THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS

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Copyright 01998 by ASME All Rights Reserved Printed in U.S.A.

EFFECTS OF VARIABLE INLET GUIDE VANE SETTINGS ON AXIAL

COMPRESSOR BLADE VIBRATION IN AN INDUSTRIAL GAS TURBINE

Michael Blaswich Derek J Taylor

Design Gasturbines Turbine Engine Instrumentation

GHH BORSIG Turbomaschinen GmbH ROTADATA LTD

Oberhausen, Germany Derby, England

ABSTRACT One part of the up-rating exercise was a study of the vibration
This paper describes an experiment on a GHH BORSIG Type characteristics of the blading and the effect on these of varying vane
THM 1304-10 Gas Turbine engine to test the effects of variable vane settings. (For fundamental aspects of vibration characteristics of
setting on the vibration behaviour of the blades in all 10 stages of the engine blades see Srinivasan (1997).)
axial compressor. The rotor was fitted with a network of strain-gauges.
An analogue telemetry system was arranged using standard hardware
and special application software to display in real-time and to log the
full range of frequencies and amplitudes for all instrumented blades.
The data acquisition system is described together with a presentation
of the live display which allowed engineers to interact with measured
results to maximise the benefits of the test whilst all strain-gauges
were still functional. Tests were arranged to maximise the vibration
data collected at all points before gauge mortality was experienced.
Prior to the test, blades were vibrated statically to determine shapes of
the first four vibration modes. The paper discusses the fixing
techniques for the gauges, the modal shape measurement technique
and the calibration of the strain-gauges. The telemetry system
architecture and multiplexing arrangement are described together with
examples of typical test data and the conclusions concerning the
effects on blade vibration of different variable inlet guide vanes (IGV)
settings.

1.0 INTRODUCTION
The THM 1304-10 industrial gas turbine is a two shaft heavy
duty gas turbine with an output of 9.5 MW (ISO). See Figure 1
GHH BORSIG is currently embarked on developing an up-rated Figure 1: Photograph of THM 1304-10 Engine.
version with improved efficiency and increased power output. An
important part of the programme is to improve compressor The gasturbine essentially consists of a compressor, two external
performance by changes to the aerodynamic and mechanical design of combustion chambers , an HP turbine and a separately supported free
the blading. power turbine. The compressor has 10 axial stages, and a centrifugal
stage. It has one stage of variable IGV's which are automatically

Presented at the International Gas Turbine & Aeroengine Congress & Exhibition
Stockholm, Sweden — June 2-June 5, 1998
This paper has been accepted for publication in the Transactions of the ASME
Discussion of it will be accepted at ASME Headquarters until September 30,1998
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 adjusted according to engine speed. Overall pressure ratio is 10/1 and 3.0 VIBRATION MEASURING SYSTEM
the compressor delivery is via two ducts at the top of the compressor. This consisted of strain-gauges on selected blades on all stages,
Combustion takes place in the two external combustors arranged strain-gauge wiring securely fixed to rotor components, telemetry
at an angle either side of the vertical centre-line. Flue gases at about transmitters/receivers, stationary and rotating antenna, ground station
1000 degrees C. flow through a gas collector into the two stage HP and a data acquisition system. See Figure 2. The blades were separated
turbine to drive the compressor. The separate two stage LP turbine into four groups of 6 blades. See Table 1.
delivers shaft power over a wide speed and performance range for
pumps or compressors, though the THM 1304-10 can also be used for Table 1: Distribution of instrumented blades.
power generation. The engine can be equipped with conventional or
Dry Low NO combustors (Bauermeister et al., 1993). Group Stage Stage Stage Stage Stage Stage
I 1 3 4 6 8 10
II 2 4 5 7 9 10
2.0 REASON FOR TEST III 1 3 4 6 8 10
As a pre-cursor to the up-rating programme, it was necessary to IV 2 4 5 7 9 10
measure the natural frequencies of all blades and to compare these
with the calculated values. Measurements were taken in laboratory and
during operation of a machine on test bench. On test bench, the strain This configuration allowed at least 1 blade from stages 4 and 10
of all blades throughout the whole working range of the compressor to be monitored on continuously.
was recorded. The effect of IGV setting on vibratory behaviour of the The telemetry system consisted of 6 transmitters, multiplexed 4
blades and on compressor surge had to be investigated. Because of the times (to cover a total of 24 strain-gauges) and 2 power modules. See
need to select multiplexed groups of strain-gauges for intermittent Figure 3. The power modules were of the constant current type to
monitoring, it was necessary to design the test to allow all stages to be avoid errors in excitation and reading due to the expected wide
monitored over the complete speed range as quickly as possible, variation of cable temperatures.
whilst initially concentrating on frequencies of special interest so that,
in the event that early gauge mortality was experienced, it would not
impair the gathering of the most important data.

