Fluid Nozzle Joint Elbow Built by Laser Cladding on Tube Stock
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fluid injectors for gas turbine engines face challenges in bending fluid tubes with tight radii while maintaining suitable joints, often requiring additional elbow pieces that increase part count, cost, and weight due to the need for precision machining and joining techniques like brazing and welding.
Innovation Solution
A method involving laser cladding material onto tube stock to form an elbow with a joint surface, allowing for the elimination of intermediate elbow pieces by machining a fluid passage through the deposited material and brazing the nozzle directly to the joint surface, reducing part count and weight while using lower-cost materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an intermediate elbow piece is used to join the fluid tube and fluid nozzle, then the joint can be properly formed with suitable thickness for brazing and welding, but the part count increases and additional weight is added
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the fluid tube and elbow into a single integrated component by depositing material directly onto the tube to form the elbow portion, eliminating the need for separate intermediate elbow pieces and reducing part count while maintaining joint integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite construction by depositing material (such as metal powder or wire) onto the fluid tube to form the elbow, creating a composite structure that combines the base tube material with the deposited material to achieve the desired geometry and joint properties
2Reliability
If an intermediate elbow piece is used to join the fluid tube and fluid nozzle, then the joint can be properly formed, but the weight increases due to additional parts and joining materials
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the fluid tube and elbow into a single integrated component, eliminating the weight of separate elbow pieces and reducing the total amount of brazing and welding material required
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates the intermediate elbow piece from the assembly, removing the unnecessary weight while maintaining the functional requirements for fluid flow and joint integrity
3Device complexity
If a very thick tube is used to omit the elbow piece, then the part count is reduced, but excessive material must be machined away which is expensive and generates considerable waste
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by depositing the elbow geometry directly onto the tube in the correct shape, avoiding the need to start with a thick tube and machine away excess material, thereby minimizing material waste
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the manufacturing parameter from subtractive machining to additive deposition, building the elbow geometry directly onto the tube rather than machining it from a solid block, which significantly reduces material waste
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 reduces the number of parts and weight in fluid injection components, minimizes material waste, and facilitates more efficient manufacturing processes by integrating the elbow and nozzle joints directly onto the tube stock, enhancing the structural integrity and reducing production costs.
Implementation Method 1
Depositing can include laser cladding the material onto the piece of tube stock
Data Source
AI summary
A method of making a fluid injection component for a gas turbine engine includes depositing material onto a piece of tube stock. The method includes machining an elbow into the deposited material, wherein machining the elbow includes forming a braze joint surface in the deposited material. Depositing can include laser cladding the material onto the piece of tube stock.