Hot Gas Path Component With Arced Cooling and Hybrid Manufacture

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Solution Overview

Problem

The increasing cost of materials and difficulty in manipulating them pose challenges in producing gas turbomachine components that can withstand significant temperatures and maintain a desired lifespan, as conventional methods are inefficient and costly.

Innovation Solution

The approach involves forming a turbomachine component using a combination of conventional forging or casting for one portion and additive manufacturing for another portion, where the latter includes cooling features, with the two portions being bonded together, allowing for the use of less expensive materials with similar thermal expansion coefficients, and incorporating arced cooling pathways to enhance heat transfer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional methods are used to produce gas turbomachine components with desired lifespan, then thermal endurance is achieved, but production cost increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomponent lifespanVSAvoidproduction cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The component is divided into two distinct portions: a first portion formed by conventional forging or casting methods, and a second portion formed by additive manufacturing. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized for its specific manufacturing requirements, reducing overall production costs while maintaining the thermal endurance needed for component lifespan

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses two different materials with similar thermal expansion coefficients but different cost and manufacturing characteristics. The first material is suitable for conventional manufacturing, while the second material is optimized for additive manufacturing and includes cooling features. This composite approach enables cost reduction without compromising the thermal performance required for desired lifespan

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Duration of action of stationary object

If expensive materials with high heat endurance are used, then component lifespan is extended, but material cost and manipulation difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomponent lifespanVSAvoidmaterial cost and manipulation

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The cooling features are localized in the second portion of the component where thermal management is most critical. By concentrating cooling capabilities in specific areas rather than using expensive heat-enduring materials throughout the entire component, the invention reduces material costs and manipulation difficulty while extending component lifespan through effective heat management

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of manufacture

If simple cooling features are incorporated, then manufacturing is easier, but heat transfer effectiveness is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling feature fabricationVSAvoidheat transfer effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The additive manufacturing process enables the creation of three-dimensional arced cooling pathways that follow the curvature of the component surface. These pathways extend into the depth of the component, creating a multi-dimensional cooling network that significantly enhances heat transfer effectiveness compared to simple surface-level cooling features, while maintaining ease of manufacture through additive processes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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 method reduces production costs while maintaining thermal performance by utilizing additive manufacturing to create complex cooling features with similar thermal expansion characteristics, effectively managing heat transfer and extending the lifespan of gas turbomachine components.

Implementation Method 1

incorporating arced cooling pathways to enhance heat transfer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

allows coolant to flow through the component, effectively transferring heat away from the component

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 3

bonding comprises heating the member and the layer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Data Source

PatentEP3040522B1Hot gas path component and methods of manufacture

Publication Date: 2021.02.17 GENERAL ELECTRIC CO

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AI summary

Various embodiments of the disclosure include a turbomachine component (2) and methods of forming such a component (2). Some embodiments include a turbomachine component (2) including: a first portion (4) including at least one of a stainless steel or an alloy steel; and a second portion (6) joined with the first portion (4), the second portion (6) including a nickel alloy including an arced cooling feature (10) extending therethrough, the second portion (6) having a thermal expansion coefficient substantially similar to a thermal expansion coefficient of the first portion (4), wherein the arced cooling feature (10) is located within the second portion (6) to direct a portion of a coolant to a leakage area (18) of the turbomachine component (2).