STEAM TURBINE NOZZLE SEGMENT HAVING ARCUATE INTERFACE
Steam turbine nozzle segments with conical interfaces are disclosed. In one embodiment a steam turbine static nozzle blade includes: an airfoil; an inner sidewall integral with a first side of the airfoil; and an outer sidewall integral with a second side of the airfoil; the inner sidewall and the outer sidewall each including: a pressure side having an arcuate concave surface extending substantially an entire length of the sidewall; and a suction side having an arcuate convex surface extending substantially the entire length of the sidewall.
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The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a steam turbine nozzle assembly, or diaphragm stage. Specifically, the subject matter disclosed herein relates to a steam turbine nozzle assembly including a plurality of nozzle segments with arcuate or “conical” (e.g., arced concave, arced convex) interfaces.
Steam turbines include static nozzle (or “airfoil”) segments that direct flow of a working fluid into turbine buckets connected to a rotating rotor. A complete assembly of nozzle segments is commonly referred to as a diaphragm stage of the steam turbine. One method of constructing the diaphragm stage is to weld (or alternatively, braze) a plurality of single airfoils with integrated sidewalls (“static nozzle blades”, or “singlets”) to inner and outer rings. Each of these singlets have interfaces to which adjacent singlets are welded or brazed (in the inner and outer ring). These interfaces include an axial leading edge section (or “pressure-side” section) oriented parallel to the steam turbine's axis, and an angled trailing edge section (or “suction-side” section). While the current singlet design including angled interface sections allows for a tight fit between individual segments, the angled interfaces make removal and repair of individual segments nearly impossible.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONSteam turbine nozzle segments with conical interfaces are disclosed. In one embodiment a steam turbine static nozzle blade includes: an airfoil; an inner sidewall integral with a first side of the airfoil; and an outer sidewall integral with a second side of the airfoil; the inner sidewall and the outer sidewall each including: a pressure side having an arcuate concave surface extending substantially an entire length of the sidewall; and a suction side having an arcuate convex surface extending substantially the entire length of the sidewall.
A first aspect of the invention includes a steam turbine static nozzle blade comprising: an airfoil; an inner sidewall integral with a first side of the airfoil; and an outer sidewall integral with a second side of the airfoil; the inner sidewall and the outer sidewall each including: a pressure side having an arcuate concave surface extending substantially an entire length of the sidewall; and a suction side having an arcuate convex surface extending substantially the entire length of the sidewall.
A second aspect of the invention includes a steam turbine diaphragm assembly comprising: an outer diaphragm ring; an inner diaphragm ring; and an annulus of static nozzle blades between the inner diaphragm ring and the outer diaphragm ring, each static nozzle blade comprising: an airfoil; an inner sidewall integral with a first side of the airfoil; and an outer sidewall integral with a second side of the airfoil; the inner sidewall and the outer sidewall each including: a pressure side having an arcuate concave surface extending substantially an entire length of the sidewall; and a suction side having an arcuate convex surface extending substantially the entire length of the sidewall; wherein at least one of the static nozzle blades is demountably attached to a second one of the static nozzle blades.
A third aspect of the invention includes a steam turbine diaphragm assembly comprising: an outer diaphragm ring; an inner diaphragm ring; and an annulus of static nozzle blades between the inner diaphragm ring and the outer diaphragm ring, each static nozzle blade comprising: an airfoil; an inner sidewall integral with a first side of the airfoil; and an outer sidewall integral with a second side of the airfoil; the inner sidewall and the outer sidewall each including: a pressure side having an arcuate concave surface extending substantially an entire length of the sidewall; and a suction side having an arcuate convex surface extending substantially the entire length of the sidewall, wherein at least one of the static nozzle blades is demountably attached to a second one of the static nozzle blades in an axial direction; and a plurality of removable weld joints, each removable weld joint substantially removably affixing one of the static nozzle blades to one of the outer diaphragm ring or the inner diaphragm ring.
These and other features of this invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description of the various aspects of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings that depict various embodiments of the invention, in which:
It is noted that the drawings of the invention are not to scale. The drawings are intended to depict only typical aspects of the invention, and therefore should not be considered as limiting the scope of the invention. In the drawings, like numbering represents like elements between the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONAs indicated above, aspects of the invention provide for a steam turbine nozzle segment having a conical interface. Specifically, aspects of the invention provide for a steam turbine nozzle assembly including a plurality of nozzle segments with arcuate or “conical” (e.g., arced concave, arced convex) interfaces. These arced interfaces may allow for removal and/or repair of individual nozzle segments while substantially maintaining the structural integrity of the nozzle assembly.
Referring to the drawings,
Returning to
Turning to
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With continuing reference to
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Turning to
In the nozzle assembly 100 of
The steam turbine static nozzle blades 110 including conical (arcuate concave, arcuate convex) interfaces as described herein may allow for removal of individual blades 110 from an assembly (e.g., steam turbine diaphragm assembly 200) by removing (e.g., by grinding, machining and/or heating) only those removable weld joints 190 (or braze joints) associated with the individual blade being removed. This may allow for, among other things, faster and more efficient repair, replacement, and/or enhancement of individual steam turbine static nozzle blades 110.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.
Claims
1. A steam turbine static nozzle blade comprising:
- an airfoil;
- an inner sidewall integral with a first side of the airfoil; and
- an outer sidewall integral with a second side of the airfoil;
- the inner sidewall and the outer sidewall each including: a pressure side having an arcuate concave surface extending substantially an entire length of the sidewall; and a suction side having an arcuate convex surface extending substantially the entire length of the sidewall.
