KNOWLEDGE SERVICE

TIL 2347:
Compressor Rotor Stage 1 Blade (R1) Inspections and
Recommendations

Abstract
This knowledge article is to inform Customers of compressor recommendations to improve unit availability
and reliability.

Serviceable Technology
All 61B and 91E Gas Turbines.

Classification
KS INFORMATION

Nuovo Pignone Tecnologie S.r.l. con socio unico (Registro Imprese di Firenze, Codice Fiscale 06593380485 e Partita IVA di Gruppo 06872660482)
Capitale Sociale ϭ 100.000.000,00 i.v. - Società soggetta a direzione e coordinamento di Baker Hughes Company

Nuovo Pignone Tecnologie S.r.l. Proprietary Information

The information published in this Technical Bulletin is offered to you by Baker Hughes in consideration of its ongoing sales and service relationship with your organization. However, since the operation
of your plant involves factors not within our knowledge, and since operation of the plant is within your control and responsibility for its continuing successful operation rests with you, Baker Hughes
disclaims responsibility or liability for damage of any type, including but not limited to direct, consequential or special damages that may be alleged to have occurred as a result of applying this
information, regardless of whether it is claimed that Baker Hughes is strictly liable, in breach of contract, in breach of warranty, negligent, or is in any other respect responsible for any alleged injury
or damage sustained by your organization as a result of applying this information. The information contained in this Technical Bulletin is confidential and proprietary. This Bulletin and the information
contained in it are protected by copyright and/or other intellectual property rights. This Bulletin and information are provided for authorized use only, and may not be used by or disclosed to others
without the prior express written consent of Nuovo Pignone Tecnologie S.r.l.
KNOWLEDGE SERVICE

Contacts
For units under warranty or covered under a Contractual Service Agreement (CSA) please refer to your BH
Project Manager.

For technical questions or application and commercial requests please contact:

Baker Hughes Company
Customer Service Center
Via Felice Matteucci, 2
50127 Florence, Italy
e-Mail: customer.service.center@bakerhughes.com
Phone: +39 055 427 2500
Fax: +39 055 423 2800
Please specify the Unit Serial Number and Technical Bulletin associated with the request and whether the
request is technical or commercial.
To directly access and download BH Technical Bulletins published for your fleet or to subscribe to Technical
Bulletin e-mail notification service, please visit the Technical Enhancements & Notifications Platform:
https://www.bakerhughes.com/customer-resources

This online tool is available only to registered BH Customers.

Expense Policy
The recommendations contained in this Technical Bulletin are for information only. Unless otherwise indicated
in a Contractual Service Agreement (CSA) in force between the parties, a specific Purchase Order must be
agreed, and all costs associated with the implementation of the recommendations shall be paid by the
Customer.

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GE POWER TIL 2347
PRODUCT SERVICE Publish Date: 06 APRIL 2022
Compliance Category - M
Timing Code - 6

TECHNICAL INFORMATION LETTER

COMPRESSOR ROTOR STAGE 1 BLADE (R1) INSPECTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
APPLICATION
All 6B and 9E Gas Turbines.

PURPOSE
To inform 6B/9E users of compressor recommendations to improve unit availability and reliability.

COMPLIANCE CATEGORY
M - Maintenance Identifies maintenance guidelines or best practices for reliable equipment operation.

C - Compliance Required Identifies the need for action to correct a condition that, if left uncorrected, may result in reduced
equipment reliability or efficiency. Compliance may be required within a specific operating time.
A - Alert Failure to comply with the TIL could result in equipment damage or facility damage. Compliance is
mandated within a specific operating time.
S - Safety Failure to comply with this TIL could result in personal injury. Compliance is mandated within a specific
operating time.
TIMING CODE
1 Prior to Unit Startup / Prior to Continued Operation (forced outage condition)
2 At First Opportunity (next shutdown)
3 Prior to Operation of Affected System
4 At First Exposure of Component
5 At Scheduled Component Part Repair or Replacement.
6 Next Scheduled Outage

