A system for on-line detection of incipient cracks in turbine blades to
serve as early warning system for turbine blade failure. The system of
non-intrusive detection of turbine blade condition of the invention is
simple and cost effective and would enable assessing the health of the
turbine blade during plant operation, which is extremely important for
the safe operation of the turbine in an operating power plant. The
present method and system of identifying the presence of modulated blade
passing frequency (BPF,) for blade vibration that is not co-relatable to
the change in the operating condition and would thus be indicative of
presence of cracked blades with incipient cracking. It is capable for
verifying the Campbell diagram and ascertain the margin available between
the natural frequency of the blade/stage and the steam excitation
frequencies/engine orders.