Large Gas Turbine Research Articles

Fatigue dimples? – Fractured bulkhead ring bolts in a large gas turbine engine

Abstract Bulkhead ring fasteners, four in total, were found fractured in a large gas turbine engine after 1700 operating hours and a high number of engine starts and shut-downs for such a relatively short time in service. A metallurgical failure investigation was ordered by the client for determining the metallurgical cause of the cracking. The subject bolts failed due to high-stress low cycle fatigue fracture.

Increased Productivity in the Superfinishing of Large Gas-Turbine Engine Blades

Increased Productivity in the Superfinishing of Large Gas-Turbine Engine Blades

What if fractography does not tell us anything? – Failure of a side seal retainer

Abstract A fractured transition side seal retainer, together with an intact piece for reference, was received from the client on December of 2023. The subject part fractured next to the fastening hole, liberating a long ligament that was never found but reportedly caused some damage to hot gas path components downstream of a large gas turbine engine. It is speculated that the subject side seal retainer fractured due to high-stress, not fully reversed bending high cycle fatigue failure. It is recommended to make the design sturdier by considering dampening the long free length of the part, and by specifying a larger fillet radius in the initiation area. Also, over-torquing upon assembly of the subject part should be avoided.

Controlling the structure formation of heat-resistant nickel-based alloys, when manufacturing large gas turbine blades

Controlling the structure formation of heat-resistant nickel-based alloys, when manufacturing large gas turbine blades

Vibration characteristics of a bolted joint rotor-bearing system with rubbing and pedestal looseness coupled fault: Simulation and experiment

Rotor-stator rub and pedestal looseness are common faults in rotating machinery, such as large gas turbines that typically use bolted joint structures to fasten adjacent disks together. It is of great significance to investigate the vibration behaviors of the bolted joint rotor-bearing system with pedestal looseness and rubbing coupled fault, which can provide proofs for the fault diagnosis. In the present work, a dynamic model of the bolted joint rotor-bearing system with coupled fault is developed by using the finite element (FE) method, and then the vibration characteristic analysis is carried out. The rotor shafts that connected by the bolted joint element (BJE) are discretized as two sets of Timoshenko beam elements. The BJE is composed with four springs (two linear translational springs and two rotational springs with piecewise-linear stiffness). The interactions of rotor-stator contact are then modeled based on the Hertz contact theory and Coulomb's friction law, and the bearing forces are also calculated based on the Hertz contact theory. Moreover, the pedestal looseness fault is modeled through the piecewise-linear stiffness spring. The equations of motions of the bolted joint rotor-bearing system with coupled fault are then developed through FE theory and solved by the Newmark method. The dynamic responses are then calculated, and the frequency spectrums, bending stiffness of bolted joint, and vibration responses under different rotation speeds under the coupled fault are analyzed. The experimental study is finally conducted based on a bolted joint rotor test rig. Simulation results are in agreement with experiment results. The research results can provide a basis for understanding the rotor dynamic features of a bolted joint rotor system with coupled faults of rubbing and pedestal looseness.

Rub-impact dynamic analysis of a dual-rotor system with bolted joint structure: Theoretical and experimental investigations

