On-Line Thermal Barrier Coating Monitoring For Real-Time Failure Protection and Life Maximization
On-Line Thermal Barrier Coating Monitoring For Real-Time Failure Protection and Life Maximization
On-Line Thermal Barrier Coating Monitoring For Real-Time Failure Protection and Life Maximization
Prepared for:
Prepared by:
Dennis H. LeMieux
October 2005
Disclaimer
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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10.0 Acronym Table
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On-Line Thermal Barrier Coating (TBC) Monitor for Real-Time Failure
PUBLIC ABSTRACT
Under the sponsorship of the U. S. Department of Energy’s National Energy
Laboratory, Siemens Power Generation, Inc proposed a four year program titled,
“On-Line Thermal Barrier Coating (TBC) Monitor for Real-Time Failure Protection
and Life Maximization,” to develop, build and install the first generation of an on-line
TBC monitoring system for use on land-based advanced gas turbines (AGT).
owner’s demand for improved reliability availability maintainability (RAM) of the land-
based advanced gas turbines. As a result, firing temperatures have been increased
substantially in the advanced turbine engines, and the TBCs have been developed
for maximum protection and life of all critical engine components operating at these
higher temperatures. Losing TBC protection can therefore accelerate the degradation
critical component and costly unscheduled power outages. This program seeks to
substantially improve the operating life of high cost gas turbine components using
TBC; thereby, lowering the cost of maintenance leading to lower cost of electricity.
Siemens Power Generation, Inc. has teamed with Indigo Systems, a supplier of
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
With On-line blade monitoring, Siemens Power Generation (SPG), under the
infrared camera these blades can be kept under surveillance during operation of the
gas turbine. The challenge comes when the blades are running they rotate at
maintenance which can lead to significant cost savings for Siemens Power
Generation’s customers.
This monitoring system makes it possible to replace the blades based on their actual
condition. Blades will be replaced only when they are worn, such as when the
thermal barrier coating is severely damaged. Taking into account the high costs of a
During the month of October 2-12, 2004, Siemens Engineering successfully installed
a commercial On-line TBC Blade Monitor in a W501FD gas turbine at Empire District
Electrical Company in Joplin Missouri. This is the first commercial full scale, high
accomplished by both near and mid- wave infrared (IR) high speed cameras. Two
access ports were design reviewed and installed to allow two vantage points for
viewing the row 1 blades on the W501FD engine. A pair of IR lens trains were
designed and built to install optics within the turbine cover. These optics are capable
of withstanding the high temperature of the turbine casing with only a small amount
of compressor discharge cooling. The cameras are operated via a control station in
the engine test room. A TATM blade rotor synchronization system was developed to
allow for specific blade(s) viewing. Custom software has been created to operate the
camera(s) and select any combination of blade views and view periodicities. The
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software also operates filter functions, camera motion and skew. The entire camera
of compressed shop air. The enclosure is self contained and allows multiple
adjustments to the optical system from the engine test room. The system was design
This commercial monitoring installation will installed and evaluated the performance
of row 1 TBC coated blades of both pressure and suction sides. The tests and
• Use of the on-line TBC monitor will significantly improve plant reliability and
• Damaged TBC can be identified early and repaired before the component’s
catastrophic failure.
• The on-line TBC monitor can be used on all existing and new gas turbines
that use TBC to protect critical turbine parts. The fundamental concepts of
the on-line TBC monitoring are equally applicable to smaller land, aero and
marine based gas turbines. This opens future global market opportunities for
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The financial payback of this technology comes in the form of reduced maintenance
costs and having power plants available when they would not have been. All of
today’s advanced gas turbines can benefit from this monitor. We expect over 600 “F”
and “G” class gas turbines to be in service over the next 12 years.