2. The static nozzle blade of claim 1, wherein the arcuate concave surface of the inner sidewall and the arcuate convex surface of the inner sidewall have a substantially equal arc radius.
3. The static nozzle blade of claim 2, wherein the arcuate concave surface of the outer sidewall and the arcuate convex surface of the outer sidewall have a substantially equal arc radius.
4. The static nozzle blade of claim 3, wherein the arcuate concave surface of the inner sidewall and the arcuate concave surface of the outer sidewall complement the arcuate convex surface of the inner sidewall and the arcuate convex surface of the outer sidewall, respectively.
5. The static nozzle blade of claim 1, wherein the arcuate concave surface of the inner sidewall and the arcuate convex surface of the inner sidewall have a substantially equal arc length.
6. The static nozzle blade of claim 1, wherein the arcuate concave surface of the outer sidewall and the arcuate convex surface of the outer sidewall have a substantially equal arc length.
7. A steam turbine diaphragm assembly comprising:
- an outer diaphragm ring;
- an inner diaphragm ring;
- an annulus of static nozzle blades between the inner diaphragm ring and the outer diaphragm ring, each static nozzle blade comprising: an airfoil; an inner sidewall integral with a first side of the airfoil; and an outer sidewall integral with a second side of the airfoil; the inner sidewall and the outer sidewall each including: a pressure side having an arcuate concave surface extending substantially an entire length of the sidewall; and a trailing surface having an arcuate convex surface extending substantially the entire length of the sidewall;
- wherein at least one of the static nozzle blades is demountably attached to a second one of the static nozzle blades.
8. The steam turbine diaphragm assembly of claim 7, wherein the arcuate concave surface of the inner sidewall and the arcuate convex surface of the inner sidewall have a substantially equal arc radius.
9. The turbine diaphragm assembly of claim 8, wherein the arcuate concave surface of the outer sidewall and the arcuate convex surface of the outer sidewall have a substantially equal arc radius.
10. The steam turbine diaphragm assembly of claim 9, wherein the arcuate concave surface of the inner sidewall and the arcuate concave surface of the outer sidewall of a first one of the static nozzle blades complement the arcuate convex surface of the inner sidewall and the arcuate convex surface of the outer sidewall, respectively, of a second one of the static nozzle blades.
11. The steam turbine diaphragm assembly of claim 10, further comprising a plurality of removable weld joints, each removable weld joint substantially removably affixing one of the static nozzle blades to one of the outer diaphragm ring or the inner diaphragm ring.
12. The steam turbine diaphragm assembly of claim 11, wherein the at least one of the static nozzle blades is demountably attached to the second one of the static nozzle blades by at least one of the removable weld joints.
13. The steam turbine diaphragm assembly of claim 12, wherein the at least one of the removable weld joints demountably attaches the at least one of the static nozzle blades to the second one of the static nozzle blades in an axial direction.
14. A steam turbine diaphragm assembly comprising:
- an outer diaphragm ring;
- an inner diaphragm ring;
- an annulus of static nozzle blades between the inner diaphragm ring and the outer diaphragm ring, each static nozzle blade comprising: an airfoil; an inner sidewall integral with a first side of the airfoil; and an outer sidewall integral with a second side of the airfoil; the inner sidewall and the outer sidewall each including: a pressure side having an arcuate concave surface extending substantially an entire length of the sidewall; and a suction side having an arcuate convex surface extending substantially the entire length of the sidewall, wherein at least one of the static nozzle blades is demountably attached to a second one of the static nozzle blades in an axial direction; and
- a plurality of pairs of removable weld joints, each pair of removable weld joints substantially removably affixing one of the static nozzle blades to one of the outer diaphragm ring or the inner diaphragm ring.
15. The steam turbine diaphragm assembly of claim 14, wherein the arcuate concave surface of the inner sidewall and the arcuate convex surface of the inner sidewall have a substantially equal arc radius.
16. The steam turbine diaphragm assembly of claim 15, wherein the arcuate concave surface of the outer sidewall and the arcuate convex surface of the outer sidewall have a substantially equal arc radius.
17. The steam turbine diaphragm assembly of claim 15, wherein the arcuate concave surface of the inner sidewall and the arcuate concave surface of the outer sidewall of a first one of the static nozzle blades complement the arcuate convex surface of the inner sidewall and the arcuate convex surface of the outer sidewall, respectively, of a second one of the static nozzle blades.
18. The steam turbine diaphragm assembly of claim 14, wherein each pair of removable weld joints substantially maintains an axial position of the removably affixed static nozzle blade.
19. The steam turbine diaphragm assembly of claim 14, wherein the arcuate concave surface of the inner sidewall and the arcuate convex surface of the inner sidewall have a substantially equal arc length; and wherein the arcuate concave surface of the outer sidewall and the arcuate convex surface of the outer sidewall have a substantially equal arc length.
20. The steam turbine diaphragm assembly of claim 14, wherein the removably affixed static nozzle blade is substantially affixed to the turbine diaphragm assembly by only the pair of removable weld joints.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 16, 2010
Publication Date: Aug 18, 2011
Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY (Schenectady, NY)
Inventors: Steven Sebastian Burdgick (Schenectady, NY), Jason Paul Mortzheim (Gloversville, NY), Dominick Joseph Werther (Albany, NY)
Application Number: 12/706,198
International Classification: F01D 9/04 (20060101); F01D 9/02 (20060101);