Hitachi Review Vol. 51 (2002), No.

5 143

Development of Long Blades with Continuous Cover Blade

Structure for Steam Turbines

Masato Machida OVERVIEW: In today’s power market, the importance of thermal and nuclear
Hideo Yoda generated power as the stable core foundation of our basic energy needs
remains unchanged. Yet the energy industry is facing growing pressure on
Eiji Saito
the cost front as the unit price of energy is driven down by the relaxation of
Kiyoshi Namura, Dr. Eng. industry regulations and at the same time on the environmental front as the
industry struggles to satisfy COP3 (Third Conference of the Parties, Kyoto,
Dec. 1-10, 1997) recommended guidelines for the reduction of greenhouse
gases. This translates into a demand for more efficient and more reliable
steam turbines for thermal and nuclear power plants, not only for new plant
installations but also for retrofitting steam turbines that have long been in
service. In its commitment to meet these demands, Hitachi has developed a
new turbine blade design featuring a CCB (continuous cover blade) structure
based on the state-of-the-art analytical technologies and an enormous
amount of test data on performance, vibration, and strength from the outset
of the development. The blades, from 26 inches (66 cm) for rotation speed
of 3,000 rpm to 46 inches (117 cm) for 3,600 rpm, are the basis of a full
line-up of CCB long blades for low-pressure last stage blades corresponding
to the range of plant outputs. The new blades are now operating smoothly
in numerous turbines in Japan and in various other countries.

INTRODUCTION they are under the largest centrifugal force, they are a
LONG last stage blades bear the burden for approximately critically important component affecting the
10% of the output of large steam turbines, and since performance and reliability of the turbine as a

33.5-inch (85-cm) CCB long blade test rotor Last stage 43-inch (109-cm)
CCB long blade rotor

Fig. 1—Steam Turbine Rotors

Featuring Various CCB Blading
Configurations.
Hitachi is in the last stages of
developing a full lineup of CCB long
blades for different output plants,
and has installed the new blades in Last stage 40-inch (102-cm) 46-inch (117-cm)
numerous turbines that are now in CCB long blade rotor CCB long blade test rotor
service.
 Development of Long Blades with Continuous Cover Blade Structure for Steam Turbines 144
TABLE 1. CCB Long Blade Lineup
Lineup of CCB long blades developed so far.
Stationary blade Moving blade
Speed
Cover alone Cover + Tie-boss*
(rpm)
33.5 inch (85 cm), 40 inch (102 cm),
3,600 26 inch (66 cm)
46 inch (117 cm)

3,000 26 inch (66 cm) 33.5 inch (85 cm), 43 inch (109 cm)
1,800 — 48 inch (122 cm)
*: See Fig. 5

whole. Furthermore, as last stage blades have

become longer, this has resulted in faster stream
flows, larger centrifugal force, and reduced natural
frequency, thus requiring more advanced design
technologies to optimize the performance, strength,
and vibration characteristics of blades.
Based on a number of cutting-edge design
Fig. 2—3D Stage Flow Analysis Example.
technologies, Hitachi has now developed a new long Changes in Mach number distribution for stationary and
blade technology featuring a CCB structure that offers moving blades obtained by 3D stage flow analysis. This leads to
better overall performance and superior strength and the understanding of the optimum flow for stationary and
vibration characteristics. This design approach has moving blades conforming to actual conditions.
been the basis of a full lineup of CCB blades covering
a range of power plant outputs (see Table 1), and the
new blades are already in service and running smoothly
in Japan, the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Korea, Pakistan,
Peru, and other countries around the world.
This article gives an overview of the CCB long
High
blades, and describes some of the latest design
technologies contributing to the blade’s superior
performance. Low

PERFORMANCE DESIGN TECHNOLOGY

Performance Analysis Technology
Steam flows at the tip of last stage blades in turbines Fig. 3—Wetness Distribution Derived by Nonequilibrium
Condensation Flow Analysis.
is generally transonic, so the longer the blade, the
Estimation accuracy of flow rates, and stage loads and losses
higher the exit Mach number tends to be. It is therefore
are enhanced by considering the wetness accompanying phase
important that the blade profile of each type of blade changes in high-velocity flows.
be optimized for a particular transonic stream flow
and designed to minimize losses from shock waves.
An enormous amount of test data has been collected obtaining this information, but more recently 3D stage
based on experimental and actual blades over the years flow analysis has come into widespread use and is now
for this purpose. However, in the last few years we recognized as an valuable design tool. Fig. 2 shows
have seen remarkable improvement in flow analysis typical computational results derived by this analysis
technologies that now make it possible to evaluate method.
blade profiles much faster and much more accurately In contrast to the old flow analysis that could only
than in the past. deal with ideal gases, we can now analyze
In the last stage of a turbine the stream path abruptly nonequilibrium condensation flows considering
broadens and takes on a pronounced 3D (three- different wetness conditions of the steam and phase
dimensional) aspect, so the ability to optimize 3D flow variations, so we can estimate the flow rate, loads and
patterns is essential. Traditional experimental turbine losses of individual low pressure turbine stages much
flow measurements remain an important method for more accurately (see Fig. 3). This type of flow analysis
 Hitachi Review Vol. 51 (2002), No. 5 145

