Expert Systems with Applications 36 (2009) 86768681

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

Expert Systems with Applications

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/eswa

Real-time turbine maintenance system

Tung-Liang Chen *
Department of Industrial and Information Management, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan, ROC

a r t i c l e

i n f o

Keywords:
Radio frequency identication
Total productive maintenance
Turbine

a b s t r a c t
Reliable power generation and low maintenance costs are the major goals of power plant administration.
This goal, in fact, can be achieved by a proper turbine maintenance policy. This study presents a model for
total productive maintenance to enhance the efciency of power plant equipment. A probabilistic failure
analysis model is used to determine the optimal turbine maintenance cycle. Additionally, the costs savings achieved by using radio frequency identication (RFID) technology is demonstrated in an operational
maintenance model.
 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction
Turbine startup is one of the critical problems in the operation
of electrical power plants (Marco, Lopez, Flores, & Garcia, 2003).
Therefore, the quality of turbine-generated power is related to
maintenance system and management policies, which increase
the core competitiveness of a power plant. A preventive maintenance monitoring system is important for maximizing equipment
availability and reliability (Tam, Chen, & John, 2007). Although
many studies have analyzed control charts for equipment maintenance, few have demonstrated how to extend the life of equipment
(Badia, Berrade, & Campos, 2002). To minimize abnormal power
system conditions, proper equipment maintenance is vital (Colban
& Thole, 2007).
In 1977, the rst Taiwan nuclear power plant began to supplement the power provided by existing hydroelectric and fossilfueled and thermal power plants. Therefore, the operational importance of turbines was heightened and realized (Akturk & Gurel,
2007). However, the turbine is a complex multi-axle system consisting of a high-pressure generator, two low-pressure generators
and eight exciter rotors. The steam turbine blade is extremely complex since it must be exible enough to change shape during operation in response to cold temperatures and the dynamic coupling
effect (Ricardo, 2007).
Reducing environmental damage and increasing turbine efciency are essential issues (Parka, Jungb, & Yum, 2000). Long term
degradation of turbine efciency may be difcult to detect. Hence,
preventive maintenance is essential. An effective performance
monitoring system must monitor more than just a single process
in order to clarify the interaction among processes (Parka et al.,
2000).

* Tel.: +886 75572286; fax: 886 75570070.

E-mail address: r3892113@mail.ncku.edu.tw
0957-4174/$ - see front matter  2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.eswa.2008.10.019

This research therefore proposes a preventive maintenance

monitoring system and simultaneously considers the relationships
between real-time system control and material testing.
2. Literature review
Effective maintenance is essential for effective power plant
operation and economic viability.
2.1. Turbine characteristics
A steam turbine is a mechanical device that extracts thermal
energy from pressurized steam and converts it into useful
mechanical power (Ricardo, 2007). The steam turbine has almost
completely replaced the reciprocating engine in power generation, primarily because of its greater thermal efciency and higher power-to-weight ratio. Even, combined cycle gas turbine will
design and implement to detect on-line and diagnose anomalies
as soon as possible in the dynamic evolution of the behavior of
a power plant (Arranz, Cruz, Sanz-Bobi, Ruiz, & Coutino, 2008).
Also, because the turbine generates rotary motion rather than
requiring a linkage mechanism to convert reciprocating to rotary
motion, it is particularly suited for driving an electrical generator.
Approximately 86% of all electricity in the world is generated by
steam turbines. The steam turbine achieves thermodynamic efciency by using multiple stages of steam power capture. A governor is essential for controlling turbines, which must be run up
gradually to prevent damage. Some applications, such as electricity generation, require precise speed control. Most systems include a mechanism for overspeed trip when excessive
acceleration of the turbine rotor closes the nozzle valves controlling the ow of steam to the turbine. If this fails, the turbine may
continue accelerating until it is destroyed, often spectacularly
(Akturk & Gurel, 2007).

