Patent application number | Description | Published |
20130194412 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATED OPTICAL INSPECTION OF INDUSTRIAL GAS TURBINES AND OTHER POWER GENERATION MACHINERY WITH ARTICULATED MULTI-AXIS INSPECTION SCOPE - Internal components of power generation machinery, such as gas and steam turbines are inspected with an optical camera inspection system that is capable of automatically positioning the camera field of view (FOV) to an area of interest within the machinery along a pre-designated navigation path and capturing images without human intervention. Automatic camera positioning and image capture can be initiated automatically or after receipt of operator permission. The pre-designated navigation path can be defined by operator manual positioning of an inspection scope within the power machine or a similar one of the same type and recording of positioning steps for future replication. The navigation path can also be defined by virtual simulation. The inspection system includes an articulated multi-axis inspection scope. | 08-01-2013 |
20130194413 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATED OPTICAL INSPECTION OF INDUSTRIAL GAS TURBINES AND OTHER POWER GENERATION MACHINERY - Internal components of power generation machinery, such as gas and steam turbines are inspected with an optical camera inspection system that is capable of automatically positioning the camera field of view (FOV) to an area of interest within the machinery along a pre-designated navigation path and capturing images without human intervention. Automatic camera positioning and image capture can be initiated automatically or after receipt of operator permission. The pre-designated navigation path can be defined by operator manual positioning of an inspection scope within the power machine or a similar one of the same type and recording of positioning steps for future replication. The navigation path can also be defined by virtual simulation. | 08-01-2013 |
20130335530 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VISUAL INSPECTION AND 3D WHITE LIGHT SCANNING OF OFF-LINE INDUSTRIAL GAS TURBINES AND OTHER POWER GENERATION MACHINERY - Internal components of gas or steam turbines are inspected with a 3D scanning camera inspection system that is inserted and positioned within the turbine, for example through a gas turbine combustor nozzle port. Three dimensional internal component measurements are performed using projected light patterns generated by a stripe projector and a 3D white light matrix camera. Real time dimensional information is gathered without physical contact, which is helpful for extracting off-line engineering information about the scanned structures. Exemplary 3D scans, preferably with additional visual images, are performed of the gas path side of a gas turbine combustor support housing, combustor basket and transition with or without human intervention. | 12-19-2013 |
20130335549 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPTICAL INSPECTION OF OFF-LINE INDUSTRIAL GAS TURBINES AND OTHER POWER GENERATION MACHINERY WHILE IN TURNING GEAR MODE - Internal components of gas and steam turbines are inspected with an optical camera inspection system that is capable of automatically and/or manually positioning the camera field of view (FOV) to an area of interest within the turbine along a pre-designated navigation path and capturing images with or without human intervention. Camera positioning and image capture can be initiated automatically or after receipt of operator permission. The inspection system includes an articulated multi-axis inspection scope with an optical camera that is inserted through a combustor nozzle access port, combustor and transition, so that the camera FOV captures the leading edge of Row 1 rotating turbine blades while the rotor is spinning at up to 1000 RPM. An illumination system strobe light and the camera image capture are synchronized with the blade rotation speed so that images of multiple or all blades may be obtained from a single inspection scope insertion point. | 12-19-2013 |
20140020483 | MEASUREMENT DEVICE AND METHOD FOR GENERATOR - A measurement device for a generator and a method for measuring stator wedge preload are disclosed. The generator includes a stator and a rotor, the stator including a stator wedge. The measurement device includes a force application device, the force application device including an actuator operable to apply a force to the stator wedge. The measurement device further includes a sensor operable to measure displacement of the stator wedge. The measurement device further includes a controller in communication with the force application device and the sensor and configured to collect data associated with the force and the displacement. | 01-23-2014 |
20140053568 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ON LINE MONITORING WITHIN A GAS TURBINE COMBUSTOR SECTION - An on-line optical inspection and monitoring system is externally mounted to existing man way service access within the combustor housing. A replacement man way cover having an optical window is mounted to the combustor housing. One or more optical cameras are oriented so that the camera field of view (FOV) is directed through the man way cover optical window. The camera FOV is moved to plural positions within the combustion section, such as under control of an automated motion control system, and images are captured. Multiple images are combined to form a composite image, which may include an image of an entire transition within the combustion section. Visual images and/or infrared (IR) thermal images may be captured. Thermal image information is correlated with component temperature. Image information is utilized to determine vibration characteristics of the imaged components. | 02-27-2014 |
20140055596 | FLEXIBLE LINKAGE CAMERA SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VISUAL INSPECTION OF OFF LINE INDUSTRIAL GAS TURBINES AND OTHER POWER GENERATION MACHINERY - Internal components of power generation machinery, including for example gas or steam industrial turbines as well as generators, are inspected a camera inspection system that is inserted and positioned within the machinery by an elongated cable carrier that has restricted cable flexure along a two-dimensional carrier cable flexure motion plane. A camera head that retains the camera is coupled to a distal end of the cable carrier. Embodiments also include a connector block coupled between the cable carrier distal end and the camera head. The connector block has a pivot axis coupled to the camera head for swinging the camera head along a camera head range of motion path that intersects the cable carrier flexure motion plane. Embodiments include a camera head swing motion drive system for selectively positioning the camera head along the camera head range of motion path. | 02-27-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080245151 | Method and apparatus for in-situ inspection of rotary machine components - A method and apparatus for the inspection of rotary machine components is provided. A positioning fixture is clamped to the component to be inspected, and supports a transceiver that is used during the inspection. The positioning fixture can be navigated through and between rotary machine components to the desired location to be inspected. In one example, an ultrasonic transceiver can be used to perform the inspection. The apparatus can be used to perform in-situ inspections. | 10-09-2008 |
20090031556 | Tool for driving wedges or slides - A tool is disclosed for driving a slide under a wedge within a slot of an armature or field of a dynamoelectric machine. The tool comprises a frame including a pair of elongated rail members; a force application block located between the rail members; a drive connected to the frame, substantially intermediate opposite ends of the frame; a lead screw threadably engaged at one end with the force application block and connected at an opposite end to the drive such that the drive rotates the lead screw when actuated. Rotation of the lead screw causes axial movement of the force application block. The armature or field includes a core, and this core may have one or more vent slots for facilitating ventilation of the armature or field. A slot plate for locating the tool relative to the slide is present, and a portion of the slot plate extends into one or more vent slots. The slot plate establishes a reaction point for forces applied by the force application block to the stator slide. | 02-05-2009 |
20090031557 | TOOL FOR DRIVING WEDGES OR SLIDES - A tool is provided for driving a slide or wedge within a slot of an armature or field of a dynamoelectric machine. The armature or field includes a core, and the core includes one or more vent slots for facilitating ventilation of the armature or field. The tool includes a drive for applying a driving force, and a push block is connected to the drive. At least one guide rail is configured to cooperate with the push block. The drive operates on the push block to drive a slide or wedge. The at least one guide rail reduces deflection or skew of the push block during a driving operation. | 02-05-2009 |