Combustor Tail Pipe Mounting Jig Dual-End Guide

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing tail cylinder attaching and detaching fixtures for gas turbines are cumbersome and increase in size, requiring complex setups and increased process steps, especially in restricted working spaces due to the need for cantilevered support structures and rail systems.

Innovation Solution

A compact tail cylinder attaching and detaching fixture with a guide portion supported by both ends of the casing, featuring a movable mechanism that advances and retracts the tail cylinder, allowing for minimal member length and weight reduction, enabling easy attachment and detachment within restricted spaces.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a cantilevered guide portion structure is used to support the tail cylinder, then the device can be installed outside the casing, but the device size and member length increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveInstallation accessibilityVSAvoidGuide portion length
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of supporting the guide portion from the outside of the casing (cantilevered structure), the invention inverts the support approach by having the guide portion supported from both ends by the casing itself. This reverses the traditional support configuration, allowing the guide portion to be shorter while still providing stable support for the tail cylinder.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the spatial configuration from a single-sided cantilevered support (one-dimensional extension) to a two-sided supported structure. By utilizing the casing to support both ends of the guide portion, the structure achieves better stability without extending the member length in one direction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Productivity

If a rail system and complex supporting structure are provided, then the tail cylinder can be attached and detached, but the device complexity and number of process steps increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveTail cylinder attachment efficiencyVSAvoidFixture structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and eliminates the complex rail system and extensive supporting structures from the traditional fixture. By using the casing itself as the support structure and providing guides directly at the opening portion, the essential function of supporting and guiding the tail cylinder is achieved with minimal additional components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The casing serves multiple functions: it provides structural support, acts as a guide reference, and serves as the mounting base for the fixture. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate supporting structures and simplifies the overall device configuration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Device complexity

If the guide portion is supported from one end only (cantilevered), then the structure can be simpler, but the rigidity and stability decrease

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveStructure simplicityVSAvoidGuide portion stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The invention inverts the support configuration from single-end cantilevered support to dual-end support. By having the casing support both ends of the guide portion, the structure achieves superior rigidity and stability while maintaining relative simplicity through the reuse of existing casing structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentEP2479407B2Mounting/dismounting jig for combustor tail pipe and tail pipe installation method
Publication Date: 2024.09.11 MITSUBISHI HITACHIPOWER SYST LTD
  • EP2479407B2 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2479407B2 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2479407B2 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed is a tail pipe mounting/dismounting jig for mounting and dismounting a combustor tail pipe in a cylinder, in which the tail pipe is inserted into the interior of the cylinder and the tip of the tail pipe is connected to the intake of a combustion gas duct; wherein said tip and a base end are each supported by the aforementioned cylinder by the tip being disposed in the cylinder interior, and the jig is equipped with a guide unit that supports the aforementioned tail pipe so as to be moveable along the shaft line direction of the aforementioned combustor and an advancing/withdrawing mechanism that advances and withdraws the aforementioned tail pipe along the aforementioned shaft line direction.