Repair methods and systems for honeycomb structures in gas turbine engines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11819966-B2
Application number	US-202217828751-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2022
Priority date	Feb 26, 2021
Publication date	Nov 21, 2023
Grant date	Nov 21, 2023

Abstract

A method of applying a braze component to a honeycomb structure may comprise: applying at least a partial vacuum within a chamber, the chamber defined at least partially by a vacuum device and a cover, the honeycomb structure disposed within the chamber, the braze component disposed between the honeycomb structure and the cover; pulling the cover towards the braze component in response to applying the partial vacuum; and pulling the braze component into a plurality of hexagonal cells defined by the honeycomb structure in response to pulling the cover towards the braze component.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
applying at least a partial vacuum within a chamber, the chamber defined at least partially by a vacuum device and a cover, a honeycomb structure disposed within the chamber, a braze component disposed between the honeycomb structure and the cover;
pulling the cover towards the braze component in response to applying the partial vacuum;
pulling the braze component into a plurality of hexagonal cells defined by the honeycomb structure in response to pulling the cover towards the braze component; and
disposing the braze component and the honeycomb structure on a portion of a platform of a vane assembly; and
brazing the braze component to couple the honeycomb structure to the portion of the platform to form a seal land of the vane assembly.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the braze component comprises a braze tape.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising disposing the honeycomb structure on a porous platform prior to applying the partial vacuum.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the porous platform is disposed within the vacuum device prior to applying the partial vacuum.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising disposing the braze component on the honeycomb structure, the honeycomb structure disposed between the porous platform and the braze component.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising creating an air-tight seal in the chamber between the cover and the vacuum device.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising heating the cover to soften the braze component while pulling the cover.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising tack welding the honeycomb structure to the portion of the platform prior to the brazing.

Assignees

• Raytheon Tech Corp
• Rtx Corp

Inventors

• Oo Guolin
• Rao Garimella Balaji

Classifications

• B23P6/002 Primary

  Repairing turbine components, e.g. moving or stationary blades, rotors, (B23P6/045 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B23K1/0014

  Brazing of honeycomb sandwich structures · CPC title

• B23K1/0018

  Brazing of turbine parts · CPC title

• B23K3/087

  Soldering or brazing jigs, fixtures or clamping means · CPC title

• B23K2101/001

  Turbines · CPC title