Large gas turbines often utilize dual-rotor structures to improve efficiency. To facilitate manufacture and maintenance, the large rotor systems are typically constructed by connecting components made from different materials together through the bolted joint. In this work, a dynamic model of a dual-rotor system with bolted joint included in the high-pressure (HP) rotor is established based upon the finite element theory of Timoshenko beam element, as well as taking into account the bearing forces and fixed-point rubbing fault. To evaluate the influence of rubbing faults on the dynamic behavior of a dual-rotor system, this study analyzed the response characteristics of the rotor under the cases of the LP rotor and the HP rotor subjected to the rubbing fault, respectively. In order to further reveal the effect of bolted joint structure on the system response while rubbing fault occurs, piecewise linear bending stiffness is also considered in this study. The nonlinear vibration responses of the bolted joint dual rotor-bearing system are studied through numerical simulation. Effect of rotor–stator contact stiffness and the occurrence of rubbing faults at the low-pressure (LP) rotor and the HP rotor are investigated through frequency-amplitude curves, waterfall diagrams, time-domain responses, and bending stiffness of the bolted joint. The results indicate that the presence of rubbing faults, whether occurring at the LP rotor or the HP rotor, leads to a decrease in the critical speed. Furthermore, under a rubbing fault, the bending stiffness of the bolted joint enters the stiffness softening region earlier and exhibits a wider range, which is exacerbated with increased contact stiffness. This phenomenon is considered one of the main causes of system response instability. Finally, the experimental studies are carried out on a bolted joint dual-rotor test rig to validate the numerical simulation results.

When less is more: Reducing environmental noise from open cycle gas turbines with acoustically transparent stacks

Sound radiation from large open cycle gas turbine power stations is strongly refracted by high temperature and velocity gradients in the near field of the exhaust stack outlet. Recent research by the authors has shown that in the presence of a cross-flow, the exhaust plume bends downwind and in doing so leads to significant increases in far-field sound pressure levels of up to 10dB compared to levels predicted from spherical spreading. This paper is the second in a series that explores a unique “acoustically transparent silencer,” which limits sound refraction consequently reducing downwind SPLs by separating the sound from the bulk exhaust flow. The efficacy of the approach is demonstrated two ways; initial characterization studies conducted in the reverberation chambers at the newly renovated Acoustic and Vibration Laboratory, University of Adelaide, and subsequent trials undertaken on a laboratory scale of 250 kW gas turbine in the field. Numerous designs are explored to quantify the effective insertion loss, where it will be shown as the transmission loss of the stack walls is reduced, the effective insertion loss increases, thus demonstrating that less is more. Reductions in ground-plane SPLs of up to 10 dB are achieved with less material and weight compared to traditional hard-walled stacks.

Axial Ventilation and Blade Row Effects on Transient Natural Convective Shutdown Cooling in a Gas Turbine

Abstract As a large civil gas turbine is cooling down, natural convective flows cause components to cool asymmetrically – the bottom sector cools faster than the top. This can lead to a number of issues that have the potential to damage engine components and affect operability. The ability to predict this cooling cycle of a gas turbine has proven to be extremely difficult, owing to the complex nature of natural convective flow and its dependency on a considerable number of design parameters. An experimental and numerical investigation into the impact of axial ventilation (interaction between the annulus and the external air) and blade rows on the natural convective flow in a large civil gas turbine high-pressure compressor has led to some key discoveries. Axial ventilation caused a 70% increase in the peak top-to-bottom temperature difference in the cooling cycle, when compared to the baseline sealed case. The combinations of four blade rows and axial ventilation caused a 130% increase in peak temperature difference over the baseline case. Numerical simulations illuminated that the root cause of this was the cold air drawn into the lower section of the annulus led to a relatively high heat flux, coupled with a blockage effect on the natural draft in the upper section of the annulus. This study has highlighted the importance and inter-dependency of these effects in defining the level of rotor bow that is observed. Therefore, it is imperative that they are included and sufficiently captured in order for a shutdown.