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TECHNICAL DISCUSSION
1. Scientific and Technical Merit
Generation, Inc., Indigo Systems, and Wayne State University propose a four-year
monitor for critical engine components, row 1 turbine blades and vanes. This on-line
advanced gas turbine power plants by continuously monitoring the health of critical
thermal barrier coated parts allowing plant owners to operate the units longer than
As engines are driven to higher efficiencies (or higher firing temperatures), they
require ceramic TBC to protect the thermally challenged base metal of critical
components. As a result, the newest engines used today for land based power
generation rely heavily on the durability of the TBC. Current operating evidence
demonstrates the importance of monitoring the TBC on a frequent basis. Waiting for
scheduled down time, even if it is on a basis as for peaking units, would not be
frequent enough and would require daily viewing through borescope ports. Because
an on-line monitoring system that can detect TBC failure will provide the necessary
early detection of premature component failure. Therefore, the on-line TBC monitor
will not only significantly extend critical component lives by advising of the need for
repair before the component’s failure, but also serve as a guard for the safe
implemented, will allow for better scheduling of maintenance outage and operation of
the turbine to meet immediate “call for electricity” demands. It will do this by
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lifing models, engine operational parameters and expert systems into a supervisory
system that will oversee and report on component status and recommend best
gas turbines.
In the development process, the work will initially focus on the “F” and “G” class
AGT’s. When the technology has been successfully implemented on these designs,
we will extend the use to ATS and NGT class gas AGT’s that will be operated at even
higher temperatures. All gas turbine engines using TBC coated components will
eventually benefit from this on-line monitoring technology. The on-line monitor can be
To accomplish our objective, we will team with Indigo Systems Inc., a leader in
advanced infrared camera design and manufacturing, and Wayne State University,
Current power generating turbines are equipped with sensors of limited functions
turbine operating conditions. IR spot pyrometers have been used for many years to
check local temperatures in turbines but they have limited field of view and scan only
one 5mm (.200 inch) radial sweep of the blade. Complex supervisory systems are
already installed in many operating plants and have incorporated, in recent years, the
degeneration during engine operation has not yet been performed. The need for such
monitoring has become more critical in recent years as engine gas temperatures
have risen and the potential impact of parts failure has grown. In particular, the need
to guard against the loss of TBC has become an important factor for predicting
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have no comparable system. Borescopic inspections are conducted frequently to
evaluate TBC quality. Each inspection requires a power down and Cool down cycle
of approximately 7 hours to allow the borescope to enter the engine without damage.
The examination takes an additional 3 hours to complete and close the unit.
What is required now is to demonstrate that planar arrays can detect TBC failure
Figure 1.3a. These systems do not need cryogenic cooling which is critical for
hardware packaging and support. Given that supervisory system structures are
already in-place, if monitoring systems can be demonstrated for self scanning blades
we still require innovative solutions for: (1) Overcoming the vane sensor limitations
characteristics and selecting the best spectrum for TBC observation, (3) Combining
sensor outputs with engine parameter outputs and developing a supervisory system
to monitor TBC integrity, and (4) Developing and incorporating a TBC remaining life
stationary vanes in order for complete monitoring. Thus, the initial demonstration that
modern, fast IR planar array monitors can detect incipient TBC failures on line would
provide the basis for a breakthrough in the development of on-line TBC monitoring
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systems. Monitoring TBC failures on-line appears to be feasible using a thermal
imaging system whereby the local temperature variation derived from the precursor
1.4 Scientific and Technical Basis and Merit of the Proposed Work
The scientific and technical basis of our work demonstrates that on-line signals from
a focal planar array (FPA) IR sensor can be used to detect the precursors of TBC
failure. Our in-house preliminary studies have shown that new sensors have the
potential to meet these needs. Indigo Inc. has developed an FPA InGaAs detector
that has the right characteristics for the proposed application (500nS integration
spectrum are essential for the success of the on-line monitor due to the high speed,
The initial phase of the work was devoted to establishing the capability of the IR
detector to monitor the precursor and growth of TBC defects on blades. Vane
monitoring is different from blade monitoring because the vanes, unlike blades, do
not all pass in front of the same sensor. Several different potential approaches have
been identified and will be evaluated and implemented in the vane monitors.
