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TIL 1304-3
GE ENERGY SERVICES
PRODUCT SERVICE
11 June 2001
TECHNICAL INFORMATION LETTER
9TH STAGE STATOR CASING HOOK
FIT (EXTRACTION SLOT) CRACKING

APPLICABLE TO:
Frame 5-1 and 5-2 Gas Turbines

PURPOSE
To provide information related to circumferential
cracking and corrective action available at the
9th stage of the compressor hook fit.
BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION
There have been several reported cases of
cracks found at the 9th stage of the compressor
casing hook fit. The issue is usually discovered
on units with greater than 5 years of service or
greater than 15,000 hours of peaking operation.
A photo of a typical crack is attached (See figure
1). The crack begins at the horizontal flange
and progresses in the circumferential direction.
The thin metal ligament at this location
combined with corrosion initiates the crack. In a
few instances, the thin ligament has broken and
caused secondary damage.
RECOMMENDATION
GE recommends that a thorough inspection of
this location be performed at every major
inspection and during any maintenance activity
involving compressor casing removal. In most
cases, the crack can be seen visually. If no
visual indications are present, an FPI should be
performed to verify the absence of the crack.
GE Service Centers have a repair technique
developed to resolve this issue. The Service
Centers have all the necessary tooling and
methods to perform the full repair in the field.
Please contact the local GE repair services for
details.

Contact your local GE representative for

assistance or for additional information.

Figure 1. Typical 9th stage hook fit crack

TIL Category: E, F, & G

COPYRIGHT 2001, GE
The 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.