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DECLARATION

I AMAN DWIVEDI student of B.Tech student Mechanical Engineering from Dr. KNMIET,
Modinagar, U.P hereby declare that the training report entitled MANUFACTURING OF
COMPRESSOR BLADE is an original work and the same has not been submitted to any other
institute.

AMAN DWIVEDI
Roll No. 1207740015

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
It gives me immense pleasure to present my Project Report before you. I thankfully acknowledge
the staff of Bharat Pumps and Compressor Ltd, Allahabad for giving me so much co-operation
and taught lots of new things to me, which I am sure will help me in my war future.
A special thanks to Mr. Rachit Singhal for his support during my Industrial Training. I pay my
sincere regards to him. Without his support I was not able to accomplish my training. I also
thanks to all the working staff of fabrication block for their helpful guidance and support during
the period.
AMAN DWIVEDI

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Introduction of the company


Compressor Blade
Raw materials
Manufacturing Process
Single Crystal Production
Coating
Testing
Conclusion
References

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LIST OF FIGURE
Fig-1: Main view of the company

Fig-2: Inner view of the company

Fig -3: Resiprocating Pump

Fig - 4: Compressor blade

Fig -5: Model design of compressor Blade

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Fig 6: Hacksaw cutting machine

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Fig -7: Milling

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Fig-8: single crystal compressor blade

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Fig-9: Atmospheric Plasma spray

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Fig-10: Testing of compressor blade

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IV

BRIEF INTRODUCTION OF THE COMPANY


Bharat Pumps and Compressors Limited inc. in 1970, under the ministry of heavy industries
and public enterprise at Naini, the Trans Yamuna Area of Allahabad with the objectives to design,
manufacture and supply of factory goods in the fluid handling filled including provision of
services connected there with.

Fig-1: Main view of the company


BPCL which caters to the need of core sector of the economy such as oil exploration and
exploitation, refineries, petro chemicals, chemicals and fertilizers, process industries, nuclear and
thermal power plants, had its in earlier phase entered into technical collaboration with world
renowned manufacturers to indigenously design and manufacture heavy duty centrifugal and
reciprocating pumps, reciprocating compressors and high pressures gas cylinders and other high
tech oil field equipments such as cementing units, sucker rod pumps etc.

Fig-2: Inner view of the company


In very short span, the company absorbed the technology and established it self as a world
renowned manufacturer of a wide range of high tech products. BPC has supplied its products to
the total satisfaction of the customers in almost all national projects of company like ONGC,
OIL, BPCL, IOCL, HPC, RCF, Nuclear Power Corporation, Dept. Of Atomic Energy, IPCL, etc.
The company has a high credibility for quality of its products and acquired ISO 9001-2000,
14000, 18000(HASCP) certification
MAIN PRODUCT OF COMPANY
BPC has a large product range, serving almost all core sector industries:

Centrifugal Pumps (as per latest edition of API 610) for Refinery and Petroleum Industry.
Centrifugal Pumps for Nuclear Power plants.
Reciprocating Pistons and Plunger Pumps as per API 674 latest edition.
Reciprocating Fueling Machine Supply Pumps for Nuclear Power Plants
High pressure liquid Ammonia Reactor Feed Pump
High pressure seamless industrial cylinders. As per IS: 7285:BS970
High pressure compressed natural gas (CNG) cylinders for on-board applications.
Compressed Natural gas (CNG) cascades
Reciprocating compressors as per API-618

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT


BPC technicians and engineers are frequently in contact with other organization operating and
specialized research. It has contributed to the development of many project innovations and help
to introduction of modern concepts. So has to keep BPC readdressed with the latest technology.
MANPOWER
In 1971, the no. of employees has not reached 200. Today it has 1200 employees. The higher
technological level of production has achieved a corresponding increase in professional in
knowledge of the employees. The aim has been achieved by employing higher qualified
personnel and by organizing professional training and refresher courses for employees. Training
of BPC technical staffs take place both at the overseas workshop of the company call lab orators
as well as through organized in plant training program within the BPC. The welfare and
development of its employees is nuclear of its personnel policy.
MAJOR CLIENTS OF THE COMPANY
Some of clients sector wise are:
REFINARIES AND PETROCHEMICALS SECTOR