TBC systems used in land-based turbine engines and aircraft gas turbines are
0.127mm (0.005in) McrAlY bond coat and a 0.254mm (0.010in) ceramic top coat.
The bond coat is needed to prevent oxidation of the substrate material and provide a
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used for the ceramic top coat. APS TBC is a bulk coating in which the ceramic
spalling (far from edges and corners) is predominantly associated with buckling. As
briefly discussed, failure mechanisms of APS and EB-PVD TBC systems are
different. In general, however, both TBC systems start failing when the imposed
stresses exceed the material strength at or near the ceramic-metal interface. APS
TBC failure occurs just above the metallic bond coating in the ceramic material.
Ceramic delamination cracks initiate very near (or at) peaks in the rough bond
coating and propagate along the interface in the ceramic layer as shown in Figure
1.4b. EB-PVD TBC failure appears to occur in the thermally grown oxide (TGO)
Thermal barrier coatings (TBC) are a powerful cooling method. Each 0.025mm
occur before reaching the component Figure 1.4b. Microphotographs for APS
TBC Failure Mechanism.
design life requirement. Local TBC
spalling introduces a hot spot condition in the substrate which aggravates substrate
thermo-mechanical fatigue (TMF) crack initiation. As a result, the full TBC cooling
The work proposed and demonstrated initially focused on on-line monitoring of APS
TBC system because it has become the most widely used coating. With successful
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completion of APS TBC monitor development; this technology could be extended for
The following Project Tasks are describe in the following report. This report describes
BILITIES FOR DEVELOPING COAL, OIL, AND GAS ENERGY RESOURCES” and
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1.0 TASK 1: CONCEPTUAL DESIGN OF SYSTEM CONFIGURATION AND
DEFINITION
targeted AGT’s will be thoroughly analyzed in order to establish on-line TBC monitor
sensor design criteria (exact sensor attachment positions, the number of total
1.1.2 Establish Blade and Vane Monitor Coverage’s: Several factors will determine
the degree of blade coverage that can be realized. These factors include criticality
design engineering will mandate coverage. Critical surfaces have been estimated to
include the leading edges and the fillet radii. Balance of airfoil surfaces and platform
surfaces will be reviewed as well. The accessibility of all blade regions will be
determined. Depending on the specific infrared sensors, the coverage of the blade
will rely on multiple sensor array detectors. Detectors arranged for forward, retro
and/or radial viewing will be considered. Some regions of the blade may have a
higher likelihood of damage due to other factors. For example, regions on the
platforms have in the past been prone to severe erosion and wastage.
1.1.3 Assess Blade Monitor Sensor(s): The blade sensor uses high speed thermal
passes a focal plane array (FPA) sensor. Several candidate sensors will be
reviewed for adequacy. Sensor type, style and cooling requirements will be
for various spectral and energy ranges as well. It is very likely that fiber optics will be
used to transmit the radiant information to the sensor. Due to the spectral
transmissivity characteristics of the various fiber options, the sensor will have to
accommodate the wavelength allowed by the fiber. In the event of using sensor
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arrays, the aspects of spatial resolution related to using an array will be considered.
A parallel effort will characterize the operating conditions that the sensor will be
subjected to in the turbine engine. The sensor optics will be introduced into the
pressure chamber of the aggressive environment of the turbine section of the engine.