T.-L. Chen / Expert Systems with Applications 36 (2009) 86768681

Turbines are expensive and require precision manufacturing

methods as well as high quality materials. Electrical power stations
use large steam turbines driving electric generators to produce
most of the electricity throughout the world. These centralized stations include fossil fuel, nuclear, geothermal, solar thermal electric
and biomass power plants. The turbines used for electric power
generation are often directly coupled to their generators. Generators must rotate at constant synchronous speeds according to the
frequency of the electric power system. The most common speeds
are 3000 revolutions per minute for 50 Hz systems and 3600 revolutions per minute for 60 Hz systems. Most large nuclear sets rotate at half those speeds and use 4-pole rather than the more
common 2-pole generators.
As Fig. 1 shows, gas, steam and water turbines have a casing
around the blades that contains and controls the working uid.
The turbine transfers system energy into machine power by rotary
action. The action of this paper discusses real-time monitoring
technologies and the data control model developed to address
these utility needs.
A device similar to a turbine but operating in reverse is a compressor or pump. The axial compressor in many gas turbine engines is a common example. Because of the importance of the
turbine in multi-axle systems, equipment maintenance is vital.
Turbines may be single-grade turbine and multi-cylinder grades
turbine in several cylinders. Turbines may be single-axle and
mounted on an axle at all levels or double-axle and mounted on
a parallel-axle at all levels. Other variations are vapor-congealing
turbines, heating turbines, pressing-type turbines and saturationsteam turbines (Parka et al., 2000).
Innovative utility-scale blades have been proposed to reduce
the costs of power generation. The added energy achieved by
increasing the size of utility-grade wind turbines produces diminishing returns unless blade weight (which is nonlinear) is substantially reduced. The challenge is developing new methods of
generating energy with lighter components, such as the swept star
blade.
Other weight-reducing concepts such as carbon spar caps, offaxis carbon bers that facilitate bend-twist coupling and new
structural airfoils have been incorporated in small-scale prototype blades and are currently in testing.
2.2. Real-time analysis
Real-time monitoring systems are needed to ensure the correctness and timeliness of information. Information from RFID (radio
frequency identication) tags can be routed to a database in realtime. Data written on the tag also provides a permanent record.
Every tag has a basic identication code which can be read by RFID
readers. Read/write tags have storage capability for libraries to

8677

write additional information for circulation purposes, such as adding a physical location that can be used in conjunction with automatic book sorters. For example, RFID tags can also be read while
an item is in motion of power plant, using RFID readers to checkin returned items while on a conveyor belt reduces staff time (Ruff
& Hession-Kunz, 2001; Strassner & Chang, 2003).
The tags are easily programmed in-house by library workers
and are designed to perform consistently for the life of the item
they identify. Unlike bar codes, RFID tags do not require line-ofsight or physical contact in order to be read. Therefore, more than
one tag can be read simultaneously, a characteristic referred to as
anti-collision. Anti-collision enables workers to rapidly take
inventory simply by walking down an aisle of books with a
hand-held RFID reader. All vendors surveyed in these studies used
this anti-collision feature. Beyond speeding up inventory, handheld readers can also help workers remove books and locate misplaced items. Also, using digital tags and readers in conjunction
with archives, special collections or government documents can
minimize the physical handling of rare or delicate items since they
can be tracked via RFID while still housed in opaque storage boxes
(Strassner & Chang, 2003).
Without engaging RFID-related professional services, the successful performance of any RFID technology implementation beyond the most basic application is seriously jeopardized. Ideally,
RFID technology would be plug and play. The reality is, even for
an apparently uncomplicated implementation of this technology,
literally hundreds of variables must be considered. Successfully
managing the physics of RFID (for instance, the physical characteristics of radio waves, materials and the surface consistency of those
materials), is essential for system success, not to mention for optimal system performance. The best-designed, most robust RFID devices cannot perform optimally within a particular environment
unless they have been congured, tuned and installed specically
for that environment and its related variables.
Chang and Lin (2005) examined how to supervise turbine
blades operation auto mutually. A turbine blade is impacted to
work by the stream. For inspection of turbine blades, planning
the measuring stream ow paths is largely an attempt to generate
an appropriate process in order to prevent an unexpected collision
between the static blade and the movement blade. He also discussed how to adjust the angle between blades and shafts and
how to position the blade and shaft to avoid abnormal conditions.
Exceptional conditions occurring in nuclear power plants may be
much more dangerous than usual. The radio frequency identication is therefore put on the blades of the high-speed turbine so it
can instantaneously indicate the position of the turbine. The systematic frequency of RFID adjusts so the reader can receive the
tag data (Chow, Choy, Lee, & Lau, 2006). If the reader receives no
unusual data, the turbine is still operating. If it receives not tag

Fig. 1. Turbine.

