Analysis of causes of decohesion of a gas turbine blade made of EI 867‐WD alloy

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present results of laboratory testing work on causes of a service failure/damage to an aircraft turbojet's gas‐turbine blade made of the EI 867‐WD alloy.Design/methodology/approachThe tests comprised comparing the microstructure of a service‐damaged blade with microstructures of specimens drawn from a similar all‐new blade, both subjected to temperatures of different values for different annealing times.FindingsFindings based on the comparison of experimentally gained results of microstructure examination of both the gas‐turbine blades were: the change in the microstructure of a damaged blade results from the growth and cuboidal‐to‐lamellar change of shape of the reinforcing phase γ′ (Ni3Al); and the size and shape of this phase are comparable to those of the phase γ′ of a new blade subjected to annealing at temperature exceeding 1,223 K for 1 h. The results gained allowed for drawing the conclusion that the damaged turbine blade was operated in the exhaust‐gas temperature exceeding the maximum permissible value of 1,013 K for approximately 1 h in the course of an air mission.Research limitations/implicationsThe comparison‐oriented experimental testing work was carried out on a new blade manufactured in the way and from material identical to those of the damaged blade. The applied methodology enables us to gain qualitative results of investigating into the causes of a failure/damage to a gas‐turbine blade.Practical implicationsThe presented methodology of identifying (origin‐finding of) a service‐induced damage to a gas‐turbine blade proves helpful in the case of an engine failure, when information on the operating conditions thereof is insufficient.Originality/valueThe paper is an original work by the authors. To the best of their knowledge, the issue has not been found in the literature, approached in this particular way. It has been based on research work on air accidents due to the service‐induced failures/damages to gas‐turbine blades in aircraft turbojet engines.