Life-Cycle Cost Reduction for High Speed Turbomachinery Utilizing Aerothermal - Mechanical Conditioning Monitoring Techniques

The Life Cycle Costs (LCC) for high performance, centrifugal and axial flow turbomachinery such as gas turbines, compressors and pumps is very strongly influenced by fuel (energy) consumption and by maintenance costs. Additionally, the penalty costs associated with non-availability and catastrophic failure can be of the utmost severity especially when these units are in critical service. Consequently, any system which can help in increasing the thermodynamic efficiency, reducing maintenance costs and minimizing the probability of catastrophic failure would have a very significant impact on LCC. This paper discusses the concept of combined mechanical (vibration) and aero thermal (process flows, pressures, temperatures, speeds) monitoring which would provide a means of fuel optimization, incipient failure detection, and the prognosis and diagnosis of operating problems. Trending techniques which would permit predictive planned maintenance are also discussed