Extended Spherical Closure Element for Irregular Passage Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional metallic closure elements, such as standard-sized metallic balls, fail to seat properly in internal passages with irregular dimensions due to defects or changes in shape and size, leading to delayed manufacturing and increased costs in obtaining non-standard balls.
Innovation Solution
A closure element with a spherical body and multiple extensions is used, made of a superalloy, which forms a metallurgical bond with the passage wall through a braze material after insertion, ensuring sealing despite irregularities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If standard-sized metallic balls are used to seal internal passages, then the manufacturing process is simple and cost-effective, but the closure elements fail to seat properly when passage dimensions are out of tolerance or irregular
Solution Approach 1:
The closure element features a spherical body with selectively positioned extensions that protrude from the surface. These extensions are strategically placed to engage with irregularities, defects, or out-of-tolerance dimensions at specific locations on the passage wall, allowing the closure element to adapt to local variations in passage geometry while maintaining effective sealing.
Solution Approach 2:
The extensions are pre-positioned on the spherical closure element body before insertion into the passage. This preliminary configuration allows the closure element to automatically compensate for passage irregularities upon insertion, eliminating the need for precise pre-matching of ball size to passage dimensions and simplifying the manufacturing process.
2Reliability
If non-standard metallic balls with larger dimensions are obtained to seal irregular closure sites, then proper sealing can be achieved, but the time and expense of obtaining custom balls significantly increases and delays manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than requiring a completely different sized ball for each irregular passage, the invention uses a standardized spherical body with locally adapted extensions. This allows most closure elements to be produced as standard items, with only the extensions needing to be configured for specific passage variations, significantly reducing lead times and costs compared to custom balls.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure element is segmented into a spherical body and extensions that can be independently configured. This segmentation allows the body to be standardized while the extensions are adapted to specific passage requirements, enabling mass production of the spherical component with minimal customization needed.
3Ease of manufacture
If manual mechanical cleaning methods are used to remove aluminide coating at the closure site, then the coating is removed, but the process creates oversized closure site dimensions that prevent standard balls from seating
Solution Approach 1:
The extensions are designed to engage with the passage wall at specific locations, allowing the closure element to function effectively even when the passage dimensions are oversized due to aggressive cleaning. The extensions compensate for the dimensional variations created by manual cleaning methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The extensions are pre-configured on the closure element to provide compensation for potential dimensional variations. This preliminary adaptation allows the use of aggressive cleaning methods without compromising the final sealing capability.
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
The solution effectively seals internal passages with irregular dimensions, reducing manufacturing delays and costs by using a closure element that adapts to defects and irregular shapes.
Implementation Method 1
the component is subjected to at least one thermal cycle that causes a braze material to form a metallurgical bond with the spherical body, the plurality of extensions and the passage wall to seal the internal passage
Data Source
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AI summary
A closure element for an internal passage in a component, and a related method and turbine blade or nozzle are disclosed. The closure element includes a spherical body made of a first superalloy, and a plurality of extensions extending from a surface of the spherical body. The plurality of extensions made of the same, similar or different material other than the first superalloy. Subjecting the component to at least one thermal cycle causes a braze material to form a metallurgical bond with the spherical body, the plurality of extensions and the passage wall to seal the internal passage.