A method for reusing high-temperature alloy coarse powder return material to make powder

Abstract

The present invention aims to solve the problem that the existing process fails to achieve effective utilization of coarse powder return materials, and provides a method for recycling high-temperature alloy coarse powder return materials to make powder. Based on the additive manufacturing technology, the high-temperature alloy coarse powder return materials are printed into block materials, and are added with high-temperature alloy master alloy rods according to a weight ratio to form a smelting raw material for powder making. The smelting raw material is used to prepare high-temperature alloy powder according to the existing smelting and atomization methods. The present invention greatly reduces the production cost and cycle of high-temperature alloy parts, and realizes the recycling and regeneration of high-temperature alloy coarse powder return material resources.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of high-temperature alloys, and in particular to a method for reusing high-temperature alloy coarse powder return materials to make powder. Background Art

[0002] High-temperature alloys, also known as superalloys, refer to high-temperature metal materials based on iron, nickel, and cobalt that can work for a long time at high temperatures above 600°C and under certain stress conditions. They are widely used in aircraft engines and gas turbines and directly determine the performance level of the equipment. High-temperature alloy turbine discs are one of the most important core hot-end components in aircraft engines. They are prepared by powder metallurgy. The production process involves multiple processes such as high-temperature alloy master alloy bar smelting, powder making, compaction, hot processing and heat treatment. In the powder making stage of high-temperature alloy turbine discs, the mainstream process of the current world's advanced aircraft engine production and manufacturing uses argon atomization powder making technology, which melts the high-temperature alloy master alloy bar and makes it into powder. The particle size distribution of the obtained high-temperature alloy powder presents a logarithmic normal distribution. In order to ensure the metallurgical quality of the turbine disc, screening technology is usually used to select powder particles with a particle size not exceeding 53um for actual production. This makes about 40% (weight percentage) of the coarse powder after screening unable to be put into use, forming high-temperature alloy coarse powder return material, and also leads to the high production cost of high-temperature alloys and the waste of strategic resources. As the demand for high-temperature alloys increases year by year, the recycling of high-temperature alloy coarse powder return materials has become a key research and development area for reducing production costs, maintaining strategic resource security and sustainable application.

[0003] In order to realize the reuse of high-temperature alloy coarse powder return materials, the existing technology usually adopts the process of directly mixing the coarse powder return materials into the master alloy rod material according to the weight ratio (generally not more than 30%) for smelting and atomizing powder making, or adopts the process route of encapsulating the coarse powder return materials, isostatic pressing and forming, and then mixing them into the master alloy rod material according to the ratio for smelting and atomizing powder making. However, due to the difficulty of high-temperature alloy coarse powder in conducting electricity and heat transfer, it is very easy to produce powder flying phenomenon during vacuuming and smelting, which in turn causes damage to the smelting valve and vacuum system. At the same time, the above processes also have a series of problems such as long cycle of encapsulation, isostatic pressing and encapsulation peeling process, poor economy, poor powder forming, etc. Therefore, the above process routes have failed to realize the effective utilization of coarse powder return materials. Summary of the invention

[0004] Purpose of the Invention

[0005] In view of the problems existing in the prior art, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for recycling high-temperature alloy coarse powder return materials into powder, which can effectively solve the problem of idle waste of high-temperature alloy coarse powder return materials, while reducing the production cost of high-temperature alloys and avoiding waste of strategic resources.

[0006] Technical Solution

[0007] A method for reusing high-temperature alloy coarse powder return material to make powder,

[0008] Based on the additive manufacturing technology, the high-temperature alloy coarse powder return material is printed into a bulk material, and is added with the high-temperature alloy master alloy rod according to the weight ratio to form a smelting raw material for powder making. The smelting raw material is used to prepare high-temperature alloy powder according to the existing smelting and atomization methods.

[0009] Specifically include:

[0010] Step 1: Raw material preparation: Select high-temperature alloy coarse powder return material of the same grade as the raw material and pre-load it into the powder feeder of the additive manufacturing equipment;

[0011] Step 2: Preparation of additive manufacturing equipment: Install the printing base, set the printing shape, size and weight of the high-temperature alloy block, and the coarse powder return material feed weight;

[0012] Step 3, high-temperature alloy coarse powder return material block printing: start the additive manufacturing equipment, heat and melt the high-temperature alloy coarse powder return material, print it layer by layer, and finally make a high-temperature alloy block that meets the set size requirements on the base;

[0013] Step 4: Mixing the smelted raw materials for powder making: Mix the high-temperature alloy master alloy rods and coarse powder return material printing blocks of the same brand according to the set weight ratio;

[0014] Step 5, smelting and atomizing powder making: put the prepared smelting raw materials into the crucible of the smelting chamber of the atomizing powder making furnace, evacuate the chamber, and then heat, melt and atomize the smelting raw materials.