Indian Oil Corporation Limited


Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited
Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited
Kochi Refinery Limited
Numaligarh Refinery
Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited
Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited
Tamilnadu Petro Products Limited
Bongaigaon Refinery
Indian Petrochemicals Corporation Limited
Gas Authority of India Limited

OIL AND GAS SECTOR

Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited


Gas Authority of India Limited
Oil India limited

NUCLEAR POWER

Dept. of Atomic Energy


Bhabha Atomic Research Centre
Nuclear Power Corporation Limited

FERTILIZERS AND CHEMICALS

Tata Chemicals and Fertilizer


Fertilizer Corporation Limited
Hindustan Fertilizer and Chemicals
Gujarat state Fertilizer Corporation
Indo-Gulf Fertilizer and Chemical
Madras Fertilizers
Indian Farmers and Fertilizers Corporation (IFFCO)
National Fertilizers Limited
Bindal Agro fertilizers
Chambal Fertilizers

PRODUCT PROFILE
1. RECIPROCATING COMPRESSORS PROFILE
BPCL design and manufacture custom-built reciprocating compressors for a wide range of
application and gases such as ammonia synthesis (N2 + 3H2), Carbon dioxide ethylene, natural
gas. Hydrocarbon mixtures, Ammonia, Oxygen, air etc. The maximum power rating is 25000KW
and the discharge pressure is up to 450 Pascal. BPC enjoys the unique privilege of having shared
with its ex collaborator M/s. Nuovo Pignone, Italy a world giant having vast experience in this
field for more than three-quarters of a century. Some of the major applications areas covered by
reciprocating compressors designed and manufactured by BPCL include the following:
FERTILIZERS

Synthesis of gas Compressors for Ammonia plant


Ammonia refrigeration compressors for Ammonia plant
CO2 Compressors for urea plant
Oxo-syn gas make up and recycle services for methanol plants
Hydrogen and Hydrocarbon service for caprolactum plant
Natural gas compressors for Urea plant
Bone dry Nitrogen compressors

REFINERIES

Make up Hydrogen service for hydro cracker plants


Crude overhead gas service for CDU plant
LPG bottling service compressors LPG bottling plant
Propane de-asphalting plants

OIL AND GAS EXPLORATION

L.P. booster service compressor for Natural gas


Associated gas compressor for LPG extraction plant
Gas lift service compressor for Natural gas
Gas injection service compressor for CNG
Gas storage service compressor for CNG
Air compressor for well activation service
Condense off gas service for gas sweetening plants
Propane gas service for gas processing plant

PETROCHEMICALS

Pacol compressors for lab plant


Hydrocarbon compressors for lab plant
Ethylene primary compressor for polyethylene plant
Xylene compressors for isomerization

CNG FOR AUTOMOTIVES

CNG refilling stations

OTHERS

High pressure air compressor for air separation plant


Oxygen compressor for steel plant
Synthetic gas compressor for heavy water projects
Coal gas compressor for coal gasification plant
Coal gas compressor for gas distribution networks

RECIPROCATING PUMPS
BPCL design and manufacture custom built reciprocating pumps for wide range of applications
for handling variety of liquids, such as, petroleum, crude oil, Ammonia, carbamate, cementing
slurry, DM-water condensate, Sulphodizing chemical fatty acids, etc. The product range includes
mud pumps, plunger pumps, ammonia pumps, etc. The pumps cater to a maximum of 1700 hp
(1260 Kw) power rating and maximum pressure of 1000 Pascal. Some of the major application
areas covered by reciprocating pump designed and manufactured by BPCL include the
following:

Fig -3: Resiprocating Pump


FERTILIZER

Ammonia reactor feed pump

Wash pump
Carbamate feed pumps

REFINERIES

Sulphadizing chemical pump


Secondary seal oil pumps
Wax hydro finishing units

NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS

Fueling machine supply pumps

OIL AND GAS EXPLORATION

Crude transfer pumps


Water recycle pumps
Cementing slurry pumps
Effluent injection pumps
Drilling mud pumps

STEEL AND OTHERS

Hydraulic press pumps


Hydro-blasting pumps

ABOUT THE COMPRESSOR BLADE


Since the jet engine was invented in the 1930s, it has played a momentous part in the
development of aviation. The early designs of jet engines tend to have low life expectancy
because at that time, the materials used for turbo blades lacked the durability when working in
extreme condition inside the jet engine. Poor material limits the operational temperature and thus
limiting thrust as well as top speed of the engine. Nowadays, such problems are better handled as
more suitable materials are available and the manufacturing techniques used for compressor
blades are developed and refined. This report will attempt to reveal more about the
manufacturing methods of compressor blades and the working principals behind them.