Intergranular Corrosion in X39CrMo17-1 – A Review

Abstract The aim of this contribution is to review cases of repeated snap ring failures in large gas turbine engine service due to intergranular attack, or intergranular corrosion, IGC, and to shed some light on metallurgical aspects of the wet corrosion resistance of the subject high-alloy martensitic stainless chromium steel X39CrMo17-1, DIN 1.4122. It is important to note that only snap rings, a.k.a. retaining rings for bores or Seeger rings, were affected by those failures, namely fractures resulting from intergranular attack (IGA, Kornzerfall). It was determined that the metallurgical root cause of failure was sensitization, resulting from secondary chromium carbide precipitation at grain boundaries (GB), and the ensuing chromium depletion in narrow bands adjacent to the GB, which rendered the matrix there sensitive to selective corrosion (the chromium content in these narrow seams, measuring only a few 10 nm in width, drops below the corrosion resistance threshold of ca. 10.5 %). Snap rings, as the name suggests, require a certain “snappiness” to serve their purpose. It is because of this requirement that all snap rings that experienced failures in the field were heat treated per DIN EN 10088-2, providing for a low tempering temperature of max. 250 °C, leading to a relatively high hardness of ca. 580 HV 10, providing said “snappiness”. It turned out that the microstructure resulting from this heat treatment (H/T) is sensitized, rendering the material sensitive to IGA. To the knowledge of the authors, no other components made of this martensitic stainless chromium steel are given this H/T, but rather a high-temperature tempering of 650 °C–750 °C per DIN EN 10088-3, producing a lower hardness in the order of ca. 300 HV 10 and largely a lack of “snappiness”, the latter being not required by those non-snap ring applications. Metallurgically, it became clear that high-temperature tempering per DIN EN 10088-3 eliminates sensitization by “backfill” diffusion of chromium from the non-depleted matrix into formerly depleted regions next to GB. It was therefore decided in the authors’ organization to eliminate X39CrMo17-1 per DIN EN 10088-2 as a possible material selection. The metallurgical investigations described in this contribution corroborate and support this decision.

Potential of applying the thermochemical recuperation in combined cooling, heating and power generation: Off-design operation performance

Combined cooling, heating and power system (CCHP) as a typical distributed energy utilization technology, is usually installed close to the end-user to satisfy the diverse energy demands, which also has multiple advantages of energy-efficient and environment-friendly. While the simultaneously changing user energy loads brings about a huge challenge for the system energy conversion and regulation process, and then significantly affects the system operation flexibility. Therefore, the new method of thermochemical recuperation (TCR) is employed to enhance the system dynamic energy utilization performances, and also efficiently converts the high-temperature exhaust gas heat into hydrogen-enrich syngas for further application. In this work, by considering the practical system operation, the off-design TCR operation adjustment capacity for the system diverse energy outputs is important, which is extensively investigated. Based on the developed mathematic model, different-size (small, middle and large) gas turbine scenarios are considered, the results indicate that the TCR process effectively optimize the system energy conversion process, and the corresponding power efficiencies are improved by 10.53%–13.87%, 8.56%–14.46% and 14.23%–14.42%, respectively. In addition, with the merits of adaptively coordinating the multi-energy production, the off-design energy outputs boundary of the CCHP system can be extended and then readily match the fluctuant user loads. Specifically, as for the small scale GT-based system application in a hotel building case, the system annual recuperated fuel ratio reaches to 0.54 with the annual coordinated recuperation operation time ratio of 0.70, and then the system operation flexibility is thus enhanced with the annual fuel saving ratio of 6.03%, which also contributes to the CO2 emission reduction. With the favorable potential to optimize the CCHP system operation regulation, the thermochemical recuperation technology provides a feasible pathway to enhance the distributed energy system application feasibility.

Comparison between Eight-Axis Articulated Robot and Five-Axis CNC Gantry Laser Metal Deposition Machines for Fabricating Large Components

Laser metal deposition (LMD) is an additive manufacturing (AM) process capable of producing large components for the aerospace and oil and gas industries. This is achieved by mounting the deposition head on a motion system, such as an articulated robot or a gantry computer numerical control (CNC) machine, which can scan large volumes. Articulated robots are more flexible and less expensive than CNC machines, which on the other hand, are more accurate. This study compares two LMD systems with different motion architectures (i.e., an eight-axis articulated robot and a five-axis CNC gantry machine) in producing a large gas turbine axisymmetric component. The same process parameters were applied to both machines. The deposited components show no significant differences in geometry, indicating that the different performances in terms of accuracy of the two machines do not influence the outcome. The findings indicate that LMD can consistently produce large-scale axisymmetric metal components with both types of equipment. For such an application, the user has the option of using an articulated robot when flexibility and cost are essential, such as in a research context, or a CNC machine where ease of programming and process standardization are important elements, such as in an industrial environment.

