ENCLOSURE FOR A GAS TURBINE AND METHOD FOR ENCLOSING THE SAME
Disclosed is an enclosure for a gas turbine, the enclosure including an enclosure section configured to partially enclose the gas turbine, and at least one other enclosure section, the at least one other enclosure section being configured to assemble with the enclosure section in a manner that associates the at least one other enclosure section with the enclosure section, wherein said at least one other enclosure section and said enclosure section are configured to substantially enclose the gas turbine when the at least one other enclosure section is associated with the enclosure section.
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The disclosure relates generally to an enclosure for a gas turbine, and more particularly to a modular enclosure for a gas turbine.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONCurrently, enclosures for gas turbines are built in the field using individual piece parts. Building turbine enclosures in this manner can be time consuming and expensive due to such issues as inclement weather and costly field labor. Other issues arise when the individual piece parts do not match up, or when two parts occupy the same space inside the enclosure. These issues take time to resolve, with modifications having to be made in the field by the costly laborers discussed above. In addition, turbine maintenance can be costly and time consuming in that many individual piece parts (enclosure walls pipes, wiring, etc.) must be removed to access the turbine. Accordingly, a turbine enclosure that could be more efficiently manufactured, and offer easier access to the turbine for maintenance, would be desirable.
SUMMARYDisclosed is an enclosure for a gas turbine, the enclosure including an enclosure section configured to partially enclose the gas turbine, and at least one other enclosure section, the at least one other enclosure section being configured to assemble with the enclosure section in a manner that associates the at least one other enclosure section with the enclosure section, wherein said at least one other enclosure section and said enclosure section are configured to substantially enclose the gas turbine when the at least one other enclosure section is associated with the enclosure section.
Also disclosed is a method for enclosing a gas turbine, the method including providing an enclosure section configured to partially enclose the gas turbine, providing at least one other enclosure section configured to partially enclose the gas turbine the at least one other enclosure section being configured to assemble with the enclosure section in a manner that associates the at least one other enclosure section with the enclosure section, assembling the enclosure section with the at least one other enclosure section, and substantially enclosing the gas turbine via the assembling.
The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike:
Referring to
As is best shown in
As is best shown in
Referring now to the embodiment illustrated in
Referring now at least to the embodiments of
It should also be appreciated that though the sections 14a-d and 42a-f of
Referring now to
It will be noted that while the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or substance to the teachings of the invention without departing from the scope thereof. Therefore, it is important that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the apportioned claims. Moreover, it will be further noted that unless specifically stated any use of the terms first, second, etc. do not denote any order or importance, but rather the terms first, second, etc. are used to distinguish one element from another.
Claims
1. An enclosure for a gas turbine, the enclosure comprising:
- an enclosure section configured to partially enclose the gas turbine; and
- at least one other enclosure section, said at least one other enclosure section being configured to assemble with said enclosure section in a manner that associates said at least one other enclosure section with said enclosure section,
- wherein said at least one other enclosure section and said enclosure section are configured to substantially enclose the gas turbine when said at least one other enclosure section is associated with said enclosure section.
2. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein said at least one other enclosure section and said enclosure section include infrastructure components, said infrastructure components of said at least one other enclosure section and said enclosure section being configured for association with each other and the gas turbine.
3. The enclosure of claim 2, wherein said infrastructure components include at least one of piping, junction boxes, heaters, wiring, and support structures.
4. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein said at least one other enclosure section and said enclosure section comprise at least four total enclosure sections.
5. The enclosure of claim 4, wherein said at least four total enclosure sections are four total enclosure sections, wherein a cross section taken along a substantially vertical centerline of an assembled enclosure and a cross section taken along a substantially horizontally centerline of said assembled enclosure at least partially define a geometry of each of said four total enclosure sections.
6. The enclosure of claim 4, wherein a plurality of horizontal cross sections through an assembled enclosure at least partially define a geometry of each of said total enclosure sections.
7. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein said at least one other enclosure section is configured to assemble with said enclosure section in a manner that detachably associates said at least one other enclosure section with said enclosure section.
8. A method for enclosing a gas turbine, the method comprising:
- providing an enclosure section configured to partially enclose the gas turbine;
- providing at least one other enclosure section configured to partially enclose the gas turbine, said at least one other enclosure section being configured to assemble with said enclosure section in a manner that associates said at least one other enclosure section with said enclosure section;
- assembling said enclosure section with said at least one other enclosure section; and
- substantially enclosing the gas turbine via said assembling.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein said providing of said at least one other enclosure section and said enclosure section is a manufacturing of said at least one other enclosure section and said enclosure section, said manufacturing being preformed at a different location than said assembling.
10. The method of claim 9, further including transporting said at least one other enclosure section and said enclosure section from said different location to a location for said assembling.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein said at least one other enclosure section and said enclosure section are sized such that said transporting occurs via an automobile no larger than a flat-bed truck.
12. The method of claim 8, further including providing said at least one other enclosure section and said enclosure section with infrastructure components, and assembling said infrastructure components of said at least one other enclosure section and said enclosure section with each other and the gas turbine.
13. The modular enclosure of claim 8, further including assembling said at least one other enclosure section with said enclosure section in a manner that allows said at least one other enclosure section to detach from said enclosure section.
14. The method of claim 13, further including detaching said enclosure section from said at least one other enclosure section to perform maintenance on the gas turbine.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 23, 2007
Publication Date: Feb 26, 2009
Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY (Schenectady, NY)
Inventors: Matthew John Canham (Greenville, SC), Kevin Lee Kunkle (Simpsonville, SC), Scott Walter Leyers (Simpsonville, SC), Robert Kenneth Mccormack (Taylors, SC)
Application Number: 11/843,988
International Classification: F01D 25/28 (20060101); F01D 25/14 (20060101);