utilization of serviceable components and minimizes waste of functional parts.
2Reliability
If the entire fuel nozzle is replaced when wear occurs, then reliability is restored, but service cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the fuel nozzle into replaceable nozzle tip and retained nozzle body, the invention enables cost-effective maintenance where only the worn tip is replaced. This reduces material cost compared to replacing the entire nozzle assembly, while still restoring the required reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention recovers the functional nozzle body from the worn assembly, discarding only the worn tip. This recovery approach reduces service cost by maximizing the utilization of still-serviceable components.
3Reliability
If material is removed from the nozzle tip to form an annular groove, then the interference fit is restored, but the nozzle tip geometry is modified
Solution Approach 1:
The annular groove is preliminarily formed in the nozzle tip during manufacturing or initial servicing. This preliminary action prepares the tip for subsequent installation onto the nozzle body, ensuring proper interference fit is achieved when the tip is pressed onto the body. The groove geometry is designed in advance to accommodate the interference fit requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods of servicing a fuel nozzle are provided. a method of servicing a fuel nozzle includes a step of machining away material from a nozzle tip of the fuel nozzle to form an annular groove within the nozzle tip. The method further includes a step of inserting a replacement coupon into the annular groove. The replacement coupon having a radially outermost that corresponds to the annular groove and a post-removal contact surface. The method further includes a step of fixedly coupling the radially outermost of the replacement coupon to the annular groove.