Direct drive unit removal system and associated methods
Described herein are embodiments of systems and methods for the removal of a direct drive unit (DDU) housed in an enclosure, such as a direct drive turbine (DDT) connected to a gearbox for driving a driveshaft connected to a pump for use in a hydraulic fracturing operations.
1. A direct drive unit (DDU) removal system, the system comprising:
an enclosure housing a DDU, the DDU including a gearbox and a turbine engine connected to the gearbox to drive a driveshaft connected to a pump for use in high-pressure, high-power hydraulic fracturing operations,
a DDU positioner assembly positioning the DDU housed in the enclosure and facilitating removal of the DDU from the enclosure,
the DDU positioner assembly comprising:
a plurality of longitudinal rails extending in a longitudinal direction along a central axis of the DDU;
a plurality of lateral rails extending in a lateral direction transverse to the longitudinal direction and mounted to a floor of the enclosure; and
a platform slidably connected to the plurality of lateral rails and having the plurality of longitudinal rails mounted thereon so that the DDU slidably connects to the longitudinal rails when positioned thereon thereby defining a DDU-mounted platform, the DDU being movable in the longitudinal direction along the longitudinal rails to longitudinally position the DDU within the enclosure, and the DDU-mounted platform movable in the lateral direction along the lateral rails to remove the DDU-mounted platform from the enclosure.
2. The DDU positioner assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of lateral guide rollers slidably connecting the platform to a respective lateral rail of the plurality of lateral rails and a plurality of longitudinal guide rollers to slidably connect the DDU to a respective longitudinal rail of the plurality of longitudinal rails.
3. The DDU positioner assembly of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of longitudinal guide rollers is positioned longitudinally between the plurality of lateral guide rollers.
4. The DDU positioner assembly of claim 3 , wherein the platform is mounted to overlie the plurality of lateral guide rollers, and wherein the plurality of longitudinal rails is mounted to overlie the platform.
5. The DDU positioner assembly of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of longitudinal guide rollers is configured to connect to the gearbox when positioned adjacent thereto.
6. The DDU positioner assembly of claim 4 , further comprising a plurality of locking mechanisms for locking the platform in a fixed position on the plurality of lateral rails and the plurality of longitudinal rails.
7. The DDU positioner assembly of claim 2 , wherein the platform is configured to connect to a support of the gearbox when positioned adjacent thereto, and the turbine engine is mounted to the gearbox and extends in the longitudinal direction from the gearbox.