Welded Refractory Conduit Fittings for High-Pressure Seal Life
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing high-pressure, heated conduits used in EUV light sources for delivering molten target material have limited lifetime and functionality due to scoring and galling issues with compression fittings, which affect the quality and longevity of the seal.
Innovation Solution
A high-pressure conduit made of TaW2.5 with fittings made of TaW10, where the fittings are welded instead of using compression fittings, providing a durable attachment and increased hardness to prolong the life of sealing surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If compression fittings are used to attach the conduit, then the assembly is easier to manufacture and disassemble, but the sealing surfaces suffer from scoring and galling which limits the lifetime and seal quality
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the problematic compression fitting interface from the system by transitioning to a welded connection. The welding process eliminates the sliding contact between sealing surfaces that causes galling and scoring, thereby resolving the contradiction between ease of assembly and seal quality/lifetime.
2Reliability
If the conduit material is made harder to resist wear, then the sealing surfaces last longer, but the material becomes more difficult to weld and attach fittings
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by using a graded tungsten content approach: the conduit body is made of TaW2.5 (lower tungsten content for better weldability) while the fitting is made of TaW10 (higher tungsten content for higher hardness and wear resistance). This resolves the contradiction by optimizing each component's material properties for its specific function while maintaining weldability at the joint.
3Ease of manufacture
If a single-material conduit is used, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but the fitting cannot provide both weldability and high hardness simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses composite materials with different tungsten contents in different components: TaW2.5 for the conduit and TaW10 for the fitting. This composite material approach allows each component to have optimized properties - the conduit for weldability and the fitting for hardness - while both materials are still refractory metal alloys suitable for high-temperature service.
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 extends the useful lifetime of the conduit and improves the quality of the seal, enabling more applications by utilizing the higher yield strength of TaW10 fittings welded to TaW2.5 conduits, reducing wear and adhesion issues.
Implementation Method 1
the fitting portion is welded to an axial end of the conduit portion
Data Source
AI summary
A conduit suitable for use in a high temperature, high pressure environment, the conduit having an elongate portion made of a first refractory metal and a fitting portion made of a second refractory metal attached to an axial end of the elongate portion. The attachment may be made by welding and the second refractory metal may have a greater yield strength than the first refractory metal.