The use of performance-monitoring to prevent compressor and turbine blade failures

Abstract

Most failures of compressor and turbine blades in gas turbines and axial flow compressors are due to high frequency fatigue (neglecting the rare instances of foreign-object ingestion). Fatigue is the result of vibration of the blade, either in resonance or in flutter. With mature machines, the user can avoid the possibility of most resonant-vibration failures by a program of performance monitoring. Flutter can be avoided only if there is reason (such as experience) to expect it in a certain operating regime. Examples of a simple performance-monitoring procedure are given.