Pre-sintered preform braze reinforcement of pressure vessels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021205909-A1
Application number	US-202016733430-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 3, 2020
Priority date	Jan 3, 2020
Publication date	Jul 8, 2021
Grant date	—

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 on a surface of a substrate, wherein the substrate comprises at least a portion of a pressure vessel, 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 surface of the substrate; and cooling the PSP reinforcement to define a reinforced component.

2 . The method of claim 1 , 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.

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

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

5 . 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. %.

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

7 . 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, up to about 1 wt. % Hf, and, optionally, up to about 0.5 wt. % Nb, up to about 3 wt. % Si, and up to about 3 wt. % B.

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

9 . 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 surface of the substrate.

10 . 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.

11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, after cooling the molten braze alloy to join the first and second components, heat treating the first and second components using a stepped diffusion cycle by at least heating the first and second components to about 1038° C. for about 1 hour to about 2 hours; heating the first and second components to about 1093° for about 1 hour to about 2 hours; heating the first and second components to about 1121° C. for about 1 hour to about 2 hours; heating the first and second components to about 1149° C. for about 1 hour to about 18 hours; and cooling the first and second components to room temperature.

12 . A component comprising:
a substrate comprising at least a portion of a pressure vessel, wherein the substrate defines a contoured exterior surface of the pressure vessel; and a pre-sintered preform (PSP) reinforcement formed on the surface of the substrate by brazing, wherein the PSP reinforcement comprises a low-melt powder and a high-melt powder.

13 . The component of claim 12 , 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.

14 . The component of claim 12 , wherein the high-melt powder comprises a nickel-based alloy or an iron-based alloy.

15 . The component of claim 12 , wherein the low-melt powder comprises at least one of silicon or boron.

16 . The component of claim 12 , wherein a weight percent (wt. %) of the low-melt powder is within a range from about 20 wt. % to about 40 wt. %.

17 . The component of claim 12 , wherein the 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, up to about 1 wt. % Hf, and, optionally, up to about 0.5 wt. % Nb, up to about 3 wt. % Si, and up to about 3 wt. % B.

18 . An assembly comprising:
a substrate defining a surface of at least a portion of a pressure vessel; and a pre-sintered preform (PSP) reinforcement positioned on the surface of the substrate, wherein the PSP reinforcement comprises a low-melt powder and a high-melt powder; and a heat source configured to heat 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 surface of the substrate.

19 . The assembly of claim 18 , further comprising means to compress the PSP reinforcement onto the surface of the substrate.

20 . The assembly of claim 18 , 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.

Assignees

• Rolls Royce Corp

Inventors

• Henderkott Joseph Peter

Classifications

• C22C19/057

  with the maximum Cr content being less 10% · CPC title

• C22C19/05

  with chromium · CPC title

• C22C19/056

  with the maximum Cr content being at least 10% but less than 20% · CPC title

• B23K1/008

  Soldering within a furnace (B23K1/012 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