8678

T.-L. Chen / Expert Systems with Applications 36 (2009) 86768681

Fig. 2. Tags inside turbine blade.

data, the status of the turbine is unusual and requires appropriate

analysis, treatment or modication (Rusin, 2007). Fig. 2 shows
RFID tags installed on the blades.
Therefore, power plants are undertaking erection and commissioning, overhauling, renovation, refurbishment, servicing and preventive maintenance of steam turbines, turbo generators and
power plants along with auxiliary systems such as turbo blowers
and turbo feed pumps on a turnkey basis.
2.3. Preventive maintenance
When warming up a steam turbine for use, the main stream
stop valves (after the boiler) have a bypass line to allow superheated steam to slowly bypass the valve before heating the lines
in the system along with the steam turbine. Also, a gear engaged
when no steam is being applied to the turbine slowly rotates the
turbine to maintain the even heating required to prevent uneven
expansion and rotor bowing. After rst rotating the turbine by
the turning gear and allowing time for the rotor to assume a
straight plane (no bowing), the turning gear is disengaged, and
steam is admitted to the turbine. For most utility and industrial
steam turbines, a starting and loading chart is included in the unit
instruction manual. The starting and loading chart is used to guide
turbine operators in loading their units not only to minimize rotor
and shell thermal stresses, but also to minimize the chances of the
rotor heating faster than the shell. When starting a shipboard
steam turbine (marine unit), steam is normally admitted to the astern blades located in the LP (low-pressure) turbine, then to the
ahead blades slowly rotating the turbine at 1015 revolutions
per minute (RPM) to slowly warm the turbine.
Problems with turbines are rare, and maintenance requirements are limited. Any rotor imbalance can cause vibration which,
in extreme cases, can cause a blade to detach and possibly punch
through the casing. Also, it is essential that the turbine be turned
with dry steam. Exposure of the blade to water from the steam
(moisture carryover) can rapidly impinge and erode the blades,
possibly leading to imbalance and catastrophic failure. Also, water
entering the blades is likely to destroy the thrust bearing in the
turbine shaft. To prevent this, controls and bafes in the boilers ensure high quality steam. Condensate drains are also installed in the
steam piping leading to the turbine. Maintenance can be classied
as preventive or collective maintenance. Preventive maintenance is
essential for: (1) equipment known to be degraded or equipment
which is easily degraded and (2) equipment which may suddenly

breakdown during operation. Correct maintenance and skills are

needed to ensure the system is in normal condition (Chin, Duan,
& Tang, 2006; Tadashi, Hiroyuki, & Shunji, 2001).
If maintenance is performed on a xed schedule (cyclic) maintenance, the cycle can be modied for the desired level of maintenance. The proposed maintenance model optimizes the balance of
performance and cost in power plant operation.
Fig. 3 is the system management model. The reader examines
errors identied by the operation equipment, and the tags transfer
the error information to the control module for analysis, which
then transmits the results to the alarm module to record the data
or alarm.
2.3.1. Unusual situation
First, the following notation is used to describe the models in
this paper.
a
variation factor
i
The Ith prevention maintenance
T
failures interval time of preventive maintenance under
tags permit the greatest upper lower limits change range
ZK
Dt
the time of preventive maintenance interval
equipment effective after prevention maintenance;
Ca
The Ith prevention maintenance execution time
Zi
"(t)
availability of the equipment
permit the greatest error
eK
the equipment prevention maintenance labor cost of minCPP
imum maintenance each time
the equipment prevention maintenance material cost of
CPE
minimum maintenance each time
CPP + CPE
CPM
If the operating conditions are normal, the production program
is not adjusted. To determine the change factor (a) and required error reduction, let YK be the correct tag position, and let ZK be the
reader receiving the information P+ZK (upper control limit); otherwise, 6ZK (lower control limit) indicates the reader cannot receive information and assumes the tag position has random error
eK. That is, YK = ZK eK, when YK cannot be received indicates eK is
beyond the control area.
Carefully controlling equipment maintenance and real-time
monitoring of the equipments is priority concern. In Eq. (2), Ca is
a new effective change factor (a), and 0 < a 6 1. The value b represents the time-adjustment factor, as 0 < b, and i is the age of
equipment

