Life Augmentation of Turbine Exhaust System Compensators Through Integrated MADM Optimization Approach of Stress Based Fatigue Cycles

Exhaust expansion joints, also known as compensators, are found in a variety of applications such as gas turbine exhaust pipes, generators, marine propulsion systems, OEM engines, power units, and auxiliary equipment. The motion compensators employed must have accomplished the maximum expansion-contraction cycle life while imposing the least amount of stress. Discrepancies in the selecting of bellows expansion joint design parameters are corrected by evaluating stress-based fatigue life, which is challenging owing to the complicated form of convolutions. Meridional and circumferential convolution stress equations that influencing fatigue cycles are evaluated and verified with FEA. Fractional factorial Taguchi L25 matrix is used for finding the optimal configurations. The discrete design parameters for the selection of the suitable configuration of the compensators are analysed with the help of the MADM decision making techniques. The multi-response optimization methods GRA, AHP, and TOPSIS are used to determine the parametric selection on a priority basis. It is seen that weighing distribution among the responses plays an important role in these methods and GRA method integrated with principal components shows best optimal configurations. Multiple regression technique applied to these methods also shows that PCA-GRA gives better alternate solutions for the designer unlike the AHP and TOPSIS method. However, higher ranked Taguchi run obtained in these methods may enhance the suitable selection of different design configurations. Obtained PCA-GRG values by Taguchi, Regression and DOE are well matched and verified for the all alternate solutions. Further, it also shows that stress based fatigue cycles obtained in this analysis for the L25 run indicates the range varying from 1.13 × 104 cycles to 9.08 × 105 cycles, which is within 106 cycles. This work will assist the design engineer for selecting the discrete parameters of stiff compensators utilized in power plant thermal appliances.

Metallurgical Failure Investigation of Fractured Dog Bone Seal Retainer Ring Fillet Welds in the Turbine Exhaust Casing of a Heavy-duty Gas Turbine Engine

Short fillet welds used to fasten a large retainer ring to so-called dog bone seals failed in the turbine exhaust casing of a non-OEM heavy-duty gas turbine engine used for power generation. The subject fillet welds fractured due to high cycle fatigue loading. Neither weld imperfections nor any other material defects were found that could have contributed to the failure. It was concluded that an unfavorable design, specifying very short fillet welds for fastening the dog bone seal segments to the retainer ring, was the root cause of failure. In a purely static loading situation, this design would probably not have failed. However, in a dynamic loading scenario as is the case in any gas turbine engine exhaust, such a design is simply not sturdy enough.

Prediction of Pressure Rise in a Gas Turbine Exhaust Duct Under Flameout Scenarios While Operating On Hydrogen and Natural Gas Blends

In recent years, there is a growing interest in blending hydrogen with natural gas fuels to produce low carbon electricity. It is important to evaluate the safety of gas turbine packages under these conditions, such as late-light off and flameout scenarios. However, the assessment of the safety risks by performing experiments in full-scale exhaust ducts is a very expensive and, potentially, risky endeavor. Computational simulations using a high fidelity CFD model provide a cost-effective way of assessing the safety risk. In this study, a computational model is implemented to perform three dimensional, compressible and unsteady simulations of reacting flows in a gas turbine exhaust duct. Computational results were validated against data obtained at the simulated conditions in a representative geometry. Due to the enormous size of the geometry, special attention was given to the discretization of the computational domain and the combustion model. Results show that CFD model predicts main features of the pressure rise driven by the combustion process. The peak pressures obtained computationally and experimentally differed in 20%. This difference increased up to 45% by reducing the preheated inflow conditions. The effects of rig geometry and flow conditions on the accuracy of the CFD model are discussed.

Numerical Investigation into the Effects of Design Parameters on the Flow Characteristics in a Turbine Exhaust Diffuser

In this study, we numerically investigated the effects of design parameters, such as the strut geometry or diffusion angle, on the performance of an industrial turbine exhaust diffuser. Turbine exhaust diffusers are commonly used to change the kinetic energy of exhaust gases from the outlet of turbine stages into the static pressure. The turbine exhaust diffuser investigated in this work consisted of an annular diffuser with five identical struts equally spaced around the front circumference and a conical diffuser with a hub extension at the rear. Four design parameters were considered and several values for each parameter were tested in this study. The aerodynamic performances of the studied diffusers were evaluated according to their pressure recovery coefficients and rates of total pressure loss. Contours for the velocity, pressure, and entropy increase were plotted and compared for the various diffuser shapes. The numerical results showed that the strut thickness and the axially swept angle of the strut significantly influence the aerodynamic performance of the turbine exhaust diffuser, whereas the strut lean angle and the diffuser hade angle are less important.