2512results about "Pressure inorganic powder coating" patented technology

A new method for repairing turbine engine components is provided. The method utilizes a cold gas-dynamic spray technique to repair degradation on turbine blades, vanes and other components. In the cold gas-dynamic spray process particles at a temperature below their fusing temperature are accelerated and directed to a target surface on the turbine blade. When the particles strike the target surface, the kinetic energy of the particles is converted into plastic deformation of the particle, causing the particle to form a strong bond with the target surface. Post-spray processing is then performed to consolidate and homogenize the applied materials and restore integrity to the material properties in the repaired turbine component. Thus, the cold gas-dynamic spray process and post-spray processing can be employed to effectively repair degraded areas on gas turbine components.

A corrosion resistant member to be exposed to a halogen-containing gas atmosphere or a halogen-containing gas plasma atmosphere, comprising a substrate and a plurality of layers deposited thereon including a layer of rare earth fluoride providing the outermost surface and a layer of rare earth oxide having a porosity of less than 5% underlying the rare earth fluoride layer.

The invention relates to a sputtering target which has a fine uniform equiaxed grain structure of less than 44 microns, no preferred texture orientation as measured by electron back scattered diffraction (“EBSD”) and that displays no grain size banding or texture banding throughout the body of the target. The invention relates a sputtering target with a lenticular or flattened grain structure, no preferred texture orientation as measured by EBSD and that displays no grain size or texture banding throughout the body of the target and where the target has a layered structure incorporating a layer of the sputtering material and at least one additional layer at the backing plate interface, said layer has a coefficient of thermal expansion (“CTE”) value between the CTE of the backing plate and the CTE of the layer of sputtering material. The invention also relates to thin films and their use of using the sputtering target and other applications, such as coatings, solar devices, semiconductor devices etc. The invention further relates to a process to repair or rejuvenate a sputtering target.

Methods are described that have the capability of producing submicron / nanoscale particles, in some embodiments dispersible, at high production rates. In some embodiments, the methods result in the production of particles with an average diameter less than about 75 nanometers that are produced at a rate of at least about 35 grams per hour. In other embodiments, the particles are highly uniform. These methods can be used to form particle collections and / or powder coatings. Powder coatings and corresponding methods are described based on the deposition of highly uniform submicron / nanoscale particles.

Disclosed herein are methods of treating an article surface. The method comprises removing a metal oxide surface from the metal substrate to expose a metal surface; and delivering particles comprising a dopant from at least one fluid jet to the metal surface to impregnate the surface of the article with the dopant. The method also comprises delivering substantially simultaneously a first set of particles comprising a dopant and a second set of particles comprising an abrasive from at least one fluid jet to a surface of an article to impregnate the surface of the article with the dopant.

A method for in-frame repairing of a thermal barrier coating (12) on a gas turbine component includes cleaning a desired surface portion (10) of the component without removing the component from the gas turbine. The method also includes roughening the surface portion in-frame, applying a bond coat (68) to the surface portion in-frame, and applying a ceramic topcoat (70) to the bond coat, in-frame. A system (28) for cleaning the surface portion in-frame includes an abrasive media (34) having a state change characteristic occurring at a temperature lower than an operating temperature of the gas turbine so that the abrasive media changes from a solid state to another state allowing the media to exit the gas turbine during operation. The system also includes an abrasive media sprayer (36) to direct a spray of the abrasive media at the desired surface portion.

A method for coating a surface of a component formed from aluminum or an alloy thereof includes the step of cold gas-dynamic spraying a powder material on the component surface to form a coating, the powder material comprising at least one alloy from the group consisting of titanium, a titanium alloy, nickel, a nickel alloy, iron, an iron alloy, aluminum, an aluminum alloy, copper, a copper alloy, cobalt, and a cobalt alloy. In one embodiment, the method further includes the step of heat treating the turbine component after the cold gas-dynamic spraying.

