Modal verification and strength analysis of rotor bladed disks of turbine in rated working conditions

Abstract

The Top-pressure Recovery Turbine (TRT) uses the blast furnace gas generated in the iron and steel manufacturing process to push the turbine which drives the generator to generate electricity, and the generated electric energy is supplied to in-plant equipment. In this paper, we investigate the aerodynamic force, centrifugal force, and maximum stress on the structure of the TRT rotor in rated working conditions and the positions of occurrence using the Finite Element Method (FEM), as well as discuss the dynamic characteristics of bladed disks during TRT operation through Campbell and SAFE diagrams. To confirm the effectiveness of the finite element models, the mode shapes and natural frequencies in the FEA-based modal analysis of the TRT rotor will be captured and compared with those of the practical structures through the Experimented Modal Analysis (EMA). To verify the agreement between the mode shapes of the finite element analysis and those of the actual structure, the Modal Assurance Criterion (MAC) is introduced here to confirm the reliability of the finite element model. The stress distribution on the structure in the rotation is obtained by centrifugal force analysis. The TRT rotor is driven as the blast furnace top pressure pushes the moving blade; when the rotor rotates, the moving blade bears centrifugal and periodic aerodynamic forces. The stress distribution is investigated on the structure when these forces act simultaneously using aerodynamic analysis. To discuss whether the bladed disks will resonate with the external force under the operating conditions, Campbell and SAFE diagrams are used for evaluation, and the modal parameters obtained from the EMA are used to estimate the strength and durability of the blades. According to the analysis results when the TRT rotor is in working conditions, the fatigue failure may occur at the maximum stress existing on the dovetail slot.