Reheat stop valve support yoke extraction device

{
  "publication_number": "US11491618B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Reheat stop valve support yoke extraction device",
  "abstract": "A device to extract a support yoke from a reheat stop valve of a steam turbine is provided. The device includes a hydraulic cylinder for applying a pushing force to the support yoke, an attachment weldment for attaching the hydraulic cylinder to the reheat stop valve casing, and a conical cylinder coupled to the hydraulic cylinder and configured to evenly impart the pushing force to the support yoke from within the reheat stop valve in order to separate the reheat stop valve from the support yoke. A method to extract a support yoke from a reheat stop valve of a steam turbine is also provided.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A device to extract a support yoke from a reheat stop valve of a steam turbine, comprising: a hydraulic cylinder for applying a pushing force to the support yoke; an attaching means for attaching the hydraulic cylinder to the reheat stop valve casing; and a pushing means coupled to the hydraulic cylinder and configured to evenly impart the pushing force to the support yoke from within the reheat stop valve 10 in order to separate the reheat stop valve from the support yoke; and a mounting plate comprising two faces, a first face mounted to an end face of the hydraulic cylinder, and a second face mounted to the attachment means, wherein the mounting plate is utilized in order to distribute the load from the hydraulic cylinder when a pushing force is applied.",
    "2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the attaching means is a cylinder attachment weldment.",
    "3. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the cylinder attachment weldment includes a slot disposed within an arm of the weldment, wherein the slot is configured to receive a stud from the reheat stop valve, and wherein the weldment is configured to attach to the reheat stop valve via the stud and secured by a fastener.",
    "4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pushing means is a conical cylinder including a pushing end face configured to abut an end face of the support yoke, and wherein the pushing force is evenly imparted to the support yoke via the pushing end face.",
    "5. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the conical cylinder includes a threaded end opposite the pushing end face for a threaded coupling to the hydraulic cylinder, and wherein a threaded portion of the hydraulic cylinder receives the threaded end of the conical cylinder.",
    "6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mounting plate comprises steel.",
    "7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hydraulic cylinder comprises aluminum.",
    "8. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the length of the hydraulic cylinder lies in a range from 25 to 30 inches.",
    "9. A method to extract a support yoke from a reheat stop valve of a steam turbine, comprising: mounting an attaching means to the reheat stop valve casing; coupling a pushing means to a hydraulic cylinder; installing the hydraulic cylinder with the pushing means onto the attaching means within the reheat stop valve; applying a pressure to the hydraulic cylinder such that the pushing means pushes the support yoke with a uniform force away from the reheat stop valve separating the support yoke and the reheat stop valve installing a mounting plate onto the hydraulic cylinder and the attachment weldment such that the mounting plate is between the hydraulic cylinder and the attachment weldment wherein the mounting plate distributes the load from the hydraulic cylinder when a pushing force is applied.",
    "10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the attaching means is a cylinder attachment weldment including a slot, and wherein the mounting includes sliding the slot onto a protruding stud on the reheat stop valve casing and securing the weldment to the casing via a fastener.",
    "11. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the pushing means is a conical cylinder including a pushing end face configured to abut an end face of the support yoke, wherein the pushing force is evenly imparted to the support yoke via the pushing end face.",
    "12. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the pushing means includes a threaded end, and wherein the coupling includes threading the threaded end of the pushing means onto a threaded portion of the hydraulic cylinder.",
    "13. An assembly to separate two mated cylindrical components, comprising: two mated cylindrical components; a device to remove a first cylindrical component from the other mated second cylindrical component, comprising: a hydraulic cylinder for applying a pushing force to the first cylindrical component; and a pushing means coupled to the hydraulic cylinder and configured to evenly impart the pushing force to the first cylindrical component in order to separate the two mated cylindrical components; a mounting plate comprising two faces, a first face mounted to an end face of the hydraulic cylinder, and a second face mounted to the attachment means, wherein the mounting plate is utilized in order to distribute the load from the hydraulic cylinder when a pushing force is applied.",
    "14. The assembly as claimed in claim 13, further comprising an attaching means for attaching the hydraulic cylinder to the second cylindrical component such that the hydraulic cylinder evenly applies the pushing force to the first cylindrical component from within the second cylindrical component in order to separate the two mated cylindrical components.",
    "15. The assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the attaching means is a plate attached to the second component via a fastener in order to provide support to the hydraulic cylinder."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure relates generally to steams turbines and, particularly, to a device to separate two mated cylindrical components. More particularly, the disclosure relates to a device to extract a support yoke from a reheat stop valve of a steam turbine.\n\nA conventional steam turbine includes a higher pressure turbine and at least one lower pressure turbine coupled to a single shaft. Steam enters the turbine at the high pressure turbine through a stop valve and a control valve. The thermal energy of the steam is converted to mechanical energy in the higher pressure turbine, and the steam is exhausted to reheaters. In each reheater, the steam is dried, reheated, and superheated prior to its entry into the intermediate pressure turbine. The superheated steam is routed through the reheat stop valve as it travels from the reheater to the lower pressure turbine. Energy conversion occurs again in the lower pressure turbine as the steam expands into the vacuum of the main condenser.\n\nFor illustrative purposes, FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a reheat stop valve 10 with an attached support yoke 20, also called a ‘mummy case’. The support yoke 20 is designed to support the shaft and the shaft bearings on one side of the reheat stop valve 10. During routine maintenance, the reheat stop valve 10 must be disassembled which involves removing the support yoke 20 from the reheat stop valve 10. This disassembly has proven difficult as during operation high temperature steam passes through the valves creating an oxide build-up.",
  "cpc": [
    "B25B 27/026",
    "B23P 19/027",
    "B23P 19/04",
    "B25B 27/062",
    "B25B 27/064",
    "F05D 2230/70",
    "F16C 25/06"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B23P 19/00",
    "B23P 19/027",
    "B23P 19/04",
    "B25B 27/02",
    "B25B 27/06",
    "F16C 25/06"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Siemens Energy Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Maxwell Pless",
    "Bryan K. Dore"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2017-08-21",
  "publication_date": "2022-11-08",
  "grant_date": "2022-11-08",
  "priority_date": "2017-08-21",
  "application_number": "US-201716640181-A",
  "family_id": "59762074",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
  "citations": [
    "DE338504C",
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    "US5517740A",
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    "DE20206000U1",
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    "US8162289B2",
    "US8662476B2",
    "CN105269519A",
    "CN206105739U",
    "US20200171633A1"
  ]
}