Turbine Component Greenbody Assembly and Sintering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for forming combustion turbine components, such as casting and forging, face limitations in size and surface feature complexity, leading to difficulties in achieving desired shapes and enhanced heat transfer capabilities, and existing joining techniques like friction stir welding and brazing may not provide strong enough bonds or suitable surface features for high-performance applications.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the assembly of metallic combustion turbine subcomponent greenbodies using direct metal fabrication, followed by sintering to form a strong bond, which allows for the creation of components with increased surface area and enhanced heat dissipation properties through the use of activatable binders and materials like oxide dispersion strengthened alloys and refractory metals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If casting is used to form combustion turbine components, then complex shapes can be formed, but limitations exist on component size and surface feature dimensions
Solution Approach 1:
The component is divided into multiple subcomponents that are formed separately using greenbody technology, then joined together using friction stir welding. This segmentation allows each subcomponent to be optimized for specific manufacturing requirements while overcoming the size and feature limitations of single-piece casting.
2Strength
If forging is used to form combustion turbine components, then strong bonds and fine grain structure are achieved, but resistance to creep is reduced and small surface features are difficult to form
Solution Approach 1:
The greenbody components undergo controlled sintering and heat treatment processes that transform the microstructure to achieve both fine grain structure for strength and appropriate grain size for creep resistance. The friction stir welding process also modifies the microstructure at the joint to enhance both strength and high-temperature performance.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional joining methods like friction stir welding or brazing are used to assemble subcomponents, then components can be formed by conventional processes, but the bonds may not be strong enough or suitable surface features cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces conventional mechanical joining methods with a specialized friction stir welding process that creates metallurgical bonds. This process substitutes the limitations of mechanical fastening or brazing with a welding mechanism that produces stronger, more reliable joints capable of withstanding high-temperature turbine environments.
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 formation of combustion turbine components with improved tolerance, shrinkage control, and strength, along with increased surface area for enhanced heat dissipation, overcoming the limitations of traditional methods and providing high-temperature resistance.
Implementation Method 1
assembling a plurality of metallic combustion turbine subcomponent greenbodies to form a metallic greenbody assembly and sintering the metallic greenbody assembly to thereby form the combustion turbine component
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of making a combustion turbine component includes assembling a plurality of metallic combustion turbine subcomponent greenbodies together to form a metallic greenbody assembly and sintering the metallic greenbody assembly to thereby form the combustion turbine component. Each of the plurality of metallic combustion turbine subcomponent greenbodies may be formed by direct metal fabrication (DMF). In addition, each of plurality of metallic combustion turbine subcomponent greenbodies may include an activatable binder and the activatable binder may be activated prior to sintering.