Localized Brazing Heating for Fuel Injector Joint Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional joining techniques, such as brazing and welding, are time-consuming and may not efficiently maintain the temperature of remote portions of work pieces during the joining process, particularly in high-pressure gas turbine engine applications where precise and efficient assembly of fuel injectors and manifolds is required.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the application of local heating using directed heat sources like lasers or electron beams to achieve braze melting temperature at the joint location while maintaining the temperature of remote portions of the work pieces, allowing for the formation of a braze joint without altering the material properties of the remote areas, and can be performed in an inert or evacuated environment to prevent oxidation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If conventional brazing uses radiant or induction heating in an oven to join metallic components, then the joint location reaches the desired temperature, but the heating process takes considerable time to reach equilibrium and heats remote portions of the work pieces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies localized heating directly at the joint location using directed heat sources (laser, electron beam, or focused microwave beam) rather than heating the entire work piece in an oven. This localized approach rapidly heats only the brazing joint area to the desired temperature while maintaining remote portions of the work pieces at lower temperatures, significantly reducing the time to reach brazing equilibrium and eliminating the need for lengthy oven heating cycles
2Temperature
If conventional brazing heats the entire assembly to achieve joint temperature, then the joint location reaches desired temperature, but remote portions of work pieces are also heated which may alter their material properties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses directed heat sources to concentrate thermal energy precisely at the joint location, creating a localized thermal zone. This allows the joint area to reach the required brazing temperature while remote portions of the work pieces remain relatively cool, preserving their original material properties and avoiding unwanted thermal alterations such as tempering, annealing, or distortion that would occur with conventional oven heating
3Productivity
If brazing is performed on multiple fuel injection components simultaneously in an oven, then all components can be joined, but the entire assembly must go through a complete braze cycle which is time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables selective localized heating of individual fuel injection component joints using directed heat sources. This allows each joint to be brazed independently and simultaneously without requiring the entire assembly to undergo a complete oven braze cycle. The process can target specific joint locations precisely, reducing the overall time required to join multiple components while maintaining quality standards for each individual joint
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the brazing process into separate, independently controllable heating zones at each joint location. Rather than treating the entire assembly as a single unit requiring uniform heating, the directed heat sources can address each fuel injection component joint separately and simultaneously, allowing for segmented processing that improves productivity by eliminating the need to wait for the slowest-heating component in a conventional oven cycle
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 enables quicker and more precise joining of fuel injectors and manifolds, allowing for higher fuel temperatures and reducing the need for o-ring seals, while maintaining the integrity of the work pieces and enabling in-situ assembly on gas turbine engines.
Implementation Method 1
applying local heating to the joint location of the two work pieces until braze melting temperature is achieved to melt the braze while maintaining temperature of more remote portions of each work piece
Implementation Method 2
The directed heat source can include at least one of a laser, electron beam, and/or focused microwave beam
Implementation Method 3
The directed heat source can include at least one of a laser, electron beam, and/or focused microwave beam
Implementation Method 4
The directed heat source can include at least one of a laser, electron beam, and/or focused microwave beam
Implementation Method 5
applying local heating to the joint location of the two work pieces until braze melting temperature is achieved to melt the braze
Data Source
AI summary
A method comprising applying braze to a joint location of two work pieces and applying local heating to the joint location of the two work pieces until braze melting temperature is achieved to melt the braze while maintaining temperature of more remote portions of each work piece. The method includes reducing heating of the braze to form a braze joint joining the joint location of the two work pieces.