ASME Apollo Subsection: Blade and Impeller Failure Analysis: Using the SAFE Diagram to Identify Potential Resonances

Description

Rotating equipment such as turbines and compressors are often designed to operate at high temperature and high pressure, which results in highly stressed components rotating several thousand times per minute. Most equipment will run successfully throughout its life, however, occasionally there are unexpected failures of turbine blades or compressor impellers which can be catastrophic. When a failure occurs, it is critical to perform a detailed root cause analysis and to identify necessary design or operation changes required to prevent future failures. This presentation will describe a rationale for a root cause analysis following a failure, discuss engineering modifications to improve fatigue life, and present test methods to validate a design’s natural frequencies. We will discuss several case studies with a focus on the vibration dynamics and how to minimize failure risk. Presented by Walter Kelm/Kelm Engineering, LLC.