Blast Cleaning Steam Turbine Diaphragms

Author:  The Shot Peener Staff
Source:  The Shot Peener magazine, Vol 33, Issue 3, Summer 2019
Doc ID:  2019036
Year of Publication:  2019
Abstract:  
MARKET: Power Generation APPLICATION: Refurbishing steam turbine diaphragms using abrasive blast cleaning THE CHALLENGE: A major supplier to the power generation industry wanted to automate the refurbishing of steam turbine diaphragms using abrasive blast cleaning. The existing process of manually blasting the diaphragms with a worker in a blast booth was labor intensive and time consuming. Part size and configuration would make automation difficult, however, as the diaphragms ranged in size from 4" to 90" in diameter and each part had many different faces. In addition, the parts had already been in service and extreme care was needed to ensure that the proper amount of material was removed. Each surface required a precise amount of blasting to bring it back to original specifications. An even bigger challenge was the fact that parametric programming would be required to segment the blast areas; however, 3-D CAD models of the parts did not exist.