Dual-Material Turbomachine Disks with Localized Creep Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Turbomachine disks face issues with creep and fatigue resistance due to increasing temperatures, and existing solutions either reduce efficiency or are costly and anisotropic.

Innovation Solution

Manufacture turbomachine disks with a central zone of fatigue-resistant material and a circumferential zone of creep-resistant material, using a method that includes laser projection of monocrystalline or directional solidification material onto a bore blank, oriented perpendicular to the tangent of the outer surface.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If cooling air is taken from cold locations to cool the disks, then the disks are cooled and creep resistance is improved, but the efficiency of the turbomachine is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecreep resistanceVSAvoidturbomachine efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The disk is divided into two material zones: a central zone made of fatigue-resistant equiaxed alloy and a circumferential zone made of creep-resistant monocrystalline or directionally solidified material. This local differentiation allows each zone to have properties optimized for its specific thermal and mechanical conditions without requiring cooling air extraction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If monocrystalline or directionally solidified material is used for the entire disk, then creep resistance is improved, but the material properties become anisotropic

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecreep resistanceVSAvoidmaterial isotropy
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using monocrystalline material for the entire disk, the invention applies it only to the circumferential zone where creep resistance is critical. The central zone retains equiaxed structure providing isotropic fatigue resistance. This localized application maintains overall material composition stability while providing targeted creep protection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Temperature

If new high-temperature resistant alloys are developed, then maximum operating temperature can be increased by 100°C, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemaximum operating temperatureVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention uses additive manufacturing technology to deposit monocrystalline or directionally solidified material onto an existing equiaxed disk substrate. This parameter change in manufacturing method allows cost-effective production of high-temperature resistant disks without requiring entirely new alloy development, achieving temperature increase through material structure rather than composition.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Ease of manufacture

If conventional equiaxed nickel-based materials are used for disks, then manufacturing is simple and cost-effective, but creep resistance diminishes at high temperatures

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidcreep resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention creates a composite structure by depositing monocrystalline or directionally solidified material (second material) onto an equiaxed alloy substrate (first material). This composite approach combines the manufacturing simplicity and fatigue resistance of conventional materials with the high-temperature creep resistance of advanced materials, resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and creep resistance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

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 creep and fatigue resistance while maintaining manufacturing efficiency and reducing material costs, allowing for optimal performance and weight savings in turbomachines.

Implementation Method 1

The second material is a nickel-based monocrystalline material in powder form. the projection operation comprises laser projection of the monocrystalline material by making at least one hole in the outer surface of the rough bore, inserting a seed of monocrystalline material therein and melting said seed in order to orient the formed crystal.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLaser melting: Melting

Implementation Method 2

the second material is a nickel-based monocrystalline material in powder form. the projection operation comprises laser projection of the monocrystalline material by making at least one hole in the outer surface of the rough bore, inserting a seed of monocrystalline material therein and melting said seed in order to orient the formed crystal.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDirectional solidification: Crystallisation

Data Source

PatentEP4251855B1Method and device for manufacturing a dual-material turbomachine disk and disc produced using said method
Publication Date: 2025.09.10 SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES SAS
  • EP4251855B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4251855B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

One aspect of the invention relates to a method for manufacturing a dual-material turbine engine disc, comprising the following operations: providing a rough bore made of a first material, mounting the rough bore about an axis of rotation of a rotating device, rotating the rough bore, spraying a second material under solidification conditions, thereby generating a column-like or monocrystalline microstructure, which is different from the first material, on an outer surface of the rough bore in order to produce a dual-material part, and machining the dual-material part to produce a turbine engine disc. A second aspect of the invention relates to a device for implementing said method. A third aspect of the invention relates to a turbine engine disc produced using said method.