RESEARCH: Steam Turbines and Low Plasticity Burnishing

Author:  The Shot Peener Staff
Source:  The Shot Peener magazine, Vol 33, Issue 3, Summer 2019
Doc ID:  2019035
Year of Publication:  2019
Abstract:  
Turbines provide 80% of the world’s electricity. Repeated exposure to high vibratory stresses and extreme steam environments leads to stress corrosion cracking and fatigue failure in steam turbine blades. The use of welding and replacement parts in these turbines results in 50% of reoccurring failures, costing millions for each occurrence. Low Plasticity Burnishing (LPB®) extends component life and reduces costs by imparting a deep, stable layer of designed compression into the high-stress areas of steam turbine blades. How do we know this?