Combustor Panel Preforming for Accurate Shell Fit and Coating Life
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing combustor panels in gas turbine engines often fail to fit perfectly with combustor shells due to misalignment, leading to pre-loads and strain that cause early coating spallation and reduce engine life.
Innovation Solution
A method involving casting and cold working combustor panels into an initial shape, followed by deformation and coating processes, including electron-beam physical vapor deposition (EBPVD), to achieve a final shape that fits the combustor shell, reducing residual stress and improving sealing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If combustor panels are manufactured with traditional forming and coating processes, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but dimensional accuracy deteriorates resulting in misalignment with combustor shells
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing forming operations before coating operations. The combustor panel is formed to the desired shape first, then coated. This sequence ensures that the panel achieves dimensional accuracy before the coating process begins, preventing misalignment issues that would occur if coating were performed first and then the panel was formed.
Solution Approach 2:
The manufacturing process is segmented into distinct sequential operations: forming operations (cold working, hot working, or casting) are separated from coating operations. This segmentation allows each process to be optimized independently, with forming focused on dimensional accuracy and coating focused on surface protection, thereby improving overall manufacturing precision without excessive complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If combustor panels are not pre-formed to match combustor shell geometry, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but fit-up accuracy deteriorates causing pre-loads and strain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-forming the combustor panel to match the combustor shell geometry before assembly. The panel is shaped in advance to conform to the shell's curvature and dimensions, ensuring accurate fit-up. This preliminary formation eliminates the need for complex adjustment procedures during assembly and prevents pre-loads and strain that would result from poor fit-up.
3Manufacturing precision
If dimensional accuracy checking is performed only once before coating, then inspection time is reduced, but quality control deteriorates as panels are not dimensionally sound after coating and laser drilling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing dimensional accuracy checking at multiple stages, specifically before coating operations and after forming operations. This multi-stage inspection ensures that the panel is dimensionally sound before coating is applied, and that any dimensional issues are caught early in the forming stage rather than after coating and laser drilling, when corrections would be difficult or impossible.
4Reliability
If combustor panels are made to fit combustor shells precisely, then coating spallation is reduced and combustor life is extended, but manufacturing process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by ensuring precise fit-up of combustor panels to combustor shells through pre-forming operations before coating is applied. The panel is formed to the exact geometry required for optimal fit-up, and this dimensional accuracy is maintained through the coating process. This preliminary precision work prevents coating spallation that would occur with misaligned panels, thereby extending combustor life without requiring complex additional processes.
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 method enhances the fit of combustor panels to combustor shells, reducing spallation and increasing combustor lifespan by providing improved sealing and reducing premature coating failure.
Implementation Method 1
The coating may include electron-beam physical vapor deposition (EBPVD)
Data Source
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AI summary
An aerodynamic component (501, 801) of a gas turbine engine (20) is provided and is fittable to a shell (510, 810) having a shell shape (512, 812). The aerodynamic component includes a body (520, 820) having a component shape (522, 822) initially deviating from the shell shape prior to an assembly operation in which the aerodynamic component is to be fit to the shell. Deviation of the component shape from the shell shape aids in an establishment of a final desired shape (530, 830) of the aerodynamic component following the assembly operation.