Near-Surface Cooling Microchannels for Precise Turbine Component Cooling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional cooling passages in turbine components are typically located too far from the surface due to core shifting during casting, limiting heat transfer efficiency, and machining these components is challenging due to their high strength and toughness.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a pre-sintered preform with a near-surface cooling microchannel is bonded to a base article, using a mixture of base and second alloys with a melting point depressant to create a brazement that allows for closer placement of cooling passages to the surface, enhancing heat transfer efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If conventional casting processes with cores are used to form cooling passages, then the component structure is established, but the cooling passages are located too far from the surface (0.1 inch or more below) due to core shifting

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling passage location precisionVSAvoidheat transfer efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The component is divided into two separate parts: a base article containing internal cooling passages and a pre-sintered preform containing near-surface cooling microchannels. This segmentation allows each part to be manufactured with optimal precision for its specific function, with the preform providing accurate near-surface channel placement without being constrained by core shifting issues in the base article casting.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The pre-sintered preform acts as an intermediary component that bridges the gap between the base article and the surface. It contains the near-surface cooling microchannels that would be difficult to create directly in the base article, and it bonds to the base article to form an integrated cooling system with precise channel placement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If cooling passages are placed closer to the surface to improve heat transfer efficiency, then heat transfer efficiency increases, but the component becomes difficult to machine due to high strength and toughness

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat transfer efficiencyVSAvoidmachining difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The near-surface cooling microchannels are created in the pre-sintered preform before bonding to the base article. This preliminary action allows the channels to be formed when the material is more workable, avoiding the need to machine high-strength, tough material after the component is fully assembled and hardened.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Traditional mechanical machining of near-surface channels in high-strength materials is replaced with a combination of additive manufacturing (for creating the preform with channels) and bonding processes. This substitution eliminates the difficulty of machining tough materials while achieving precise near-surface channel placement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If channels are machined into the surface of high-strength components, then near-surface cooling is achieved, but additional labor and resources are required to cover the channels

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat transfer efficiencyVSAvoidmanufacturing process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The pre-sintered preform with near-surface cooling microchannels is bonded to the base article to form an integrated component. This merging eliminates the need for separate covering operations, as the preform itself becomes part of the final component structure, providing both the cooling channels and the surface coverage in a single integrated piece.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 enables the creation of near-surface cooling microchannels that improve heat transfer efficiency by allowing cooling air to flow closer to the surface, reducing the complexity and resource intensity of machining high-strength materials.

Implementation Method 1

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBrazing: Brazing

Data Source

PatentEP2745957B1Components with near-surface cooling microchannels and methods for providing the same

Publication Date: 2021.05.26 GENERAL ELECTRIC CO

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AI summary

Methods for providing a near-surface cooling microchannel (32) in a component (10) include forming a near-surface cooling microchannel (30) in a first surface (36) of a pre-sintered preform (30), disposing the first surface (36) of the pre-sintered preform (30) onto an outer surface (26) of the base article (20) such that an opening (24) of the outer surface (26) of the base article (20) is aligned with the near-surface cooling microchannel (32) in the first surface (36) of the pre-sintered preform (30), and, heating the pre-sintered preform (30) to bond it to the base article (20), wherein the opening (24) of the outer surface (26) of the base article (20) remains aligned with the near-surface cooling microchannel (32) in the first surface (36) of the pre-sintered preform (30).