Compared with worldwide standards, Japan's electric power industry provides high quality electricity with relatively short blackouts. To ensure more rational and effective use of existing electric power transmission and distribution facilities, CRIEPI undertakes comprehensive development of diagnostic technologies for facilities and equipment, and reliability evaluation technologies for electrical power systems. We also develop applications for long-term effective utilization of facilities.

We are also developing numerical analysis models to estimate the temperature distribution of the gas turbine blades in power stations. We are also working on verification testing of the economical, easy-to-use ultrasonic defect detection method (SPOD method) for commercial applications.

Life assessment of gas turbine blades based on temperature and stress analyses

Gas turbine blades used in combined cycle gas turbine thermal power stations rotate in the high-speed combustion gas. In addition, complex air-cooling paths are built into these parts. For these reasons, temperature measurement of actual blades in operation is extremely difficult. By simulating the flow and heat transfer of the blades, including the blade cooling, and the stress distribution, it has become possible to make accurate predictions of operating temperatures, and in turn, of the degradation/remaining life of blades used at high temperatures.