Finite Element Approach for Failure Analysis of a Gas Turbine Blade

Abstract

In the present work, a case study on the gas turbine blade is undertaken for failure analysis through finite element approach. The analysis is carried out through simulation and validated analytically and experimentally. The challenging point in the failure analysis of turbine blade is to obtain the exact morphology of the turbine blade for computation. It is accomplished by extracting the real operational turbine blade of an engine with its solid model through finite element analysis for thermo-mechanical loads. Extensive service exploitation of the engine and adverse operational conditions have made the annular gap between the blade tips and turbine casing distorted and nonuniform tip clearance. The maximum elongation of the turbine blade was found to exceed the minimum tip clearance in the rotor causing rubbing of the blade in the casing. Rubbing of the blade has been finally found to be responsible for the failure of the cantilever blade.