Investigation of the causes of crack origination in the inner casing of NK-86 gas turbine engine combustion chamber

The performance reliability of aerospace products is directly related to the reliability of each essential part; therefore special attention is paid to establishing the reasons of occurrence of defects and to developing preventive measures during the whole life cycle of a product. The article contains the analysis of the results of investigating the causes of defects occurring in the inner casing of the combustion chamber of NK- 86 gas turbine engine «Meridional cracks on the conical part of the flange». Metallurgical properties of the defective casing are examined in detail. A number of studies aimed at determining residual stresses on the surface of a part of the housing, as well as on specimens cut out from the housings with different hours in service and different surface treatment, including the use of additional thermal and mechanical treatment has been carried out. Diagrams of residual stress distribution for the specimens cut out of the housings with different treatment and subjected to various methods of relieving tensile residual stresses are presented. Endurance tests of one of the housings have been carried out. Conclusions about the influence of residual stresses on the fatigue resistance of the parts under investigation have been made. Measures to eliminate and prevent the defect both for the tested housing of the combustion chamber and for the base members manufactured by similar technologies and operated in similar conditions are proposed.