Probabilistic turbine blade thermal analysis of manufacturing variability and toleranced designs

Manufacturing variability is likely the primary cause of a large scatter in the life of gas turbine hot-section components. This research deals with schemes to improve robustness through tolerancing input parameters in ranges of the distributions which make non-conformances more likely. The need for probabilistic analysis to investigate this problem is substantiated due to differences which arise when input parameters vary at different levels, for example the engine-to-engine and blade-to-blade level. Specifically, the importance of blade-to-blade level input parameters relative to engine-to-engine level input parameters becomes increasingly important for larger numbers of blades in a row. A framework for calculating the potential number of prevented non-conformances and the corresponding cost savings associated with various tolerancing schemes is presented. Specifically this research investigates manufacturing variability and its effect on first-stage turbine blades through the use of a parametric CAD model, automated CAD regeneration software, and a parametric finite element thermal model. Probabilistic analysis is performed using Monte Carlo simulation on both the finite element model as well as response surfaces built from the finite element model.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2006

Author dc:creator

• Moeckel, Curtis William

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• David L. Darmofal.

• Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/35570
• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Identifier URI

http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/35570

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/35570