ENERGY SERVICES ENGINEERING TIL 1576

PRODUCT SERVICE 28 JUNE 2007

Compliance Category – S
Timing Code - 5

TECHNICAL INFORMATION LETTER

GAS TURBINE ROTOR INSPECTIONS
APPLICATION
All frame 3001, 3002, 5001, 5002, E-Class, and FA-class gas turbines.
PURPOSE
Recognizing that all components of high technology equipment have a finite life and in efforts to continuously enhance
reliability and availability of customer’s gas turbines, GE is further communicating its existing rotor life management
recommendations. This life management methodology is similar to the practices employed with GE’s Aviation engines.
Upon reaching recommended inspection intervals, compressor and turbine rotors should be disassembled and
thoroughly inspected to detect possible wheel forging discontinuities or other service related damage. Such
discontinuities or damage may develop into cracks of a critical size as a result of repeated cyclic loading. Under
continued operation such critical flaws could lead to a turbine wheel failure, which, in addition to resulting in extensive
damage to the turbine, may also result in substantial damage to adjacent equipment and in serious injury to any
nearby personnel.

Compliance Category
O - Optional Identifies changes that may be beneficial to some, but not necessarily all,
operators. Accomplishment is at customer's discretion.
M - Maintenance Identifies maintenance guidelines or best practices for reliable equipment
operation.
C - Compliance Required Identifies the need for action to correct a condition that, if left uncorrected,
may result in reduced equipment reliability or efficiency. Compliance may be
required within a specific operating time.
A - Alert Failure to comply with the TIL could result in equipment damage or facility
damage. Compliance is mandated within a specific operating time.
S – Safety Failure to comply with this TIL could result in personal injury. Compliance is
mandated within a specific operating time.

Timing Code
1 Prior to Unit Startup / Prior to Continued Operation (forced outage condition)
2 At First Opportunity (next shutdown)
3 Prior to Operation of Affected System
4 At First Exposure of Component
5 At Scheduled Component Part Repair or Replacement
6 Next Scheduled Outage
7 Optional

COPYRIGHT 2007 GE
The information published in this Technical Information Letter is offered to you by GE in consideration of its ongoing sales and service relationship
with your organization. However, since the operation of your plant involves many factors not within our knowledge, and since operation of the plant
is in your control and ultimate responsibility for its continuing successful operation rests with you, GE specifically disclaims any responsibility for
liability based on claims for damage of any type, i.e. direct, consequential or special that may be alleged to have been incurred as result of applying
this information regardless of whether it is claimed that GE is strictly liable, in breach of contract, in breach of warranty, negligent, or is in other
respects responsible for any alleged injury or damage sustained by your organization as a result of applying this information.
This Technical Information Letter contains proprietary information of the General Electric Company, USA and is furnished to its customer solely to
assist that customer in the installation, testing, operation and/or maintenance of the equipment described. This document shall not be reproduced in
whole or in part nor shall its contents be disclosed to any third party without the written approval of GE Energy Services Engineering.
 TIL 1576

BACKGROUND DISCUSSION
A gas turbine’s risk of failure increases the longer it is in
service as a result of normal wear and tear of
components in the system. Exceeding the serviceable
life of the rotor system can lead to a wheel failure that
causes extensive damage to the gas turbine. This
event can also potentially lead to substantial damage
to adjacent equipment and serious injury to any nearby
personnel.
GER 3620 (Heavy-Duty Gas Turbine Operating and
Maintenance Considerations) requires that a rotor
inspection be performed at specific intervals
recommended by GE. These intervals are set forth in
GER 3620 (revision F or later) or through Technical
Information Letters (TILs). Where specific intervals have
not been defined, rotor inspection should be performed
at 5,000 factored starts or 200,000 factored hours.
hours for frame 3 and 5 units and up to 50,000 hours
for E-class units that have not passed their starts-
based interval limits as defined in GER 3620, after
which the rotor must be retired. Extensions are under
evaluation for FA class units. Currently, there are no life
extensions available for units that reach their starts-
based interval limit.
A review of the unit records of the turbine should be
conducted to determine if the limits set forth in GER
3620 or as otherwise recommended in TILs are being
approached or have been exceeded. In this case,
contact your GE Service Representative for service
options.
PLANNING INFORMATION
Compliance
• Compliance Category: S
• Timing Code: 5

