Description
New Age International (P) Ltd Diagnostics And Failure Prevention In Turbo-Machine by A S Rangwala
Modern turbo-machines are marvels of technology, perform a plethora of services, and are found on the land, in the air and on the high seas. Aviation jet engines propel aircraft, steam and gas turbines produce electric power, and aero-derivative engines are used on offshore oil platforms and onboard ships. But the turbines are subject to failure from a host of conditions:
Failure of speed control mechanism can cause the rotor to burst from excessive tangential stresses, leading to immense destruction of life and property.
Loss of lubricant can destroy support bearings and damage rotating blade tips.
Separation of rotor blade causes fragments to penetrate casing, causing enormous damage.
Elevated operating temperatures in the turbine lead to thermal fatigue.
Thermal distortion in the combustor can cause fires.
Mechanical shock, compressor stall, and bird strike can induce severe failures.
Cyclical and dynamic vibratory loads lead to failure from metal fatigue.
Formation of exhaust gas pollutants must be maintained within limits.
This book provides valuable tools for diagnosing and preventing failures in turbine engines. The option to retire a part after the failure mechanism sets in is not available in aviation applications, the part has to be replaced before it fails. The root source of failures can arise from inherent design fault, deficient manufacturing process, adverse environmental conditions, and abrupt departure from steady operation. Corrosion of metal components can be insidious in the marine environment. Pressure surges in the compressor can shake the whole engine while diminishing power output.
Operating speed of turbines is very high, with events occurring in milliseconds. It is imperative in fault diagnosis and failure prevention to detect and measure system operating parameters, and manipulate and actuate devices to forestall a failure situation.