Apparatus and methods for slurry aluminide coating repair

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9909202-B2
Application number	US-201414268464-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 2, 2014
Priority date	May 2, 2014
Publication date	Mar 6, 2018
Grant date	Mar 6, 2018

Abstract

Methods for deposition of an aluminide coating on an alloy component positioned within a coating compartment of a retort chamber are provided. According to the method, the coating compartment is purged with an inert gas via a first gas line; a positive pressure is created within the coating compartment utilizing the inert gas; the coating compartment is heated to a deposition temperature; and at least one reactant gas is introduced into the coating compartment while at the positive pressure and the deposition temperature to form an aluminide coating on a surface of the alloy component. Retort coating apparatus are also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for deposition of an aluminide coating on an alloy component positioned within a coating compartment of a retort chamber, the method comprising:
purging the coating compartment with an inert gas via a first gas line;
creating a positive pressure within the coating compartment utilizing the inert gas, wherein the positive pressure within the coating compartment is about 1.05 bar to about 2.0 bar;
heating the coating compartment to a deposition temperature; and
introducing at least one reactant gas into the coating compartment while at the positive pressure and the deposition temperature to form an aluminide coating on a surface of the alloy component.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to purging the coating compartment:
placing the alloy component within the coating compartment of the retort chamber; and
thereafter, closing the coating compartment of the retort chamber with an insulated cover such that the coating compartment is atmospherically isolated.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
controlling the positive pressure within the coating compartment with a pressure control system, wherein the pressure control system comprises: at least one gas inlet and associated inlet valve; and an exhaust outlet and associated outlet valve.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the outlet valve is a release valve configured to exhaust gas from the coating compartment at a predetermined pressure.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the positive pressure within the coating compartment is about 1.1 bar to about 1.5 bar.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the deposition temperature of about 650° C. to about 1100° C.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein heating the coating compartment is achieved using a plurality of heating elements positioned to heat the coating compartment.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of heating elements are positioned within furnace walls of the coating compartment.

9. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first gas line passes through an insulated cover.

10. The method of claim 3 , wherein the pressure control system is in communication with the inlet valve so as to control the pressure within the retort chamber.

11. The method of claim 3 , wherein the pressure control system is in communication with the outlet valve so as to control the pressure within the retort chamber.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the outlet valve is a release valve configured to exhaust gas from the coating compartment upon reaching a predetermined pressure controllable by the pressure control system.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the predetermined pressure is about 1.05 bar to about 2.0 bar.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the predetermined pressure is about 1.1 bar to about 1.5 bar.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Zhang Liming
• Johnson Jr Jere Allen

Classifications

• C23C10/14

  more than one element being diffused in one step · CPC title

• C23C10/08 Primary

  only one element being diffused · CPC title