The inspection referenced in GER 3620 is defined as a Manpower Skills

complete disassembly of the rotor so that a thorough Field service support to remove and install rotor
analysis of the rotor components in both the
compressor and turbine sections can be performed. It Parts
should be expected that some rotor components will N/A
require replacement at this inspection point and
depending on the extent of refurbishment and part Special Tooling
replacement, subsequent inspections may be required N/A
at a reduced interval.
Reference Documents
Failure to perform these inspections leaves the gas GER3620 Rev F or later
turbine at greater risk for failure. Exceeding the
http://www.gepower.com/prod_serv/products/tech_do
serviceable life of the rotor system can lead to a wheel
cs/en/downloads/ger3620k.pdf
failure that causes extensive damage to the gas
turbine. This event can also potentially lead to TILs 471, 498, 1018, 1253, and 1254
substantial damage to adjacent equipment and serious
injury to any nearby personnel. Previous Modifications
N/A
RECOMMENDATIONS
Scope of Work
GE has defined inspection programs for rotors reaching Shop time is greatly impacted by current demand.
the teardown inspection intervals defined in GER 3620. Scheduling the time for inspection well in advance of
Numerous techniques are required to fully inspect a the outage will assist shop planning. Scheduling for
gas turbine rotor for both surface connected and sub- shop time for inspections, refurbishment and
surface defects. These inspections, which include replacement will depend on rotor type but is likely to be
magnetic particle, eddy current and ultrasonic a minimum of eight (8) weeks.
techniques, should be performed in a GE service center
where the GE inspection team uses proprietary Contact your local GE Service Manager or Contract
algorithms to identify potential sub-surface defects Performance Manager for assistance or for
that may have grown during operation. The inspection additional information.
results can be combined with design analysis and
specific turbine operating histories to provide NOTE: If you would like to receive future TILs by email,
recommendations for rotor refurbishment, contact your local GE I&FS Service Manager or Contract
replacement and continued service. Depending upon Performance Manager for assistance.
the condition of the rotor at the inspection, one hours-
based life extension may be possible for up to 100,000

COPYRIGHT 2007 GE
This Technical Information Letter contains proprietary information of the General Electric Company, USA and is furnished to its customer solely to
assist that customer in the installation, testing, operation and/or maintenance of the equipment described. This document shall not be reproduced in
whole or in part nor shall its contents be disclosed to any third party without the written approval of GE Energy Services Engineering.
Page 2 of 4
 TIL 1576

TIL COMPLIANCE RECORD

Compliance with this TIL must be entered in local records. GE requests that the customer notify GE upon compliance of
this TIL.
Complete the following TIL Compliance Record and FAX it to:
TIL Compliance
FAX: (678) 844-3451
Toll free FAX: 1-888-896-TILS (1-888-896-8457)

TIL COMPLIANCE RECORD For Internal Records Only #

Site Name: Customer Name:
Customer Contact Information GE Contact Information
Contact Name: Contact Name:
Address: Address:

Email: Email:
Phone: Phone:
FAX: FAX:
Turbine Serial Number(s):

INSTALLED EQUIPMENT TIL Completed Date:

100% TIL Completed:
Description:

Unit Numbers: Part Description: Part Number MLI Number

Comments:

NOTE: If there are any redlined drawings that pertain to this TIL implementation, please FAX the drawings along with
this TIL Compliance Record.
FAX this form to: TIL Compliance
FAX: (678) 844-3451
Toll free FAX: 1-888-896-TILS (1-888-896-8457)

COPYRIGHT 2007 GE
This Technical Information Letter contains proprietary information of the General Electric Company, USA and is furnished to its customer solely to
assist that customer in the installation, testing, operation and/or maintenance of the equipment described. This document shall not be reproduced in
whole or in part nor shall its contents be disclosed to any third party without the written approval of GE Energy Services Engineering.
Page 3 of 4
 TIL 1576

USER SATISFACTION SURVEY

GE values your opinions and comments.

GE requests that you complete the User Satisfaction Survey below to help us better serve you with accurate and timely
information on your equipment.

Complete the following User Satisfaction Survey and FAX it to:

TIL Survey
GE Product Service
FAX: (678) 844-6737
Toll free FAX: 1-866-604-2668

USER SATISFACTION SURVEY

Serial Number: Date:

1. How many days after TIL issue date did you receive this TIL?

1 - 5 days 6 - 10 days + 10 days

NOTE: If you would like to receive future TILs by email, contact your local GE Energy Services representative for assistance.
Rate the following based on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is Excellent and 5 is Poor.

2. Please rate how well this document informed you of the technical issue.

1 2 3 4 5

3. Please rate the overall effectiveness of this TIL.

1 2 3 4 5

Comments / Suggestions:

FAX this form to: TIL Survey

Product Service
FAX: (678) 844-6737
Toll free FAX: 1-866-604-2668

COPYRIGHT 2007 GE
This Technical Information Letter contains proprietary information of the General Electric Company, USA and is furnished to its customer solely to
assist that customer in the installation, testing, operation and/or maintenance of the equipment described. This document shall not be reproduced in
whole or in part nor shall its contents be disclosed to any third party without the written approval of GE Energy Services Engineering.
Page 4 of 4