Microstructure analysis in the creep process of a gas turbine blade of the turbine engine

The technical condition of gas turbine blades of the turbine engine has a significant impact on the reliability and life span of the turbine and the entire engine. In order to assess the blades’ technical condition, a visual method, with the use of optoelectronic devices, is used. In order to verify this assessment, metallographic tests are conducted. The paper presents the results of microstructural tests of the turbine rotor blades made of nickel-based monocrystalline super alloys. The aim of these tests was to determine the consequences of impacting high exhaust gas temperature and stresses occurring during operation on the stability of the blade microstructure. The progress level of the blade microstructure changes in the post-operational stage for different sections towards the blade vertical axis and was compared with the blade microstructure on delivery made of the same super alloy. A varied degree of the microstructure degradation for different blade sections was shown. The changes typical of the high-temperature creep process – γ' phase directional growth (rafting), were observed only for the thinnest walls of the upper section of the turbine blade leaf