The invention relates to an apparatus and process for solid-state deposition and consolidation of powder particles entrained in a subsonic or sonic gas jet onto the surface of an object. Under high velocity impact and thermal plastic deformation, the powder particles adhesively bond to the substrate and cohesively bond together to form consolidated materials with metallurgical bonds. The powder particles and optionally the surface of the object are heated to a temperature that reduces yield strength and permits plastic deformation at low flow stress levels during high velocity impact, but which is not so high as to melt the powder particles.

A method (50) of instrumenting a component (10) having a barrier coating (14). A sensor (76) is embedded within or below the coating. Material forming the sensor is deposited within a trench (80) formed into the barrier coating. The trench is then backfilled with material (70) to protect the sensor from the environment within which the component is operating. In this manner, the sensor may be embedded at any desired location and any desired depth within a barrier coating on a previously fabricated component. An array of sensors (98, 100, 102) may be embedded across the depth of the coating to provide signals indicative of operating conditions across the coating. The signals may be conducted to a connection location (24) by conductors (62, 64) that are deposited within the trench. The trench may be formed with a laser engraving process (54) and the material for the sensor and conductors may be deposited with a selective laser melting process (58).

A method for forming a layer of an LED phosphor material includes disposing a first surface in a proximity of a powder that includes an LED phosphor material, forming electrostatic charges on the first surface, and forming a layer of the LED phosphor material on the first surface at least partially by using the electrostatic charges. In an embodiment, the method includes disposing the first surface in an interior of a chamber and forming an airborne distribution of the powder in the interior of the chamber in a vicinity of the first surface. In another embodiment, the method includes providing a reservoir of the powder and applying to said phosphor powder an electrostatic charge opposite to that of said electrostatic charge on the first surface.

The invention relates to an apparatus and process for solid-state deposition and consolidation of powder particles entrained in a subsonic or sonic gas jet onto the surface of an object. Under high velocity impact and thermal plastic deformation, the powder particles adhesively bond to the substrate and cohesively bond together to form consolidated materials with metallurgical bonds. The powder particles and optionally the surface of the object are heated to a temperature that reduces yield strength and permits plastic deformation at low flow stress levels during high velocity impact, but which is not so high as to melt the powder particles.

A cold gas spraying method and device, whereby the sprayed particles are accelerated in a gas flow. A powder tube and an outer nozzle body together form a Laval nozzle that produces high gas flow velocities. The injection of the sprayed particles occurs in the divergent section of the Laval nozzle.

A method for repairing a titanium alloy surface of a turbine component includes the step of cold gas-dynamic spraying a powder material comprising at least one titanium alloy directly on the titanium alloy surface. The method may further include the steps of hot isostatic pressing the cold gas-dynamic sprayed turbine component, and performing a separate heat treating step after the hot isostatic pressing. Thus, the cold gas-dynamic spray process and post-spray processing can be employed to effectively repair degraded areas on compressor turbine components.

Articles containing fine-grained and / or amorphous metallic coatings / layers on at least part of their exposed surfaces are imprinted with surface structures to raise the contact angle for water in the imprinted areas at room temperature by equal to or greater than 10°, when compared to the flat and smooth metallic material surface of the same composition.

A method of operation of a plasma torch and the plasma apparatus to produce a hot gas jet stream directed towards a workpiece to be coated by first injecting a cold high pressure carrier gas containing a powder material into a cold main high pressure gas flow and then directing this combined high pressure gas flow coaxially around a plasma exiting from an operating plasma generator and converging directly into the hot plasma effluent, thereby mixing with the hot plasma effluent to form a gas stream with a net temperature based on the enthalpy of the plasma stream and the temperature and volume of the cold high pressure converging gas, establishing a net temperature of the gas stream at a temperature such that the powdered material will not melt or soften, and projecting the powder particles at high velocity onto a workpiece surface. The improvement resides in mixing a cold high pressure carrier gas with powder material entrained in it, with a cold high pressure gas flow of gas prior to mixing this combined gas flow with the plasma effluent which is utilized to heat the combined gas flow to an elevated temperature limited to not exceeding the softening point or melting point of the powder material. The resulting hot high pressure gas flow is directed through a supersonic nozzle to accelerate this heated gas flow to supersonic velocities, thereby providing sufficient velocity to the particles striking the workpiece to achieve a kinetic energy transformation into elastic deformation of the particles as they impact the onto the workpiece surface and forming a dense, tightly adhering cohesive coating. Preferably the powder material is of metals, alloys, polymers and mixtures thereof or with semiconductors or ceramics and the powder material is preferably of a particle size range exceeding 50 microns.

