Abstract:
The single crystal nickel-based superalloy turbine blades have been studied by means of a neutron
tomography method as a non-destructive structural probe. Differences in neutron attenuation coefficients
inside volume of metal bodies of the turbine blades have been found. Those observed differences could
be associated with inner structural incoherence areas arising in the process of operation of the turbine
blades. Applications of special algorithms for a three-dimensional imaging data analysis allow obtaining
a spatial distribution of those areas inside the turbine blades and estimate those volumes. To study a
temperature evolution of structural incoherence areas, the additional neutron tomography studies of the
turbine blades with thermal treatment were performed.
