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ISSN: 2249- 9482

STRESS AND DISPLACEMENT ANALYSIS OF TURBINE

WITH STAINLESS STEEL ROTOR BLADE MATERIAL
Devendra A. Patel*
Milap M. Madhikar**
Krunal A. Chaudhari***

ABSTRACT
The stress and displacement analysis of the rotor blade of any turbomachine in the field of
design played a very important roll. Due to the advantages of its diversity and flexibility as an
analysis tool, FE analysis in the field of engineering it is widely used as simulation tool.
Rotor blade is the very critical component in the field of turbo machines. The major cause of
break down is due to different loadings such as fluid or gas forces, inertia load, centrifugal
forces are acting on the turbo machines rotor blades. Hence, the proper mechanical design of
the turbo machine blade plays an important role in the proper functioning of the turbo
machine. Due to complicated shape of the blade it is not possible to calculate the stresses of
rotor blade using analytical method. Hence I-DEAS, a solid modeling & a finite element
package is used to calculate the stresses for complex geometry of rotor blades. The stress
analysis is performed to determine the critical section as well as the stressing pattern.
The paper describes the stress analysis and displacement analysis of axial flow impulse
turbine using software I-DEAS with stainless steel rotor blade material. Initial studies
focused on the modeling, mashing and physics definition of the problem. The results were
analyzed for rotor and found location of several critical sections subjected to high stress
concentration. Also found the effect of stress on various rotor speeds on rotor blade material.
Keywords: Introduction to FEM, Introduction to FEA software, Problem Definition &
Present Work, Modeling And Meshing, Boundary Conditions, Analysis Results
*Assistant Professor, CGPIT-Bardoli-394350, Uka Tarsadiya University
**Assistant Professor, Government Engineering College, Valsad-396001,
***Assistant Professor, F.E.T.R., Isroli-Afwa, Bardoli-394620,
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1. INTRODUCTION TO FEM
The finite element method is a numerical analysis technique for obtaining approximate
solutions to a wide variety of engineering problems. Although originally developed to study
stresses in complex airframe structure, it has since been extended and applied to the broad
field of continuum mechanics. The finite element method has become a powerful tool for the
numerical solution of a wide range of engineering problems. Applications range from
deformation and stress analysis of automotive, aircraft, building, and bridge structures to field
analysis of heat flux, fluid flow, magnetic flux, seepage, and other flow problems.
The finite element method includes with three basic features that account for its superiority
over other competing methods:
Geometrically complex domain of the problem is represented as a function of
geometrically simple sub domains called finite elements.
Over each finite element the approximation, functions are derived using the basic
idea that any continuous function can be represented by a linear combination of
algebraic polynomials.
Algebraic relations among the undetermined co efficient are obtained by satisfying
the governing equation often in a weighted integral sense over each element.

2. INTRODUCTION TO FEA SOFTWARE

The software, which is used for the modeling and analysis, is I-DEAS 10NX series. It has
variety of modules for different tasks. For FEA the simulation module of the programme is
used. Finite element programme divides the element into a grid of elements which form a
model of the real structure. Each of the elements is a simple shape for which finite element
program has information to write the governing equations in the form of a stiffness matrix.
The unknowns for each element are the displacements at the node points. The FE program
will assemble the stiffness matrix for these simple elements together to form the global
stiffness matrix for the entire model, which is solved for the unknown displacements, given
the known forces and boundary conditions. From the displacements at the nodes, the stresses
in each element can be calculated.
A finite element is derived by assuming a form of the equation for internal strains. The
equilibrium equation between external forces and the nodal displacements can be written.
There will be one equation for each degree of freedom for each node for the element. These
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equations are most conveniently written in matrix form for use in a computer algorithm. The
matrix of the coefficients becomes a stiffness matrix that relates forces to displacements.
3. STEPS IN FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS USING THE SOFTWARE
Finite element analysis follows basically three phases to solve any type of physical problem.
3.1 Pre-processing
It includes the entire process of developing the geometry of a finite element model, defining
physical and material properties, describing the boundary conditions and loads, and checking
the quality of meshed model.
3.2 Solution method
This phase can be performed in the Model Solution task of the simulation application, or in
an equivalent external finite element solver. Model Solution can solve for linear and Nonlinear static, dynamics, buckling, heat transfer, and potential flow analysis problems.
3.3 Post-processing
It involves display, visualization and interpretation of analysis results as: Displacement,
stress, strain energy, temperature, thermal stress, heat flow etc. and comparing these results
with failure criteria imposed on the design such as maximum deflection allowed and the
material static and fatigue yield strengths etc.