1.2 Cover
(η conventional blade design point)

New blade
Efficiency ratio η/

1.0 Blade
Tie-boss Gap
Experimental value
Measured value
0.8
Conventional
Design point blade Standstill
0.6
0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6
Speed ratio (axial flow speed/circumferential speed)

Fig. 4—Comparison of Stage Efficiency for 26-Inch (66-cm) Rotating

Blade.
By designing the blade profile most suitable for the exit Mach
number, stage efficiency shows significant improvement over
conventional blades.
Fig. 5—Schematic Diagram of CCB Structure.
can therefore be used to evaluate performance with a Blades are interconnected by shroud covers and tie-bosses.
high degree of accuracy and as a way to identify profile Covers interlock as blades begin to rotate, and tie-bosses
design changes that can enhance blade performance interlock once rotation is under way.
even more.

Performance Evaluation Testing In the CCB structure we have significantly relieved

When considering the retrofitting of an old turbine the stress concentrations by integrally forming the
with new blades, it is important to verify both connecting members—the shroud covers and tie-
experimentally and analytically just how much bosses—with the blades (see Fig. 5).
improvement might be gained by the refurbished By integrating the connecting members with the
blading. As an example, let us here consider the case blades, the untwisting of the blades which is caused
of a last stage blade with the length of 26 inches (66 by centrifugal force when the blades rotate is restrained
cm) for the rotation speed of 3,600 rpm. by the contact surfaces of adjacent covers and tie-
Fig. 4 shows a comparison of stage efficiency bosses between blades. As a result, all the blades are
characteristics where the efficiency of the conventional held together to form a continuous ring of blades. One
blade is 1.0 at the measurement point (speed ratio = of the chief advantages of this continuous ring blade
0.4). One can see that the average stage efficiency is structure over the conventional grouped blade
markedly improved using the new blade. The configuration (made up of several units of several
efficiency gains are especially pronounced in the blades each) is that the continuous ring blade structure
partial load region where the speed ratio is the greatest. has fewer resonance points during rotation.
The basic soundness of the flow analysis is also Compared to conventional blading configurations,
apparent from the fact that the measured values and the CCB structure has much more stable vibration
the calculated values are in close agreement. characteristics thanks to the contact interlocking
between the blades, and this reduces resonance stress,
FEATURES OF CCB STRUCTURE reduces random vibration stress, and suppresses flutter.
Adjacent blades in steam turbines are generally
linked together to provide greater rigidity and to reduce RELIABILITY DESIGN TECHNOLOGY
or dampen vibrations. The old blade assemblies held Strength Characteristics Analysis Technology
together by tenons, caulked shrouds, and tie wires had Last stage long blades are subject to steady
a number of drawbacks: deformation and stress as a result of the centrifugal
(1) stress concentrations tended to occur in the area force under which they operate. Traditionally, the
where the connecting members and blade met, and deformation and stress have been addressed by analysis
(2) poor workability in putting the assemblies together. based on the finite element method that takes steam
 Development of Long Blades with Continuous Cover Blade Structure for Steam Turbines 146

Nodal line

High
Blade

Low

(a) Pressure side (b) Suction side

Fig. 6—CCB Long Blade Analysis Examples (Stress Fig. 7—Vibration Mode Analysis Example.
Distribution). Vibration mode around the circumference can be analyzed
Stress distribution and amount of blade deformation can be quickly and accurately.
accurately predicted through contact large deformation
analysis.

