Clad Wire Structure for High-Temperature Oxidation Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-temperature environments pose survivability challenges for wires and windings due to mechanical stress and thermal degradation, necessitating improved materials and designs to maintain operability and reduce size and weight in applications like gas turbine engines.
Innovation Solution
The use of a metallic core conductor material, a clad conductor material with a higher resistance, and an interlayer to inhibit intermetallic formation, combined with an anodized skin to provide an oxidation barrier and electrical insulation, enhances the durability and current-carrying capacity of wires in high-temperature environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wires are used in high-temperature environments, then electrical connectivity is maintained, but thermal degradation and mechanical stress reduce reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The wire employs a composite structure with a copper core conductor, aluminum clad conductor material, and intermediate interlayer. This composite design combines the high electrical conductivity of copper with the high-temperature oxidation resistance of aluminum, enabling the wire to maintain reliability in high-temperature environments while preventing detrimental intermetallic formation at material interfaces
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediate interlayer is introduced between the copper core and aluminum clad to prevent direct contact and intermetallic compound formation. This intermediary layer acts as a diffusion barrier, blocking harmful chemical reactions while allowing the composite structure to benefit from both materials' high-temperature properties
2Weight of moving object
If wire size is reduced for weight savings, then weight decreases, but current-carrying capacity may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The composite wire structure optimizes the weight-to-conductivity ratio by using aluminum (lighter) for the outer clad and copper (more conductive) for the inner core. This allows reduction of overall wire diameter while maintaining sufficient current-carrying capacity, as the copper core provides high conductivity and the aluminum clad reduces weight and provides high-temperature protection
3Reliability
If aluminum clad is used to reduce weight and improve high-temperature resistance, then weight and temperature resistance improve, but intermetallic formation between copper and aluminum increases
Solution Approach 1:
An intermediate interlayer is positioned between the copper core conductor and aluminum clad conductor material to prevent direct diffusion and intermetallic compound formation. This intermediary barrier blocks harmful chemical reactions while allowing the composite structure to maintain its weight-saving and high-temperature resistance advantages
Solution Approach 2:
The three-layer composite structure (copper core, intermediate interlayer, aluminum clad) is specifically designed to eliminate the harmful copper-aluminum intermetallic reaction while preserving the beneficial properties of both materials, including weight reduction and high-temperature oxidation resistance
4Reliability
If wire cross-section is increased to improve current-carrying capacity, then current capacity increases, but size and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The composite wire design with copper core and aluminum clad optimizes the weight-to-conductivity ratio, allowing smaller overall dimensions compared to solid copper wires of equivalent current capacity. The copper core provides high conductivity for current carrying, while the lighter aluminum clad reduces overall weight and volume
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
The solution improves the current-carrying capacity and reduces mechanical stress, preventing intermetallic formation and oxidation, thereby reducing the size and weight of wires and coils in high-temperature applications.
Implementation Method 1
anodized skin formed on the aluminum clad conductor material
Implementation Method 2
The interlayer may be arranged between the core conductor material and the clad conductor material to at least partially inhibit deleterious intermetallic formation between the clad conductor material and the core conductor material
Data Source
AI summary
Wires are disclosed. A wire includes a metallic core conductor material and a metallic clad conductor material. The core conductor material has a first resistance and the clad conductor material has a second resistance greater than the first resistance. The clad conductor material is configured to form an oxidation barrier to at least partially shield the core conductor material from oxidation in an oxygen-containing, high-temperature environment.