Investigation of fatigue fracture of generator-rotor fan blades

Abstract

Abstract The failure of a rotating axial flow fan of a 123 MW electric power generator unit is analyzed. The fan was mounted on the generator-rotor at the turbine end. Initial investigations showed that three fan blades had fractured just about 11 h after resuming operation following the last overhaul, causing extensive damage to the unit. The failure of the blades was investigated using fractographic and microstructural characterization techniques as well as mechanical evaluations. Based on fractographic observations high cycle fatigue was identified as the failure mechanism. Formation of multiple primary cracks which coalesced during crack growth to form shallow and semi-elliptical crack geometry was indicative of the influence of additional bending stresses, probably resulting from excessive vibrations. Using fracture mechanics principles, the magnitude of the maximum stress at the time of final fracture of the first broken blade was estimated to be more than 3 times higher than the design operating stress. Furthermore, crack growth lifetime of the blades was evaluated using FRANC3D software. It was found that an operating period of just about one hour was required for small initial cracks to propagate to final failure under the action of excessive bending stresses.