[0015] The preparation process of the high-temperature alloy coarse powder return material in step 1 includes an argon atomization process and a plasma rotating electrode process.

[0016] The particle size of the high-temperature alloy coarse powder return material selected in step 1 is ≥53um, and the maximum powder weight that can be loaded in the powder feeder of the additive manufacturing equipment is 30Kg.

[0017] The printing base material in step 2 is 304 stainless steel, and its maximum load-bearing weight is 30Kg. The maximum size of the high-temperature alloy block that can be prepared by the equipment is 100×100×500mm.

[0018] In step 3, the additive manufacturing equipment can melt the high-temperature alloy coarse powder and return the material at a temperature ranging from 1200°C to 1500°C.

[0019] The weight percentage of the high-temperature alloy coarse powder returned to the material block in the smelting raw materials prepared in step 4 is ≤30%.

[0020] Beneficial Effects

[0021] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages:

[0022] 1. The present invention provides a method for recycling high-temperature alloy coarse powder return materials to make powder. In view of the situation that a large amount of high-temperature alloy coarse powder return materials are idle and cannot be effectively utilized, the high-temperature alloy coarse powder return materials are innovatively printed into block materials based on additive manufacturing technology (3D printing technology), and added with high-temperature alloy master alloy rods according to weight ratio to form smelting raw materials for powder making, thereby realizing the preparation of high-temperature alloy powder. This method is fast and low-cost, greatly reducing the production cost and production cycle of high-temperature alloy parts, and at the same time, it can realize the recycling of high-temperature alloy coarse powder return material resources.

[0023] 2. The present invention provides a method for recycling high-temperature alloy coarse powder return materials to make powder. The powder raw material used is high-temperature alloy coarse powder return materials, which has accurate and stable composition. The prepared high-temperature alloy powder has uniform composition and excellent quality, and meets the application requirements and standards of related products. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] Figure 1 A flow chart of the high-temperature alloy coarse powder return material for recycling and powder making according to the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 The microstructure diagram of the block printed for the high-temperature alloy coarse powder return material of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 3 This is a graph of the tensile strength of the high-temperature alloy coarse powder return material printed block at different test temperatures of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] The following will provide a clear and complete description of the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0028] The present invention provides a method for powder making by recycling high-temperature alloy coarse powder return materials. Based on the additive manufacturing technology, the high-temperature alloy coarse powder return materials are printed into block materials, and are added with high-temperature alloy master alloy rods according to a weight ratio to form a smelting raw material for powder making. The smelting raw material is used to prepare high-temperature alloy powder according to the existing smelting and atomization methods.

[0029] like Figure 1 As shown, this method specifically includes:

[0030] Step 1: Raw material preparation: Select high-temperature alloy coarse powder return material of the same grade as the raw material and pre-load it into the powder feeder of the additive manufacturing equipment;

[0031] The preparation process of high-temperature alloy coarse powder return material includes argon atomization process and plasma rotating electrode process. The particle size of the selected high-temperature alloy coarse powder return material is ≥53um, and the maximum weight of powder that can be loaded into the powder feeder of the additive manufacturing equipment is 30Kg.

[0032] Step 2: Preparation of additive manufacturing equipment: Install the printing base, set the printing shape, size and weight of the high-temperature alloy block, and the coarse powder return material feed weight;

[0033] Among them, the printing base material is 304 stainless steel, its maximum load-bearing weight is 30Kg, and the maximum size of the high-temperature alloy block that the equipment can prepare is 100×100×500mm.

[0034] Step 3, high-temperature alloy coarse powder return material block printing: start the additive manufacturing equipment, heat and melt the high-temperature alloy coarse powder return material, print it layer by layer, and finally make a high-temperature alloy block that meets the set size requirements on the base;

[0035] Among them, the additive manufacturing equipment can melt the high-temperature alloy coarse powder return material at a temperature range of 1200℃ to 1500℃.

