Nekkid Turbine

 "We are reduced to asking others what we are.  We never dare ask ourselves." - Jean-Jaques Rousseau

A couple of quick outage photos.  I'll try to add more commentary later.

Below:  Left to right - the thrust bearing and #2 bearing housing, the Intermediate pressure section, and the Low pressure section of the turbine.  Seal steam is the pipe at the top right, and the packing cooling steam is the steam line at the top left.

 Below:  Same scene, slightly different perspective.  Left end is the high pressure turbine.

 Below:  A few images of the upper-lower Intermediate Pressure turbine upper and lower casing joint.  I'm not certain what the fine wires that have shiny square pads bonded to the lower casing are.  They don't look like thermocouples to me.  I'll ask the GE engineer when I get an opportunity.

Edit:  These shiny pads with wires attached are Strain Gauges.  I've never seen them installed on a steam turbine before.  Apparently at some point it was necessary to model the lower shell distortion.  Strain gauges are directional, so with enough of them installed pointing in different directions, it would be possible to model the lower shell expansion in different planes.

Below:  Why I'm currently blogging instead of sleeping.  I lose sleep worrying if the equipment clearances are complete and perfect, and that the locks and danger tags are properly placed where they are supposed to be.

If someone gets hurt or killed because I've overlooked something on an equipment clearance, I'll never be able to live with myself.

Below:  The entire turbine, building off, and insulation off.  Nekkid!  And literally still smokin' hot.