^^_....^ i)
(i ) Room
Data Flow Key Test Cell ^- =
(I) Strain Data ,I
Inductive Power Su p ply With :/
Built-in Generator, Amplifier --I,'
And Scanner Control .;
(dt 510/200 + dt 550)
6 off. single channel (I)
r rg^eivgrs Jdt1121.. ...... .
\ 1 1i ^^.• <;- Frequency .
Tape Recorder
^` 1`, i I ' ^', d RTP-670

(I) (i)

---- , (i)

Transmitter
Caer
rri Attached
Rotating To End Of
10 Stage Compressor Stationary Antenna Antenna Stage 1 Disc i14 r
Located On Engine
Mounting Bracket 2 off - 4 channel
receivers (dt1041)
Approximate Distance
metres Between
ACOulab •
Cell
Cel And
And Control
rol Room :; Test
Rom,Cell Equipment : Computer
---------------J

Figure 2: Schematic Diagram of Strain Measuring System.

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 Figure 3: Photograph of Telemetry Transmitters.
Figure 5: Photograph of Telemetry Antenna.

Anticipated maximum frequency of vibration was 10KHz, which

was very comfortably within the 30KHz specification of performance
offered by the telemetry manufacturer. Switching between sets of 6
channels was manually operated. The time for switching being
0.9 seconds, peak to peak. Transmitters and power modules were
mounted in a specially machined housing fixed to the front of the
compressor shaft. See Figure 4. The stationary and rotating antenna
were custom designed for this application. They were mounted as
shown in the photograph. See Figure 5.

The data acquisition system provided storage and display

facilities for all 24 channels. Special applications software was written
to provide real-time display to the test operator of:
-Vibration Frequency.
-Vibration Amplitude.
-Engine Speed.
More details of the data-acquisition system are given in section 6.0

Figure 4: Photograph of Transmitter Housing. 4.0 VIBRATION TESTING OF BLADES

To obtain most value from the test it was necessary to carry out
some prior static vibration testing of the blades. This entailed
measuring the natural frequency of each blade so that blades of both
high and low frequency could be monitored for engine induced
vibrations. In addition, the modal shapes were measured and
holograms produced for the first four modes of vibration. It was also
necessary to carry out strain-gauge calibrations by measuring strain to
tip deflection ratios for each instrumented blade. The set-up used for
calibration and vibration measurement was as shown in Figure 6.

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 Damping Blanc Bed

Figure 6: Schematic of Blade Calibration set-up.

Vibration testing was done by mounting blades in a fixture with a
very carefully machined dovetail slot and a clamping system which
accurately replicates the centrifugal loading experienced by the blades
at normal operating conditions. Whilst mounted in this way, blades
were lightly struck to excite them at their natural frequency, which
was then measured by a microphone and a frequency analyser.
Modal shape images were created for each blade by exciting the
blades at the first four modal frequencies whilst time averaged
holograms were taken. The holograms were taken using a Newport
thermoplastic camera system, and captured by both photography and a
CCD camera. High definition holograms were taken showing very
good fringe definition. See Figure 7 showing typical modal shapes for
the first stage blade.
Strain-gauge calibration was done by vibrating the instrumented
blades and measuring the ratio of strain to blade tip deflection. Blade
tip deflection was measured by a specially developed technique using
a video image with frame capture capability using pixel counts,
previously calibrated against a range of statically measured positions.
By reference to the finite element analysis of blade stresses, this can
be used to calculate the maximum vibrational stresses within the
blade, even though the strain-gauge was located at a point of only
medium stress. This information is used to determine the high cycle
fatigue life of the aerofoils.

Mode 1: 337 hz Mode 2: 1062 hz Mode 3: 1437 hz Mode 4: 2288 hz

Figure 7: Typical Modal Shape Measurement.

