Reconditioning of Gas Turbine Components by Heat Treatment

Abstract

At the high operating temperatures experienced within a gas turbine, creep damage is a major life-limiting factor. This is especially true for components which are highly stressed and closest to the hot gas inlet end of the machine, such as the rotating blades in this area. The ability to recover the creep properties of used gas turbine components might enable their service lives to be increased considerably. Thereby, maintenance costs could be reduced. Previous research into the feasibility of reconditioning crept superalloys by heat treatment will be reviewed and perceived limitations identified. The current work will add to knowledge on the effects of conventional recovery techniques and will explore potential new heat treatment regimes. The experimental and analytical methods to be used will be both described and supported by preliminary results.