Feed Nozzle Cooling for Stable Turbomachine Additive Manufacturing

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Solution Overview

Problem

In additive manufacturing, particularly in aeronautics, the high temperatures generated during the energy supply for wire-based direct metal melting (LMD) can cause deformation and imperfections in the feed nozzle, leading to suboptimal material deposition and potential stoppages, affecting the quality and efficiency of the process.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the use of a cooling element, such as a neutral gas flow (e.g., nitrogen or argon), projected at a pressure of 1-3 bar and at room temperature, to cool the feed nozzle during the energy projection step, maintaining its geometric characteristics and ensuring consistent, high-quality material deposition without increasing manufacturing time or costs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If high energy is supplied to melt the wire material, then the melting efficiency and deposition speed are improved, but the feed nozzle undergoes thermal deformation and expansion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeposition speedVSAvoidnozzle geometric characteristics

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

A cooling gas flow is introduced as an intermediary substance between the energy source and the feed nozzle to transfer heat away from the nozzle, preventing thermal deformation while allowing continuous high-energy material deposition

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The temperature parameter of the feed nozzle is actively controlled by introducing a cooling gas flow, changing the thermal state of the nozzle to maintain its geometric characteristics during the deposition process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If the feed nozzle is cooled during energy projection, then the nozzle geometric characteristics are maintained, but the manufacturing process complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeposit qualityVSAvoidcooling system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A pneumatic cooling system using gas flow is implemented to cool the feed nozzle, providing an simple and effective method to control nozzle temperature without complex mechanical or electronic cooling mechanisms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

Solution Approach 2:

The cooling gas serves dual functions: it cools the feed nozzle and creates an inert atmosphere that protects the molten material from oxidation, simplifying the overall process by combining cooling and protection functions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #39Inert atmosphere (Inert environment)

3Device complexity

If the feed nozzle is not cooled, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but the wire flow rate may stop and deposit quality deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocess simplicityVSAvoidwire flow continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Cooling action is applied preliminarily and continuously to the feed nozzle to prevent thermal expansion and wire flow stoppage before they can occur, ensuring reliable continuous deposition

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

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 results in a 100% yield of deposited material with improved physicochemical and mechanical resistances, maintaining the nozzle's integrity and ensuring regular, clean deposition, while preventing oxidation and reducing manufacturing costs.

Implementation Method 1

a cooling element, such as a neutral gas flow (e.g., nitrogen or argon), projected at a pressure of 1-3 bar and at room temperature, to cool the feed nozzle

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection cooling: Convection

Implementation Method 2

an element for projecting energy towards the material so as to cause the material to melt

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLaser heating: Laser

Implementation Method 3

cause the material to melt on the manufacturing support

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 4

depositing and stacking successive layers of a material intended for the manufacture of the component and to consolidate them

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSolidification: Freezing

Data Source

PatentUS20220288692A1Method for the additive manufacture of a turbomachine component

Publication Date: 2022.09.15 SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES SAS

AI summary

A method for manufacturing a component, in particular a turbomachine component, in the form of a plurality of superposed layers of a material includes a step of supplying the material into a feed nozzle and a step of projecting energy towards the feed nozzle to cause the material passing through the latter to melt. The method further includes a step of cooling the feed nozzle with a cooling element during the step of projecting energy.