These conditions will be fully characterized from the existing design data and
literature. The final sensor selection will depend on the best combination of
1.1.4 Assess Vane Monitor Sensor(s): Whether monitoring engines for catastrophic
failure or attempting to extend the time between power plant outages, it will be
Since Row 1 vanes are subjected to the hottest conditions in the turbine, and they
are the first to be impacted by foreign objects entering the hot path so monitoring is
vanes may, therefore, provide the first indication of over temperature conditions and
other problems in the gas turbine engine. Early indication of Row 1 vanes TBC
major component damage results down stream. Any attempts to extend life beyond
normally scheduled outages will need to have assurance of the integrity of Row 1
Vanes. The vanes are stationary and they extend over a large positional area of the
1.1.5 Assess System Hardware Package: System hardware and hardware packaging
understanding of the limited space and aggressive conditions of the turbine engine
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preparation for Task 6 activities. A layout of the locations of turbines, monitoring
1.1.6 Assess Computer Controls and Software Needs: All team members will be will
define the complete diagnostic system. A system specification will be drafted by all
partners for final acceptance to begin system development in Task 4. The details of
the form and transfer of data through the ascending hierarchy of combined
preprocessed and summarized into information from each sensor system prior to
introduction into the artificial intelligence system. The artificial intelligence system will
conditions and update the presentation of this information to the supervisory system,
continually analyze for TBC degradation rate via the SPG-developed model, review
and compare blade monitor information, review and compare vane monitor
development partners and subcontractors will be actively involved during this effort.
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1.1 TASK 1 FINAL REPORT STATUS – COMPLETE AND FINAL REPORT
SUBMITTED
Monitoring of mission critical engine parts during gas turbine operation is now
tailor-made overall control and image evaluation system, and related Thermal Barrier
Coating (TBC) lifing models. The need for such monitoring has become more critical
in recent years as engine firing temperatures have risen and the potential impact of
part failure has grown. In particular, the need to guard against the loss of TBC has
become an important factor for maximizing turbine availability and for minimizing
commercial risk. This On-Line TBC Blade Monitor will not only help insure the safe
operation of a gas turbine, but also provide the opportunity to extend the life of
blades beyond the nominal operating hours, based on real-time and historical images
that clearly prove the integrity of the thermal barrier coating. Detection of spallation is
comprehensive review of the Online Thermal Barrier Coating Blade Monitor. The
head and a series of relay lenses with the final relay acting as the system focus. The
system was designed to function in the near infrared (NIR) (~0.9 – 1.65 microns)
region. This on-engine real-time monitor measures infrared radiation through a Near
infrared images of row-1 blades during full engine operation. This system, which was
successfully tested on our 200 MW class gas turbine at full load, was developed by a
cooperation with Siemens Corporate Research under the sponsorship of the U.S.
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Thermal Barrier Coating (TBC) is an important method to increase efficiency of
(TBC’s) deposited on airfoils are utilized as insulation layers to reduce the heat
transfer rate from the hot gas path, which can reach temperatures above the melting
point of superalloys, to turbine engine walls and components. Such a reduction in the
rate of heat transfer is achieved by creating a path of high resistance to the transfer
without excessive cooling air schemes. The most obvious benefit of the IR imaging is
that the detector assemblies in focal plane arrays have multiple detector elements on
a single detector chip that map directly to the aperture of the optical system.
provides high spatial resolution means the camera can distinguish between two
closely spaced items. Watching a part "age" may be of great value to the plant
component. Being able to trend thermal data as a function of time is one way to
Loss of thermal barrier coating (TBC) reduces the temperature resistance of parts
and can cause unscheduled engine failure or engine damage. The trend toward
stationary gas turbine are of specific interest. Blades on row 1 rotate at high speed
and are exposed to high temperatures. It is important to monitor TBC of row 1 blades
necessary to replace coated blades (Figure 3) due to the limited lifetime of the TBC.
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Figure 3. New and Used Row 1 Blades
Figure 3 shows new row 1 blades and used row 1 blades, Monitoring of TBC loss is
Limited real-time information about the condition of turbine blade temperature barrier
coating were available during engine operation in the past. Blade pyrometry
measurements, for example, are usually limited to single point or line scanning
measurements. Siemens Power Generation has proposed a four year program for
”On-Line Blade Monitoring for Real-Time Failure Protection and Life Maximization”.
The goal of the Siemens Power Generation project, co-funded by the U.S.
develop, build and install the first generation of an on-line TBC monitoring system for
use on land-based gas turbines. The system operates with combine state-of-the-art,
real-time, high speed infrared (IR) camera systems, component lifting models, engine
supervisory system.