8679

T.-L. Chen / Expert Systems with Applications 36 (2009) 86768681

System management model

Equipment

Monitor

Alarm

Equipment module

Control module

System set up
module

Unusual judge
module

Control room

Information
transmit

Alarm module

Print module
Information Flow
Fig. 3. Prevent maintenance system model.

f Dt; N CDt; N
C a a  8

bi

i 1; 2; . . . ; N  1

2.3.2. Analysis
The power plant turbine is unable to collect real-time information. Assume the reader has received unusual information following Weibull as failure probability density function (Saygin, 2007).
Let CPM represent maintenance cost, CPP represent maintenances
cost of labor and CPE represent maintenances cost of material

C PM C PP C PE

If T, is failures interval time of preventive maintenance under, Dt is

the time of preventive maintenance interval in the minimum expectations cost, CC is the maintenance cost for single circulation as in
(4)

ECT; Dt C PP  ET=Dt C PE  ET=Dt C C  E1=T


Z Dt
1
htdt
C mr
N  Dt
0
(
N1 Z k1Dt
K
X
X

hi  1Dt  s Dt

CDt; N

kDt

i1

N  1C PP


N  1C PE C c

Dt

91
b
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
=

8
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
<

N  1C PP N  1C pE C C
22
3b 2
33b >
>
Pi
Pi
>
>
>
>
i
g
i1
g
>
PN 6
>
>
j1 j1
j1 j1
7 >
>
>
4
5
4
5
>
>
C
b

1

4
5
mr
>
>
i1
h
h
>
>
;
:

8
Since steam turbine power is becoming as important as nuclear and
thermal power, so parameter b can input a different variation number value. For the thermal power plant, the turbine pivot number is
3600 RPM whereas the nuclear turbine pivot numbers is 1800 RPM.
Therefore, the variation number value measured by the reader can
be adjusted.
3. Thermal power plant implementation

) )

hi  Dt  s ht  k  s dt

2.3.3. Improvement
Appropriately planning the maintenance of unusual equipment
is essential. Planning can minimize cost. Loss of efciency must be
carefully measured, but preventive maintenance is also important.
Considering the shape parameter b, characteristic life h, (4) and
(5) determine maintenance spacing interval Dt, as (8)

If one operation parameter maintains spacing interval Dt, the

equipment fault is within Weibull probability distribution. The partial differential method is adopted to calculate optimal solution Dt.
The optimal solution Dt value determines the preventive maintenance cycle and preventive maintenance method, as shown in (5)

k1

Regardless of whether nuclear/thermal power plants of the steam

turbine of the power plant maintained at interval Dt is from one
year to 2 years, the average for 1.5 years is determined, namely
Dt = 18 (months).

This study examines continuously operating equipment. Based

on the parameter, set and maintenance time, this case focuses on a
total production and maintenance model to minimize expected cost.

Utilizing Eq. (5), one can calculate N  (optimal number of prevent

maintenance tasks) as (6)

3.1. Calculation

N min CDt N ; N;

This case examines how changing the variables Dt and N can

minimize expected cost. The goal is to adjust total production

N 1; 2;   

Let (7) g acts as 0 6 gi 6 1 as improvement factor and gi be minimum maintenance at 0; gi = 1 is complete maintenance, a is the adjusted parameter for cost, b is the adjusted parameter for time,
b > 0; as i larger, the equipment improvement factor gi is smaller
as well


b1
C C PE
gi a  PP
CC

i 1; 2; . . . ; N  1

Table 1
Equipment parameter.
Maintenance cost

Adjust parameter

CPP

CPE

Cmr

Cc

5000

5000

50,000

5,000,000

0.001

8680

T.-L. Chen / Expert Systems with Applications 36 (2009) 86768681

Assume the equipment failure rate satises the Weibull probability distribution. The shape parameter b for a nuclear power plant
is equal to 2; in a fossil fuel power plant, b equals 50. The scale
parameter h is 100. Parameters a and b are adjusted to optimize
the maintenance cost of equipment. Tables 1 and 2 show the relevant parameters, used in Eq. (8).
Firstly, Table 1 shows the prevention and maintenance workforce costs CPE, the prevention and maintenance equipment costs
CPE, the minimum repair costs Cmr and single-cycle maintenance
costs CC. Secondly, there exists adjustment parameters a and b,
shape parameter b and scale parameter h. Based on these assumptions and the distributed Weibull failure rate, the improvement
factors and expected cost per time are analyzed.

