Additive Cooling Hole Structure for Complex Turbine Apertures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for forming complex cooling channels in turbine systems, such as drilling and electrical discharge machining, are costly and inefficient, particularly for creating small shaped holes, leading to increased scrap and manufacturing costs.
Innovation Solution
The method involves using direct metal laser melting (DMLM) to create articles with cooling holes by depositing and melting metal alloy powder layers with preselected thicknesses and shapes, including apertures, and attaching these structures to substrates using compatible materials like gamma prime superalloys or stainless steel, allowing for precise control over aperture profiles and shapes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If drilling or electrical discharge machining is used to form complex cooling channels, then cooling channels can be formed in metal components, but the manufacturing cost increases and manufacturing precision deteriorates for small shaped holes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical drilling and electrical discharge machining with direct metal laser melting (DMLM), a laser-based additive manufacturing process. This substitution eliminates the need for mechanical tooling and electrical discharge, enabling precise formation of complex shaped cooling holes without the cost and precision limitations of conventional methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the manufacturing process parameters from subtractive (drilling) or electro-thermal (discharge machining) to additive laser melting. This parameter change allows for direct formation of complex 3D cooling channel geometries with precise aperture profiles, including small shaped holes that are difficult or impossible to create with traditional methods.
2Loss of substance
If drilling or electrical discharge machining is used to form complex cooling channels, then cooling channels can be formed, but material loss increases leading to increased scrap
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses direct metal laser melting to form cooling channels directly within the metal component during the additive manufacturing process itself, before final component completion. This preliminary action eliminates the need for subsequent drilling or discharge machining operations, preventing material loss that would occur with those subtractive or electro-thermal processes.
Solution Approach 2:
By changing from subtractive manufacturing (drilling) to additive manufacturing (laser melting), the process eliminates material removal entirely. The cooling channels are formed by selectively melting and fusing metal powder in the desired geometry, resulting in zero or minimal material scrap compared to traditional methods.
3Manufacturing precision
If traditional drilling or electrical discharge machining is used, then cooling channels can be formed, but the ability to form small shaped holes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical drilling tools and electrical discharge electrodes with a focused laser beam system. This substitution enables precise formation of small shaped holes through selective laser melting of metal powder, overcoming the physical limitations of mechanical tool access and electrical discharge precision for small complex geometries.
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
This approach increases aperture complexity and cooling hole quality, reduces manufacturing costs, and enables the formation of small, complex shapes, improving the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of turbine system cooling systems.
Implementation Method 1
direct metal laser melting (DMLM) to create articles with cooling holes by depositing and melting metal alloy powder layers
Data Source
AI summary
An article includes a substrate and a structure of additive manufacturing material of predetermined thickness attached to the substrate, the structure of additive manufacturing material formed by providing a metal alloy powder, forming an initial layer having a preselected thickness and a preselected shape including at least one aperture, with the metal alloy powder, sequentially forming an additional layer with the metal alloy powder over the initial layer, each of additional layers having an additional preselected thickness and an additional preselected shape including an aperture corresponding to the aperture in the initial layer, and joining each of the additional layers to the initial layer or any previously joined additional layers, forming a structure having a predetermined thickness and shape, and an aperture having a predetermined profile. The article includes a passageway through the structure including the aperture and a corresponding metering hole.