Failure Analysis of Turbine Blades in a Small Turbofan

Engine through Dynamical Study

Zhang Dayi, Ma Yanhong , Hong Jie and Chen Lulu
School of Energy and Power Engineering,
Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Beijing, 100191, P.R. China
dayi@buaa.edu.cn
Abstract
A study on the root causes of the premature failure of blades belonging to the high pressure turbine
of a small turbofan engine was carried out. A series of metallurgical examinations were performed, in
conclusion, the failure should relate to vibration as former failure history. But no material defects or
manufacturing process defects were found and no reasonable explanation could be given contrasting with
previous failures. Through fault tree analysis, some dynamical study should be performed to give more
comprehensive analysis. The theory of resonance prediction for bladed disk system was put forward and
a blade disk finite element was utilized to determine the dynamic characteristics. Campbell diagram was
employed to evaluate the design and a qualitative estimating method was employed in aerodynamic load
analysis. According to calculation results mechanism of failure was concluded, the failure of the HPT
blades was attributed to an improper restructure on injection holes, which led to harmful aerodynamic
exciting force and high vibratory stress. Finally, recommendations were given for the assembled engines
and future improvement types respectively.
Keywords: Turbine blades, Vibration, Dynamic analysis, Finite element analysis

Nomenclature
fn
fF
K
m
Wm (r, , t)
r
W (r)
m
F (r, , t)

AK (r)

The natural frequency of blade

The frequency of aerodynamic force
The number of neighbor stators
The nodal diameter lines number of bladed disk mode shapes
The vibration displacement for nodal diameter mode shapes of a periodic structure
The radial coordinate value
The vibration amplitude at r
The natural frequency of bladed disk mode shapes with m nodal diameter lines
The aerodynamic excitation force
The rotation speed
The amplitude of aerodynamic force at r

Corresponding author.

JOURNAL OF VIBRATION ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGIES, Vol. 2, No. 2, April 2014

KRISHTEL eMAGING SOLUTIONS PVT. LTD.,