PREMECCY - Predictive methods for combined cycle fatigue in Gas Turbine Blades
Overview
Background & policy context:
The modern gas turbine is a complex machine, the design and development of which takes many months and costs Millions. The European gas turbine manufacturing industry is under pressure to minimise the resources required to bring a new design to market, due to global competitive pressure and increasing customer expectations.
Accurate design and prediction tools are keys to success in this process. The PREMECCY project identifies the field of rotor blade Combined Cycle Fatigue (CCF) as an area where there are shortcomings in the existing industry standard design and prediction tools and thus where significant benefits can be achieved. Rotor blade CCF accounts for up to 40% of the total number of issues that arise during an engine development programme and a similar proportion of in-service problems.
Objectives:
The primary objective of the PREMECCY project was to develop new and improved CCF prediction methods for use in the design process. These would halve the number of development and in-service CCF problems thereby reducing the time and cost required to develop a new engine and reducing the operating costs once in service. They would also enable the design of lighter, more efficient blades, reducing engine sfc.
Methodology:
The fundamental aim of the PREMECCY project was to deliver new and improved Combined Cycle Fatigue prediction tools for use in the industrial design of Gas Turbine blades. This has been performed through a programme of material characterisation and advanced specimen testing that represents a technological step forwards in its own right in conjunction with advanced development of life prediction methods. The project was divided into seven distinct Work Packages (WP), including:
- WP1: Specimen design
- WP2: Specimen procurement
- WP3: Material testing and characterisation on conventional specimens
- WP4: Advanced specimen testing
- WP5: Lifing and predictive methods development
- WP6: Dissemination and exploitation
- WP7: Project management
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