Fig 4: Compressor blade


The picture above displays compressor blades made by three different method: (a)
conventionally cast; (b) directionally solidified, with columnar grains, as can be seen from the
vertical streaks; and (c) single crystal.

In this report, we will discuss conventional techniques in producing jet compressor blades such
as investment casting, single crystal growing process, thermal barrier coating and a few testing
method to look for defects in newly made blades.

RAW MATERIAL:
The raw material is the main source for the manufacturing of Compressor blade
The raw material used in the manufacturing of Compressor blade is stainless steel.
Specifications:
The raw material cross-section is of
Width= 170mm
Height= 90mm
MAIN PROCESS INVOLED:

The design of the product,

The selection of raw materials and

The sequence of process through which the product will be manufactured.

WHY UNCONVENTIONAL MACHINING CAME INTO EXIST:

The hardness and strength of the material is very high or the material is too brittle.

The work piece is too flexible, slender, or delicate to withstand the cutting or grinding
forces, or the parts are difficult to fixture that is, to clamp in work holding devices.

The shape of the part is complex, including such features as internal and external profiles
or small diameter holes in fuel injection nozzles.

Surface finish and dimensional tolerance requirements are more rigorous than those
obtained by other processes.

Temperature rise and residual stresses in the work piece are not desirable or acceptable.

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MANUFACTURING PROCESS:
1. Raw Material
2. Cutting
3. Milling
4. Surface Grinding
5. CNC Machining
6. Operations and Tools
7. Quality Control
8. Polishing

Fig -5: Model design of compressor Blade


CUTTING:
Since the raw material is huge in length, it can not be directly taken to the process of
manufacturing. So it is parted into number of pieces according to the blade profile requirement.

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The work piece required to obtain blade profile is of the following dimensions.
Length= 265mm
Width = 150mm
Height= 90mm
After hacksaw cutting operation
HACKSAW CUTTING MACHINE:
The hacksaw cutting machine is used for cutting the raw material, The work piece is held on the
hacksaw machine with the help of chain pulley supported by three vertical members.

Fig 6: Hacksaw cutting machine


Specifications:
Hacksaw Blade
Manufacturing :

Power Axe

Material

High Speed Steel(HSS)

Length

24inch

Thickness

1.9mm

Motor RPM

90

Spindle Power :

3HP

Operation Time:

90sec. (for one work piece)

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MILLING:
A milling machine is a machine tool used to machine solid materials. Milling machines are often
classed in two basic forms

Horizontal milling machine,

Vertical milling machine, which refers to the orientation of the main spindle.

Fig -7: Milling

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SURFACE GRINDING:
Surface grinding is used to produce a smooth finish on flat surfaces. It is a widely Used abrasive
machining process in which a spinning wheel covered in rough particles (grinding wheel) cuts
chips of metallic or non-metallic substance from a work piece, making a face of it flat or smooth.

CNC MACHINING:
(COMPUTERISED NUMERICAL CONTROLLED MACHINE)
CNC refers to the automation of machine tools that are operated

by

pre

programmed

commands encoded on a storage medium.


COLLETS:
Collets are used for holding the tool in the adaptor. Collets are flexible to allow tools of different
diameters to fit in to it. Collets are characterized by the range of diameters which can be hold by
using the collets. They contain different slots provide a secure positioning of cutter in it . They
also capable of absorbing the vibrations produced during the machining.
FIXTURES:
Fixtures are used to hold the specimen during operation. Once the specimen has fixed into the
fixture it wont be removed till the end of the operation. Fixtures can be of various shapes it has
to be ensured that it can hold the specimen carefully till the end of the operation. Its shape varies
with the shape of the specimen to be fixed and the operating procedure.
Quality Control:
Visual Inspection
In visual inspection we check the length, thickness and width of the given specimen at the
corresponding sections. We need to check the given specimen, whether it will meet the
requirements of our design or not. By using the venire calipers we calculate the basic dimensions
of the specimen.

