Failure of a Turbine Spacer

Abstract

A turbine spacer made of AMS 5661 alloy (Incoloy 901; composition: Fe-43Ni-13Cr-6Mo-2.5Ti) was removed from service because of a crack in the forward side of the radial rim. The crack extended axially for a distance of 16 mm across the spacer rim; radially, it extended to a depth of 6.4 mm into the web section. Analysis (visual inspection, 5000 and 10,000x TEM fractographs, chemical analysis, and 9x metallographic examination) supported the conclusions that cracking on the forward rim of the spacer occurred in fatigue that initiated on the forward rim face and that progressed into the rim and web areas. Because there was no apparent metallurgical cause for the cracking, the problem was assigned to engineering.