In-Situ Gas Turbine Crack Arrest Through Access-Port Repair
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional repair methods for gas turbine engines require disassembly and removal from aircraft, leading to increased time and costs due to the need for external access to internal components.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for in situ repair using a repair tool with an attachment mechanism and working head that can be inserted through access ports to address cracks and defects within the engine, allowing for precision work such as drilling, heating, and filling with filler materials without disassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional repair methods are used requiring disassembly and removal from aircraft, then access to internal components is achieved, but repair time and maintenance costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The repair system employs a nested structure where a borescope is inserted through an access port into the engine interior, followed by insertion of the repair tool through the same port. The working head attaches to the internal component surface, creating a nested sequence of tools accessing the crack location without requiring engine disassembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The borescope serves as an intermediary tool that provides visual access and guidance to the crack location within the engine interior. It mediates between the external operator and the inaccessible crack, enabling precise positioning of the repair tool through the same access port without direct visual access or engine disassembly.
2Ease of operation
If conventional repair methods require engine removal from aircraft, then complete access to components is achieved, but aircraft downtime increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts only the essential function of accessing the crack for repair, removing the need to extract (remove) the entire engine from the aircraft. The repair tool extracts minimal material at the crack tip through localized heating and material removal, achieving repair without full engine disassembly or aircraft ground time.
3Ease of operation
If disassembly is performed for repair access, then internal components become accessible, but repair complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The repair procedure is segmented into distinct functional modules: (1) borescope insertion for visualization, (2) repair tool insertion through access port, (3) working head attachment to component surface, (4) localized heating of crack base, and (5) material removal. This segmentation allows each step to be performed independently through the same access port, reducing overall procedure complexity compared to full disassembly.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient and cost-effective repair of internal components within the gas turbine engine, reducing downtime and maintenance costs by allowing repairs to be performed without removing the engine from the aircraft.
Implementation Method 1
locally heating the base of the crack by means of a heating component included in the working head
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for remotely stopping a crack 106 in a component 104 of a gas turbine engine 10 is provided. The method can include inserting an integrated repair interface attached to a cable delivery system 100 within a gas turbine engine 10; positioning the tip 134 adjacent to a defect 106 defined on a surface 105 on the component 104; and locally heating the base 107 of the defect 104. A method is also provided for clamping a crack defined between a first surface and a second surface of a component of a gas turbine engine.