The Diagnosis and Correction of Steam Turbine Blade Problems

Abstract

Several important types of turbine blading failure are discussed. A review of the basic causes of blading failures, e.g., fatigue, corrosion, stress corrosion cracking, erosion, etc., is given. Procedures for calculating stresses associated with such failures and the number of cycles to failure are reviewed. The familiar Goodman diagram procedure for cycles to crack. initiation is included, plus a fracture mechanics approach to give the number of propagation cycles. Four case histories of turbine blade failure are presented in detail, with operating conditions, diagnostic procedures used to determine failure cause, and the remedies chosen to avoid further blading failures. Thirteen references to the subject literature are included.