Centerline helps solve turbine problems

Centerline Software, Abilene, TX, offers alignment consulting and complete field engineering services for steam turbine generator maintenance.

Using its Turbine Tools software, it is able to calculate and optimize multiple shaft coupling alignment. The company says that Turbine Tools 4.0 lets clients:

1. Calculate two different standard lines of bearing moves;
2. Optimize each line using proposed moves to find the best balance of bearing moves and acceptable alignment;
3. Calculate any number of custom lines for particular situations;
4. Optimize each custom line with proposed moves to find the best possible combination of bearing moves;
5. Present the option of choosing from among several different acceptable lines of bearing moves to best solve any situation;
6. Save time and money on single coupling alignment by allowing any combination of four bearings to be moved to align the one coupling;
7. Save time and money on the complete turbine alignment process by unifying the coupling alignment and the internal alignment;

Centerline Software says that the Turbine Tools 4.0 program includes multiple shaft rim and face coupling alignment and provides proposed  move optimization and custom coupling calculations not available with laser coupling alignment systems. The software
simultaneously aligns up to five couplings with six rotors and 12 bearings.

Turbine Tools 4.0 is designed to find the best possible alignment requiring the smallest moves on the fewest bearings and the best possible alignment without moving the generator.

Turbine Tools 4.0 includes Turbine Tools 2.5 plus multiple shaft coupling alignment. Turbine Tools 2.5 was designed specifically for the mechanical alignment of all rotating machinery, including steam and gas turbine generators, centrifugal pumps, compressors, fans and so on. As a complete package for power plant maintenance, the program also offers a range of tests including tightwire and diaphragm alignment, bearing shims, bolt stretch and generator air test.

Turbine Tools 4.0 also includes the generator foot step shim calculations.

A typical field case illustrates the possibilities offered by Turbine Tools. The initial standard line indicated it  would be necessary to move eight bearings with the largest move 0.027. By running the proposed move optimization, in a few minutes it was found that all couplings could be  aligned within tolerance by moving only five bearings with the largest move 0.016. The program quickly found a way to save the time required to make three bearing moves.

• As well, REACT Ltd., Isle of Palms, SC, (REACT — Rotating Equipment Alignment Consultants and Trainers) and Centerline Service now offer a combined turbine outage service with laser alignment of internal components and multiple shaft coupling alignment. PI

Centerline Software, www.turbinetools.com
REACT Engineering, www.reactlaser.com

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