Rotor Alignment Using

Piano wire Method

Contents
Steam Turbine Parts
• Steam turbines are usually constructed using one or more removable
upper portions. (e.g. upper shells or casings)
• This is done to allow the access to the components within the
generator itself.
• The components within the turbine may include a large number of
rotating and stationary components.
• Turbines may also include one or more lower portions (lower casings
or shells) that serve as the support for the other turbine components,
and may also assist in providing the sealing path to prevent leakage
Steam Turbine Parts
• Rotating components may include one or more wheels, shafts,
bearings etc. that rotate during the operation of the turbine.
• Stationary components may include one or more stationary wheels,
diaphragms, support pads, bearings etc. that rotate during the
operation of the turbine.
Steam Turbine Parts
• Close tolerances among the various components of a turbine directly
affect its efficiency. To illustrate, a large steam turbine weighing
several tons may have tolerances for internal components measured
in millimeter (mm) or in hundreds of milli meters.
• Engineering tolerances are selected to ensure that the design
expectations of performance levels are met, and where appropriate,
components can be disassembled for repair or replacement
Steam Turbine Parts
• If rotating and stationary components are too far apart from another,
steam leakage may occur between the components, reducing the
efficiency of the turbine.
• If stationary and rotating components are too close to one another,
rubbing between the components may occur during operations.
• This rubbing makes it difficult to start the turbine after a servicing or
overhaul, and generates excessive vibration.
• The rubbing also wears away the seals between the rotating and
stationary components, and after the components have worn
themselves free, excessive clearance will then exist in the areas in
which rubbing occurred.
In order to achieve an acceptable level of performance from the steam
turbine, two things are essential:
• individual components comprising the steam path are manufactured
in accordance with the design specified requirements
• components are arranged or assembled within the unit so their
spatial relationship, relative to the other components with which they
will interact, are correct
• To complete the arrangement of the components and help ensure a
satisfactory design, it is necessary to consider the arrangement made
to minimize internal leakage and the leakage occurring from within
the casing to other portions of the steam power cycle. In the case of
low-pressure sections, leakages into the system must also be
considered.
Why Alignment ?
• Control of various areas—and relationships within them—is a major
characteristic in establishing the quality of the turbine steam path.
These areas are associated with the expansion and flow direction of
working fluid throughout the steam path. Some of this area control is
achieved from a correct alignment of the steam path components as
they can affect area relationships to a degree. Also, while alignment
may not control the effective area in all cases, it can have a
considerable influence on the efficiency of energy conversion by
ensuring the steam is directed from blade row to blade row and
“shock” and “incidence” losses are minimized.
PREDICTABLE FACTORS AFFECTING DESIGN
CLEARANCE
• Four basic phenomena (or characteristics of operation) are
predictable, and influence the radial and axial clearances throughout
the steam path. These phenomena will affect the total alignment
within the stages, and at any location where stationary and rotating
surfaces are close.
• While the designer can calculate the “hot” running relationships
between the stationary and rotating parts, he or she can only
meaningfully define to the manufacturing and installation
departments the spatial relationships, clearances, and setting
requirements as they can be measured and set in the cold stationary
condition.
PREDICTABLE FACTORS AFFECTING DESIGN
CLEARANCE
• The influence of these four phenomena must be predicted by design, and their total
effects compared on some form of clearance chart. These values must then be used to
select the optimum cold setting at the various locations throughout the steam path with
the final cold settings selected to help ensure “rubs” do not occur, or reduce the
possibility of their occurrence during normal predictable operation. These four
phenomena or areas requiring consideration include:
• • the extent and shape to which the rotor will deflect vertically between the bearings
due to its own weight, the extent this is influenced by the temperature of the rotors, and
the effect of temperature on material properties
• • the differential axial movement that occurs between the rotating and stationary
portions of the unit due to thermal expansion of these stationary and rotating parts
• • the radial growth of the steam path parts during operation due to temperature and
stress effects
• • the axial pressure deflection and thermal creep deformation (in the higher
temperature stages) at the diaphragm inner web