"Failure Investigation of Gas Turbines: Techniques and Case Studies"

Saturday, June 12, 2010
Scottish Exhibition & Conference Center
Glasgow

Overview and Objective
To enable participants to:

• Gain an understanding techniques and methods used to perform failure analysis
• Understand the failure modes and materials degradation mechanism affecting gas turbine components such as thermal fatigue, creep etc.
• Discuss operational failures and what can be learned from carrying out failure analysis scientific calculator to the class.

Key Features
Discover the methodologies used in determining failure causes

• Understand the knowledge that can be gained from on-site and laboratory investigations
• Learn how materials, manufacturing and in-service created defects can promote failure
• Become familiar with common causes of turbine component failures using real life examples

Presenters
Dr. Maxine Watson Maxine is General Manager, Materials Engineering for Quest Reliability Ltd. She began her career in the nuclear industry with the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority and has held several senior positions in AEA Technology and ESR Technology including Head of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering for the National Centre of Tribology in the UK. Maxine has over 27 years experience working with the Power Industry specializing in life assessment, root cause failure diagnosis, failure prevention and remediation, specializing in the reliability of rotating equipment. She provides independent advice and expert reports for legal and insurance cases, loss adjusters and for other investigatory bodies, including Government Health and Safety Executives and Defense Organizations. Maxine has a proven track record in delivering benefits to industry from research projects. She has devised and managed several multimillion pound research programs aimed at improving the service life and reliability of rotating machinery including four, multi-industry client programs on the industrial applications of coatings and surface treatments. She has recently completed a three year joint industry program on gas turbine life assessment and asset management as part of the Australian CIEAM initiative. Maxine is the Chair of the Gas Turbine Users Forum in Australia/New Zealand and also Chairs and presents at industry events including Asia Powertech, Asia Gas Turbines and the Australia Gas Turbines User Conference. Maxine devises and presents training courses and workshops for IIR Australia and ibc Asia.
Dr. Michael B. Henderson Michael is a Principal Consultant for Quest Reliability Ltd and leads the gas and steam turbine team. He specializes in providing life management support to a number of power and petrochemical operators. Projects include remnant life assessment of fracture critical and hot gas path parts, numerous failure investigations, specification of repair and overhaul techniques and on-site inspections of turbine machinery. Before joining Quest Reliability, Michael worked for ALSTOM Power Turbo Systems and the Defense Evaluation and Research Agency in England, specializing in the performance of high temperature nickel and steel alloys and coatings utilized in steam and gas turbines. Michael is a Chartered Engineer with B. Met (Hons) and DPhil in Materials Science and is a Fellow of the Institute of Mining, Minerals and Materials. Michael specializes in life assessment methodologies and materials properties for high temperature plant, in particular steam and gas turbines. He also has extensive knowledge of mechanical testing, thermo mechanical fatigue, creep and plastic deformation, fracture mechanics & fatigue, solidification, manufacturing processes & surface engineering. Michael has wide experience of conducting new and service exposed parts assessments, failure investigations as well as test and materials laboratory management. He has many years experience of the use of optical and electron microscopy (TEM, EBSP and SEM) techniques and X-ray crystallography.