Effect of Process Variables on Microstructure, Flow, and Tensile Properties of Nickel‐Based Superalloys with Designed Porous Structures Manufactured by Laser‐Based Powder Bed Fusion

The nickel‐based superalloys Haynes 282 and Inconel 625 are processed using laser‐based powder bed fusion of metals (PBF‐LB/M) to manufacture designed materials (DMs) with configurable open‐porous morphology. Such structures can be utilized in large gas turbines, for example, as high‐frequency dampers, heat exchangers, and for transpiration cooling features. This research investigates the effects of the applied volume energy input and laser deflection angle (as calculated by position) on the macro‐ and microstructure and tensile and flow properties of DMs made from Haynes 282. Furthermore, a novel combination of DMs and cubic lattice structures made from Inconel 625 has been investigated regarding potential improvements. The substantial interface between the two features, DM and lattice structure, is visually analyzed using microcomputed tomography. The analysis of the hierarchical DMs reveals that the combination of lattice structures and DMs is manufacturable and has benefits in terms of mechanical strength while having less significant effects on flow properties.

TECHNOLOGICAL ENERGY CAPACITY OF COMBINED CYCLES OF STEAM GAS STATIONS

Offers a means of increasing the efficiency of the cycle by reducing par asitic loads such as the excess air compressor load and of capturing energy that might otherwise be wasted. However, this is not always the most effective way of increasing overall efficiency of energy conver sion. For large gas turbine based plants in particular, the best way of improving efficiency is to add a steam turbine bottoming cycle, creat ing a combined cycle power plan. A combined cycle plant is simply what its name suggests. Instead of relying on a single thermodynamic cycle to convert energy into electricity the plant uses more than one. These piggy-back one another with the first cycle using the highest temperature thermodynamic working fluid, followed by a second using the intermediate temperature fluid . In fact combined cycle plants with more than two cycles are not used commercially although they are theoretically possible. Much more significant for the modern power generation industry is the addition of a bottoming cycle to a gas turbine power plant. In this case the bottoming cycle is usually a steam turbine cycle, with heat from the gas turbine exhaust exploited to raise steam. This is the most common combined cycle power plant. It would be possible to add a third cycle to exploit the low grade heat remaining after steam generation. This could be achieved with a closed cycle turbine such as an organic Rankine cycle. Such turbines can exploit low grade heat to produce electricity and are used in some geothermal plants where the temperature of the geothermal reservoir is relatively low. However, it is unlikely to be economically viable to add this third cycle to a modern combined cycle plant. To determine the technological energy intensity of such stations, the whole cycle of energy production was considered. The main characteristics of combined cycles are given and the technological energy intensity of energy supply is calculated. The main advantages and disadvantages of these installations are given, and also the comparison of steam turbine and steam and gas stations is made with definition of possible potential at replacement.

Hot Tearing in an Investment Cast Burner Swirler

Abstract The damage case dealt with in the present work relates to a generally less common manufacturing defect that was discovered during its installation. The part was sourced from a supplier. An installation of the defective part in a large gas turbine engine used for energy generation could thus be prevented. The defect, a solidification crack, could have been repaired by welding and the component could have been used for operation. Instead, it was subjected to destructive examinations aiming at identifying what caused the crack. As the component could not possibly perform its function prior to being repaired by welding we are, in any event, talking about a damage case. The solidification crack initiated at a site of oxide infiltration. It was thus clearly a casting defect. The respective supplier was advised to reduce the content of non-metallic inclusions by the use of ceramic filters when the material is poured into the shell mold and a better control of the vacuum in the casting furnace.

