Session: 25-01 Turbine Component Lifing

Submission Number: 174538

Review of Gas Turbine Blade Failures 

Gas turbine blades are subjected to significantly more severe service conditions than steam turbine or compressor blades. While the majority of steam turbine and compressor blade failures result from fatigue, gas turbine blades can fail due to a broader range of mechanisms, including thermal fatigue, creep, oxidation, and others. Identifying the primary failure mode is usually straightforward; however, pinpointing the exact root cause is often more complex. Failures may stem from operational issues or from manufacturing and material defects. Operational issues may lead to fatigue failure and damages/failures related to subjecting the blades to temperatures above their design temperatures.  Issues with manufacturing may result in blades with defects or blades with substandard mechanical properties. Determining the root cause is essential for reducing the likelihood of recurrence.

This paper illustrates these root causes with a series of gas turbine blade failure cases the authors have come across personally over a period of almost four decades.  Each example includes a description of the fracture mechanism involved and the service conditions that contributed to the failure. The selected cases illustrate the diversity of operational and manufacturing factors that can lead to gas turbine blade failures. This understanding is intended to support designers, manufacturers, and operators in developing strategies to mitigate future failures.

Presenting Author: Vamadevan Gowreesan Sulzer Turbo Services Houston

Presenting Author Biography: Dr. Gowreesan has been working in the turbo machinery field for almost two decades. His experience includes additive manufacturing, heat treatment, in-service evaluation and rejuvenation, metallurgical root cause failure analysis, selection and qualification of materials, development of welding procedures and troubleshooting materials and welding related issues in the repair of turbo machineries. He has conducted more than 100 metallurgical root cause failure analysis of different components from turbo machineries.

Authors:

Vamadevan Gowreesan Sulzer Turbo Services Houston
Wayne Greaves Sulzer Turbo Services Houston