© 2022 General Electric Company

The proprietary information published in this Technical Information Letter is offered to you by GE in consideration of its ongoing sales and service relationship with your
organization. However, since the operation of your plant involves many factors not within our knowledge, and since operation of the plant is in your control and ultimate
responsibility for its continuing successful operation rests with you, GE specifically disclaims any responsibility for liability based on claims for damage of any type, i.e.
direct, consequential or special that may be alleged to have been incurred as result of applying this information regardless of whether it is claimed that GE is strictly
liable, in breach of contract, in breach of warranty, negligent, or is in other respects responsible for any alleged injury or damage sustained by your organization as a
result of applying this information. This Technical Information Letter contains proprietary information of General Electric Company and is furnished to its customer
solely to assist that customer in the installation, testing, operation and/or maintenance of the equipment described. This document shall not be reproduced or
distributed in whole or in part nor shall its contents be disclosed to any third party without the written approval of GE. All rights reserved.

Date Printed: 06 APRIL 2022

BACKGROUND DISCUSSION
The compressor section of 6B and 9E gas turbines is made up of 17 stages of rotor and stator airfoils. The first stage is
designated stage 1, with the rotating blades referred to as R1 blades (See Figure 1).

Figure 1: Typical 9E Compressor front-end cross section and R1 blade

GE B and E class gas turbines have a long history of reliability and availability. Frame 6B and 9E machines have been in the
field for more than 35 years in different applications like power generation, mechanical drive, and combined heat and power
(CHP). More recently, the increasing demand for additional power and efficiency has led to more widespread usage of
different power augmentation systems such as fogging, evaporative cooling, and wet compression. Furthermore, 6B/9E
units operating in harsh environments, including those that are known to be more corrosive, has led to an increase of
erosion/corrosion risk on the front compressor stages.

Few 6B and 9E gas turbine compressors have experienced a stage 1 compressor rotor (R1) blade liberation (see Figure 1).
Blade liberation occurred at the blade airfoil root section or the blade dovetail.

Data analysis and investigations from previous 6B/9E compressor events revealed that the following contributing factors
might reduce the fatigue capability and/or increase the response level of an R1 blade during operation, thereby reducing the
airfoil endurance:

Corrosion pitting on R1 airfoils can result in blade fatigue capability debit. Corrosion pitting can occur when:
Unit operates in a coastal environment
Unit operates in an industrial environment
Unit uses inadequate filter configuration or filter class for the environment
There is inconsistent or inadequate maintenance of inlet air filtration systems
There is inadequate preservation of the GT during times at standstill

Erosion on R1 airfoils can result in blade fatigue capability debit. Erosion can occur when:
On-line compressor water wash frequency deviates from GE guidelines
© 2022 General Electric Company

The proprietary information published in this Technical Information Letter is offered to you by GE in consideration of its ongoing sales and service relationship with your
organization. However, since the operation of your plant involves many factors not within our knowledge, and since operation of the plant is in your control and ultimate
responsibility for its continuing successful operation rests with you, GE specifically disclaims any responsibility for liability based on claims for damage of any type, i.e.
direct, consequential or special that may be alleged to have been incurred as result of applying this information regardless of whether it is claimed that GE is strictly
liable, in breach of contract, in breach of warranty, negligent, or is in other respects responsible for any alleged injury or damage sustained by your organization as a
result of applying this information. This Technical Information Letter contains proprietary information of General Electric Company and is furnished to its customer
solely to assist that customer in the installation, testing, operation and/or maintenance of the equipment described. This document shall not be reproduced or
distributed in whole or in part nor shall its contents be disclosed to any third party without the written approval of GE. All rights reserved.

Date Printed: 06 APRIL 2022

 Water carry-over from power augmentation systems (evaporative cooler, fogger, etc.) is ingested into the
compressor
Inlet bypass allows water ingress into the compressor

IGV angle misalignment can result in an increase of the R1 blade response level. IGV misalignment occurs when:
There is excessive wear on IGV gears or rack resulting in a high backlash
The IGV angle deviates due to improper IGV calibration at planned maintenance intervals

RECOMMENDATIONS

The reliable operation of 6B and 9E units in harsh environments is aided by following comprehensive GE maintenance
guidelines for the compressor itself along with the inlet filtration and water wash systems.