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Figure 4. Concept Diagram for Initial Onsite Evaluation System
Siemens Power Generation has teamed up with several internals Siemens groups
and external organizations to accomplish the goals. The entire program contains
experimental tests, mechanical port designs, enclosure design, and lens designs.
objective head and a series of relay lenses with the final relay acting as the system
focus. The system was designed to function in the near infrared (NIR) region of 0.9
µm to 1.6 µm.
For the purpose of the testing, a Near-infrared sensor head from FLIR Systems with
a 320 x 256 Indium Gallium Arsenide (InGaAs) focal plane array (FPA) was used.
InGaAs detectors are highly sensitive to energy in the near-infrared (NIR) and
The 320 x 256 InGaAs photodiode arrays produced at Indigo Systems are mated
with Indigo’s ISC9809 ROIC. The 320 x 256 element FPA is constructed with the
pixels on a 30 mm pitch. This FPA will support a wide range of system requirements
selectable integration capacitors are used to control the input circuit transimpedance
gain. A 0.01pF integration capacitor is used for low noise and low flux levels down to
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1.7micron spectral band using f/1.5 optics assuming a 2856 Kelvin blackbody
distribution. For higher flux levels, a 0.21pF integration capacitor can be selected
sample and hold capacitor is also part of the input unit cell architecture which allows
the FPA to be operated in full frame snapshot mode and provides the maximum
an external clock pulse and is adjustable from 0.5msec to approximately the frame
the total system dynamic range. Additional features include programmable operating
of outputs, variable signal gain, input charge skimming and on-chip power
Table 1. Performance of the Indigo ISC9809G 320 x 256 Focal Plane Array
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The near infrared (NIR) system is designed to operate in the spectral range of 0.9µm
to 1.6 µm. Optical radiation emanating from the tilted object passes through an
aperture and onto the objective head system. The light is then imaged onto the first
of four image planes of the system. Three relay sections, each comprising of six
lenses, bring the optical signal to the focal plane array (FPA) of the camera, with the
final lens set acting as the system focus. The sapphire window is the boundary
between the turbine and the external environment. All NIR optical elements were
coated to allow maximum transmission at 1.3 µm. The sapphire window was not
coated. The optical elements are kept at their respective distances by a series of
spacers. Tube spacers separate the relay components while ring spacers are used to
separate the lens elements in the objective and the relay lens set. Three ring spacers
are needed for the objective and two ring spacers are needed for each of the two
The mechanical design of the On-Line Monitor System purposed two (2) viewing
concepts for purposes of viewing row 1 turbine blades. The first design view or (radial
view) would provide viewing of leading edge, pressure side, platform and a portion of
suction side of blades. This view would observe approximately 70 % of total surface
of blades. The second design view or (radial oblique) would provide viewing of
pressure side and leading. This view is very common by pyrometry measurements.
For the purpose of developing a robust monitoring system that would endure 8,000
hrs of operation at a commercial host site an additional pro-type was developed and
installed at the Siemens AG Berlin Test Bed facility. This prototype installation helped
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2.0 TASK 2: DEVELOP ON-LINE TBC MONITOR FOR BLADES
TASK 2 PROGRAM OBJECTIVIES
high-temperature, high-velocity gas will effect the relationship between radiance and
temperature as will the TBC damage. These effects require understanding so that
At atmospheric pressure NIR bandpasses can be chosen that match the near-
blackbody wavelength region for TBC’s so as not to overlap with the NIR
(CO2) and water (H2O). However, as pressure is increased the gas signatures
broaden to result in significant interference that is path length dependent. NIR TBC
the combustion gases in the optical beam path etc. The wavelength dependent
correction could be used with the interference over the distance from the optical
probe and accounting for the changing distance due to blade curvature).
emission characteristics will be determined for several states of the TBC condition.
local step change in emissivity. These normal changes are gradual, and therefore are
TBC.
