Turbine Health Assessment: Impact Testing

Rapid turbine blade impact testing to identify cracked blades using natural frequency shifts.

A simple hammer impact will excite the natural frequencies of the turbine blade. The blade will ring with its unique frequencies those are closely related to its physical conditions. Cracks/Flaws will shift the blade natural frequencies. It is a simple and fast way to identify cracked turbine blades. Similar testing could identify blade group frequencies (axial, tangential and twisting) to avoid resonance conditions of new and retrofitted turbines.