Author(s): Martin Gagnon; Quang Hung Pham; Pierre-Antony Deschenes

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Keywords: No Keywords

Abstract: Optimization of turbine startup is becoming a standard procedure to maximize the life expectancy of turbine runner blades and minimize their risk of cracking. However, assessing the gain in potential remaining useful life (RUL) resulting from such optimization is not trivial. Optimization usually minimizes blade strain range during the startup phase, but the startup is only a fraction of the typical loading generated from a complete start-to-stop cycle. This paper compares the estimated RUL of a turbine runner blade using observed data from a measurement campaign and after optimization using virtual sensors for a large Francis runner currently in operation at Hydro-Quebec to highlight the methods and approach needed for such estimates.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1561/1/012031

Year: 2025