Daniel E Bartolomeo

6763921, Jul 20, 2004

Sep 13, 2002

10/244067

Gerald J. Bruck - Murrysville PA
Daniel R. Bartolomeo - Monroeville PA

Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation - Orlando FL

F16F 710

188378

A reduced-vibration tube array is disclosed. The array includes a plurality of tubes in a fixed arrangement and a plurality of damping members positioned within the tubes. The damping members include contoured interface regions characterized by bracing points that selectively contact the inner surface of an associated tube. Each interface region is sized and shaped in accordance with the associated tube, so that the damping member bracing points are spaced apart a vibration-reducing distance from the associated tube inner surfaces at equilibrium. During operation, mechanical interaction between the bracing points and the tube inner surfaces reduces vibration by a damage-reducing degree. In one embodiment, the interface regions are serpentine shaped. In another embodiment, the interface regions are helical in shape. The interface regions may be simultaneously helical and serpentine in shape.

20030056511, Mar 27, 2003

Sep 27, 2001

09/965557

Gerald Bruck - Murrysville PA, US
Thomas Lippert - Murrysville PA, US
Daniel Bartolomeo - Monroeville PA, US
William Kepes - Trafford PA, US
Donald Newburry - Broken Arrow OK, US

Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation

F23R003/40

060/723000, 060/725000

A dampening device for suppressing vibrations of a tube assembly in a catalytic combustor which includes, a plurality of closely oriented, parallel tubes with each tube having at least one expanded region and at least one narrow region. The expanded regions being structured to contact at least one adjacent tube, thus providing support and minimizing degradation of the joint connecting the tubes to the tube sheet, and degradation of the tubes themselves. Such degradation can result from vibration due to flow of cooling air inside of the tubes, flow of the fuel/air mixture passing over the tubes transverse and longitudinal to the tube bundle, and/or other system/engine vibrations.