Surface fatigue microcracks in turbocompressor blades of a turboshaft engine

Anotace: Rescue and military helicopters are sometimes exposed to extraordinary operating conditions. Such loading can cause non-standard fatigue defects with very specific types of failure. Failure of a turbocompressor blade during a flight results in an inoperative power unit, leading to a very probable catastrophic scenario. This paper deals with fatigue microcracks of one of the widely used nickel alloys, ZS6K, operated in helicopter turboshaft power units. Despite its widespread use, fracture mechanics and the crack growth rate data are not well known. This knowledge gap exists for historical reasons, as early design practices were based largely on extensive ground and flight testing. Zobrazit více »