A component for use in a combustion turbine (10) is provided that includes a substrate (212) and an abradable coating system (216) deposited on the substrate (212). A planar proximity sensor (250) may be deposited beneath a surface of the abradable coating system (216) having circuitry (252) configured to detect intrusion of an object (282) into the abradable coating system (216). A least one connector (52) may be provided in electrical communication with the planar proximity sensor (250) for routing a data signal from the planar proximity sensor (250) to a termination location (59). A plurality of trenches (142) may be formed at respective different depths below the surface of the abradable coating system (216) with a planar proximity sensor (250) deposited within each of the plurality of trenches (142). A processing module (34) may be programmed for receiving data from the planar proximity sensor (250) and calculating a clearance between a row of blades (18,19) within a combustion turbine and the planar proximity sensor (250). The processing module (34) may control a clearance between the row of blades (18) and a ring segment (284) based on data received from the planar proximity sensors (250).

A method of operation of a plasma torch and the plasma apparatus to produce a hot gas jet stream directed towards a workpiece to be coated by first injecting a cold high pressure carrier gas containing a powder material into a cold main high pressure gas flow and then directing this combined high pressure gas flow coaxially around a plasma exiting from an operating plasma generator and converging directly into the hot plasma effluent, thereby mixing with the hot plasma effluent to form a gas stream with a net temperature based on the enthalpy of the plasma stream and the temperature and volume of the cold high pressure converging gas, establishing a net temperature of the gas stream at a temperature such that the powdered material will not melt or soften, and projecting the powder particles at high velocity onto a workpiece surface. The improvement resides in mixing a cold high pressure carrier gas with powder material entrained in it, with a cold high pressure gas flow of gas prior to mixing this combined gas flow with the plasma effluent which is utilized to heat the combined gas flow to an elevated temperature limited to not exceeding the softening point or melting point of the powder material. The resulting hot high pressure gas flow is directed through a supersonic nozzle to accelerate this heated gas flow to supersonic velocities, thereby providing sufficient velocity to the particles striking the workpiece to achieve a kinetic energy transformation into elastic deformation of the particles as they impact the onto the workpiece surface and forming a dense, tightly adhering cohesive coating. Preferably the powder material is of metals, alloys, polymers and mixtures thereof or with semiconductors or ceramics and the powder material is preferably of a particle size range exceeding 50 microns. The system also includes a rotating member for coating concave surfaces and internal bores or other such devices which can be better coated using rotation.

Disclosed is a process for the reprocessing or production of a sputter target or an X-ray anode wherein a gas flow forms a gas / powder mixture with a powder of a material chosen from the group consisting of niobium, tantalum, tungsten, molybdenum, titanium, zirconium, mixtures of two or more thereof and alloys thereof with at least two thereof or with other metals, the powder has a particle size of 0.5 to 150 μm, wherein a supersonic speed is imparted to the gas flow and the jet of supersonic speed is directed on to the surface of the object to be reprocessed or produced.

A ultra fine particle film forming apparatus is provided which is capable of forming a ultra fine particle film which has ultra fine particles sufficiently bonded together, sufficient density, flat surface and uniform density. A planarized ultra fine particle film forming method for forming a planarized ultra fine particle film from a deposited film of ultra fine particles formed by supplying the ultra fine particles to a substrate, the method comprising one or more of a planarizing step of planarizing a surface of the deposited film of the ultra fine particles supplied to the substrate.