To help maintain the availability and reliability of the machines, particularly for those located in more harsh environments
and with the aforementioned power augmentation systems operation, it is recommended to adhere to scheduled (annual)
inspections as per GER3620 and maintenance guidelines as described in unit Operation & Maintenance (O&M) manuals.
Adherence to GE recommendations issued in TIL, PSIB, and GEK latest revisions is also recommended. Note that the
referenced GEKs are to be used as examples; however, refer to the unit specific O&M manuals for these and additional
associated documentation with the appropriate recommendations for inlet systems and power augmentation systems
maintenance.

Follow inlet filtration system guidelines (filters configuration, filters class vs. environment) per unit O&M manuals
and/or GEK116269.
Perform inlet system inspection and maintenance per the guidelines in TIL 1518 and PSIB20130813A.
Replace inlet filters as necessary, in accordance with TIL 1571.
Follow specifications listed in the unit O&M for the quality of water used in water wash and wet compression
systems manual and/or GEK101944.
Follow GT preservation guidelines at standstill as per GEK28156.
Perform borescope inspections of gas turbine internal components as per GER3620.
Inspect R1 blades with special focus on the entire root section during annual BI for any corrosion and erosion
presence and/or progression.
If wet operations, such as fogging are being utilized, inspect R1 leading edge roots via BI for any significant
erosion progression.
Execute proper IGV calibration:
Full IGV angle (64 Vanes) measurements to be performed during planned outages
Monitor the difference between CSGV (IGV angle position) and CSRGV (IGV angle reference) during the
unit operation and between inspections
IGV angles to be set within acceptable tolerance
Before performing IGV angles calibration, the backlash needs to be set within GE specified tolerance

The above recommendations need to be incorporated into the site maintenance planning and practices for improved
compressor and gas turbine reliability.

In presence of widespread corrosion pitting or erosion on compressor airfoils or other listed risk factors, report this to your
GE services representative to determine if any actions are necessary.

© 2022 General Electric Company

The proprietary information published in this Technical Information Letter is offered to you by GE in consideration of its ongoing sales and service relationship with your
organization. However, since the operation of your plant involves many factors not within our knowledge, and since operation of the plant is in your control and ultimate
responsibility for its continuing successful operation rests with you, GE specifically disclaims any responsibility for liability based on claims for damage of any type, i.e.
direct, consequential or special that may be alleged to have been incurred as result of applying this information regardless of whether it is claimed that GE is strictly
liable, in breach of contract, in breach of warranty, negligent, or is in other respects responsible for any alleged injury or damage sustained by your organization as a
result of applying this information. This Technical Information Letter contains proprietary information of General Electric Company and is furnished to its customer
solely to assist that customer in the installation, testing, operation and/or maintenance of the equipment described. This document shall not be reproduced or
distributed in whole or in part nor shall its contents be disclosed to any third party without the written approval of GE. All rights reserved.

Date Printed: 06 APRIL 2022

In addition to the maintenance best practices outlined above, a new R1 blade configuration has been developed and
validated to improve compressor reliability by providing additional durability and robustness towards the few R1 events that
occurred in the fleet (See Figure 2):
The new R1 blade configuration has improved tolerance to corrosion pitting, erosion, and corrosive environment.
The blade is featured with machined dovetail undercut to mitigate the risk of fretting-induced cracking through the
platform. Refer to the latest revision of TIL 1382 for 6B dovetail cracking background and specific recommendations.
The compressor performance (efficiency/flow) is maintained.
The blade is engineered for in-field replacement & does not require unstacking of the rotor or blade tipping in the
factory.

In case R1 is considered for replacement, the new configuration needs to be installed as a set only.

Figure 2: New R1 configuration features

The old R1 blade is now obsolete and superseded by the new R1 configuration. All new 6B/9E units will be equipped with
new R1 blades.

This TIL can be considered complete when the maintenance and inspection recommendations related to inlet systems,
water wash, power augmentation systems, and IGV calibration are incorporated into the site maintenance planning and
practices.

© 2022 General Electric Company

The proprietary information published in this Technical Information Letter is offered to you by GE in consideration of its ongoing sales and service relationship with your
organization. However, since the operation of your plant involves many factors not within our knowledge, and since operation of the plant is in your control and ultimate
responsibility for its continuing successful operation rests with you, GE specifically disclaims any responsibility for liability based on claims for damage of any type, i.e.
direct, consequential or special that may be alleged to have been incurred as result of applying this information regardless of whether it is claimed that GE is strictly
liable, in breach of contract, in breach of warranty, negligent, or is in other respects responsible for any alleged injury or damage sustained by your organization as a
result of applying this information. This Technical Information Letter contains proprietary information of General Electric Company and is furnished to its customer
solely to assist that customer in the installation, testing, operation and/or maintenance of the equipment described. This document shall not be reproduced or
distributed in whole or in part nor shall its contents be disclosed to any third party without the written approval of GE. All rights reserved.

