Pre-sintered preform braze reinforcement of pressure vessels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11999000-B2
Application number	US-202016733430-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 3, 2020
Priority date	Jan 3, 2020
Publication date	Jun 4, 2024
Grant date	Jun 4, 2024

Abstract

The disclosure describes assemblies, systems, and techniques for reinforcing complex geometries of pressure vessels using a pre-sintered preform (PSP) braze material that includes a low-melt powder and a high-melt powder. An example technique includes positioning a PSP reinforcement on a surface of a substrate. The technique includes heating the PSP reinforcement to soften or melt at least one constituent metal or alloy of the low-melt powder. During heating, the PSP reinforcement is configured to conform to a contour of the surface of the substrate. The technique also includes cooling the PSP reinforcement to define a reinforced component.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
positioning a pre-sintered preform (PSP) reinforcement that defines a thickness within a range of from about 0.381 millimeters (mm) to about 25.2 mm over a welded seam on an undamaged portion of an exterior surface of a substrate, wherein the substrate comprises at least a portion of a pressure vessel of a gas turbine engine or an outer combustion chamber of a gas turbine engine, and wherein the PSP reinforcement comprises a low-melt powder and a high-melt powder;
heating the PSP reinforcement to soften or melt at least one constituent metal or alloy of the low-melt powder, wherein, during heating, the PSP reinforcement is configured to conform to a contour of the exterior surface of the substrate; and
cooling the PSP reinforcement to define a reinforced component.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the high-melt powder comprises a nickel-based alloy, cobalt-based alloy, or an iron-based alloy.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the low-melt powder comprises at least one of silicon or boron.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein a weight percent (wt. %) of the low-melt powder is within a range from about 20 wt. % to about 40 wt. % of the total weight of the PSP.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the PSP reinforcement comprises between about 50 wt. % and about 90 wt. % Ni, up to about 15 wt. % Cr, up to about 10 wt. % Ta, up to about 10 wt. % Co, up to about 7 wt. % Al, up to about 4 wt. % W, up to about 2 wt. % Re, up to about 1 wt. % Mo, and up to about 1 wt. % Hf.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises, during heating, applying compression to a surface of the PSP reinforcement.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises, before positioning the PSP reinforcement, shaping a surface of the PSP reinforcement to substantially correspond to the exterior surface of the substrate.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein heating the PSP reinforcement comprises heating the PSP reinforcement in a vacuum furnace at a temperature between about 1093° C. and about 1260° C.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, after cooling the PSP reinforcement to define the reinforced component, heat treating the reinforced component using a stepped diffusion cycle by at least heating the reinforced component to about 1038° C. for about 1 hour to about 2 hours; heating the reinforced component to about 1093° for about 1 hour to about 2 hours; heating the reinforced component to about 1121° C. for about 1 hour to about 2 hours; heating the reinforced component to about 1149° C. for about 1 hour to about 18 hours; and cooling the reinforced component to room temperature.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the PSP reinforcement comprises a conforming braze material.

11. The method of claim 10 ,
wherein the exterior surface comprises a contoured exterior surface, and
wherein the conforming braze material is configured to soften to conform to the contoured exterior surface of the substrate.

Assignees

• Rolls Royce Corp

Inventors

• Henderkott Joseph Peter

Classifications

• B23K1/0018 Primary

  Brazing of turbine parts · CPC title

• B22F5/009

  of turbine components other than turbine blades (of turbine blades B22F5/04) · CPC title

• B22F7/008

  characterised by the composition · CPC title

• B22F7/08

  with one or more parts not made from powder {(B22F7/062 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B23K31/025

  Connecting cutting edges or the like to tools; Attaching reinforcements to workpieces, e.g. wear-resisting zones to tableware · CPC title