Nonlinear Dynamic Analyses of a Gas Turbine Blade for Attainment of Reliable Shroud Coupling

The major objective of this paper is to evaluate a stand-point for integral shroud coupling, regarding the complex problem of nonlinear resonance vibrations of a shrouded blade with friction and impact effects. Following the load sequence in the start-up and further uploading to base load, a nonlinear cyclic FE static computation with friction forces at the shroud interface delivers contact stress results essential for assessment of a reliable shroud coupling. The FE refinement study at the shroud interface proves the reliability of the computed eigenfrequencies with respect to the harmonic engine excitation. Using nonlinear dynamic simulations of the shroud connection with friction forces, contact stiffness, surface roughness and impacts, the decoupling between the static and dynamic motions at the shroud interface is demonstrated. Based on the one-dimensional description of vibration characteristics for the shrouded blade, the resulting normal and tangential contact stiffness are evaluated from the computed 3D FE nodal diameter diagrams. The excitation forces acting on the blade are determined with the stimulus concept, in which an empirical factor is estimated from pulsation measured in the combustor chamber over the frequency range of the blade vibrations. The entire process is illustrated for the redesigned Z-lock interface on the shroud of a gas turbine stage whose contact surfaces had shown fretting problems. The numerical results confirm possible contact failures for the old shroud configuration. The blade calculated with the modified shroud connection shows numerically, stable dynamic behavior and will therefore prevent further fretting contact problems.