Thermomechanical Analysis of FGM-Coated Centrifugal Blades of Gas Turbine Using Finite Element Method

Abstract

With their special airfoil geometry, the blades adopted in hot section of gas turbines are highly susceptible to the damages induced by extreme thermal and mechanical stresses. The blades are usually made of super expensive super alloys. The present paper is an attempt to investigate the feasibility of using Functionally Graded Material (FGM) for the blades, and to study thermomechanical behavior of FGM blades and the influence of exponential function parameters on such behavior. On this basis, beginning with modeling the blades adopted in hot section of a gas turbine and applying centrifugal and high-temperature conditions developed as the gas flow hits the blade, the strain resulted under such conditions and the changes in FGM properties along the blade thickness upon varying different parameters were studied using finite element method. The results indicated that, FGM coatings, as compared to homogeneous material, can appropriately control the blade behavior under particular temperature conditions.