[0036] Step 4: Mixing the smelted raw materials for powder making: Mix the high-temperature alloy master alloy rods and coarse powder return material printing blocks of the same brand according to the set weight ratio;

[0037] The weight percentage of the high-temperature alloy coarse powder return material block in the prepared smelting raw materials is ≤30%.

[0038] Step 5, smelting and atomizing powder making: put the prepared smelting raw materials into the crucible of the smelting chamber of the atomizing powder making furnace, evacuate the chamber, and then heat, melt and atomize the smelting raw materials.

[0039] Embodiment 1:

[0040] Weigh 75 kg of nickel-based high-temperature alloy FGH99 coarse powder return material, place the selected powder return material into the powder feeder of the additive manufacturing equipment for use, install the printing base, set the printing size of the high-temperature alloy coarse powder return material print block to Φ25×35 mm, and start the additive manufacturing equipment for multiple printings. After printing is completed, cut off the high-temperature alloy coarse powder return material print block. Sample analysis and performance testing of the high-temperature alloy coarse powder return material print block, its microstructure is as follows Figure 2 Its tensile strength is shown as Figure 3 shown.

[0041] Weigh a total of 60 kg of FGH99 high-temperature alloy coarse powder return material printing blocks and a total of 140 kg of FGH99 high-temperature alloy master alloy rods, mix them and load them into the crucible in the smelting chamber of the atomizing powder making furnace, close the smelting chamber door, evacuate the chamber, heat and melt the smelting raw materials, and perform atomization powder making to finally prepare high-temperature alloy powder that meets the use requirements.

[0042] Additive manufacturing technology is also known as 3D printing technology. This technology completes the physical manufacturing of parts in a point-by-point or layer-by-layer manner, with the characteristics of rapid solidification and the ability to meet the manufacturing of complex parts. With the help of additive manufacturing technology, the coarse powder return material can be quickly reused, that is, a high-temperature alloy block is first prepared, and then it is added to the high-temperature alloy master alloy rod according to the weight ratio, and then smelted and atomized to powder. Therefore, in the case that the existing technical means are difficult to effectively utilize the high-temperature alloy coarse powder return material, the invention of a method for recycling the high-temperature alloy coarse powder return material has important practical value and application significance.

[0043] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and deformations may be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, and any modifications, equivalent substitutions, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present invention shall be included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for recycling high-temperature alloy coarse powder return material into powder, characterized in that: Based on the additive manufacturing technology, the high-temperature alloy coarse powder return material is printed into a block material, and is added with the high-temperature alloy master alloy rod according to the weight ratio to form a smelting raw material for powder making, and the smelting raw material is used to prepare the high-temperature alloy powder according to the existing smelting and atomization method; Specifically include: Step 1, raw material preparation: select high-temperature alloy coarse powder return material of the same grade as the raw material, and pre-load it into the powder feeder of the additive manufacturing equipment; the preparation process of the high-temperature alloy coarse powder return material includes argon atomization process and plasma rotating electrode process; the particle size of the selected high-temperature alloy coarse powder return material is ≥53um; the maximum powder weight that can be loaded into the powder feeder of the additive manufacturing equipment is 30Kg; Step 2: Preparation of additive manufacturing equipment: Install the printing base, set the printing shape, size and weight of the coarse powder return material of the high-temperature alloy block; the printing base material is 304 stainless steel, and its maximum load-bearing weight is 30Kg. The maximum size of the high-temperature alloy block that can be prepared by the equipment is 100×100×500mm; Step 3, high-temperature alloy coarse powder return material block printing: start the additive manufacturing equipment, heat and melt the high-temperature alloy coarse powder return material, print layer by layer and finally make a high-temperature alloy block that meets the set size requirements on the base; the additive manufacturing equipment can melt the high-temperature alloy coarse powder return material at a temperature range of 1200°C to 1500°C; Step 4, mixing the smelting raw materials for powder making: mixing the high-temperature alloy master alloy rods and the coarse powder return material printing blocks of the same brand according to the set weight ratio; the weight percentage of the high-temperature alloy coarse powder return material blocks in the mixed smelting raw materials is ≤30%; Step 5, smelting and atomizing powder making: put the prepared smelting raw materials into the crucible of the smelting chamber of the atomizing powder making furnace, evacuate the chamber, and then heat, melt and atomize the smelting raw materials.

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