Patterns of Growth of an Internal Annular Crack Under the Influence of Thermal Stresses During Turbine Startup

Abstract

During the operation of a steam turbine, its structural elements are subjected to significant thermal and mechanical loads. The consequence of the long-term effect of such a load is the accumulation of scattered fatigue damage to the material of the structural elements of the steam turbine, which is localized over time in the form of fatigue cracks of various types. Evidence of this is several accidents and catastrophic failures of steam turbines due to significant fatigue damage to the shafting. The localization of damage in turbine rotors is facilitated by stress concentration in the gouges and fillets, as well as damage to the surface layer of the rotors during the thermomechanical treatment stage since all metal processing operations (forging, turning and milling, heat treatment) are accompanied by plastic deformation of the material. One of the reasons for the long-term accumulation of fatigue damage in the structural elements of steam turbines is thermal stresses, which can reach dangerous values during turbine startup operations. In certain parts of the rotors, these stresses are sufficient to cause scattered fatigue damage to the material (the so-called thermoplasticity), especially when starting the turbine from a cold state. In the case of crack initiation, the thermal stresses are all the more sufficient for its further intensive development even when starting the turbine from uncooled and hot states, which are less damaging than starting from the cold state. To study the intensity of crack growth in the turbine rotor due to thermal stresses arising during turbine startup, a computational model based on using a finite element model of the shaft of the K-200-130 steam turbine and fracture mechanics approaches is proposed. Studies based on the proposed computational model have demonstrated the ability to predict the process of crack growth in the rotor due to turbine startup from different thermal states and assess its danger to structural integrity. The initial size of the internal annular crack was determined, which has the potential for further intensive growth under the influence of thermal stresses.