Patent ID: 9359913
Filing Date: 2016-06-07
CPC Classification: F01D,Y10T

Claim Text:
1. An inner shell assembly of a steam turbine located radially inward of an outer shell of the steam turbine, the inner shell assembly comprising: an inner shell including a plurality of grooves of preset dimensions; and a plurality of nozzle carriers respectively securable in the plurality of grooves, each of the nozzle carriers supporting at least one nozzle for a steam turbine stage via a dovetail, wherein the inner shell, the plurality of nozzle carriers and the nozzles define a steam path, and wherein a total axial and radial space available to accommodate the steam path is fixed by at least the inner shell and the plurality of grooves, wherein a radial position of the dovetails in the plurality of nozzle carriers within its corresponding plurality of grooves is variable within the total axial and radial space according to the steam path, and wherein an axial width of each of the plurality of nozzle carriers is selectable according to the steam path such that in one assembly with a first steam path in said inner shell, a first number of the nozzles is supported by the plurality of nozzle carriers, and in another assembly with a second steam path in said inner shell, a second number of the nozzles is supported by the plurality of nozzle carriers.