It is conservatively estimated that the Packing Facilitator saves approximately 40 minutes of installation time per row of packing for two installers, or 80 minutes per ring. Since the average High Pressure Utility Turbine contains approximately 28 rows of packing, the estimated time saved is over 37 labor hours in addition to gaining faster more accurate installation.

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The Labyrinth Packing Installation Facilitator is a patent pending tool that has been invented in order to reduce the installation time and costs involved in fitting the packing into the packing casings in the turbine. It allows expedient and accurate measurement of the existing radial, axial, butt gap and pin clearances for each row of packing throughout the turbine. This tool consists of a specific length of flexible pneumatic tubing, sealed on one end, with a designated pliable metal strip encased within a woven fabric sleeve and an air hose connection on the other end. The tool includes a 25lb. Pneumatic pressure regulator with a pressure gauge, and male and female quick disconnect fittings. A male quick disconnect fitting is attached by a hose clamp to the woven fabric sleeve containing the internal flexible metal strip. The male quick disconnect fitting on the pneumatic pressure regulator is connected to a plant air supply source. With the rotor in place and the packing installed without the springs behind the segments, the Packing Facilitator can easily and quickly be slipped into the packing holder, behind the packing segments. Station air is then connected to the Facilitator, which immediately raises the packing segments to the close clearance position in order to measure the radial and axial clearances.

Packing Facilitators can be designed to accommodate single or multiple row conventional packing, or final clearances for Retractable or Sensitized Packing. This patent pending invention is ONLY available through Steam Turbine Alternative Resources (STAR) and STAR Field Fit, Inc. (SFFI)

For more information or to order our Patent Pending Packing Facilitator, contact STAR via email at jenn@starturbine.com or simply call 740-387-5535