Aspects of remnant life assessment in old steam turbines

Abstract

In order to get a high operation availability and to stablish a maintenance and spares management strategy capable of develop the life extension of steam turbines, is essential suitable assessment of aging damage and remnant life for most relevant parts.

According with machine integity inspection results, life consumption and estimated remnant life results, future maintenance plans, equipment and even big components renewal, will be carried out in basis of efficience assessments data to get optimal safety, availability, reliability and efficiency operating conditions.

Therefore, in order to get these objectives, is essential to know the main aging deterioration mechanisms and realize how are affecting to different turbine components.

Only a few of all failure mechanisms that can happen in steam turbines affect directly to aging deterioration of components, and are produced by the effect of high temperatures kept for long time periods, as well as the sudden variations of these temperatures.