Compressor stator assembly and method of installing

Abstract

A compressor stator assembly includes a stator casing having a plurality of stator casing slots and a set of stator portions insertable into the stator casing slots. The stator casing and the set of stator portions are configured such that the set of stator portions only assembles to the stator casing in a single stage of the stator casing, or in a single configuration. The set of stator portions includes a plurality of stator vanes, and the stator vanes have a stator vane characteristic that varies for each stage in the stator casing. The stator vane characteristic is at least one of, a radial height of a forward sidewall, a radial height of an aft sidewall or an axial length.

1 . A compressor stator assembly comprising:
 a stator casing having a plurality of stator casing slots,   a set of stator portions being insertable in the stator casing slots, the stator casing and the set of stator portions being configured such that the set of stator portions only assembles to the stator casing in a single stage of the stator casing, or in a single configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The compressor stator assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the set of stator portions includes a plurality of stator vanes, the stator vanes having a stator vane characteristic that varies for each stage in the stator casing, the stator vane characteristic comprising at least one of, a radial height of a forward sidewall, a radial height of an aft sidewall or an axial length. 
     
     
         3 . The compressor stator assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the set of stator portions includes a plurality of ring segments configured to assemble to the stator casing slots, and the stator vanes are configured to assemble to the ring segments, the ring segments having a ring segment characteristic that varies for each stage of the stator casing, the ring segment characteristic comprising at least one of, a radial height of a forward ring segment surface, a radial height of an aft ring segment surface, a radial height of a forward ring segment projection, a radial height of an aft ring segment projection or a ring segment axial length. 
     
     
         4 . The compressor stator assembly of  claim 3 , the stator casing slots have a casing slot characteristic that varies for each stage in the stator casing, the casing slot characteristic comprising at least one of, a radial height of a forward casing slot sidewall, a radial height of an aft casing slot sidewall, a radial height of a forward casing slot groove, a radial height of an aft casing slot groove or a casing slot axial length. 
     
     
         5 . The compressor stator assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the stator vane characteristic and the ring segment characteristic are chosen so that the stator vanes and the ring segments have asymmetrical profiles from an axial or radial/circumferential perspective. 
     
     
         6 . The compressor stator assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the asymmetrical profiles only allow the stator vanes and the ring segments to be assembled in a single direction. 
     
     
         7 . The compressor stator assembly of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 an upper half and a lower half;   the upper half having one or more upper half locker segments and a plurality of upper half pack segments, the plurality of upper half pack segments located circumferentially between the one or more upper half locker segments;   the lower half having one or more lower half locker segments and a plurality of lower half pack segments, the plurality of lower half pack segments located circumferentially between the one or more lower half locker segments; and   wherein at least one characteristic of the upper half is different than at least one characteristic of the lower half, and the at least one characteristic of both the upper half and the lower half are chosen from at least one of, a number of pack segments, a pack segment span angle, and a pack segment arc length.   
     
     
         8 . A compressor stator assembly comprising:
 an upper half and a lower half;   the upper half having one or more upper half locker segments and a plurality of upper half pack segments, the plurality of upper half pack segments located circumferentially between the one or more upper half locker segments;   the lower half having one or more lower half locker segments and a plurality of lower half pack segments, the plurality of lower half pack segments located circumferentially between the one or more lower half locker segments, wherein at least one characteristic of the upper half is different than at least one characteristic of the lower half, and the at least one characteristic of both the upper half and the lower half are chosen from at least one of, a number of pack segments, a pack segment span angle, and a pack segment arc length;   each of the upper half and the lower half having a stator casing having a plurality of stator casing slots; and   a set of stator portions being insertable in the stator casing slots, the stator casing and the set of stator portions being configured such that the set of stator portions only assembles to the stator casing in a single stage of the stator casing, or in a single configuration.   
     
     
         9 . The compressor stator assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the set of stator portions includes a plurality of stator vanes, the stator vanes having a stator vane characteristic that varies for each stage in the stator casing, the stator vane characteristic comprising at least one of, a radial height of a forward sidewall, a radial height of an aft sidewall or an axial length. 
     
     
         10 . The compressor stator assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the stator vane characteristic is chosen so that the stator vanes have asymmetrical profiles from an axial or radial/circumferential perspective. 
     
     
         11 . The compressor stator assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the asymmetrical profiles only allow the stator vanes to be assembled in a single direction. 
     
     
         12 . The compressor stator assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the set of stator portions includes a plurality of ring segments configured to assemble to the stator casing slots, and a plurality of stator vanes are configured to assemble to the ring segments, the ring segments having a ring segment characteristic that varies for each stage of the stator casing, the ring segment characteristic comprising at least one of, a radial height of a forward ring segment surface, a radial height of an aft ring segment surface, a radial height of a forward ring segment projection, a radial height of an aft ring segment projection or a ring segment axial length. 
     
     
         13 . The compressor stator assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the ring segment characteristic is chosen so that the ring segments have asymmetrical profiles from an axial or radial/circumferential perspective. 
     
     
         14 . The compressor stator assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the asymmetrical profiles only allow the ring segments to be assembled in a single direction. 
     
     
         15 . The compressor stator assembly of  claim 8 , the stator casing slots having a casing slot characteristic that varies for each stage in the stator casing, the casing slot characteristic comprising at least one of, a radial height of a forward casing slot sidewall, a radial height of an aft casing slot sidewall, a radial height of a forward casing slot groove, a radial height of an aft casing slot groove or a casing slot axial length. 
     
     
         16 . A method of insuring proper installation of stator portions in a compressor stator assembly, the method comprising:
 inserting a set of stator portions into a stator casing slot of a stator casing; and   the stator portions being configured such that each of the stator portions only assembles to the compressor stator assembly in a single configuration or in a single stage of the stator casing.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , the inserting a set of stator portions step further comprising:
 inserting a plurality of stator vanes into a ring segment; and   wherein the stator vanes have a stator vane characteristic that varies for each stage in the stator casing, the stator vane characteristic comprising at least one of, a radial height of a forward sidewall, a radial height of an aft sidewall or an axial length.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , the inserting a set of stator portions step further comprising:
 inserting a plurality of ring segments into the stator casing slot; and   wherein the ring segments have a ring segment characteristic that varies for each stage of the stator casing, the ring segment characteristic comprising at least one of, a radial height of a forward ring segment surface, a radial height of an aft ring segment surface, a radial height of a forward ring segment projection, a radial height of an aft ring segment projection or a ring segment axial length.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the stator casing slots have a casing slot characteristic that varies for each stage in the stator casing, the casing slot characteristic comprising at least one of, a radial height of a forward casing slot sidewall, a radial height of an aft casing slot sidewall, a radial height of a forward casing slot groove, a radial height of an aft casing slot groove or a casing slot axial length. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the stator vane characteristic and the ring segment characteristic are chosen so that stator vanes and the ring segments have asymmetrical profiles from an axial or radial/circumferential perspective; and
 wherein the asymmetrical profiles only allow the stator vanes and the ring segments to be assembled in a single direction.