Systems and methods for altering microstructures of materials

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11466935-B2
Application number	US-202016739659-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 10, 2020
Priority date	Jan 10, 2020
Publication date	Oct 11, 2022
Grant date	Oct 11, 2022

Abstract

Systems and methods for altering microstructures of materials are disclosed. The system may include at least one computing device in communication with a heating device and an electromagnetic device. The computing device(s) may be configured to alter a microstructure of a material forming a component by performing processes including heating the component using the heating device to a predetermined temperature. The predetermined temperature may be below a first phase-transformation temperature based on the material forming the component, and a second phase-transformation temperature based on the material forming the component, where the second phase-transformation temperature greater than the first phase-transformation temperature. The computing device(s) may also perform processes including intermittently magnetizing the heated component using the electromagnetic device for a predetermined number of cycles, and cooling the component after intermittently magnetizing the heated component.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
at least one computing device in communication with a heating device and an electromagnetic device, the at least one computing device configured to alter a microstructure of a material forming a component by performing processes including:
heating the component using the heating device to a predetermined temperature within a first phase field of the material,
maintaining the temperature of the component at the predetermined temperature, wherein the predetermined temperature is below:
a first phase-transformation temperature based on the material forming the component, the first phase-transformation temperature defining a transition to a second phase field of the material, distinct from the first phase field, and
a second phase-transformation temperature based on the material forming the component, the second phase-transformation temperature greater than the first phase-transformation temperature and defining a transition to a third phase field of the material, distinct from the first phase field and the second phase field,

intermittently magnetizing the heated component using the electromagnetic device for a predetermined number of cycles of an electromagnetic field while maintaining the temperature of the component at the predetermined temperature; cooling the component after intermittently magnetizing the heated component; and demagnetizing the component after intermittently magnetizing for the predetermined number of cycles of the electromagnetic field, wherein the demagnetizing includes at least one of:
demagnetizing the component during cooling of the component; and
demagnetizing the component after cooling of the component.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one computing device is configured to intermittently magnetize the heated component by performing processes including:
applying the electromagnetic field to the component for a predetermined time and at a predetermined electromagnetic strength for each of the predetermined number of cycles,
wherein the predetermined number of cycles, the predetermined time, and the predetermined electromagnetic strength are based on the material forming the component.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the processes performed by the at least one computing device to alter the microstructure of the material forming the component further include:
reducing the first phase-transformation temperature based on the material forming the component when applying the electromagnetic field to the component, the reduced, first phase-transformation temperature defining the second phase field of the material; and
returning the first phase-transformation temperature from the reduced, first phase-transformation temperature to the first phase-transformation temperature when discontinuing the application of the electromagnetic field to the component.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the predetermined temperature of the component is greater than the reduced, first phase-transformation temperature when applying the electromagnetic field to the component.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the processes performed by the at least one computing device to alter the microstructure of the material forming the component further include:
shifting the material forming the component from the first phase field to the second phase field defined by the reduced, first phase-transformation temperature when applying the electromagnetic field to the component.

6. The system of claim 3 , wherein the processes performed by the at least one computing device to alter the microstructure of the material forming the component further include:
reducing the second phase-transformation temperature based on the material forming the component while applying the electromagnetic field to the component, the reduced, second phase-transformation temperature defining the third phase field of the material; and
returning the second phase-transformation temperature from the reduced, second phase-transformation temperature to the second phase-transformation temperature when discontinuing the application of the electromagnetic field to the component.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the second, phase-transformation temperature of the component is greater than the reduced, second phase-transformation temperature when applying the electromagnetic field to the component.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processes performed by the at least one computing device to alter the microstructure of the material forming the component further include:
shifting the material forming the component from the first phase field to the third phase field defined by the reduced, second phase-transformation temperature when applying the electromagnetic field to the component.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic device substantially surrounds and is separated from the heating device.

10. The system of claim 9 , further comprising a heat shield positioned between the electromagnetic device and the heating device.

11. A method of altering a microstructure of a material forming a component, the method comprising:
heating the component using a heating device to a predetermined temperature within a first phase field of the material,
maintaining the temperature of the component at the predetermined temperature, wherein the predetermined temperature is below:
a first phase-transformation temperature based on the material forming the component, the first phase-transformation temperature defining a second phase field of the material, distinct from the first phase field, and
a second phase-transformation temperature based on the material forming the component, the second phase-transformation temperature greater than the first phase-transformation temperature and defining a third phase field of the material, distinct from the first phase field and the second phase field,

intermittently magnetizing the heated component using an electromagnetic device for a predetermined number of cycles of an electromagnetic field while maintaining the temperature of the component at the predetermined temperature; cooling the component after intermittently magnetizing the heated component; and demagnetizing the component after intermittently magnetizing for the predetermined number of cycles of the electromagnetic field, wherein the demagnetizing includes at least one of:
demagnetizing the component during cooling of the component; and
demagnetizing the component after cooling of the component.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein intermittently magnetizing the heated component further includes:
applying the electromagnetic field to the component for a predetermined time and at a predetermined electromagnetic strength for each of the predetermined number of cycles,
wherein the predetermined number of cycles, the predetermined time, and the predetermined electromagnetic strength are based on the material forming the component.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
reducing the first phase-transformation temperature based on the material forming the component when applying the electromagnetic field to the component, the reduced, first phase-transformation temperature defining the second phase field of the material; and
returning the first phase-transformation temperature from the reduced, first phase-transformation temperature to the first phase-transformation temperature when discontinuing the application of the electromagnetic field to the component.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the predetermined temperature of the component is greater than the reduced, first phase-tran

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Park Junyoung
• Ucok Ibrahim

Classifications

• C22F1/002 Primary

  by rapid cooling or quenching; cooling agents used therefor · CPC title

• F27D19/00

  Arrangements of controlling devices · CPC title

• C21D1/04

  with simultaneous application of supersonic waves, magnetic or electric fields · CPC title

• C22F3/02

  by solidifying a melt controlled by supersonic waves or electric or magnetic fields · CPC title

• F27D11/12 Primary

  with electromagnetic fields acting directly on the material being heated · CPC title