Horizontal joint for a rotary machine and method of assembling same

Abstract

A horizontal joint of a rotary machine barrel includes first and second section mating surfaces that extend axially adjacent to the joint, and a plurality of gaps and a plurality of tangs disposed axially along the first and second section mating surfaces, respectively. Each tang has an axially extending tang aperture defined therethrough. Each gap is sized and axially spaced to receive a corresponding tang. Additionally, the joint includes a plurality of mating surface segments defined along the first section mating surface. Each segment extends axially between a corresponding pair of gaps and has an axially extending segment aperture defined therethrough. The tang apertures and segment apertures align to form a generally continuous axial pin aperture when the second section mating surface is positioned against the first section mating surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A horizontal joint for coupling a first section and a second section of a barrel of a rotary machine, said horizontal joint comprising:
 a first section mating surface that extends axially along the first section adjacent to said horizontal joint;   a second section mating surface that extends axially along the second section adjacent to said horizontal joint;   a plurality of tangs disposed axially along said second section mating surface, each said tang has an axially extending tang aperture defined therethrough;   a plurality of gaps disposed axially along said first section mating surface, each said gap is sized and axially spaced to receive a corresponding one of said tangs; and   a plurality of mating surface segments defined along said first section mating surface, each mating surface segment of said plurality of mating surface segments extends axially between a corresponding adjacent pair of said plurality of gaps, each said mating surface segment has an axially extending segment aperture defined therethrough, wherein said tang apertures and said segment apertures are configured to align to form a generally continuous axial pin aperture when said second section mating surface is positioned against said first section mating surface.   
     
     
         2 . The horizontal joint of  claim 1 , wherein said second section mating surface is positioned against said first section mating surface, further comprising an axial pin inserted into said axial pin aperture. 
     
     
         3 . The horizontal joint of  claim 1 , wherein each said tang has a tang thickness and each said gap has a width sized to receive said tang thickness of a corresponding one of said tangs in a clearance fit. 
     
     
         4 . The horizontal joint of  claim 3 , wherein said tang thickness is equal for each said tang. 
     
     
         5 . The horizontal joint of  claim 1 , wherein each of said tangs is separated from an adjacent one of said tangs by a separation distance, each said mating surface segment has a segment thickness that is sized to be received within the separation distance between a corresponding pair of said tangs in a clearance fit. 
     
     
         6 . The horizontal joint of  claim 1 , wherein each said segment aperture has a first diameter and each said tang aperture has a second diameter, each of said first diameter and said second diameter decreases from a maximum value adjacent to a pin insertion end of said horizontal joint to a minimum value adjacent to a pin tip end of said joint. 
     
     
         7 . An exhaust frame for a rotary machine, said exhaust frame comprising:
 a first section of an inner barrel, said first section comprising a first section mating surface that extends axially along said first section adjacent to a horizontal joint of said inner barrel;   a second section of said inner barrel, said second section comprising a second section mating surface that extends axially along said second section adjacent to said horizontal joint, said second section mating surface is positioned against said first section mating surface;   a plurality of tangs disposed axially along said second section mating surface, each said tang has an axially extending tang aperture defined therethrough;   a plurality of gaps disposed axially along said first section mating surface, each said tang is received within a corresponding one of said gaps;   a plurality of mating surface segments defined along said first section mating surface, each mating surface segment of said plurality of mating surface segments extends axially between a corresponding adjacent pair of said plurality of gaps, each said mating surface segment has an axially extending segment aperture defined therethrough, wherein said tang apertures and said segment apertures align to form a generally continuous axial pin aperture; and   an axial pin positioned in said axial pin aperture.   
     
     
         8 . The exhaust frame of  claim 7 , wherein each said tang has a tang thickness and each said gap has a width sized to receive said tang thickness of a corresponding one of said tangs in a clearance fit. 
     
     
         9 . The exhaust frame of  claim 8 , wherein said tang thickness is equal for each said tang. 
     
     
         10 . The exhaust frame of  claim 7 , wherein each of said tangs is separated from an adjacent one of said tangs by a separation distance, each said mating surface segment has a segment thickness that is sized to be received within the separation distance between a corresponding pair of said tangs in a clearance fit. 
     
     
         11 . The exhaust frame of  claim 7 , wherein each said segment aperture has a first diameter and each said tang aperture has a second diameter, each of said first diameter and said second diameter decreases from a maximum value adjacent to a pin insertion end of said horizontal joint to a minimum value adjacent to a pin tip end of said joint to accommodate a correspondingly tapered shape of said axial pin. 
     
     
         12 . The exhaust frame of  claim 7 , further comprising an outer barrel that circumscribes said inner barrel in a generally concentric relationship. 
     
     
         13 . The exhaust frame of  claim 12 , wherein an annular space is defined between said inner barrel and said outer barrel, said annular space is configured to accommodate exhausted combustion gases that flow downstream from a turbine section of the rotary machine. 
     
     
         14 . A method of assembling an exhaust frame for a rotary machine, the exhaust frame including an inner barrel comprising a first section and a second section, said method comprising:
 positioning a first section mating surface of the first section against a second section mating surface of the second section, wherein the first section mating surface extends axially along the first section adjacent to a horizontal joint of the inner barrel and the second section mating surface extends axially along the second section adjacent to the horizontal joint;   receiving each tang of a plurality of tangs within a corresponding gap of a plurality of gaps, wherein the plurality of tangs is disposed axially along the second section mating surface and the plurality of gaps is disposed axially along the first section mating surface;   aligning a plurality of tang apertures and a plurality of segment apertures to form a generally continuous axial pin aperture, wherein each tang aperture extends axially through a corresponding tang and each segment aperture extends axially through a corresponding mating surface segment, and wherein each mating surface segment extends axially between a corresponding adjacent pair of the plurality of gaps; and   positioning an axial pin in the axial pin aperture.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said receiving each tang within the corresponding gap further comprises receiving a tang thickness of each tang within a width of the corresponding gap in a clearance fit. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said receiving the tang thickness of each tang within the width of the corresponding gap further comprises receiving each tang having an equal tang thickness. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising receiving a segment thickness of each mating surface segment within a separation distance between a corresponding pair of the tangs in a clearance fit. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein each segment aperture has a first diameter and each tang aperture has a second diameter, and each of the first diameter and the second diameter decreases from a maximum value adjacent to a pin insertion end of the horizontal joint to a minimum value adjacent to a pin tip end of the horizontal joint, and wherein said positioning the axial pin comprises inserting the axial pin having a correspondingly tapered shape into the axial pin aperture. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said positioning the axial pin comprises inserting the axial pin into the axial pin aperture from a first axial end of the exhaust frame. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising positioning an outer barrel such that the outer barrel circumscribes the inner barrel in a generally concentric relationship.