Case Studies/Projects

Critical "V" Outage Tooling Design and Manufacture

For "V" series gas turbines, the rotor is a single through-bolt design with all torque transfer between adjacent wheels and shafts accomplished by "Hirth" couplings. During major outages, rotors are typically up-ended to a vertical position and un-stacked on site to allow inspection, de-blading as necessary and strip/re-coat of compressor wheels. Most owners/operators do not own the specialized tools required to up-end, de-tension and un-stack the rotor, making them solely reliant on the OEM to perform these outage tasks.

Recently, Eta Technologies LLC (Eta Tech) designed, manufactured and delivered these specialized tooling packages for two (2) different machine types, the V84.2 and the V64.3 models. Tooling packages included:

• The main rotor support and up-ending skid, allowing rotation of the full rotor from horizontal to vertical
• Tie bolt de-tensioning device
• Forward hollow shaft removal tool (from tie bolt)
• Disk and hollow shaft lifting tool
• Rotor turbine end and tie bolt lifting clamps
• Transition ring alignment and assembly tooling

Eta Tech can also provide rotor lifting beams as well. With these tooling packages, owners/operators of “V” series equipment can control their own destinies during maintenance activities - by allowing competitive bidding for outage services, significant savings can be realized!