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 5.0. INSTRUMENTATION OF THE ENGINE
The application of the instrumentation was designed to provide a
practical assembly procedure whilst preserving the integrity of the
gauges and the cabling against very high centrifugal stresses induced
by engine rotation. Temperature of blading varied from ambient to
about 315 degrees C. On the higher temperature blades, it was
necessary to use ceramic cement applied by flame spraying
techniques. Well established techniques for protecting junctions and
cable routing to minimise centrifugal stresses were used. Cables were
clipped using stainless shim 0,12 thick. Figure 8 shows a typical
instrumented blade and Figure 9 shows the general arrangement of the
rotor instrumentation.
strain-gauge
Figure 8: Photograph of Blade Instrumentation
Figure 9: General Arrangement of Rotor Instrumentation.
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Because the frequency of dynamic strain was of principal
interest, there was no need to compensate for temperature effect on
strain levels and no attempt was made to do so.
6.0 DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEM
Figure 2 shows the schematic of the data acquisition system
which comprised a Gould AcQulab unit capable of logging data from
up to 16 channels with varying sample rates up to 200,000 per
channel. The Gould unit was set to monitor the four groups of 6
strain-gauges which at any one time were selected by the telemetry
multiplexing system. Sampling rate was 30 kHz.
Engine speed, raw strain readings (in milli-volts and micro-
strain ), blade vibration frequency as well as IGV setting were all
recorded. Real-time display of each blade's vibration frequency and
strain readings were possible, an FFT frequency analyser being used
to show blade vibration frequency as an oscilloscope wave form.
These parameters were also stored on a local PC floppy disc for post
processing. Raw data of dynamic strain were stored on tape for post
test analysis and processing.
7.0 TEST AND MEASURING SCHEDULE
7.1 Continuous monitoring
The first test run was used for vibration monitoring of the first
group of blades during constant acceleration of the machine from idle
speed (8500 RPM) up to maximum speed (12000 RPM). The
acceleration rate was nearly 200 RPM/min. After reaching of the
maximum speed, the speed was decreased at the same rate back to idle
 speed. After switching the monitoring system over to the second
group of blades, this test was repeated with the same acceleration
rates. No change of monitoring group was made during the
acceleration and deceleration runs, in order to get a complete
collection of data for all speeds. During these tests, the machine was
operated with the automatic guide vane control.
7.2 Monitoring of different IGV-settings
For the next series of tests, the machine was run with manual
guide vane control. For different speeds, the IGV settings were
changed and the frequency and amplitude of vibration of all blades
were recorded at all IGV settings.
8.0 TEST RESULTS
8.1 Strain-gauge measuring system
During all tests, the strain-gauge measuring system operated
without any problem. All strain-gauges worked during the whole tests
without failure.
The integration of the new telemetry system into the existing data
aquisition system of the test cell, consisting of Gould AcQulab
computer, RTP-670 tape recorder and frequency analyser, was without
malfunctions.
8.2 Strain measurement results
The continuous monitoring tests (described in section 7.1)
allowed to produce waterfall plots of all blades. One waterfall plot for
Blade 1, based on data taken during the first startup with blade-
group I, is shown in Figure 10.
The measurements showed, that the maximum strain, that
occurred on the blades, is lower than 18% of the maximum allowable
strain.
The typical strain on all blades during operation of the machine is
lower than 8% of the allowable level.
During the full operating range of the compressor, no excitation
of the natural frequencies of the blades caused by the quantities of
guide vanes was found.
The influence of the IGV-Settings on blade vibration, which was
investigated in the speed range from 8500 RPM to 12000 RPM is
typically smaller than +/- 2% of the allowable strain. Figure 11 shows
the results for Blade I.

10:24:52 11966
10:23:57 11804
10:23:08 11599
10:21:57 11402
!0:21:22 11306
10:20:19 11102
10:19:06 10898
10:18:11 10704
10:17:04 10501
10:16;40 10399
10:1$8• 10202
10:15:45 10003

a
10:14:55 9798 -J
10:14:00
10:13:04 9500
10:12:44 9300
10:12:17 9098
10:11:13 8898
10:10:21 8702
10:07: 8496 rpm
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000
200 H.r Fdlv

Figure 10: Waterfall plot of Stage I Blade.

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 Blade I

1oc

5(

L
c

to
0
a
a 10
0
x
^ili^s■^^■n^a^^^i^^^ir
5
H

1 %-
8000 8500 9000 9500 10000 10500 11000 11500 12000
GG SPEED I1 / min.]

Figure 11: Relative Strain of Blade I versus GG Speed.

9.0 CONCLUSIONS
The strain-gauge measuring system worked through the whole
test period absolutely satisfactorily. No problems of strain-gauge
mortality occurred.
The interaction between the telemetry system and the existing
data acquisition system of the GHH BORSIG test cell was without any
problem.
The test results show, that the behavior of the THM compressor
is absolutely without any critical operating point, so that the up-rating-
modifications can be used on the compressor without any restrictions
for the machine.

10.0 REFERENCES
Bauermeister, K. J., Schetter, B. and Mohr, K. D., 1993,
,,A 9.25 MW Industrial Gas Turbine with extreme Low Dry No and
CO Emissions", ASME 93-GT-307.
Srinivasan, A. V., 1997, „Flutter and Resonant Vibration
Characteristics of Engine Blades", ASME 97-GT-533.

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