Abstract:
A hybrid turbomachine enclosure includes a plurality of walls interconnected to form an interior configured and disposed to receive a turbomachine, the plurality of walls including a first wall having a panel on frame construction and a hybrid wall including a first portion having a panel on frame structure and a second portion having a stiffened frame panel structure.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of priority of French Application No. 1353598 filed Apr. 19, 2013, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The subject matter disclosed herein relates to enclosures and, more particularly, to a hybrid turbomachine enclosure. 
         [0003]    Many turbomachines are housed in enclosures that provide protection from the elements. The enclosures are generally designed to provide access to a turbomachine for maintenance. Typically, the enclosure is configured to be at least partially disassembled to facilitate removal of turbomachine components for repair and/or replacement. Generally, the enclosures take the form of a panel on frame design, or a shear panel design. A panel on frame design starts with an underlying frame structure that is covered by a number of panels. The panels are joined to the frame structure using mechanical fasteners. In contrast, a shear panel design incorporates stiffening elements that are welded to the panels themselves. The panel elements are then interconnected with mechanical fasteners to form the enclosure. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    According to one aspect of an exemplary embodiment, a hybrid turbomachine enclosure includes a plurality of walls interconnected to form an interior configured and disposed to receive a turbomachine, the plurality of walls including a first wall having a panel on frame construction and a hybrid wall including a first portion having a panel on frame structure and a second portion having a shear panel structure. 
         [0005]    According to another aspect of an exemplary embodiment, a hybrid turbomachine enclosure includes a first wall having a panel on frame structure. The first wall includes a first end and an opposing second end. A second wall includes a first portion having a panel on frame construction and a second portion including a shear panel construction. The second wall includes a first end portion and a second end portion. A third wall joining the second end of the first wall and the second end portion of the second wall. 
         [0006]    According to yet another aspect of an exemplary embodiment, a method of forming a turbomachine enclosure includes constructing a first frame for a first wall, constructing a second frame for a first portion of a second wall, constructing a third frame for a third wall interconnecting the first wall and the first portion of the second wall, attaching panels to the first frame, the second frame, and the third frame, and connecting a shear panel to the second frame to form a second portion of the second wall. 
         [0007]    These and other advantages and features will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The subject matter, which is regarded as the invention, is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a hybrid turbomachine enclosure in accordance with an exemplary embodiment; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a frame of the hybrid turbomachine enclosure of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the hybrid turbomachine enclosure of  FIG. 1  illustrating panels mounted to the frame portion of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a plurality of shear panels of the hybrid turbomachine enclosure of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the hybrid turbomachine enclosure of  FIG. 1 , illustrating the shear panels mounted to the frame of  FIG. 2 . 
       
    
    
       [0014]    The detailed description explains embodiments of the invention, together with advantages and features, by way of example with reference to the drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]    A hybrid turbomachine enclosure constructed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment is indicated generally at  2  in  FIG. 1 . Hybrid turbomachine enclosure  2  includes a first wall  8 , and an opposing second wall  10 . First wall  8  includes a first end  15  and a second end  16 . Second wall  10  includes a first end portion  18  and a second end portion  19 . A third wall  21  connects second end  16  of first wall  8  with second end portion  19  of second wall  10 . A first opening defining wall  23  extends from first end  15  of first wall  8  toward second wall  10 . A second opening defining wall  24  extends from first end portion  18  of second wall  10  toward first wall  8 . As will be discussed more fully below, first opening defining wall  23  is connected to second opening defining wall  24  while at the same time defining a gap that may be closed by, for example, a door (not shown). Hybrid turbomachine enclosure  2  is also provided with a roof  30  that covers an interior  31  defined by first, second, and third walls  8 ,  10 , and  21  together with first and second opening defining walls  23  and  24 . As will become more fully evident below, hybrid turbomachine enclosure  2  includes a panel on frame construction and a stress panel construction. The term “hybrid” denotes the combination of panel on frame, and improvised stiffened frame with panel construction [which has shear panel advantages] in forming hybrid turbomachine enclosure  2 . 