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2.1.3 Characterize Emissions from TBC Defects (APS): Emissions from critical TBC
defects types will be determined. Debond growth and surface temperature changes
will influence the radiance and radiant transients. The debond is expected to cause
an increase in the absolute temperature of the TBC surface. As the same debond
grows, the temperature will increase and the imaged region of the spallation will
This subtask consists of the following components: (1) select/develop IR sensors; (2)
determine data types, transmission rate, and formats, (3) design data analysis
scheme for the GT-TBC monitor inputs, (4) determine control interface and blade
sensor attachment, and (5) develop blade surface condition monitor. Two possible
(1) Rectangular array designed for direct, line-of-sight viewing of blade region of
Interest.
(2) Rectangular array designed for coherent fiber bundle for non line-of-sight
The array detector will be a state-of-the-art, cooled, solid state, infrared detector.
spectral window and maximum TBC system information. Once determined, the
detectors will be designed within these spectral windows. The detector spectral
selection used for embodiment 2 shall have the additional consideration of fiber optic
transport. The fiber optic system must be rugged in the AGT environment and allow
remote detector location outside of the AGT enclosure if possible. The fiber optic
device shall be designed to allow replacement of the fiber bundles, including gas-
exposed viewing optics without disassembling any AGT components. The closest
location for detector installation is outside of the shell of the turbine. Future
embodiments may allow complete gas path viewing fiber and detector replacement
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without shutting the turbine down. An internally installed optical directly involved in
this activity. Design Engineering will determine the optimum sensor vantage points
optics protection, critical region viewing, viewing regions, and sensor installations
minimization. This activity will establish guidelines and limitations for sensor type,
placement and attachment. The Program Manager along with SWPC Design
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3.0 TASK 3: DEVELOP ON-LINE TBC MONITOR FOR VANES
The objectives for Row 1 TBC vane coating monitor is to detect TBC coating
degradation of the hottest location in the expander to provide an early warning for
degradation of TBC coating in the hot gas path. Monitoring information from the Row
1 vane will also be integrated into TBC lifing models to allow outage planning and
maximization of availability. In order for the Row 1 Vane monitor to meet these
• The monitoring system should be capable of providing real-time data, and the
sensors should have life capability in excess of normal outage times at operating
conditions.
• The monitor will need to be an early indication of TBC coating condition changes.
• The monitor will need to monitor the vane globally so that deterioration of
There are no current sensors that meet all of the above criteria. Mature techniques
for sensing (e.g., thermocouples) can be used to locally detect Row 1 vane problems,
at least after the problem advances to the point where damage has occurred in the
TBC coating and the vane. This program will evaluate some emerging technologies
for potential application to this problem. At the same time, mature technologies will
be used as a back up in the testing, serving to baseline the interpretation of the TBC
coating life sensing system. The result of the program will be the development of a
vane TBC coating life detection system that incorporates the state-of-the art methods
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(2) temperature and pressure measurement inside the vane by thermocouples and
pressure sensors; (3) optical measurement; (4) acoustic guided waves; (5) Bragg
filters; (6) chemical sensors; (7) electrostatic monitors; (8) system’s RF monitors. In
The selected vane monitor technique(s) will be implemented into the program and
the associated vane monitor sensors will be fabricated in a full scale for final
performance test on an actual test engine. This subtask consists of (1) determine
control interface and vane sensors attachment, and (2) design/fabricate full scale
vane sensors.
SUBMITTED
3.1 CONCLUSIONS
2. In field-testing the AWG system was used to interrogate, in real time, several
first row vanes in an operating turbine at full speed base load (FSBL). No part
of the sensor system is exposed to the hot gas path nor does it contact the
TBC.
3. Signal processing and hardware improvements over the last year have
permitted retrieval of the AWG signal with amplitudes of several hundred mV.