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OBJECTS USED IN VISUAL INSPECTION:


HEIGHT GAUGE:

It is used to measure the height of the specimen from the datum surface and to measure
the groove and slots. To check the depth of the slot and the height of the slot by this
measuring gauge. The readings of the height are shown digitally on the display arranged
on the gauge.

MAGNETIC V-BLOCK:
The specimen is placed on the V-block and then required measurements are taken, marking the
specimen is also done in this process
BLADE MEASURING GAUGE:
This apparatus is used to measure the final shape of the blade profile.
CLEANING AND PACKING:
After the completion of the final inspection, the Compressor blade is proceeded into the next
stage of cleaning. In cleaning the blade is rinsed with the water and the water is wiped with the
cotton cloth.

SINGLE CRYSTAL PRODUCTION:


Purpose of making single crystal compressor blade:
Investment casting, which was discuss in the previous section, was first only able to produce
equiaxed compressor blades. After the molten metal is poured into the mold, the heat is cut off
completely and the final product is an equiaxed compressor blade. Such crystal structure,
nevertheless, cant perform well at the extreme temperature found in the jet engine.
Therefore, as compressor blades have to operate at high temperature and stress, it is necessary
that material can endure the heat without being deformed by creep is used. Furthermore, at high
temperature, grain boundaries of polycrystalline metal weakens faster than the internal of the
crystal itself since the boundaries are disordered. As such, the sliding between boundaries further

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increases creep effect in the material. Also, there exists the diffusion of atoms along the grain
boundaries (Coble creep) which causes changes in grain shapes.
Therefore, compressor blades are made using metal with directionally solidified crystal structure
to limit the weakness at grain boundaries. Compressor blade which has columnar crystals with
grain boundaries parallel to its axis can limit or eliminate shear stress caused by tensile load
while rotating.

Fig-8: single crystal compressor blade


By making single crystal compressor blade, grains boundaries are completely removed, which
make the material have better qualities compared to equiaxed and columnar grains structure.
With no grain boundary, compressor blades are not weakened by grain boundary slipping and
thus perform better at high temperature. Moreover, since most impurities and disorders
concentrate at grains boundaries, single crystal compressor blades are more resistant to high
temperature corrosion.

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COATING:
4.1) Introduction:
Another improvement that can be made to the compressor blade is adding the thermal barrier
coatings (TBCs). TBCs are complex defected thick film made of zirconia-based refractory
ceramics oxides. The technology allows compressor blades to work at higher temperature and
thus can increase engines power as well as the blades service life.
Thanks to the development of advanced deposition technologies, TBCs production and
application is now more widespread. TBCs materials nature with extremely high melting point
(for instance, yttria partially stabilized zirconia has melting temperature about 3000K) requires
ultrahigh temperature processing capability. Thus, thermal plasma and electron beam sources
have become the method of choice to create TBCs. Both of those methods can also further
reduce the thermal conductivities of the materials used due to structure defects in the TBC layer.
4.2) Atmospheric Plasma Spray (APS):

Fig-9: Atmospheric Plasma spray


APS uses molten droplets deposition to deliver the ceramic particles to the surface of compressor
blades. In the process, tens of micrometers-sized particles of metal and ceramic in powder form
into an arc of plasma jet and get projected onto the compressor blade surface. The plasma is
formed from a high current arc with inert gas and powder particles. Before the spraying, the

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substrate surface is usually roughen by an abrasive process such as grit blasting. The molten
particles settle on the destined surface quickly solidify and create a wall of splats of typically
100-150 microns in diameter and a few micrometers in thickness. Each splat is attached to the
substrate surface because of physical interlocking of the splat and irregularities on the surface.
Internal passages and cooling holes cannot be coated by plasma spray.
Since the solidification of each particle happens quickly and independently, the structure formed
as a result consists of splats interfaces and unfilled regions which creates porosity in the coating.
Therefore, the TBC has low thermal conductivity and non-linear stress-strain behavior.
As we can see, the processing parameters decide much of the characteristic of the deposited
microstructure. Such parameters include the characteristic of the spray stream (particles
trajectory, kinetic and thermal state and degree of melting); location and state of substrate
(roughness, temperature, position, geometry and movement); and speed of torch and part. To sum
up, properties of both the powder and torch play significant roles in determining the
characteristic of the TBC (porosity, interface, grain size, cracking, phase evolution, stability).

