What if fractography does not tell us anything? – Failure of a side seal retainer
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B. Fischer
Boromir Fischer completed a training as State Certified Technical Assistant for Metallography and Physical Material Analysis at Lette-Verein in Berlin. He has worked in the metallographic laboratory of the Siemens Gas Turbine Plant (Siemens-Gasturbinenwerk) Berlin for more than a decade. The key areas of his work are failure analysis and microstructural examinations using the field emission scanning electron microscope
Madeleine Giller Apprenticeship as a materials testing technician at the welding institute SLV Berlin-Brandenburg. After that, she studied materials science at the Berlin Institute of Technology. She graduated with a masters degree in materials science in 2012. Since November 2012 employment as engineer at the Metallography Laboratory of the Siemens Gas Turbine Works in Berlin. She has been appointed laboratory manager within the Berlin Testing Center of the Large Gas Turbine Engineering Group in 2014. Her main fields of expertise comprise failure analysis and microstructural investigations using the field emission scanning electron microscope.
Abstract
A fractured transition side seal retainer, together with an intact piece for reference, was received from the client on December of 2023. The subject part fractured next to the fastening hole, liberating a long ligament that was never found but reportedly caused some damage to hot gas path components downstream of a large gas turbine engine. It is speculated that the subject side seal retainer fractured due to high-stress, not fully reversed bending high cycle fatigue failure. It is recommended to make the design sturdier by considering dampening the long free length of the part, and by specifying a larger fillet radius in the initiation area. Also, over-torquing upon assembly of the subject part should be avoided.
Kurzfassung
Im Dezember 2023 gingen vom Kunden eine gebrochene seitliche Dichtungshalterung eines Heißgasführungskanals sowie ein intaktes Teil als Referenz ein. Die Dichtungshalterung brach neben der Befestigungsbohrung. Dabei löste sich ein langes Stück der Dichtungshalterung, das nie gefunden wurde, Berichten zufolge allerdings einige Schäden an stromabwärts liegenden Heißgaskomponenten hervorrief. Vermutet wird, dass die seitliche Dichtungshalterung aufgrund hochzyklischer Ermüdung (HCF) asymmetrischer Biegewechselbeanspruchung mit hoher Wechselspannungsamplitude versagte. Empfohlen wird, die Konstruktion robuster auszuführen, indem in Erwägung gezogen wird, die lange freie Länge des Teils zu dämpfen und einen größeren Übergangsradius für den Bereich vorzusehen, in dem der Riss eingeleitet wurde. Außerdem sollte bei der Montage vermieden werden, das entsprechende Teil zu stark anzuziehen.
About the authors
Boromir Fischer completed a training as State Certified Technical Assistant for Metallography and Physical Material Analysis at Lette-Verein in Berlin. He has worked in the metallographic laboratory of the Siemens Gas Turbine Plant (Siemens-Gasturbinenwerk) Berlin for more than a decade. The key areas of his work are failure analysis and microstructural examinations using the field emission scanning electron microscope
Madeleine Giller Apprenticeship as a materials testing technician at the welding institute SLV Berlin-Brandenburg. After that, she studied materials science at the Berlin Institute of Technology. She graduated with a masters degree in materials science in 2012. Since November 2012 employment as engineer at the Metallography Laboratory of the Siemens Gas Turbine Works in Berlin. She has been appointed laboratory manager within the Berlin Testing Center of the Large Gas Turbine Engineering Group in 2014. Her main fields of expertise comprise failure analysis and microstructural investigations using the field emission scanning electron microscope.
References / Literatur
[1] Neidel, A.; Fischer, B.; Giller, M.: Metallurgical Failure Analysis of … Side Seal Retainer Topic. Internal report BLN MT/2023/0481. Berlin, December 22, 2023.Search in Google Scholar
[2] Neidel, A.; Giller, M.: Material Behaviour of High Temperature Materials – Case Studies on Component Failure Analysis of High Temperature Failures. Keynote lecture, MPA-Seminar, October 10, 2023, Stuttgart, Germany.Search in Google Scholar
[3] Neidel, A.: Interdisziplinäre Schadensanalyse. Kolloquium, Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung, Berlin, 15.03.2023.Search in Google Scholar
[4] Neidel, A.: Bauteilschadensanalyse additiv gefertigter Komponenten – erste Fallstudien. Vortrag 48. VDI-Jahrestagung Schadensanalyse in der Energietechnik, 19. Oktober 2022, Würzburg.Search in Google Scholar
[5] Neidel, A.: Konstrukteurs-Schelte, des Schadenskundlers Lieblingssport. Webinar, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Materialkunde, Juni 2020.Search in Google Scholar
[6] Neidel, A.: Designer Bashing, The Failure Analyst’s Favorite Pastime. Webinar, German Society for Materials, June 2020.Search in Google Scholar
[7] Neidel, A.: Wie einfachste Konstruktionsfehler zu Bauteilschäden führen. Vortrag, Metallo-Treff Berlin, Lette-Verein Berlin, 17.12.2020.Search in Google Scholar
© 2024 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston, Germany
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Articles in the same Issue
- Contents
- Editorial
- Editorial
- 10.1515/pm-2024-0045
- Failure Analysis
- Metallurgical failure investigation of small bore piping (SBP) in a diesel hydrotreating unit (DHT) of an oil refinery
- What if fractography does not tell us anything? – Failure of a side seal retainer
- Do cracked jaws of the four-jaw chuck of a large lathe pose a danger?
- Attracting a new generation to materials science
- Picture of the Month
- Picture of the Month
- People
- Interview with Dr. Volker Hinrichs
- News
- News
- Meeting Diary
- Meeting Diary
