Fluidic machining method and system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016258299-A1
Application number	US-201415037013-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 14, 2014
Priority date	Nov 15, 2013
Publication date	Sep 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

One exemplary embodiment of this disclosure relates to a method of forming an engine component. The method includes forming an engine component having an internal passageway, the internal passageway formed with an initial dimension. The method further includes establishing a flow of machining fluid within the internal passageway, the machining fluid changing the initial dimension.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of forming an engine component, comprising:
forming an engine component having an internal passageway, the internal passageway formed with an initial dimension; and establishing a flow of machining fluid within the internal passageway, the machining fluid changing the initial dimension.

2 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the internal passageway is a serpentine-shaped passageway including a turn connecting two legs.

3 . The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the machining fluid enlarges a dimension of the turn.

4 . The method as recited in claim 3 , wherein the machining fluid enlarges a dimension of the internal passageway.

5 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the internal passageway is in communication with a hole configured to communicate fluid from the internal passageway to the exterior of the component.

6 . The method as recited in claim 5 , wherein the machining fluid removes burrs adjacent the interface between the internal passageway and the hole, and enlarges a dimension of the hole adjacent the internal passageway.

7 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the internal passageway includes at least one turbulator including a leading edge, the leading edge initially being substantially normal to an expected flow path within the internal passageway.

8 . The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein the machining fluid partially erodes the leading edge and provides the turbulator with a sloped leading edge.

9 . The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein the turbulator is one of a trip strip and a pedestal.

10 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the machining fluid is provided with a Reynolds number substantially matching an expected Reynolds number of a flow of fluid within the internal passageway during operation of an engine.

11 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the machining fluid is configured to partially erode a material of the engine component, and includes one of (1) a chemical solvent and (2) a suspended grit media.

12 . The method as recited in claim 1 , including forming the engine component using one of an additive manufacturing technique, a forging process, and a casting process before introducing the machining fluid into the internal passageway.

13 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the engine component includes a plurality of internal passageways, and wherein a flow of machining fluid is established within each of the internal passageways.

14 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the machining fluid is provided in the internal passageway for a predetermined time.

15 . A system for machining an engine component, comprising:
an engine component including an internal passageway, the internal passageway formed with an initial dimension; a source of machining fluid, the source of machining fluid in communication with the internal passageway; and a control, wherein a flow of machining fluid is established within the internal passageway in response to an instruction from the control, the machining fluid configured to change the initial dimension.

16 . The system as recited in claim 15 , wherein the internal passageway is a serpentine-shaped passageway including a first leg, a second leg, and a turn connecting the first and second legs, and wherein the machining fluid enlarges a dimension of the turn and a dimension of the second leg.

17 . The system as recited in claim 15 , wherein the internal passageway is in communication with a hole configured to communicate fluid from the internal passageway to the exterior of the component, and wherein the machining fluid enlarges a dimension of the hole adjacent the internal passageway.

18 . The system as recited in claim 15 , wherein the internal passageway includes at least one turbulator initially including a leading edge substantially normal to an expected flow path within the internal passageway, and wherein the machining fluid provides the turbulator with a curved leading edge.

19 . The system as recited in claim 18 , wherein the turbulator is one of a trip strip and a pedestal.

20 . The system as recited in claim 15 , wherein the engine component is one of a rotor blade, a stator vane, and a blade outer air seal (BOAS).

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Moore Sasha M
• Slavens Thomas N
• Loricco Nicholas M
• Jennings Timothy J

Classifications

• C23F1/32

  Alkaline compositions (C23F1/42 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F01D5/187 Primary

  Convection cooling · CPC title

• B24C3/327

  by an axially-moving flow of abrasive particles without passing a blast gun, impeller or the like along the internal surface (polishing or abrading surfaces using plastically deformable grinding compound, moved relatively to the workpiece under the influence of pressure B24B31/116) · CPC title

• F01D11/08

  for sealing space between rotor blade tips and stator (specially-shaped blade tips therefor F01D5/20) · CPC title

• F01D25/12

  Cooling · CPC title