Service-like TMF tests for the validation and assessment of a creep-fatigue life procedure developed for GT blades and vanes

Abstract The evolution of the energy production market is responsible for more demanding conditions in terms of thermo-mechanical fatigue (TMF) for GT critical components. In fact, daily cycling is generally conducted by plant owners to feed the market when the request is higher or when renewable energy sources are absent or weak. TMF benchmark tests have been exploited to assess and validate a creep-fatigue lifing procedure developed for two Ni based superalloys applied on the most critical GT blade and vane of an F-class power plant. The TMF cycles have been defined on the basis of start-up/shut-down transient FE simulations for three case studies. For one of the studied components, the effect of the metallic coating on life reduction has been evaluated. The TMF benchmark tests results have been compared to field feedback from real components in order to further validate the whole creep-fatigue life procedure.