Research on a Method for Online Damage Evaluation of Turbine Blades in a Gas Turbine Based on Operating Conditions

Abstract

Performing online damage evaluation of blades subjected to complex cyclic loads based on the operating state of a gas turbine enables real-time reflection of a blade’s damage condition. This, in turn, facilitates the achievement of predictive maintenance objectives, enhancing the economic and operational stability of gas turbine operations. This study establishes a hybrid model for online damage evaluation of gas turbine blades based on their operational state. The model comprises a gas turbine performance model based on thermodynamic simulation, a component load calculation model based on a surrogate model, an updated cycle counting method based on four-point rainflow, and an improved damage mechanism evaluation model. In the new model, the use of a surrogate model for the estimation of blade loading information based on gas turbine operating parameters replaces the conventional physical modeling methods. This substitution enhances the accuracy of blade loading calculations while ensuring real-time performance. Additionally, the new model introduces an updated cycle counting method based on four-point rainflow and an improved damage mechanism evaluation model. In the temperature counting part, a characteristic stress that represents the stress information during the cyclic process is proposed. This inclusion allows for the consideration of the impact of stress fluctuations on creep damage, thereby enhancing the accuracy of the fatigue damage assessment. In the stress counting part, the model incorporates time information associated with each cycle. This concept is subsequently applied in determining the identified cyclic strain information, thereby improving the accuracy of the fatigue damage evaluation. Finally, this study applies the new model to an online damage evaluation of a turbine stationary blade using actual operating data from a micro gas turbine. The results obtained from the new model are compared with the EOH recommended by the OEM, validating the accuracy and applicability of the new model.