Mask Elements for Uncoated Cooling Holes in Gas Turbine Components
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for coating gas turbine components often occlude or alter the shape of cooling holes during the coating process, which can compromise their effectiveness in protecting the base material from hot pressurized gases and environmental degradation.
Innovation Solution
The use of mask elements, such as those formed from materials like aluminum or ceramic composites, which are affixed to the component using pins or tabs, shields the cooling holes during coating, allowing the ceramic coating to be applied without filling or altering the holes, and features an unfinished edge oriented parallel to the axis and set at an oblique angle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a ceramic coating layer is applied to protect the base material from hot pressurized gases, then the protection against heat and environmental damage is improved, but the cooling holes may be occluded or their shape altered
Solution Approach 1:
Mask elements are applied to the component surface before the ceramic coating process to protect cooling holes in advance. The mask elements are positioned to cover cooling holes before coating material is deposited, preventing occlusion and shape alteration during the coating application process.
Solution Approach 2:
Mask elements serve as an intermediary protective layer between the cooling holes and the ceramic coating material. These mask elements temporarily occupy the space where coating material might otherwise deposit on cooling holes, and are removed after coating to leave clean, unoccluded hole openings.
2Manufacturing precision
If mask elements are used to protect cooling holes during coating, then the cooling hole functionality is preserved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mask element system is divided into discrete, individual mask elements that can be independently positioned and applied to specific cooling holes or groups of cooling holes. This segmentation allows for flexible adaptation to different cooling hole patterns without requiring a completely custom mask system.
Solution Approach 2:
The mask elements are designed with universal applicability to protect multiple cooling holes across different component geometries. The mask elements can be reused across different components and cooling hole configurations, reducing overall process complexity despite the additional masking step.
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 ensures that the cooling holes remain uncoated and functional, maintaining their shape and effectiveness in cooling the gas turbine components while providing adequate protection against heat and environmental damage.
Implementation Method 1
The coating may include one or more intermediate layers of metal and one or more outer layers of ceramic, which may be deposited to a final thickness of at least 0.13 mm (0.005 inches) to insulate the base material from the hot pressurized gases
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention is a coated article containing at least two adjacent cooling holes (205) that are substantially uncoated. In an embodiment, the coated article includes an outer surface (200) and a coating (225) on a portion of the outer surface. Here, the at least two adjacent cooling holes are arranged along an axis (A) on the outer surface. The coating may include at least one unfinished edge (230) oriented substantially parallel to the axis (A) and set off at an oblique angle (α) and a distance (X) from the at least two adjacent cooling holes (205).