fe-safe/TURBOlife™ applications

This gas turbine blade has complex internal cooling channels in order to limit the maximum operating temperature. In the past, very conservative design rules were used to assess the component. Finite element analysis of the blade followed by a durability assessment using fe-safe/TURBOlifeTM demonstrated that by analysing actual operating cycles, very realistic life predictions can be obtained. This allows design optimsation and life extension.

Aluminium alloy compressor wheels can fail by casing rubbing due to creep dilation at elevated temperature, or by cracking due to the accumulation of cyclic creep-fatigue damage. Tests to destruction of compressor wheels under variable load creep conditions were performed to determine the ultimate failure mechanism. Analysis of the test conditions using fe-safe/TURBOlifeTM established that the probability of creep-fatigue failure was very low, and that the calculated creep dilation correlated well with measurements. It was concluded that creep dilation rather than creep-fatigue cycling was the cause of failure. This allowed the designer to focus on the most effective method of extending the life of the compressor wheel.