Analysis Of Hot Section Failures On Gas Turbines In Process Plant Service.

Abstract

In-service failures of process plant gas turbines can have major economic consequences in terms of repairs and downtime. Following such an incident, steps need to be taken to avoid a recurrence. This is best accomplished through a formal analysis of failure, and this paper discusses the key aspects of the procedure. Several case histories pertaining to hot section failures on mechanical drive and generator drive gas turbines in a variety of process plant applications are also presented. These provide a representative cross-section of the different failure mechanisms and range of causes that can be encountered as well as demonstrating the multidisciplinary approaches used to investigate the incidents. Lessons learned are highlighted.