Electron-beam physical vapor deposition (EBPVD) of TBC ceramic:


EBPVD process utilizes the evaporation of molten ceramic with high vapor pressure when
overheated. A high energy electron beam scan over the ceramic material, melting and
evaporating the material in a vacuum chamber. A preheated substrate, in this case, a compressor
blade is placed in the vapor cloud so that the ceramic vapor would deposit on the blade at a rate
of microns per minute. For a defined stoichiometry of zirconia in the ceramic to be achieve,
oxygen is bled in to the chamber to make up for the deficit caused by dissociation. In the process,
the blade needs to be rotated in order to be coated evenly on all surfaces. Because of the
formation of the coating from vapor ceramic with combined actions of surface diffusion,
shadowing and crystal growth selection, the TBC formed will have columnar microstructure with
high capability of enduring stress. For the process to be continuous, ceramic material is bottom
fed into the crucible.
The coating process is the determining factor to many properties of the TBC layer such as intracolumnar porosity characteristics (size, distribution, concentration, morphology). Therefore,
those characteristics can be manipulated by adjusting factors like deposition temperature,
rotational speed, chamber pressure, vapor incident pattern, condensation rate and partial

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shadowing. Thus, the microstructure pattern can be adjust in the coating process to meet the
compressor blade property requirements.
To sum up, the EBPVD coating technique has the advantage of being able to produce coating
with columnar structure with strain tolerance and pseudo-plasticity. Compared to Plasma Spray
TBCs, TBC using EBPVD has better corrosion resistance and smoother surface, which creates
better aerodynamics properties for the compressor blades. Furthermore, the cooling channels will
stay open throughout the coating process. Nevertheless, the method still has certain
disadvantages in terms of limited material choice (due to vapor pressure problem), higher cost
and thermal conductivity and low utility rate of raw material.

TESTING:
Before the compressor blade can be used, it must go through tests for defects in the material and
the blade structure itself.

Fig-10: Testing of compressor blade


First, the blade dimensions have to be checked to make sure it fits the design required
specifications. This task is carried out by a Coordinate-measuring machine. The machine will
take measurements of certain points on surface of the blade and check if it fits the design. Any
blade with high measurement deviation from the design will be rejected.
After that, the blade will be tested with dye penetrant to find for any cracks on the surface of the
blade.

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Also, the interior of the blade can be inspected using fiber optic method. Before being put to use,
the blade will be put through an engine running test which they will be put into a real working
condition in a jet engine test.

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CONCLUSION
With advances in manufacturing methods, compressor blades are now made with higher quality
than ever before. By using Investment casting, we are able to create intricate compressor blade
designs with internal cooling passages and holes. Moreover, the compressor material processing
techniques also enable us to from compressor blades of single crystal structure which have better
capability to work in extremely high temperature of the jet engine. Thermal Barrier Coating
(TBC) is another improvement to the quality of the compressor blade. The use of TBCs can help
protect the compressor blade from the extreme heat of the engine and corrosion.

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REFERENCES:

Materials Science and Engineering Properties by Charles Gilmore

Roger Reed, University of Birmingham 2007

M. Gel& D. N. Duhl and A. F. Giamei, Pratt & Whitney, 1980

D. C. Power, Johnson Matthey Noble Metal, Royston, 1995

Sanjay Sampath, Uwe Schulz , Maria Ophelia Jarligo , and Seiji Kuroda, 2012

Manufacturing Processes for Engineering Materials, 5th ed, 2008

Henry L. Bernstein, Gas Compressor Materials Associates, San Antonio, Texas

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