System and method for repairing blades

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9797253-B2
Application number	US-201414488813-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 17, 2014
Priority date	Sep 17, 2014
Publication date	Oct 24, 2017
Grant date	Oct 24, 2017

Abstract

A system and method for repairing a blade are provided. The system includes an induction heating coil configured for heating a platform and slash face of the blade. The induction heating coil extends under the platform and is adjacent to the slash face to provide substantially uniform localized heating to both the platform and slash face of the blade. The induction heating coil is configured so that the platform is visible during a repair or welding operation.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for repairing a blade, the method comprising:
providing a blade having an airfoil, a platform and a slash face;
providing a fixture for supporting the blade, the fixture further comprising,
an induction heating coil configured for heating the platform and slash face of the blade, wherein the induction heating coil extends under the platform and is adjacent to the slash face to provide substantially uniform localized heating to both the platform and slash face of the blade, and wherein the induction heating coil is configured so that the platform is visible during a welding operation, a plurality of flux concentrators, the flux concentrators configured to focus a magnetic flux from the induction heating coil into the blade, and a first flux concentrator is located on a portion of the induction heating coil that extends under the platform, and the first flux concentrator is configured to focus the magnetic flux into the platform, a second flux concentrator and a third flux concentrator are located on a portion of the induction heating coil that is adjacent to the slash face, and the second and third flux concentrators are both configured to focus the magnetic flux into the slash face;

heating the platform and slash face in an inert atmosphere; and
welding a damaged region of the platform or slash face in the inert atmosphere.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second flux concentrator is located near a leading edge of the blade and the third flux concentrator is located near a trailing edge of the blade.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second and third flux concentrators are located at about 50% of a height of the slash face.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heating step is performed prior to the welding step and during the welding step.

5. The method of claim 1 , the heating step further comprising:
heating the platform and slash face to between about 1,650° F. and about 1,750° F.

6. A method for repairing a blade, the blade having an airfoil, a platform and a slash face, the method comprising:
providing a fixture for supporting the blade, the fixture further comprising, an induction heating coil configured for heating the platform and slash face of the blade, wherein the induction heating coil extends under the platform and is adjacent to the slash face to provide substantially uniform localized heating to both the platform and slash face of the blade, and wherein the induction heating coil is configured so that the platform is visible during a repair operation;
heating the platform and the slash face;
repairing a damaged region of the platform or slash face; and
wherein the induction heating coil further comprises a plurality of flux concentrators, the flux concentrators configured to focus a magnetic flux from the induction heating coil into the blade, and wherein a first flux concentrator is located on a portion of the induction heating coil that extends under the platform, and the first flux concentrator is configured to focus the magnetic flux into the platform, a second flux concentrator and a third flux concentrator are located on a portion of the induction heating coil that is adjacent to the slash face, and the second and third flux concentrators are both configured to focus the magnetic flux into the slash face.

7. The method of claim 6 , the heating step further comprising:
heating the platform and the slash face in an inert atmosphere.

8. The method of claim 7 , the repairing step further comprising:
welding the blade in an inert atmosphere.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the second flux concentrator is located near a leading edge of the blade and the third flux concentrator is located near a trailing edge of the blade.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the second and third flux concentrators are located at about 50% of a height of the slash face.

11. The method of claim 6 , wherein the heating step is performed prior to the welding step and during the welding step.

12. The method of claim 11 , the heating step further comprising:
heating the platform and slash face to between about 1,650° F. and about 1,750° F.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Burlee Eric Robert
• Souther Ronald Lee

Classifications

• H05B6/101

  for local heating of metal pieces · CPC title

• C21D1/42

  Induction heating · CPC title

• F01D5/005 Primary

  Repairing methods or devices · CPC title

• B23K37/00

  Auxiliary devices or processes, not specially adapted for a procedure covered by only one of the other main groups of this subclass · CPC title

• F05D2230/232

  by welding · CPC title