Structural life assessment of turbomachinery components

The development of a life assessment analysis procedure is described for turbomachines in the Engine Test Facility (ETF) of the U. S. Air Force, Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC). Both the crack initiation and retirement-for-cause (RFC) approaches for life assessment analysis were evaluated for ETF turbomachines. The RFC approach was selected, and the fracture mechanics analysis code BIGIF was acquired for use with the analysis procedure. The life assessment analysis procedure is described in detail along with a demonstration case using an ETF plant exhauster compressor. Also described is the exhauster test program in which operational test data were acquired for the life assessment analysis of a first stage exhauster blade. A prototype noninterference blade-tip deflection measurement system developed at AEDC was used for the exhauster test program.