US 11,674,796 B2
Systems and methods for identifying and mitigating gas turbine component misalignment using virtual simulation
Shan Liu, Greenville, SC (US); Carrie L. Grimard, Greenville, SC (US); Jacob A. Salm, Greenville, SC (US); Serhat Yumusak, Kocaeli (TR); Richard Bowles, Greenville, SC (US); and Marina Karr, Greenville, SC (US)
Assigned to General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed by General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed on Apr. 6, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/841,277.
Prior Publication US 2021/0310801 A1, Oct. 7, 2021
Int. Cl. F01D 9/02 (2006.01); F02C 7/00 (2006.01); G01B 11/27 (2006.01); G01B 11/00 (2006.01)
CPC G01B 11/27 (2013.01) [F01D 9/02 (2013.01); F02C 7/00 (2013.01); G01B 11/005 (2013.01); F05D 2260/80 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
capturing data associated with a first nozzle segment and a second nozzle segment of a gas turbine, including an initial set of nozzle segments;
creating, based on the data, a virtual representation of the first nozzle segment and the second nozzle segment;
determining that a misalignment exists in a first seal between the virtual representation of the first nozzle segment and the virtual representation of the second nozzle segment, wherein the misalignment is based on a first physical deformity in the first nozzle segment;
determining, using the virtual representation of the first nozzle segment and the virtual representation of the second nozzle segment, that a first misalignment value associated with the first seal between the first nozzle segment and the second nozzle segment are both greater than a sum of a mean misalignment value and a number of standard deviations from the mean misalignment value;
identifying, based on the determination that the first misalignment exists value is greater than the sum of a mean misalignment value and the number of standard deviations from the mean misalignment value, a third nozzle segment, wherein the third nozzle segment includes a second physical deformity; and
determining that a second seal formed between the second physical deformity of the third nozzle segment and the first physical deformity of the first nozzle segment results in a second misalignment value that is less than the sum of the mean misalignment value and the number of standard deviations from the mean misalignment value; and
providing an indication to rearrange the second nozzle segment and the third nozzle segment;
determining that misalignment values associated with all remaining combinations between a fourth nozzle segment and another nozzle segment in the gas turbine are greater than the sum of the mean misalignment value and the number of standard deviations from the mean misalignment value; and
proving an indication to repair the fourth nozzle segment instead of rearranging the fourth nozzle segment with another nozzle segment included in the initial set of nozzle segments.