Abstract
The mechanism of a disk cracking in a low-pressure steam turbine was investigated by finite-element and fracture mechanics analysis and, based on the results of the investigation, a life assessment method was derived. The disk cracking was found to be caused by growth of corrosion pits, superposition of multiple vibration modes, and an increase in the standard deviation of the natural frequency of grouped blades after long-term operation. Taking these findings into consideration, the authors then developed a life-assessment method for disk cracking composed of evaluations of (1) maximum corrosion pit size at the current situation, (2) corrosion pit growth after a certain term, and (3) failure-occurrence ratio for the estimated corrosion pit depth. Maximum corrosion-pit size is evaluated by extreme value statistical analysis using the data obtained by replica inspection. The failure-occurrence ratio is evaluated by Monte Carlo simulation considering two uncertainties, namely, the standard deviation of the natural frequency of grouped blades and the stimulus ratio. The values of both uncertainties were determined by the inverse problem analysis of the disk cracking. In light of these results, the authors found that replacing conventional tenon-shroud grouped blades with continuous-cover blades is effective from the view point of vibratory behavior.