Analysis of Emissions Profiles of Hydraulic Fracturing Engine Technologies

Today, the oil and gas industry, and in particular hydraulic fracturing operations, have come under increasing pressure from regulators and the public to reduce emissions. As the industry evolves, oil and gas producers are in the position of evaluating alternative technologies which will support their objectives of reducing their overall emissions profile and carbon footprint. As a response, the deployment of technology and solutions to reduce emissions related to hydraulic fracturing applications has recently accelerated, creating various options to address these industry challenges. BJ Energy Solutions and West Virginia University have been working on the application and emissions characterization of various hydraulic fracturing technologies. A study was conducted to evaluate the efficiency and resultant emissions from various technologies, including natural gas reciprocating engines, diesel-natural gas dual-fuel engines, large (>24 MW) gas turbines, and direct drive turbines. The study involved the development of an emissions model with the purpose of estimating total emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O) and exhaust methane (CH4) slip, all Greenhouse Gases (GHGs), and converted to tons of CO2 equivalent emissions per day of operation. The model inputs are the required Hydraulic Horsepower (HHP) based on pumping rate and pressure for various shale play scenarios. The model calculates emissions from the TITAN, which is a direct-drive turbine model fielded by BJ, using data collected following U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) testing protocols. The model also calculates and compares other hydraulic fracturing technologies utilizing published Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) data. Relevant EPA-regulated criteria emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx), Carbon Monoxide (CO) and Particulate Matter (PM) are also reported. Modeling results demonstrated that in most cases, the TITAN gas turbine system has lower total GHG emissions than conventional diesel and other next-generation technologies, and also has lower criteria emissions. The benefits of the TITAN gas turbine system compared to the other technologies stems from significantly lower methane slip, and the high-power transfer efficiency resulting from directly connecting a turbine to a reciprocating pump, despite the comparatively lower thermal efficiency.

Prospects of the Production of Large Gas Turbine Unit Blades Using Directional Solidification

Prospects of the Production of Large Gas Turbine Unit Blades Using Directional Solidification

Evolution of Turbine Cooled Vanes and Blades Applied for Large Industrial Gas Turbines and Its Trend toward Carbon Neutrality

Photovoltaics and wind power are expected to account for a large share of power generation in the carbon-neutral era. A gas turbine combined cycle (GTCC) with an industrial gas turbine as the main engine has the ability to rapidly start up and can follow up to load fluctuations to smooth out fluctuations in power generation from renewable energy sources. Simultaneously, the system must be more efficient than today’s state-of-the-art GTCCs because it will use either Carbon dioxide Capture and Storage (CCS) when burning natural gas or hydrogen/ammonia as fuel, which is more expensive than natural gas. This paper describes the trend of cooled turbine rotor blades used in large industrial gas turbines that are carbon neutral. First, the evolution of cooled turbine stationary vanes and rotor blades is traced. Then, the current status of heat transfer technology, blade material technology, and thermal barrier coating technology that will lead to the realization of future ultra-high-temperature industrial gas turbines is surveyed. Based on these technologies, this paper introduces turbine vane and blade cooling technologies applicable to ultra-high-temperature industrial gas turbines for GTCC in the carbon-neutral era.

An improved preloaded Curvic coupling model for rotordynamic analyses

Curvic couplings are commonly utilized in aircraft engines and large gas turbines for high load capacity, precision centering of stacked components in rotating assemblies. The couplings have non-axisymmetric, complex curved mating contact surfaces, which transmit torque, moment and force. Coupling contact surface roughness, and tooth and ring deformations introduce local lateral flexibilities, compared with a continuous beam model, and consequently affect rotordynamic vibration predictions. A novel approach of modeling the Curvic coupling is proposed which combines a GW contact model with a 3D solid element model of flexible teeth and coupling rings. This improves on similar approaches that assume rigid teeth and rings or omits a surface roughness – asperity model. Comparisons of the various models with experimental measurements of free-free natural frequencies of an axially preloaded shaft, demonstrate a marked improvement in accuracy with the proposed approach. A parametric study is performed which varies tooth contact pattern, tooth number, pressure angle, half pitch number, and tooth rigidity to evaluate their effects on vibration and stress. The proposed approach is also applied to an industrial rotor to illustrate the effect of the new Curvic coupling model on critical speeds. The higher fidelity flexible tooth model presented shows a significant change in critical speed relative to the rigid tooth model from the literature.

