Atomizing Spray Nozzle for In-Situ Turbine Coating Restoration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Turbine engine coatings deteriorate over time, requiring costly and time-consuming disassembly for restoration, and existing spray devices struggle to apply uniform coatings due to movement difficulties through small access openings.
Innovation Solution
A spray access tool and atomizing spray nozzle device system that allows for restoration of coatings within turbine engines without disassembly, using a plenum post atomizing system and internal atomizing zone to deliver a broad, uniform spray through a fixed location, with controlled rotation and curing processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If disassembly is performed to access interior components for coating restoration, then coating restoration can be achieved, but significant expense and time are required and systems become out of service
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the spray device through a small access opening in the engine casing, allowing the coating restoration process to be performed on interior components without disassembling the engine. The spray device is inserted through a minimal opening, delivering coating material directly to the target surfaces while the engine remains assembled and operational.
Solution Approach 2:
The spray device is designed to be nested within the engine casing through a small access opening, similar to a nested doll structure. The spray device fits through the limited space provided by the access opening and positions itself inside the engine to perform coating restoration on internal components without requiring engine disassembly.
2Ease of operation
If spray devices are moved through small access openings to apply coatings, then access to interior surfaces is achieved, but uniform coating application becomes very difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The spray device is segmented into multiple spray nozzles arranged in a array configuration. This segmentation allows the coating to be applied from multiple directions and positions simultaneously, ensuring uniform coverage of interior surfaces without requiring movement of the entire device. Each nozzle contributes to the overall uniform coating pattern.
Solution Approach 2:
The spray device transitions from a single-point spray approach to a multi-point array configuration, adding spatial dimensionality to the coating application. This array of nozzles distributes coating material across multiple locations simultaneously, achieving uniform coverage without mechanical movement of the device through the access opening.
3Manufacturing precision
If the spray device remains fixed to ensure uniform coating, then coating uniformity is improved, but access to different interior surfaces becomes limited
Solution Approach 1:
The engine is rotated dynamically during the coating application process while the spray device remains fixed in position. This dynamic rotation of the engine brings different interior surfaces into the coating zone sequentially, allowing a stationary spray device to coat multiple different surfaces uniformly without requiring the device to move or reposition.
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, uniform restoration of thermal barrier coatings on turbine engine components, extending overhaul intervals and preventing coating issues without moving parts or components during application.
Implementation Method 1
A spray system includes a spray nozzle device for atomizing and applying a restorative coating
Implementation Method 2
The turbine can be rotated... and a curing device could also be employed
Data Source
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AI summary
An atomizing spray nozzle device 100 includes plural inlets that receive different phases of materials of a coating. The device 100 also includes an atomizing zone housing 522 portion fluidly coupled with the inlets 518, 520 and shaped to mix the different phases of the materials into a mixed phase slurry. The device 100 also includes a plenum housing portion 524 fluidly coupled with the atomizing housing portion 522 along the center axis of the device 100. The plenum housing portion 524 includes an interior plenum 546 that is elongated along the center axis 106 of the device 100. The plenum 546 is configured to receive the mixed phase slurry from the atomizing zone. The device 100 also includes one or more delivery nozzles 526, 528, 530 fluidly coupled with the plenum 546. The one or more delivery nozzles 526, 528, 530 provide one or more outlets from which the mixed phase slurry is delivered onto one or more surfaces of a target object as a coating on the target object.