Date Printed: 06 APRIL 2022

PLANNING INFORMATION

Compliance
• Compliance Category: M
• Timing Code: 6

Manpower Skills
Borescope technician needed for planned BIs, CIs, HGPIs.

Parts
New 9E R1 Configuration: 131T0391P0001. This part is also available with corrosion protection coating or ultra-finish.

New 6B R1 Configuration: 132T5096P0001. This part is also available with corrosion protection coating or ultra-finish.

Special Tooling
None

Reference Documents
GEK116269 - Gas Turbine Inlet Air Specification

GEK101944 - Requirements for Water/Steam Purity in Gas Turbines

GEK28156 - Gas Turbine and Accessory Equipment Preservation

GER3620 - Heavy-Duty Gas Turbine Operating and Maintenance Considerations

PSIB20130813A - Inlet Filtration and Water Wash Quality Checklist

TIL1571 - Requirements for purchasing gas turbine inlet filters and potential risk of failure in noncompliance

TIL1518 - Maintenance and inspection requirements for gas turbine air inlet systems

TIL1382 - Compressor rotor stage 1 blade (R1) inspection

Scope of Work
Maintenance & Inspections scope of work:

- Inspection and maintenance scope per the listed reference documents and TIL recommendations

- Inspect R1 blades with special focus on the entire root section during annual BI for any corrosion and erosion presence
and/or progression.

© 2022 General Electric Company

The proprietary information published in this Technical Information Letter is offered to you by GE in consideration of its ongoing sales and service relationship with your
organization. However, since the operation of your plant involves many factors not within our knowledge, and since operation of the plant is in your control and ultimate
responsibility for its continuing successful operation rests with you, GE specifically disclaims any responsibility for liability based on claims for damage of any type, i.e.
direct, consequential or special that may be alleged to have been incurred as result of applying this information regardless of whether it is claimed that GE is strictly
liable, in breach of contract, in breach of warranty, negligent, or is in other respects responsible for any alleged injury or damage sustained by your organization as a
result of applying this information. This Technical Information Letter contains proprietary information of General Electric Company and is furnished to its customer
solely to assist that customer in the installation, testing, operation and/or maintenance of the equipment described. This document shall not be reproduced or
distributed in whole or in part nor shall its contents be disclosed to any third party without the written approval of GE. All rights reserved.

Date Printed: 06 APRIL 2022

TIL DISPOSITION

Disposition of TILs should be entered in local records and also in GE Power ServiceNow. Follow the below instructions for entering the
disposition record;

• Log into the Power ServiceNow at https://gepowerpac.service-now.com/til_new/ using your GE SSO number and password.

• Select "TIL Disposition".

• Click on the TIL for the serial number you want to update.

• Choose the most appropriate "Disposition Status" and enter "Disposition Notes".

• Click "Save".

Contact your local GE Services representative for assistance or for additional information

© 2022 General Electric Company

The proprietary information published in this Technical Information Letter is offered to you by GE in consideration of its ongoing sales and service relationship with your
organization. However, since the operation of your plant involves many factors not within our knowledge, and since operation of the plant is in your control and ultimate
responsibility for its continuing successful operation rests with you, GE specifically disclaims any responsibility for liability based on claims for damage of any type, i.e.
direct, consequential or special that may be alleged to have been incurred as result of applying this information regardless of whether it is claimed that GE is strictly
liable, in breach of contract, in breach of warranty, negligent, or is in other respects responsible for any alleged injury or damage sustained by your organization as a
result of applying this information. This Technical Information Letter contains proprietary information of General Electric Company and is furnished to its customer
solely to assist that customer in the installation, testing, operation and/or maintenance of the equipment described. This document shall not be reproduced or
distributed in whole or in part nor shall its contents be disclosed to any third party without the written approval of GE. All rights reserved.

Date Printed: 06 APRIL 2022