TURBINE ENGINE HOT SECTION PROGNOSTICS

摘要

The design life of engine hot section components is typically shorter than their cold section counterparts, due to the fact that they have to operate under elevated temperatures and stresses. Previously unseen failure modes are being discovered due to the increasing demand for modern engines to operate at higher temperatures and stresses, coupled with the use of new materials for the engines. These unanticipated failure modes can keep engines from achieving their expected design life and may even result in loss of engines. This paper describes an integrated prognostic approach designed to monitor hot section component degradation under elevated temperature, pressure, and corrosion, as well as to infer their useful remaining life. This approach combines both safe life and damage tolerance concepts, and takes into account of all the common hot section failure mechanisms such as creep, oxidation, low and high cycle fatigue, and corrosion. Successful integration of this approach into modern Prognostic and Health Management (PHM) systems can reduce the cycle cost for both the military and the commercial gas turbine engines while maintaining the equivalent safety.