Table 2
The analysis of b parameter.
No.

b
h
Dt
N
T
C(Dt, N)

2
100
155
22
3413
3052

5
100
70
19
1343
4820

10
100
60
18
1096
5240

20
100
55
18
1000
5438

50
100
52
18
951
5543

maintenance in response to variances. Moreover, it is possible to

determine optimal maintenance time, rationally increase maintenance frequency and effectively control maintenance cost.
Table 3
The turbine blade gap of protective ring and rabbet.
Blade number

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
*

Inlet end

Outlet end

Difference grow up analyses

2002

2006

2002

2006

0.65
0.72
0.40
0.50
0.50
0.47
0.00
0.66
0.53
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.50
0.98
0.50
0.55
0.61
0.00
0.88
0.55
0.64
0.65
0.70
0.30
0.31
0.00
0.44
0.40
0.45
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.35
0.43
0.45
0.40
0.50
0.00
0.50
0.50
0.50
0.00
0.14
0.00
0.28
0.36
0.57
0.45
0.35
0.35
0.45

0.89
0.99
0.40
0.55
0.60
0.60
0.45
0.80
0.85
0.45
0.40
0.65
0.70
0.70
0.45
0.45
0.55
0.60
0.65
0.80
0.40
0.60
0.70
0.80
0.95
1.00
0.30
0.45
0.48
0.70
0.75
0.75
0.60
0.70
0.65
0.45
0.60
0.65
0.35
0.65
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.63
0.50
0.45
0.50
0.55
0.80
0.70
0.55
0.50
0.70

0.23
1.92
0.44
0.44
0.44
0.21
0.00
2.80
1.06
1.00
0.42
0.35
0.00
2.17
0.77
0.55
0.49
0.28
0.16
2.40
0.64
0.45
0.20
0.20
0.20
2.95
0.87
0.87
0.87
0.85
0.25
2.90
0.65
0.61
0.45
0.34
0.34
3.22
0.51
0.51
0.44
0.25
0.00
2.52
0.40
0.40
0.31
0.28
0.22
2.40
0.53
0.53
0.58
0.10

0.30
2.64
0.50
0.50
0.40
0.30
0.20
3.44
0.90
0.75
0.55
0.40
0.00
2.52
0.80
0.65
0.65
0.30
0.25
2.32
0.65
0.55
0.35
0.25
0.25
2.31
0.80
0.60
0.60
0.60
0.30
3.55
0.70
0.70
0.60
0.50
0.25
3.97
0.50
0.50
0.35
0.45
0.15
3.30
0.50
0.50
0.35
0.30
0.23
3.05
0.55
0.65
0.60
0.00

The distance between axial and radial turbine apart P 0.6 mm.

Inlet end

Outlet end

mm

mm

0.24
0.27
0.00
0.05
0.10
0.13
0.45
0.14
0.32
0.45
0.40
0.65*
0.70*
0.70*
0.45
0.05
0.43
0.10
0.10
0.19
0.40
0.28
0.15
0.16
0.30
0.30
0.00
0.14
0.48
0.26
0.35
0.30
0.60*
0.70*
0.65*
0.10
0.17
0.20
0.05
0.15
0.75*
0.25
0.25
0.25
0.63*
0.36
0.45
0.22
0.19
0.23
0.25
0.20
0.15
0.25

36.92
37.50
0.00
10.00
20.00
27.66
N/A
21.21
60.38
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
10.00
43.88
20.00
18.18
31.15
N/A
31.82
27.27
25.00
46.15
42.86
0.00
45.16
N/A
59.09
87.50
66.67
N/A
N/A
N/A
28.57
39.53
44.44
12.50
30.00
N/A
50.00
50.00
50.00
N/A
257.14
N/A
78.57
52.78
40.35
55.56
57.14
42.86
55.56

0.07
0.72*
0.06
0.06
0.04
0.09
0.20
0.64*
0.16
0.25
0.13
0.05
0.00
0.35
0.03
0.10
0.16
0.02
0.09
0.08
0.01
0.10
0.15
0.05
0.05
0.64*
0.07
0.27
0.27
0.25
0.05
0.65*
0.05
0.09
0.15
0.16
0.09
0.75*
0.01
0.01
0.09
0.20
0.15
0.78*
0.10
0.10
0.04
0.02
0.01
0.65*
0.02
0.12
0.02
0.10

