General Electric Company
System and method for assembling gas turbine rotor using localized inductive heating

Abstract:

A method of assembling a rotor is provided, in which each rotor disk comprising a connecting element. The method includes: (a) applying heat to a localized region of a first rotor disk of a plurality of rotor disks to selectively deflect a first connecting element of the first rotor disk, wherein the first rotor disk is stationary during heating; (b) installing the first rotor disk onto a rotor stack containing at least one rotor disk; and (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) for each rotor disk of the plurality of rotor disks; and (d) allowing the rotor disks, when stacked, to cool. When cooled, the respective connecting element of each rotor disk that has been selectively deflected contracts into an interference fit with an adjacent rotor disk. A system for selectively heating a localized region of a rotor disk is also provided.