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Turbine Blade Frequency Testing
SimuTech Group provides a blade frequency testing service for new, refurbished, or reverse engineered turbine blades (buckets) to ensure that their natural frequencies are within specifications. This is especially critical for longer tuned last stage steam turbine blades that are susceptible to high-cycle fatigue failure due to resonance during operation.
Mechanical Testing for Turbine Blades
Turbine blades are intended to withstand high static and dynamic stresses. Static stresses can be measured or computed with resembling accuracy, but dynamic stresses are evaluated more precisely through experimental rather than theoretical designs. Consequently, blade frequency testing requires specialized approaches by engineers well-disciplined in the field.
SimuTech Group performs laboratory & on-site testing of blades and blade groups on rotors, and has extensive experience with vibration test fixture design.
As for structural requirements, ensuring natural frequencies are within specifications is especially critical for longer tuned last stage steam turbine blades that are susceptible to high-cycle fatigue failure due to resonance during operation.
To ensure accuracy under various settings and conditions, SimuTech Group measures blade frequencies with distinct boundary conditions including “free-free”, fixtured, installed on a rotor, and during operation.
Contact for Turbine Blade Frequency Testing
Measurement of Boundary Conditions:
Due to commercial significance and core function of turbine in advanced industry, suitable design, routine testing, and upkeep of turbine blades can decrease cost and increase the life of turbines.
Boundary Condition Considerations for Validation:
• “Free-Free”
• Fixtured
• Installed on a Rotor
• During Operation
Turbine blade excitation techniques for investigating vibration dynamics:
• Piezoelectric actuators
• Modal hammers
• Acoustic horns
• Shakers
Response measurement techniques:
• Accelerometers
• Laser vibrometer
• Microphones
Turbine Blade Vibration Services Include:
- Turbine blade natural frequencies
- Compressor blade natural frequencies
- Stator vanes, fan blades & impellers
- Fixed and free-free boundary conditions
- Gas and steam turbine blades
- Blade group testing
- Quality assurance testing
Multi-Objective Optimization |
Mixed Flow Impeller
SimuTech Group engineers test and analyze the effects of blade deformation under running conditions on the performance of a highly loaded transonic mixed flow impeller.
Cyclic Symmetry Analysis |
Turbine Fan Blade Assembly
Cyclic symmetry analysis enables the efficient assessment of full blade sets in gas or stream turbines. In the video above, our team spotlights Ansys’ software capabilities, providing a blanket overview for cyclic symmetry analysis.
Related Mechanical Testing Services Offered
Campbell Testing
Measuring the natural frequencies and mode shapes of rotating turbine blade (bucket) rows.
Torsional Vibration
Determine the natural frequencies and mode shapes of a rotor train as it twists about the axis of rotation.
Vibration Diagnostics
Identify the root cause of noise and vibration problems in machinery via ODS, spectral, order tracking or joint time frequency analysis.
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Our team of experienced engineers can assist you at any step of your process.