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Failure Analysis of Steam Turbine Rotor Disk

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Abstract

This article presents an investigation into causes of failure of rotor disk of an 8.25-MW capacity steam turbine, which failed catastrophically. Four pieces of the rotor disk detached from the tenth-stage disk of the turbine rotor during this failure. Visual inspection, chemical analysis, macro- and microscopic analysis of the failed rotor disk, analysis of the operational data, and the history of the rotor operation indicated that the failure could be attributed to stress concentrations at macropores and regions of segregation in the disk. Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) subsequently took place in the regions of stress concentration because the steam in the turbine contained chloride and potassium. The SCC produced a network of cracks associated with the macro- and microporosities. It was recommended that the disk fabrication processes ensure a high-quality microstructure and that operational monitoring of the composition of steam be initiated to ensure that the chlorides and potassium concentrations are maintained below a specified level.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Metallurgical Engineering, PEC University of Technology, Chandigarh, India

    Uma Batra

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  1. Uma Batra
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Correspondence to Uma Batra.

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Batra, U. Failure Analysis of Steam Turbine Rotor Disk. J Fail. Anal. and Preven. 10, 178–182 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11668-010-9344-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11668-010-9344-9

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