4. PROBLEM DEFINITION & PRESENT WORK

The present work includes the stress and displacement analysis of axial flow impulse turbine
subjected to centrifugal stresses due to rotational speed. I-DEAS, a solid modeling & a finite
element package are used to calculate the stresses and displacement for complex geometry of
rotor blades. Stress and displacement analysis can be viewed by postprocessor phase of
I-DEAS.

5. MODELLING AND MESHING

The geometry is drafted based on the dimensions of geometric design parameters. The basic
data have been collected from test setup built by Dr. Hemant J. Nagarsheth[2]. Solid modeling
of axial turbine with 33 numbers of rotor blades with hub and shaft is shown in figure 1.
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Fig. 1 Solid modeling of axial flow impulse turbine

For the analysis modeling the rotor with one blade geometry 3-dimensionally is selected then
meshed properly to divide it into elements and nodes. Quality checks and mesh optimization
for elements were also performed taking into consideration of aspect ratio, distortion, stretch.
Geometric models of axial turbine components are given below which is modeled in I-DEAS
software. The digital images of components & assembly are shown in figure 2&3.

Fig 2 Geometry model of

Fig 3 Fe Model with Meshing

one blade rotor

Structural boundary conditions apply namely displacement restraints on the front and rear
face of the shaft bore edges of rotor, while angular velocity on rotor blade model as

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shown in figure 4. Rotational speed of axial rotor = 2000 rpm to 10000 rpm. Material
properties are tabulated in table 1.

Fig. 4 Axial flow impulse turbine rotor blade

With boundary conditions on it

Table 1 Material Properties

MATERIAL PROPERTIES

S.S 310A

DENSITY(Kg/m3)

8027

MODULUS OF
ELASTICITY(E)N/mm2

206800

POISSONS RATIO()

0.29

YIELD STRESS(N/mm2)

586.054

6. ANALYSIS RESULTS
The results obtained are presented in the form of counter maps and profiles of radial
elongation, mechanical stresses on blade surface for the rotor blade of axial flow impulse
turbine.

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Fig 5 Stress and Displacement Analysis Results On

Axial Flow Impulse Turbine Rotor Blade

Above figure 5 displays the stresses developed for the SS 310A rotor blade material
considering a speed of 10000 rpm. Similar steps were performed to calculating the stresses at
different speed ranging from 2000 rpm to 10000 rpm with an increment at speed of 2000
rpm. Results are tabulated in table 2.

Table 2 Maximum Stresses And Max. Displacement

At Various Speeds for SS 310 A
SPEED

MAX. DISPLACEMENT

(rpm)

(mm)

2000

0.003

4000

0.014

6000

0.031

8000

0.055

10000

0.085

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Graph 1 Maximum Stress for SS 310 A

Rotor at Various Speeds

MAX. STRESS (N/mm2)

60
50
40
30
20
10

0
2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

SPEED (rpm)

Graph 2 Max. Displacement at Various Speeds for SS 310 A

7. DISCUSSION ON RESULTS
Deformation and stress results are discussed as bellows:
1. Maximum deformation is observed rotor tip section and minimum deformation at the hub.
2. Maximum stresses are observed at blade section of rotor blade.
3. The vonmises stresses are found to be in safe limit.
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4. Maximum stress developed at maximum speed of 10000 rpm for SS 310 A is

less than the yield value of 115 N/mm2, so it can be considered as safe.
5. Maximum displacement developed at maximum speed of 10000 rpm for SS 310 A is
0.085mm.
6. Location of several critical sections subjected to high stress concentration causing failure
of rotor blade is found at the joint of the hub and the blade (typically where the area is going
to change).
7. Also from the graph 1&2 it is clearly seen that as the speed of rotor is increased the stress
and displacement also increases.
8. CONCLUSION
The analyzed results intimated several critical blade regions (particularly joint between rotor
blade and hub) which are highly stressed causing blade failure so that joint requires much
attention and careful determination. As the blade vibration is also a cause of failure in many
cases, the determination of natural frequencies and mode shapes is also of paramount
importance. The designer should take care of dynamic forces such that the frequencies of
these must be away from those of the rotor blades to avoid resonance, which is an undesirable
phenomenon. The vonmises stresses are found to be in safe for axial flow impulse turbine.
Also as the speed of rotor is increased the stress and displacement also increases so for the
high speed rotor much attention is required for material selection.

9. REFERENCES
1. R.Chandrupatla & A.D.Belenguru, Introduction to Finite Elements in Engineering,
Prentice- Hall of India Ltd, New Delhi
2. Dr. Hemant J. Nagarsheth, Analysis, Design And Experimental Investigations Of
Exhaust Based Gas Turbine Driven Air conditioning unit for an automobile, Ph.D theses,
SVNIT Surat, 2006
3. I-DEAS 10NX SERIES, an EDS company.

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