Steam Turbine Low Pressure 75in Last Stage Blade for Nuclear Half Speed Applications

The impact of global warming is driving the current trend in the power industry to transition away from employing fossil fuels for power production. Nuclear energy has been demonstrated to be a safe, reliable, and dispatchable way of generating either base load power or to balance fluctuations in renewable power. General Electric has further developed its Arabelle steam turbine platform to address the growing demand for nuclear power. This included the development of one of the longest low pressure steam turbine last stage blades, at 75 inches. Due to the sheer size of the turbine components, the development of this turbine posed several challenges, from both mechanical integrity and design perspectives. This paper documents the design development, validation, and manufacturing processes of the low-pressure turbine last stage blade.