Turbine Component Segmentation for Internal Cooling Passageways
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current manufacturing techniques for turbine elements, such as blades and vanes, face limitations in creating internal features through direct machining, especially with materials like Ti-6Al-4V, which are not readily susceptible to investment casting, leading to constraints in flexibility and complexity in component integration.
Innovation Solution
A method involving cutting a workpiece into subpieces with machined apertures, reassembling, and integrating them using transient liquid phase bonding or diffusion bonding to form internal and external passageways, allowing for the creation of complex geometries and features like airfoil surfaces and passageways.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If direct machining is used to manufacture turbine components, then manufacturing precision can be achieved, but flexibility to create internal features is severely constrained
Solution Approach 1:
The turbine component is divided into multiple sub-components that are manufactured separately and then integrated through diffusion bonding. This segmentation allows each sub-component to be optimized for specific manufacturing processes, enabling complex internal features that would be inaccessible through direct machining of a single piece.
2Adaptability or versatility
If components are machined in pieces and integrated via diffusion bonding, then flexibility to create internal features is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Apertures and internal features are pre-formed in each sub-component before integration. This preliminary action simplifies the overall manufacturing process by avoiding the need to create complex internal geometries after assembly, reducing the actual device complexity despite the segmented approach.
3Productivity
If investment casting is used, then manufacturing efficiency is improved, but susceptibility to cast certain materials is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The component is segmented into sub-components that can be manufactured using different processes appropriate to their material properties. This allows materials that are not suitable for investment casting to be processed by other methods, then integrated to form the complete component, thereby expanding material versatility while maintaining manufacturing efficiency.
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
Enables the flexible and precise manufacturing of turbine engine components with internal and external passageways, enhancing the integration of subpieces to form complex shapes like airfoils and vanes, improving the manufacturing process by allowing for non-line-of-sight passageways and efficient cooling circuits.
Implementation Method 1
The cutting may comprise wire electro-discharge machining
Implementation Method 2
Machining the internal feed passageways may comprise electrochemical machining
Implementation Method 3
The integrating may comprise transient liquid phase (TLP) bonding, diffusion bonding, or at least one of welding and brazing
Implementation Method 4
The integrating may comprise transient liquid phase (TLP) bonding, diffusion bonding, or at least one of welding and brazing
Data Source
AI summary
A cooled turbine engine component is made by providing first and second pieces respectively having first and second surfaces. At least one circuit is formed in at least one of the first and second surfaces. A first plurality of apertures is provided in the first piece to form inlets to the at least one circuit. A second plurality of apertures is provided in the second piece to form outlets to the at least one circuit. A combination of the first and second pieces is assembled and integrated.