Siemens gas turbine blades
The 3D-printed components have been tested at 13,000 revolutions per minute and at temperatures beyond 1,250 degrees Celsius
German technology company, Siemens has finished its first full load engine tests for gas turbine blades produced entirely with additive manufacturing.
In what Siemens is considering a ‘breakthrough’, the company has successfully validated multiple additively manufactured turbine blades with a conventional design at full engine conditions. Full engine conditions entail that the components were tested at 13,000 revolutions per minute and at temperatures beyond 1,250 degrees Celsius. Additionally, Siemens tested a new blade design with a completely revised and improved internal cooling geometry manufactured using 3D printing technology.
Siemens’ project team used blades produced at its 3D printing facility at Materials Solutions, the recently acquired company based in Worcester, UK. Materials Solutions offers expertise in high performance parts for high temperature applications in turbomachinery. In these applications, accuracy, surface finish and the materials’ quality are of paramount importance to ensure operational performance of the parts in service. After production was complete, the components were tested at the Siemens testing facility in the industrial gas turbine factory in Lincoln.
Siemens gas turbine blade
"This is a breakthrough success for the use of Additive Manufacturing in the power generation field" - Willi Meixner Siemens Power and Gas CEO.
“This is a breakthrough success for the use of Additive Manufacturing in the power generation field, which is one of the most challenging applications for this technology,” said Willi Meixner, CEO of the Siemens Power and Gas Division. “Additive Manufacturing is one of our main pillars in our digitalisation strategy. The successful tests were the result of a dedicated international project team with contributions from Siemens engineers in Finspang, Lincoln and Berlin together with experts from Materials Solutions.
“In just 18 months they completed the entire chain from component design and AM material development to new methods for lifting simulations and quality controls. With our combined know-how in 3D printing, we will continue to drive the technological development and application in this field.”
The blades were installed in a Siemens SGT-400 industrial gas turbine with a capacity of 13 megawatts. Made out of a powder of high performing polycrystalline superalloy, the AM turbine blades can endure high pressure, hot temperatures and the rotational forces of the turbine’s high speed operation. When running at full load, the turbine blades are travelling at over 1,600 km/h, carrying 11 tonnes, surrounded by gas at 1,250 degrees Celsius and cooled by air at over 400 degrees Celsius.
Made entirely with additive manufacturing techniques, the advanced blade design tested in Lincoln provides improved cooling features that can increase overall efficiency of the Siemens gas turbines.
“This exciting technology is changing the way we manufacture by reducing the lead time for prototype development by up to 90%,” Meixner added. “Siemens is a pioneer in additive manufacturing. We can accelerate the development of new gas turbine designs with an increased efficiency and availability and can bring these advancements faster to our customers. This new flexibility in manufacturing also allows Siemens to develop closer to the customer’s requirements and also to provide spare parts on demand.”