Using the burst pulse technique and signal averaging, all four vanes have been
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4. The AWG transmitting and receiving wires are welded to the outer body of the
vane. The attachment method launches a type of surface acoustic wave, which
5. Removal of small amounts of TBC and wearing of the TBC change the strain
levels in the surface layers, which can be detected by the AWG sensor.
6. While a simple measure of the tuned burst-pulse maximum signal can provide a
measure of TBC condition and strain, we believe that using frequency spectrum
analysis we can define other critical conditions from changes in the frequencies
The objectives of task 4 are (1) monitor failure progression of TBC’s under high heat
flux conditions (Subtasks 4.1) and (2) develop a numerical model to describe the
Subtask 4.1 Conduct High Heat Flux Tests for Monitoring TBC Failures
The high heat flux testing rig (HHFTR) at Westinghouse Plasma Corporation (WPC),
sub-scale level into the test chamber of the available test rig. WPC has a unique
A tubular specimen with APS thermal barrier coating is subjected to the high heat flux
with active cooling. A uniform surface temperature of > 1350ºC will be maintained at
the thermal barrier coating outer surface. A large temperature gradient across the
TBC layer will be created such that the TBC-to metal interface temperature is held at
< 1000ºC while the outer surface is at the high temperature mentioned above.
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A cyclic operation with heating cycle durations of 3 minutes to > 8 hours can be
achieved.
The monitoring device will capture the TBC failure progression during testing period.
model development”, testing will continue beyond the initial detection of TBC
Modify current high heat flux test rig: The test chamber and the data acquisition
system of the high heat flux test rig will be modified to monitor the specimen
condition during high heat flux testing. A test chamber will be designed and
manufactured such that NDE devices can easily monitor the rotating test specimen.
Image analysis software will also be incorporated into the data acquisition system to
Perform high heat flux tests on TBC coated specimens (APS): TBC coated
specimens will be tested under cyclic thermal loads (of actual engine operating
condition) until TBC spallation occur at an area greater than the critical size. Both
APS and EB-PVD coated specimens will be tested as-deposited and pre-oxidized
conditions. Pre-oxidized specimens will also be tested for the effect of TGO
thickness on the failure evolution under a given loading scheme. Test specimens will
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Subtask 4.2 Develop Remaining Life Prediction Model
A numerical model will be derived and the model predictions will be correlated with
the experimental results: i.e., the observed failure progression under given
temperatures and cyclic conditions during the high heat flux testing. Classical
theories for sub-critical crack growth under cyclic or static load will be employed to
derive a numerical model for the remaining life prediction of TBC as functions of the
This task consists of two separate subtasks: (1) AI-based supervisory system for
blades, and (2) AI-based supervisory system for vanes. SWPC will develop the
supervisory software for the TBC diagnostic system utilizing a rule-based logic. The
system will store all the processed data coming from the blade and vane temperature
sensors. The data will be supplemented by key thermal data produced by the
performance monitoring package. The sensor data will then run through a rule-
based expert system to determine the probability of TBC coating failure. Raw signals
from both the blade and vane monitors will have to be preprocessed before the data
Blade monitor signals will include high-speed radiance scans of the blades. Data will
require reporting to the control software. The decisions that guide in this selection will
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The control software will interpret the reported trends or excursions and notify or alert
the operator of the finding. Different types of preprocessing logic will be used to
Some preprocessing steps will include a continually updated running average with
statistical significance for ongoing data collection. This will establish a baseline for
comparison of each refreshed data set. Excursions from this baseline will be brought
to the attention and disposition of the artificial intelligence (AI) system. Historical
averages will be periodically stored for long-term trending and AI disposition. The
life for future operating conditions will also be forecasted. Using the advice given by
the control system, an operator will have the ability to balance power output and TBC
life expense rate. This will ultimately optimize power output and outage scheduling
for maximum operator control. Other engine performance and parameter inputs will
also be accessed by the advisory system as identified throughout the program. The
system will also provide alarms for critical TBC loss situations. The alarms will notify
operators only in the event of eminent damage or failure. The system will also
provide alarm signals for connection to standard tripping control devices for the
SUBMITTED
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5.1 TASK 5 RESULTS AND SUMMARY
Siemens Corporate Research has supported the effort of Siemens Power Generation
to complete the four year program for”On-Line Blade Monitoring for Real-Time
development for system control and on-line system operating, experimental data
acquisition and evaluation for the remaining TBC life modeling, and system test
installation in Berlin, Germany and Joplin, MO. The team was successfully able to
acquire images of stationary gas turbine blades at engine base load. Scene based
correction has significant increased image quality. A large software package was
developed to control and operate all components of the on-line monitoring system,
and to acquire, process and store images of blades from stationary gas turbines on a
IR images; TBC defect detection and estimation of defect size or auto focus were
developed and evaluated. Siemens Corporate Research has helped to present this
2004 in Orlando, FL. The program was selected as the most innovative program of
In the final task of the program, the packaged system will be installed on an AGT at
performance under real plant conditions. A specific turbine engine type and the site
for the field trials will be identified during the development process. The engine will
Generation design engineering will be heavily involved with all aspects of the engine
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changes. Standard engineering practices will assure safe and effective sensor
installation.
