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US 6,971,844 B2 12 HORIZONTAL JOINT SEALING SYSTEM FOR STEAM TURBINE DIAPHRAGM ASSEMBLIES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to seals betWeen circumferentially registering end faces of diaphragm seg ments in steam turbine diaphragm assemblies, and particu larlyrelatestosplinesealsbetWeentheregisteringendfaces 10 of the inner and outer semi-annular rings forming upper and loWer diaphragm segments at the horizontal joint betWeen the segments. In steam turbine design, it is highly desirable to minimiZe oreliminateasmanysteamleakagepathsaspossiblefrom 15 the steam ?oWpath. Each stage of a steam turbine includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced buckets mounted on a rotor and a diaphragm assembly carrying a plurality of partitions, the buckets and partitions forming a turbine stage ofthesteamturbine.Eachdiaphragmassemblytypically20 comprises an upper semi-annular diaphragm segment and a loWer semi-annular diaphragm segment. The upper and loWer diaphragm segments reside in an outer casing. Each of the upper and loWer segments includes an inner and outer semi-annularorhalf-ringbetWeenWhichextendaplurality 25 ofcircumferentiallyspacedpartitionsformingnoZZles.The noZZles direct the steam through the assembled diaphragm. When thesteamturbineisassembled,theendfacesofthe upper and loWer diaphragm segments register one With the otheratthehoriZontaljointsormidlineofthesteamturbine. 30 The segments may or may not be bolted to one another. The horizontal joints of the segments oftentimes form leakage pathsduringoperatingconditions.Theseleakagepathsmay occur due to a gap upon assembly of the steam turbine or maybecausedbythermalgroWththatcausesagaptoopen 35 atoperating conditions. The steam leakage can be signi?cant and causes loWer machine ef?ciency, i.e., reduced perfor mance, and hence potential loss of revenue for the poWer plantoperator.A typicalendfacegapmightbefrom0.0to about0.07inchesand,insomecases,greater.Forunbolted 40 joints, the gap may be more signi?cant as the upper and loWer segments are located and retained in the upper and loWerhalvesoftheturbineshell,respectively,oftheturbine shell. If the upper and loWer diaphragm segments are not accuratelylocatedintheturbineshells,asigni?cantgapmay 45 occur at the horiZontal joints of the diaphragm segments. It Will be appreciated that diaphragm segments oftentimes employ a substantial key to keep the segments aligned. HoWever, the key is not primarily for sealing at the joint interfacealthoughthekeydoesdiscouragealimitedamount 50 of steam leakage ?oW. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION InaccordanceWithapreferredembodimentofthepresent55 invention, there are provided spline seals for sealing the horiZontal joint of the diaphragm segments in a steam turbine for minimiZing or eliminating steam leakage ?oW across the horiZontal joint of the diaphragm assembly. The splinesealsareprovidedinopposedregisteringslotsofeach60 of the inner and outer semi-annular rings of the diaphragm segments at the horiZontal joints. The spline seals may be provided as part of original equipment manufacture or as retro?ts. Thespeci?csplinesealsareprovidedinslotsformedby 65 EDM orconventionalmillingprocesses.Theslotsmaybe provided in each of the end faces of the inner and outer semi-annular segments in an axial extending direction, as Well as a generally radially outWardly extending direction. Thus, the spline seals minimiZe or eliminate leakage ?oWs in a generally radial direction, as Well as an axial direction across the horiZontal joints. The spline seals may comprise thinsheetmetalseals,Q-tiptypesealshavingoppositeends of the sheet metal reversely curved or bent to form end enlargementsorclothseals.Clothsealsmay comprisesheet metalstripscoveredWithWoven metalclothanddisposedin theregisteringslots. In a preferred embodiment according to the present inven tion, there is provided a steam turbine comprising a rotor carrying a plurality of circumferentially spaced buckets, a diaphragm assembly surrounding the rotor including upper andloWerdiaphragmsegmentshavingendfacesinregis tration With one another adjacent horiZontal joints of the turbine, each segment including substantially semi-annular outer and inner rings carrying a plurality of circumferen tialy spaced partitions therebetWeen, the buckets and par titionsformingastageofthesteamturbine,theregistering end faces of one of the inner and outer semi-annular rings at eachhoriZontaljointhavingslotsopeningtherethroughand in general circumferential registration With one another and a spline seal in the slots extending betWeen each of the opposedendfacesofcircumferentiallyadjacentsegments for minimiZing or precluding steam leakage ?oW past the registering end faces. In a further preferred embodiment according to the present invention, there is provided a steam turbine com prising a rotor carrying a plurality of circumferentially spacedbuckets,adiaphragmassemblysurroundingtherotor including upper and loWer diaphragm segments having end faces in registration With one another adjacent horiZontal joints of the turbine, each segment including substantially semi-annularouterandinnerringscarryingapluralityof circumferentiallyspacedpartitionstherebetWeen,thebuck ets and partitions forming a stage of the steam turbine, the registering end faces of the inner and outer semi-annular rings at each horiZontal joint having slots opening there throughandingeneralcircumferentialregistrationWithone another and a ?rst spline seal extending betWeen each of the opposedendfacesofcircumferentiallyadjacentinnerrings and in the slots thereof, and a second spline seal extending betWeen each of the opposed end faces of circumferentially adjacentouterringsandintheslots,Wherebysteamleakage ?oW past the registering end faces is minimiZed or pre cluded. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a high and intermediate pressure turbine; FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional vieW taken gen erally about the turbine at the horiZontal midline joint thereofillustratingendfacesofthediaphragmsegments, portions of the rotor and the outer shell; FIG. 3 is a fragmentary schematic illustration of a spline sealbetWeenthediaphragmsegmentsWiththejointbetWeen thesegmentsbeinggreatlyexaggeratedforexplanatory purposes; FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional vieW of a further form of a spline seal; FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of a Q-tip spline seal; and FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional vieW of a spline seal With a metallic cloth covering therefor.PDF Image | HORIZONTAL JOINT SEALING SYSTEM FOR STEAM TURBINE
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