Specific Features of Operation of Distributed Generation Facilities Based on Gas Reciprocating Units in Internal Power Systems of Industrial Entities

The creation of a decentralized low-carbon energy infrastructure is the main trend in the development of the electric power industry in many countries. Distributed generation facilities (DGs) based on gas reciprocating units (GRUs) are often built by industrial entities for the efficient utilization of secondary energy resources in order to minimize the environmental impact. Modern GRUs have some advantages, but they have design features that should be factored in when connecting them to the internal power systems of industrial entities. Incorrect consideration of possible operating conditions of GRU in their design can lead to their damage, excessive shutdowns, and disruptions in power supply to essential power consumers with significant damage and losses from undersupply of their products. Excessive shutdowns of GRUs are often caused by a non-selective choice of settings for relay protection devices or by load surges that exceed the allowable ones. With high availability factors, GRUs are disconnected five to eight times more often compared to large gas turbine and steam turbine power units. The large total power consumed by electric motors, as part of the load of an industrial entity, determines the nature and parameters of electromechanical transient processes during emergency disturbances. The presented analysis of issues facing real DG facilities relies on the acts of investigation into the causes of accidents. Calculations have shown that the action of the “Load Agreement Module” in the GRU excitation controller can provoke the occurrence of a voltage avalanche in the internal power system with a complete shutdown of the load. The paper presents recommendations on the choice of control algorithms and voltage settings for the GRU excitation controller. Technical solutions are given to prevent damage and excessive shutdowns of GRU in various operating conditions of the system, and to help ensure a reliable power supply to power consumers. The change in approaches to the design of DG facilities is substantiated in the light of their significant differences from other electric power facilities.

High-pressure kinetic interactions between CO and H2 during syngas catalytic combustion on PdO

The catalytic combustion of H2/CO/O2/N2 mixtures over PdO was investigated at pressures 3 to 10 bar, H2:CO volumetric ratios 1:5 to 3:1, and global equivalence ratios φ = 0.13 and 0.23. The catalyst surface temperatures were controlled to 540–690 K, a range especially important for hybrid hetero-/homogeneous combustion approaches with large gas turbines at idle or part-load operation and for microreactors with recuperative small-scale turbines. In situ Raman measurements determined the major gas-phase species concentrations over the catalyst boundary layers in a channel-flow reactor, thermocouples monitored the surface temperatures, and surface characterization identified the catalyst oxidation state (PdO) and surface morphology. A 2-D CFD code with a detailed catalytic reaction mechanism simulated the experiments. Simulations and measurements of the combustion of the individual fuel components revealed pressure dependencies ∼p0.74 and ∼p0.10 for the CO and H2 reactivities, respectively, at the investigated equivalence ratios. In the combustion of H2/CO blends, transition temperatures (TTRAN) were identified, below (above) which H2 inhibited (promoted) chemically the oxidation of CO. The transition temperatures decreased with increasing H2:CO volumetric ratio, pressure, and equivalence ratio. Sensitivity analysis indicated that the H2 and O2 adsorption reactions had the larger inhibiting effect on CO oxidation, particularly at lower pressures. Comparisons with other noble metals showed that the PdO transition temperatures were higher than those on Pt and Rh. Even though this behavior favored Pt and Rh for the ignition of syngas in practical catalytic burners, the H2 and CO kinetic coupling (H2 inhibition) was considerably weaker on PdO at T < TTRAN, thus rendering PdO also potentially suitable for low temperature syngas ignition.