Abrasive Tip Blade Manufacture Methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016356165-A1
Application number	US-201515118934-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 11, 2015
Priority date	Feb 14, 2014
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

In a method for manufacturing a blade, the blade comprises: an airfoil ( 100 ) having a root end and a tip ( 106 ); a metallic substrate ( 102 ) along at least a portion of the airfoil; and a tip coating ( 152 ) comprising an oxide abrasive ( 156 ) and an aluminum-based matrix ( 154 ). The method comprises simultaneous thermal spray of the matrix and the abrasive.

First claim

1 . A method for manufacturing a blade, the blade comprising:
an airfoil ( 100 ) having:
a root end and a tip ( 106 );
a metallic substrate ( 102 ) along at least a portion of the airfoil; and a tip coating ( 152 ) comprising an oxide abrasive ( 156 ) and an aluminum-based matrix ( 154 ), the method comprising: simultaneous thermal spraying of the matrix and the abrasive.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein:
the oxide comprises at least 50 weight percent of alumina or zirconia or a combination thereof.

3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the aluminum-based matrix comprises, by weight, 1.0-7.5 percent Zn.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the aluminum-based matrix is at least 275 millivolts more active than the metallic substrate.

5 . The method of claim 1 wherein:
the tip coating has a content of the oxide of at least twenty volume percent.

6 . The method of claim 1 wherein:
the tip coating has a content of the oxide of at twenty volume percent to fifty volume percent.

7 . The method of claim 1 wherein:
the matrix is at least 75 weight percent aluminum; and
the oxide fills the matrix to at least 20 volume percent.

8 . The method of claim 1 wherein:
the tip coating has a characteristic thickness of 0.1 mm to 0.3 mm.

9 . The method of claim 1 wherein:
the abrasive has a characteristic size of 3 micrometers to 25 micrometers.

10 . The method of claim 1 wherein:
the simultaneous thermal spraying comprises using one or more sources of metallic powder and, in-flight, oxidizing a portion of the powder to form the oxide.

11 . The method of claim 10 wherein:
the one or more sources comprise a first powder source being of powder having a first size distribution and a second powder source of powder having a second size distribution smaller than the first size distribution.

12 . The method of claim 1 wherein:
the simultaneous thermal spraying comprises simultaneous plasma spraying.

13 . The method of claim 12 wherein:
the simultaneous plasma spraying comprises using a single plasma gun to simultaneously apply the matrix from a first source and the abrasive from a second source.

14 . The method of claim 13 wherein:
the first source is a source of at least 50% by weight powder of at least 80% by weight aluminum; and
the second source is a source of at least 50% by weight powder of at least 50% by weight aluminum oxide.

15 . The method of claim 13 wherein:
the simultaneous plasma spraying comprises melting a wire having a metallic outer layer as the first source and an oxide core as the second source.

16 . The method of claim 13 wherein:
the simultaneous plasma spraying comprises a twin wire arc spraying.

17 . The method of claim 1 wherein:
the tip is shadow masked during the spraying.

18 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
applying a polymeric coating to a pressure side and a suction side of the airfoil.

19 . A blade manufactured according to the method of claim 1 .

20 . The blade of claim 19 wherein the aluminum-based matrix comprises by weight:
1.0-7.5 percent Zn.

21 . The blade of claim 20 wherein the aluminum-based matrix comprises by weight:
2.0-5.0 percent Zn.

22 . The blade of claim 20 wherein the aluminum-based matrix comprises by weight:
4.0-6.0 percent Zn.

23 . The blade of claim 20 wherein the aluminum-based matrix comprises by weight one to all of:
0.05-0.20 Si; and
0.010-0.40 percent combined one-to all of In, Sn, Cd, Ga, Hg.

24 . A rotor comprising a circumferential array of blades of claim 19 .

25 . A gas turbine engine comprising:
the rotor of claim 24 ; and a case encircling the rotor and having:
a substrate; and
a coating on an inner surface of the substrate facing the rotor.

26 . A method for using the blade of claim 19 , the method comprising:
causing the tip coating to abrade an adjacent coating.

27 . A blade comprising:
an airfoil ( 100 ) having: a root end and a tip ( 106 ); a metallic substrate ( 102 ) along at least a portion of the airfoil; and a tip coating ( 152 ) comprising an abrasive ( 156 ) and an aluminum-based matrix ( 154 ), the aluminum-based matrix comprising, by weight:
1.0-7.50 percent Zn.

28 . The blade of claim 27 wherein the matrix comprises, by weight:
0.010-0.030 percent In.

29 . The blade of claim 27 wherein the aluminum-based matrix comprises by weight one to all of:
0.05-0.20 Si; and
0.010-0.40 percent combined one-to all of In, Sn, Cd, Ga, Hg.

30 . The blade of claim 27 wherein:
the matrix comprises, by weight:
balance Al;
4.75-5.75 percent Zn;
0.016-0.020 percent In;
0.20 max. each other element; and
0.50 max. total other elements.

31 . A blade comprising:
an airfoil ( 100 ) having: a root end and a tip ( 106 ); a metallic substrate ( 102 ) along at least a portion of the airfoil; and a tip coating ( 152 ) comprising an abrasive ( 156 ) and an aluminum-based matrix ( 154 ), the aluminum-based matrix being at least 275 millivolts more active than the metallic substrate.

32 . The blade of claim 31 wherein:
the metallic substrate is aluminum-based.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Strock Christopher W
• Beers Russell A
• Hansen James O
• Garosshen Thomas J

Classifications

• C23C4/01

  Selective coating, e.g. pattern coating, without pre-treatment of the material to be coated · CPC title

• F01D11/127

  with a deformable or crushable structure, e.g. honeycomb · CPC title

• F01D11/122

  with erodable or abradable material (blades having cutting or grinding tips F01D5/20) · CPC title

• F05D2230/311

  by torch or flame spraying · CPC title

• C23C4/06

  Metallic material · CPC title