30.43
37.50
13.64
13.64
9.09
42.86
N/A
22.86
15.09
25.00
30.95
14.29
N/A
16.13
3.90
18.18
32.65
7.14
56.25
3.33
1.56
22.22
75.00
25.00
25.00
21.691
8.05
31.03
31.03
29.41
20.00
22.41
7.69
14.75
33.33
47.06
26.47
23.29
1.96
1.96
20.45
80.00
N/A
30.95
25.00
25.00
12.90
7.14
4.55
27.08
3.77
22.64
3.45
100.00

T.-L. Chen / Expert Systems with Applications 36 (2009) 86768681

As Table 2 shows, when shape parameter b is increasing, the

optimal interval time T and prevention and maintenance point
are decreasing. Because of the abatement of total time, the cost
per time as well as prevention and maintenance point are also
boosted. As a result, a smaller b signicantly impacts Dt, N and
C(Dt, N). Conversely, a larger b has less effect. The prevention and
maintenance point N can be entered into Eq. (6) to nd the maintenance interval time Dt. Entering N = 1 into Eq. (8) gets the following Eq. (9):

Ch; 1

8
>
>
>
>
>
<
>
>
>
>
>
:C mr b  1

"" P1
i

CC

g
j1 j1
h

"


i1

P1

g
j1 j1

##b

91
b
>
>
>
>
>
=
>
>
>
>
>
;

Entering N = N + 1 into Eq. (8) gets Dt. After entering Dt and N into
cost function C(Dt, N), if C(Dt, N) < C(Dt, N  1), then C(Dt, N) is the
minimum cost. Entering N = N + 2 into Eq. (8) gets the
CDt; N > CDt; N  1.The improvement factor g in Eq. (7) ranges
from 0 to 1. As g approaches 1, the effect is enhanced. As parameter
a and prevention maintenance cost, CPM increase, g also increases.
The two parameters a and CPM have the same impact on g. Similarly,
as b increases, g decreases.
3.2. Results and discussion
This case examines how a mechanical equipment crack may
change between axial and radial turbine components. Table 3
examines the crack value between the protective ring of the blade
and the rabbet in 54 mechanical equipment blades in 2002. Because the power plant data was insufcient to enable immediate
correction, the machine was shut down for maintenance in 2006.
The difference between the axial and radial crack can be determined articially. As Table 3 shows, the inlet end is numbered
12, 13, 14, 33, 34, 35, 41 and 45, and the outlet end is numbered
2, 8, 26, 32, 38, 44 and 50 P 0.6 mm.
Operations began in 2002. In 2003, the gap between import and
export changed from zero to fteen blades. Stopping the machines
for repair at that time would have substantially enhanced industrial safety at minimal cost.
Turbine operations started in 2002. In 2004, if the gap between
import and export changed from zero to fteen blades, then the
machines would have been stopped and repaired. The maintenance
cost would have been 5240, and the following maintenance interval would have been 60. Industrial safety would have substantially
increased.
When operations started in 2002, the maintenance cost was
4820, and subsequent maintenance would have been 70 in 2005.
The increased interval time accelerated the disabling of the
machine.
When operations started in 2002, the maintenance cost was
3052, and the subsequent maintenance interval would have been
155 in 2006. The increased interval time accelerated the disabling
of the machine without risking industrial safety.
In this case, if the fteen blades were initially embedded with
RFID and supervised on an annual bias, preventive action could
have been taken. Doing so would not only have reduced injuries,

8681

but also the cost associated with the shutdown. Restated, the
maintenance interval was too long to respond to the bias immediately. If the maintenance interval were shorter, the machines
would have been stopped for repair; also, the time when the machine becomes disabled cannot be accurately estimated.
4. Conclusion
A steam turbine operates at a continuous high-speed, and the
high ow rate of steam per area generates substantial power output. Envisioning the development of the giant turbines is an important idea, and extending the life of the blades is the key to efcient
use of the giant turbines.
This study examined the feasibility of using a RFID technique to
devise a total preventive maintenance system. The model demonstrates how to manage controllable factors so as to improve variants and enhance efciency. Also, it avoids operation when the
variants are high. As a result, the production prevention systems
can extend the life of equipment by performing effective preventive maintenance at lower operating costs. This research demonstrates that the TPM model can improve power plant operations
and efciency.
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