Method of Making a Combustion Turbine Component from Metallic Combustion Turbine Subcomponent Greenbodies

Abstract

A method of making a combustion turbine component includes assembling a plurality of metallic combustion turbine subcomponent greenbodies together to form a metallic greenbody assembly and sintering the metallic greenbody assembly to thereby form the combustion turbine component. Each of the plurality of metallic combustion turbine subcomponent greenbodies may be formed by direct metal fabrication (DMF). In addition, each of plurality of metallic combustion turbine subcomponent greenbodies may include an activatable binder and the activatable binder may be activated prior to sintering.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent, Ser. No. 61 / 022,952, filed on Jan. 23, 2008.GOVERNMENT CONTRACT[0002]The U.S. Government has a paid-up license in this invention and the right in limited circumstances to require the patent owner to license others on reasonable terms as provided for by the terms of contract No. DE-FC26-05NT42644 awarded by the Department of Energy.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0003]The present invention relates to the field of metallurgy, and, more particularly, to methods of making a combustion turbine component from a plurality of metallic combustion turbine subcomponent greenbodies.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0004]A combustion turbine typically includes, in a serial flow relationship, a compressor section to compress the entering airflow, a combustion section in which a mixture of fuel and the compressed air is burned to generate a propulsive gas flow, and a turbine section tha...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0022]At least one of the plurality of metallic combustion turbine subcomponent greenbodies may be formed to have a plurality of surface features, each with a dimension less than 200 μm. These surface features may provide the combustion turbine component

Problems solved by technology

There may, however, be limitations on the size of the combustion turbine components that may be formed by casting.

Likewise, there may be limitations on the size of surface features of the combustion turbine components that may be formed (e.g. it may not be possible to form surface features having dimensions below a certain size).

However, due to the fine grain structure, a forged combustion turbine component generally exhibits relatively low resistance to creep and may thus be unsuitable for use in certain applications Subsequent heat treatment can promote grain growth, however, and it is may be easier to control grain size in a forging than a casting.

In addition, the formation of small surface features on such a combustion turbine component during the forging process may be difficult.

Since forgings are generally solid shapes and cooling passages are later machined into the forging, it may be difficult to machine fine scale internal feature

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