Method and apparatus for installing and removing components of an air preheater

Abstract

An access system for installing and removing rotor components of an air preheater includes a lifting beam assembly having a pulley rotatably mounted adjacent to a proximal end portion of the lifting beam. The proximal end portion of the lifting beam and pulley are inserted through an access opening in the preheater housing into the preheater rotor until the proximal end portion of the lifting beam is supported on one of a plurality of radially spaced internal lifting beam supports connected to the rotor post. An external lifting beam support installed externally to the housing supports a distal end portion of the lifting beam. A tugger cable is carried on the pulley and extends along the lifting beam. A proximal end of the tugger cable is mounted to a lifting saddle. A pin inserted through saddle lugs of the lifting saddle and component lugs mounted to the rotor component mounts the lifting saddle to the rotor component.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An access system for installing and removing rotor components of an air preheater, the rotor components including air preheater baskets and rotor compartments, the air preheater including a rotor and a housing surrounding the rotor, the rotor having a horizontally extending rotor post defining an axis, the housing having oppositely disposed axial end portions, at least one of the axial end portions defining an access opening, the access system comprising: 
 a lifting beam assembly including a lifting beam and a pulley, the lifting beam having oppositely disposed proximal and distal end portions, the pulley being rotatably mounted to the lifting beam adjacent to the proximal end portion, the proximal end portion and pulley being adapted for insertion through the access opening into the rotor;    a plurality of radially spaced internal lifting beam supports adapted for connection to the rotor post, a one of the internal lifting beam supports supporting the proximal end portion of the lifting beam;    an external lifting beam support adapted for installation externally to the housing, the external lifting beam support supporting the distal end portion of the lifting beam; and    a tugger cable carried on the pulley and extending along the lifting beam from a proximal end to a distal end, the proximal end of the tugger cable being adapted for connection to the rotor component.    
     
     
         2 . The access system of  claim 1  wherein the lifting beam also has a mounting segment disposed adjacent to the proximal end portion, the mounting segment defining a vertically extending slot, the pulley being rotatably mounted within the slot.  
     
     
         3 . The access system of  claim 1  further comprising a lifting saddle mounted to the proximal end of the tugger cable, the lifting saddle being adapted for connection to the rotor component.  
     
     
         4 . The access system of  claim 3  further comprising a plurality of component lugs adapted for mounting to the rotor component, wherein the lifting saddle includes a pin and a plurality of saddle lugs, the component lugs and the saddle lugs each defining an opening, the openings of the component lugs defining an axis and the openings of the saddle lugs defining an axis, the axis of the saddle lugs being alignable with the axis of the component lugs and the pin being insertable through the openings of the component and saddle lugs to connect the rotor component to the tugger cable.  
     
     
         5 . The access system of  claim 4  wherein the component lugs are adapted for permanent mounting to a nose of an air preheater basket.  
     
     
         6 . The access system of  claim 4  wherein the component lugs are adapted for removable mounting in a rotor compartment.  
     
     
         7 . The access system of  claim 4  wherein the lifting saddle also includes a horizontally extending support platform defining lateral and longitudinal centerlines, the saddle lugs being mounted to and extending downwardly from the support platform, the axis of the openings of the saddle lugs and the lateral centerline of the support platform defining a substantially vertical plane.  
     
     
         8 . The access system of  claim 7  wherein the support platform has oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending first and second sides and the lifting saddle further includes first and second stiffener bars mounted to the first and second sides of the support platform, respectively, the first and second stiffener bars forming a space therebetween.  
     
     
         9 . The access system of  claim 8  wherein the lifting saddle further includes a lifting bar extending across the space at the longitudinal centerline of the support platform, the lifting bar being mounted to the first and second stiffener bars, the proximal end of the tugger cable being mounted to the lifting bar.  
     
     
         10 . The access system of  claim 4  wherein the opening of a one of the saddle lugs has a threaded surface and the pin has a threaded end segment, the pin threaded end segment engaging the threaded surface of the opening whereby the pin is positively locked to the saddle lug.  
     
     
         11 . The access system of  claim 1  wherein each of the internal lifting beam supports defines an opening extending substantially parallel to the rotor axis, the proximal end portion of the lifting beam being received in the opening.  
     
     
         12 . The access system of  claim 1  wherein the external lifting beam support defines an opening extending substantially parallel to the rotor axis, the distal end portion of the lifting beam being received in the opening.  
     
     
         13 . The access system of  claim 12  further including a pin extending transversely through the external lifting beam support and the distal end portion of the lifting beam.  
     
     
         14 . An access system for installing and removing rotor components of an air preheater, the rotor components including air preheater baskets and rotor compartments, the air preheater including a rotor and a housing surrounding the rotor, the rotor having a horizontally extending rotor post defining an axis, the housing having oppositely disposed axial end portions, at least one of the axial end portions defining an access opening, the access system comprising: 
 a plurality of component lugs adapted for mounting to the rotor component;    a lifting beam assembly including a lifting beam and a pulley, the lifting beam having oppositely disposed proximal and distal end portions, the pulley being rotatably mounted to the lifting beam adjacent to the proximal end portion, the proximal end portion and pulley being adapted for insertion through the access opening into the rotor;    a plurality of radially spaced internal lifting beam supports adapted for connection to the rotor post, a one of the internal lifting beam supports supporting the proximal end portion of the lifting beam;    an external lifting beam support adapted for installation externally to the housing, the external lifting beam support supporting the distal end portion of the lifting beam;    a tugger cable carried on the pulley and extending along the lifting beam from a proximal end to a distal end, the proximal end of the tugger cable being adapted for connection to the rotor component; and    a lifting saddle mounted to the proximal end of the tugger cable, the lifting saddle being mountable to the component lugs.    
     
     
         15 . An access system for installing and removing rotor components of an air preheater, the rotor components including air preheater baskets and rotor compartments, the air preheater including a rotor and a housing surrounding the rotor, the rotor having a horizontally extending rotor post defining an axis, the housing having oppositely disposed axial end portions, at least one of the axial end portions defining an access opening, the access system comprising: 
 a plurality of component lugs adapted for mounting to the rotor component, each of the component lugs defining an opening, the openings of the component lugs defining an axis;    a lifting beam assembly including a lifting beam and a pulley, the lifting beam having oppositely disposed proximal and distal end portions, the pulley being rotatably mounted to the lifting beam adjacent to the proximal end portion, the proximal end portion and pulley being adapted for insertion through the access opening into the rotor;    a plurality of radially spaced internal lifting beam supports adapted for connection to the rotor post, a one of the internal lifting beam supports supporting the proximal end portion of the lifting beam;    an external lifting beam support adapted for installation externally to the housing, the external lifting beam support supporting the distal end portion of the lifting beam;    a tugger cable carried on the pulley and extending along the lifting beam from a proximal end to a distal end, the proximal end of the tugger cable being adapted for connection to the rotor component; and    a lifting saddle mounted to the proximal end of the tugger cable, the lifting saddle including a plurality of saddle lugs and a pin, each of the saddle lugs defining an opening, the openings of the saddle lugs defining an axis, the axis of the saddle lugs being alignable with the axis of the component lugs and the pin being insertable through the openings of the component and saddle lugs to connect the rotor component to the tugger cable.