Session: 30-12 Testing 2

Paper Number: 128170

128170 - Development of Thermo-Mechanical Service-Like Testing for Supercritical CO2 Expanders 

The detailed prediction of the actual life expenditure of expanders operating in power plants has become a common topic of investigation. In an energy market where axial expanders are subjected to frequent load change and to the exposure to higher temperatures the proper prediction of their life expenditure determines operability and availability improvements through faster start-ups and longer maintenance intervals. A common strategy to achieve this objective has led in the last years towards the development of progressively more and more detailed “service-like” tests aimed at recreating the actual loading conditions in terms of strain and temperature profiles. Recently the need to face the challenge of energy transition through the introduction of advanced cycle employing supercritical carbon dioxide is requiring to further improve this kind of tests by including the effect of environmental attack through corrosion and carburization. This work addresses this topic by presenting the development of customized specimens and of a testing campaign able to evaluate the degradation of creep and fatigue capabilities when high temperature carbon dioxide exposure occurs. After a short introduction on the state of the art, the specimen design will be detailed with FE simulation evaluating stress and temperature distribution in specimens and key insights will be given regarding the design of a proper test matrix and the essential theoretical framework for the interpretation of the results of a testing campaign.

Presenting Author: Federico Bucciarelli Baker Hughes

Presenting Author Biography: Federico Bucciarelli is attending the second year of Industrial Ph.D. program in Industrial Engineering at the University of Pisa where he originally got its master degree in mechanical engineering. At the same time he is working as Lead Engineer in the Steam Turbine and Axial Expanders engineering department of Nuovo Pignone Tecnologie (Baker Hughes ltd.) where he cumulated nine years of experience as new product development engineer/technologist. His research activities focus on the mechanical behaviour of turbines exposed to high temperature. In particular he desires to develop experimental and analytical methodologies able to improve the lifing expectancy of turbomachinery components by properly evaluating the interaction of creep, fatigue and other failure phenomena. Federico hopes that his research activity will help his engineering team and his company to develop more reliable and efficient products in the field of turbomachinery able to meet the challenges of energy transition.

Authors:

Federico Bucciarelli Baker Hughes
Damaso Checcacci Baker Hughes
Giuseppe Macoretta University of Pisa
Bernardo Disma Monelli University of Pisa
Leonardo Bertini University of Pisa