For field trials for vanes, either the same LTP site as blade monitor or different site
will be identified depending on the availability of the facilities at that time. We are
turbines has surpassed over 8,000 hours of operation, confirming that the technology
Developed by Siemens Power Generation, with funding from the U.S. Department of
Energy, the online monitor makes it possible for operators to replace turbine blades
based on their actual condition, when the thermal barrier coating is worn or
damaged. This capability optimizes the life of the blades, avoids the high cost of
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The demonstration will evaluate the mechanical design and integrity of the blades’
thermal barrier coating. The high speed infrared camera is integrated into a smart
supervisor system developed by Siemens Corporate Research, the life model then
than 3,600 revolutions per minute, with a linear tip speed of 800 mph, under very
high pressure (220 psi, nearly 15 times the force of gravity) and extremely high
temperature (in the range of 2,600 ºF, about the melting point of steel).
probe that is installed in the gas turbine reaching down to the moving blades. A near-
and mid-wave infrared high speed camera is also situated in a cooled housing and
connected to the probe outside of the turbine. Despite the high speed of rotation, the
control software can identify and record 85 percent of the blade surface and has the
spatial resolution to capture very small design features. The images are evaluated
automatically, and the entire system can be linked to remote diagnostic center.
the energy industry and the military. Siemens Power Generation has already ensured
that this technology will be available on its next generation of gas turbines, and online
blade monitor retrofits are currently being marketed for existing gas turbines.
and the versatility of the technology may not yet be fully realized. By successfully
operating in the most complex environment, the technology has proven it could
2005, Empire Stateline will continue to use the blade monitoring technology at its
Joplin plant. The site will serve as a test bed to expand commercialization of the
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8.0 THE MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS AND CONCLUSIONS OF THIS
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM ARE:
• The robust design with proper installation can provide On-Line Real Time
Monitoring of TBC blades. The design system which survived 8000 hrs of
operation has provided engineering and designs a new method of analysis
during turbine operations and provides a basic lifing model.
• The value of the designed On-Line TBC Monitoring system has proved to
be of value for monitoring other important parameters; e.g., cooling hole
blockages, platform rubs, spallation and delamination of TBC coated blades
• The TBC Lifting calculation of the driving force (applied energy release rate)
of typical interfacial TBC defects has been explained. Simulation results are
presented and discussed as function of thermal loading conditions and
initial defect size. As a result the defect growth rate was predicted at room-
temperature assuming a sub-critical defect growth mode to be activated.
• On-line TBC monitor with the Siemens Power Generation design can be
used on all existing and new gas turbines that use TBC to protect critical
turbine parts. The fundamental concepts of the on-line TBC monitoring are
equally applicable to smaller land, aero and marine based gas turbines.
This opens future global market opportunities for the team to pursue.
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