FAILURE ANALYSIS OF A FIRST STAGE IN738

GAS TURBINE BLADE TIP CRACKING IN A

THERMAL POWER PLANT

Reviewed by :
1. AFIF ALFIAN HAKIM
2. HANUN A.R CAHYONO
3. NURFITRI OCTAVIANA
 INTRODUCTION

Turbine blade failure occurs time to time. The most

common failure mechanisms exist in turbine blade
includes fatigue, creep, oxidation, degradation of
coating of turbine blade, corrosion, erosion, and
surface degradation due to overheating.
However, the causes of the failure due to operating
temperature, rotational speed, mode of operations,
total service time, and manufacturing differences.
 MATERIAL

• The gas turbine blade made of nickel

based super alloy Inconel 738LC,
having operating temperature 1104 °C ,
pressure 10 kgf/cm2 and rotates at
5135 rpm was investigated.
• Damage after rendering useful life of
72000h.
• Cracks at the tip on trailing and leading
edge.
• Made by investment casting proses.
• Having directional solidified grain
structure and contains aluminide
coating (Pt-Al2) by diffusion process.
 PROCESS OF
EXPERIMENTAL

COLLECTED A CUTTING A GRINDING ETCHED WITH X-RAY

SAMPLE SPECIMENS AND ACETONE ENERGY
POLISHED DISPERSIVE
A failed first Three USING SPECTROMET
stage gas specimens STANDARD ER (EDS)
turbine blade about METALLOGRA
was collected 1 cm2 were PIC Hitachi S-
from power cut over the TECHNIQUES 3700N
plant trailing edge scanning
by wire electronic
cutting microscope
process Used to observe fracture surface (SEM)
morphology, microstructure and
chemical compositions at different
regions over the trailing edge of
turbine blade
 ANALYSIS
VISUAL EXAMINATION CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
Optical Emission Analyzer spectrometer model- 49 DV4 is used to
determine chemical composition of blade material.

The alloy composition (%wt) of failed turbine blade and IN738LC

alloy is shown in this table:
 ANALYSIS
MICROSTRUCTURE EVALUATION

Samples were prepared to investigate degradation of turbine blade

surface and the blade coating.

Root sample of specimen The microstructure of the root An EDS spectrum of specimen
sample
 ANALYSIS
CRACK EVALUATION

The crack initiation and

propagation in the gas
turbine blade are due to the
combinations of thermal
stress and environment.
The surface metal of the
turbine blade degraded due
to presence of TCP phases
and results in pit Corrosion pits act as a notch to product stress
formation. concentration
 ANALYSIS

An EDS spectrum of corrosion pit identifies

the presence of corrosion product, sulphur,
and oxygen

The crack initiates readily because of these

corrosion pits as they act as a notch to
produce stress concentrations. The
corrosion products penetrate deeply into
metal through these initiated cracks.

Crack propagation due to penetration of sulphur and
oxygen into substrate
ANALYSIS
Hot corrosion : subscales of sulfides and oxides
The crack initiates readily because of these corrosion
pits as they act as a notch to produce stress
concentrations. The corrosion products penetrate
deeply into metal through these initiated cracks.
 ANALYSIS
DEGRADATION OF BLADE COATING

Microstructure of Platinum-Aluminide Coating

 ANALYSIS

In this case, the degradation of coating occurs due to oxidation

of Al-Pt coating. The aluminium diffuses to form protective
Al2O3 on the blade surface. The reddish color of blade surface
occurs due to this oxidation. This oxide is removed due to
erosion. In turn, the coating provides additional aluminium to
form new aluminium oxide. The chemistry of coating by
weight percent shows that the oxygen concentration increased
as high as 26.64% and aluminium is reduced by 10%. This
reduction in aluminium content proves that coating is
consumed offer no protection to base metal.
 CONCLUSION

• Turbin Blade doesn’t failed due to material defects

• Turbin Blade is failed due to presence of topologically closed
packed phase (TCP) on blade surface which results in the
formation of corrosion pits
• The dark color of blade surface is due to formation of oxides
• Preventive :
(1) Repair session after rendering useful life of 24,000 h
(2) Selection of proper corrosion resistant alloy
(3) Placing of friction dampers between bladed disks