Reliability of Turbine Blades in Wet Steam Conditions

Blades of steam turbine are the most important element of energetic systems. Blades failure leads to various exploitation problems, efficiency decrease and economical losses, at all. The present research deals with study on erosion mechanisms in a low pressure stage of an industrial steam turbine. Aerodynamic behavior and efficiency of energy conversion, trajectories of water particles, reasons for occurrence of erosion wear and erosion of certain parts of the streamlined surfaces, are established and discussed. An approach to obtain incidence time to erosion appearance is implemented. Developed methodology and obtained results are applicable to determine erosion effects on streamed complex surfaces, to consider approaches to lower wetness in condensation turbines and prolong the reliability of blades operated in wet steam conditions.