A method for in-frame repairing of a thermal barrier coating (12) on a gas turbine component includes cleaning a desired surface portion (10) of the component without removing the component from the gas turbine. The method also includes roughening the surface portion in-frame, applying a bond coat (68) to the surface portion in-frame, and applying a ceramic topcoat (70) to the bond coat, in-frame. A system (28) for cleaning the surface portion in-frame includes an abrasive media (34) having a state change characteristic occurring at a temperature lower than an operating temperature of the gas turbine so that the abrasive media changes from a solid state to another state allowing the media to exit the gas turbine during operation. The system also includes an abrasive media sprayer (36) to direct a spray of the abrasive media at the desired surface portion.

The invention relates to a method for preparing a particulate reinforced metallic matrix composite material. The method is characterized in that: metal powder and hard phase powder are mechanically mixed and the mixture is added into a high-energy globe mill container for ball milling; powder after ball milling is sieved; sandblasting coarsing pretreatment is performed on the matrix surface and the ball milling powder is sprayed on a matrix by adoption of the cold spraying method, and then the particulate reinforced metallic matrix composite material is obtained. The preparation method adopts the high-energy ball milling method to prepare and spray the powder, and can make distribution of hard phases more uniform on one hand and thin metallic matrix crystal grains through ball milling on the other hand, thereby the performance of the MMC material prepared is further improved. The particulate reinforced metallic matrix composite material prepared by the method has compact tissue and excellent performance, and not only can prepare a coating but also can realize near-net forming of parts. The method has simple technique, good controllability, low production cost and high production efficiency, and is favorable for realizing industrialized application.

A low-temperature friction-based coating method termed friction stir fabrication (FSF) is disclosed, in which material is deposited onto a substrate and subsequently stirred into the substrate using friction stir processing to homogenize and refine the microstructure. This solid-state process is capable of depositing coatings, including nanocrystalline aluminum and / or metal matrix composites and the like, onto substrates such as aluminum at relatively low temperatures. A method of making rod stock for use in the FSF process is also disclosed.

Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to particular preferred and alternative embodiments, persons possessing ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains will appreciate that various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the Claims that follow. The various configurations that have been disclosed above are intended to educate the reader about preferred and alternative embodiments, and are not intended to constrain the limits of the invention or the scope of the Claims. The List of Reference Characters which follows is intended to provide the reader with a convenient means of identifying elements of the invention in the Specification and Drawings. This list is not intended to delineate or narrow the scope of the Claims.

The present invention thus provides an improved method for coating turbine engine components. The method utilizes a cold high velocity gas spray technique to coat turbine blades, compressor blades, impellers, blisks, and other turbine engine components. These methods can be used to coat a variety of surfaces thereon, thus improving the overall durability, reliability and performance of the turbine engine itself. The method includes the deposition of powders of alloys of nickel and aluminum wherein the powders are formed so as to have an amorphous microstructure. Layers of the alloys may be deposited and built up by cold high velocity gas spraying. The coated items displayed improved characteristics such as hardness, strength, and corrosion resistance.

Embodiments in the present invention provide a system and method of joining structural members. This method involves aligning the first structural member to a metallic substrate when the first structural member has at least one tapered hole or cavity. A metallic or other like material suitable to cold spraying technology is deposited into the tapered cavity to form a shaped or tapered fastener bonded to the metallic substrate. The shape of the fastener secures the first structural member to the metallic substrate. Additionally, a protective insert may be placed within the shaped or tapered cavity to protect the first structural member during hoe cold spraying deposition when the first structural member is a composite material or other like material susceptible to erosion during the cold spraying technique. After the material has been deposited using cold spray techniques this material may be further solidified and bonded to the metallic substrate using a technique such as friction stir welding in order to increase the load carrying capacity of the in-situ shaped fastener.

A method of fabricating a component is provided. The fabrication method includes depositing a first layer of a structural coating on an outer surface of a substrate. The substrate has at least one hollow interior space. The fabrication method further includes machining the substrate through the first layer of the structural coating, to define one or more openings in the first layer of the structural coating and to form respective one or more grooves in the outer surface of the substrate. Each groove has a respective base and extends at least partially along the surface of the substrate. The fabrication method further includes depositing a second layer of the structural coating over the first layer of the structural coating and over the groove(s), such that the groove(s) and the second layer of the structural coating together define one or more channels for cooling the component. A component is also disclosed.