*The evolution of industrial gas turbines towards increased efficiency and performance requires ever higher operating temperatures for the engines. In order to remain competitive in the market, OEM companies continuously need to develop maintenance programs and recondition technologies able to extend the life of these components as much as possible. During the operation, turbine blades and vanes are prone to deterioration due to the high temperature of the gas passing along the platform surface, causing hot corrosion and thermomechanical fatigue. In particular, this results in deterioration and crack formation at platform edges. If oxidized, cracked or otherwise deteriorated locations are found during service inspections, the blade platform has to be rebuilt. The standard method for rebuilding the platform is to remove the deteriorated material volume and rebuild it by welding. In particular, the most common welding method for rotor blades and stator vanes restoration today is the tungsten inert gas welding (GTAW). However, tungsten inert gas welding has a large heat affected zone, which can later lead to major distortion, due the elevated thermal input, and loss of structural integrity of the reconditioned part. In particular, for single crystal material high thermal input can promote recrystallization issues and this phenomenon compromises the mechanical properties and considerably reduces the life of the component. The most recent recondition techniques developed by Ansaldo Energia involves the use of laser metal deposition technology to rebuild the damaged areas and restore the platform to the original shape. Prior to the automated process the area, on which the clad will be laid, requires precise preparation. This paper describes a customized, automatic process to restore the deteriorated blade or vane area by the laser metal deposition technique for equiaxial or single crystal material, minimizing the thermal input and resulting in high resistance rebuilding.*


Blades and Vanes Platform Laser Rebuilding

Division / Sponsor:
International Gas Turbine Institute (IGTI)

Paper Proceedings: https://asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/GT/GT2020/volume/84058

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