Argonne Virtual Newsroom Non-destructive evaluation makes efficient gas turbines reliable too Rolling blackouts. High-tech factories stilled. Power companies close to bankruptcy. Gas-fired turbines coupled to electric generators are expected to provide more than 60 percent of U.S. electric power demands over the next few decades. Argonne researchers have developed technologies to enable the reliable operation of high-temperature ceramic materials that improve turbine efficiency, lower exhaust emissions and enhance turbine lifetimes.
Reliability is a key concern because unscheduled shutdowns are costly.
Ceramic-component makers are taking advantages of these techniques to evaluate reliability in each processing stage because detecting faults early saves time and costs. Ceramic liners are being developed for gas combustion chambers, and Argonne tests these components. NDE techniques can detect faults or flaws in the layers or seams that can change mechanical and thermal properties before the liners are used in turbines. The time required for data acquisition and analysis has been reduced from 14 hours to less than 30 minutes with this patent-pending advance, making routine parts surveillance more economical. Similar to conventional ultrasound, as found in doctors' offices, the technology requires no coupling gel or water that could ruin the part being tested.