bending force and operating thermal condition into design time is reduced. Also, by dealing with contact
account. We observed earlier that adjacent blades in elements between the blades, this has a major influence
the CCB structure are bound together because the on the accuracy of natural frequency and other analysis,
untwisting caused by centrifugal force is restrained and thus enhances the modeling. Fig. 7 shows typical
by the contact interlocking of the covers and tie-bosses. vibration mode calculations derived by this analysis.
To ensure high-strength design of this structure, we
employed a non-linear contact large deformation Rotational Proof Test
analysis taking the cover and tie-boss contacts into The vibration characteristics of actual full-scale last
account, and evaluated the strength of the CCB stage CCB long blades were measured and verified
structure at its rated operating speed. Typical results through rotational vibration tests. Fig. 8 shows an
of this structural analysis are shown in Fig. 6. This example of the vibration characteristics for a last stage
analysis enables us to identify the points of maximum blade with a length of 43 inches (109 cm) for a rotation
stress on the surface of the blade, to check the stress speed of 3,000 rpm.
distribution around the connecting members (cover and The actual measured results confirmed that the new
tie-boss), and to modify the blade profile as indicated. blades exhibit excellent vibration characteristics
Of course, it is critically important when designing without any resonance points near their rated speed.
blade profiles for performance to consider the We also obtained good agreement between measured
deformation blades are subject to when they are and calculated values even as we varied the vibration
rotating. With this analysis we can accurately estimate characteristics by changing the rotation speed.
blade deformation under rotating conditions, and this Knowledge and feedback accumulated in the course
enables us to include this factor in our performance of this development will accelerate the pace of CCB
design1). long blade development and open the way to even more
accurate vibration analysis and prediction.
Vibration Characteristics Analysis Technology
The CCB structure is made up of single blade CONCLUSIONS
structures consisting of a blade and connecting This article presented an overview of the main
members, that are periodically repeated. By applying features of CCB long blades, and surveyed some of
an efficient vibration analysis using the periodicity of the latest design technologies contributing to the
the structure, accuracy is enhanced even while the superior performance of the long blades.
 Hitachi Review Vol. 51 (2002), No. 5 147

12 11 10 9 12 11 10 9
500 500
Third mode 8 Third mode group 8
group
7 7
400 400
Second mode Second mode
Natural frequency (Hz)

Natural frequency (Hz)

group 6 group 6

300 5 300 5
Fig. 8—Comparison
4 4 of Campbell
200 First mode 200 Diagrams.
group 3 First mode 3
group Both calculated
2 2
100 100 results and measured
Rated speed 1 Rated speed 1 reliability test results
verify excellent
0 0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 vibration
Speed (rps) Speed (rps) characteristics
(Resonance point) without any
(a) Calculated Campbell diagram (b) Measured Campbell diagram resonance points
near the rated speed.

Giving primary consideration to the needs of our most efficient and reliable CCB long blades available.
worldwide customers, research and development
efforts are continuing on new CCB long blade designs. REFERENCES
Blades are being developed not only for deployment (1) R. Kaneko, et al., “Development of New 26-in. Blade with
in new power plants but also to provide refurbished High Reliability and Efficiency,” Proc. J.P.G.C., pp. 137-143
blading for turbines that are already in service. (Oct. 1989).
To satisfy the increasingly diversified needs of our (2) E. Saito, et. al., “Development of 43-inch Last Stage Blades
for 3,000 rpm Rotation Speed,” Turbo Engines, Vol. 27, No. 8,
worldwide clients in a timely manner, Hitachi remains
pp. 495-501 (Aug. 1999) in Japanese.
committed to the development and provisioning of the

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Masato Machida Eiji Saito

Joined Hitachi, Ltd. in 1986, and now works at the Joined Hitachi, Ltd. in 1987, and now works at the
Thermal & Hydraulic System Turbine Design Power & Industrial Systems R&D Laboratory of the
Department of the Power & Industrial Systems. He is Power & Industrial Systems. He is currently engaged
currently engaged in the design and development of in the research and development of steam turbine
steam turbine systems. Mr. Machida can be reached systems. Mr. Saito is a member of the Japan Society
by e-mail at [email protected]. of Mechanical Engineers (JSME), and can be
reached by e-mail at [email protected].
Hideo Yoda
Joined Hitachi, Ltd. in 1998, and now works at the Kiyoshi Namura
Thermal & Hydraulic System Turbine Design Joined Hitachi, Ltd. in 1968, and now works at the
Departmen of the Power & Industrial Systems. He is Power & Industrial Systems R&D Laboratory of the
currently engaged in the design and development of Power & Industrial Systems. He is currently engaged
steam turbine systems. Mr. Yoda can be reached by e- in the research and development of steam turbine
mail at [email protected]. systems. Dr. Namura is a member of the JSME, and
can be reached by e-mail at
[email protected].