         [0016]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , first wall  8  is formed from a panel on frame construction and includes a first frame  34 . Second wall  10  is formed from a hybrid construction including a first portion  39  and a second portion  42  ( FIG. 1 ). First portion  39  is formed from a panel on frame construction and includes a second frame  46  including a shear panel support member  47 . Third wall  21  is formed from a panel on frame construction and includes a third frame  50 . Third frame  50  includes an opening  52  that may define a window. First opening defining wall  23  is formed from a panel on frame construction and includes an opening defining frame  58 . Second opening defining wall  24  is formed from a hybrid construction including a first section  66  and a second section  69 . First section  66  is formed from a panel on frame construction and includes an opening defining frame section  73  having a shear panel support member  74 . Hybrid turbomachine enclosure  2  is also shown to include various walk ways, two of which are indicated at  78  and  79  supported from first frame  34  and second frame  46  respectively. 
         [0017]    One or more panels  92  are connected to first frame  34  as shown in  FIG. 3 . Panels  92  may be connected to first frame  34  using a variety of techniques including mechanical fasteners, welding and the like. In addition to panels  92 , one or more panels  95 , and one or more panels  98  are mounted to respective ones of second frame  46  and third frame  50 . Panel  103  are also mounted to opening defining frame  58  and panels  107  are mounted to opening defining frame section  73 . Panels  95 ,  98 ,  103 , and  107  may be connected in a manner similar to that used to connect panels  92 . Hybrid turbomachine enclosure  2  includes a plurality of shear panels. More specifically, hybrid turbomachine enclosure  2  includes a first shear panel  117 , a second shear panel  120  and a third shear panel or linking wall  123  illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0018]    The term shear panel in accordance with the exemplary embodiment should be understood to describe a member having an outer skin supported to an individual frame by mechanical fasteners. In contrast, prior art shear panels include a welded connection that joins an outer skin to a frame. First shear panel  117  includes an outer skin  126  supported to a shear panel frame  128  by mechanical fasteners (not shown). Shear panel frame  128  includes first and second end beams  132  and  133  joined by first and second connecting beams  134  and  135 . Stiffening members, one of which is shown at  136 , extend between and connect with first and second end beams  132  and  133  and first and second connecting beams  134  and  135 . First and second end beams  132  and  133  first and second connecting beams  134  and  135  provide an interface to adjacent structure. 
         [0019]    Similarly, second shear panel  120  includes an outer skin  137  supported to a shear panel frame  138  by mechanical fasteners (not shown). Shear panel frame  138  includes first and second end beams  142  and  143  joined by first and second connecting beams  144  and  145 . Stiffening members, one of which is shown at  146 , extend between and connect with first and second end beams  142  and  143  and first and second connecting beams  144  and  145 . First and second end beams  142  and  143  and first and second connecting beams  144  and  145  provide an interface to adjacent structure. Likewise, third shear panel  123  includes an outer skin  147  supported to a shear panel frame  148  by mechanical fasteners (not shown). Shear panel frame  148  includes first and second end beams  151  and  152  that are joined by first and second connecting beams  153  and  154 . Stiffening members, one of which is shown at  155 , extend between and connect with first and second end beams  151  and  152  and first and second connecting beams  153  and  154 . First and second end beams  151  and  152  and first and second connecting beams  153  and  154  provide an interface to adjacent structure. 
         [0020]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , first shear panel  117  is readily detachably connected to second frame  46  at shear panel support member  47  while maintaining the stability of the panel  95  and frame  46 . Second shear panel  120  is coupled to opening defining frame section  73  at shear panel support member  74  while maintaining the stability of the panel  107  [and opening defining frame section  73  and third shear panel  123  is positioned between second shear panel  120  and opening defining frame  58 . With this arrangement, hybrid turbomachine enclosure may be more easily disassembled to remove and/or service a turbomachine. More specifically, after removing roof  30 , first, second, and third shear panels  117 ,  120 , and  123  are readily removed to expose interior  31 . After exposing interior  31 , portions of a turbomachine may be more easily removed or repaired. After repairs are complete, hybrid turbomachine enclosure  2  is simply reconstructed by reconnecting first, second, and third stress panels  117 ,  120 , and  123  and roof  30 . 
         [0021]    At this point it should be understood that the exemplary embodiments describe an enclosure that includes both panel on frame construction and stress panel construction used to house a turbomachine. It should also be understood that the above described structure is exemplary. The number of shear panels may vary in accordance with the exemplary embodiment. Also the position and number of panel on frame construction elements may vary. Further, it should be understood that the hybrid turbomachine enclosure may be supported on a foundation formed from concrete or the like. 
         [0022]    While the invention has been described in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the invention is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the invention can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, while various embodiments of the invention have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the invention may include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the invention is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.