# US 10,245,686 B2 · Conditioning method of gas turbine engine components for aerodynamic noise reduction > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,245,686 B2 - Document ID: US10245686B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/342,648 - Filed: 2016-11-03 - Published: 2018-05-03 - Granted: 2019-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2016-11-03 - Assignees: Envaerospace Inc. - Applicants: Mariusz Warzyszynski; Jonathan Webster - Inventors: Mariusz Warzyszynski; Jonathan Webster - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10245686B2 ## CPC - B23P 15/02: turbine or like blades from one piece - C23C 14/022: {by means of bombardment with energetic particles or radiation} - C23C 14/028: {Physical treatment to alter the texture of the substrate surface, e.g. grinding, polishing} - C23C 14/083: {of refractory metals or yttrium} - C23C 14/325: {Electric arc evaporation} - F01D 5/00: Blades; Blade-carrying members (nozzle boxes F01D9/02); Heating, heat-insulating, cooling or antivibration means on the blades or the members {(special arrangements in rotors dealing with breaking off of part thereof F01D21/045)} - F05D 2240/30: Characteristics of rotor blades, i.e. of any element transforming dynamic fluid energy to or from rotational energy and being attached to a rotor - Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft - B23P: METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; COMBINED OPERATIONS; UNIVERSAL MACHINE TOOLS (arrangements for copying or controlling B23Q) - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) - F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D) - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract The present invention relates to a conditioning method of gas turbine engine components (e.g. compressor blades and vanes) for aerodynamic noise reduction. The gas turbine engine components are plasma treated in a high vacuum environment to generally reach a surface roughness (Ra) below 150 nanometers and in some cases below 25 nanometers. Then during the same process the components are coated using either a metallic or ceramic, hard, thin coating ranging from 100 to 3000 nanometers in thickness depending on desired surface smoothness and non-fouling properties. The same treatment combined with a surface relaxation process, which is part of a smoothing process, allows applying even up to 100 micrometers of hard coating without changes to high cycle fatigue properties and overall performance. Improved surface smoothness of the components and enhanced non-adhesiveness of the contaminants advance the quality of the flow through the gas path and compressor aerodynamic noise reduction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A conditioning method of gas turbine engine components for aerodynamic noise reduction being provided by ion conditioning in physical vapor deposition process, after a two stage surface preparation including a traditional finishing process to smooth the surface until the surface roughness (Ra) reaches a maximum of 250 nanometers and a washing process. The ion conditioning process comprises all of the following intermediate stages: a glow discharge cleaning; an arc discharge cleaning; a direct smoothing; a surface glancing; and a surface relaxation; to reach a surface roughness (Ra) below 150 nanometers resulting in conditioned components. ### Claim 2 A conditioning method of gas turbine engine components for aerodynamic noise reduction being provided by ion conditioning in physical vapor deposition process, after two stage surface preparation including a traditional finishing process to smooth the surface until the surface roughness (Ra) reaches a maximum 250 nanometers and a washing process. The ion conditioning process comprises at least three of the following intermediate stages and performed not in the presented order: a glow discharge cleaning; an arc discharge cleaning; a direct smoothing; a surface glancing; and a surface relaxation; to reach a surface roughness (Ra) below 150 nanometers resulting in conditioned components. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The conditioning method of gas turbine engine components for aerodynamic noise reduction according to claim 1 further comprising of each of the conditioned components providing a hard film protective coating selected from four groups consisting of oxides, nitrides, carbides or carbo-nitrides from which aluminum, chromium, titanium or zirconium are applied to a thickness up to 3000 nanometers. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The conditioning method of gas turbine engine components for aerodynamic noise reduction according to claim 1 further comprising of each of the conditioned components providing a hard film multilayer protective coating having at least one layer selected from four groups consisting of oxides, nitrides, carbides or carbo-nitrides from which aluminum, chromium, titanium or zirconium are applied to a thickness up to 3000 nanometers. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The conditioning method of gas turbine engine components for aerodynamic noise reduction according to claim 1 further comprising of each of the conditioned components providing any type of hard film coatings having a thickness up to 3000 nanometers. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The conditioning method of gas turbine engine components for aerodynamic noise reduction according to claim 1 further comprising of each of the conditioned components providing any type of hard film. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The conditioning method of gas turbine engine components for aerodynamic noise reduction according to claim 1 provided on gas turbine engine components coated with any type of hard film as an interlayer conditioning. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The conditioning method of gas turbine engine components for aerodynamic noise reduction according to claim 2 further comprising of each of the conditioned components providing a hard film protective coating selected from four groups consisting of oxides, nitrides, carbides or carbo-nitrides from which aluminum, chromium, titanium or zirconium are applied to a thickness up to 3000 nanometers. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The conditioning method of gas turbine engine components for aerodynamic noise reduction according to claim 2 further comprising of each of the conditioned components providing a hard film multilayer protective coating having at least one layer selected from four groups consisting of oxides, nitrides, carbides or carbo-nitrides from which aluminum, chromium, titanium or zirconium are applied to a thickness up to 3000 nanometers. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The conditioning method of gas turbine engine components for aerodynamic noise reduction according to claim 2 further comprising of each of the conditioned components providing any type of hard film coatings having a thickness up to 3000 nanometers. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The conditioning method of gas turbine engine components for aerodynamic noise reduction according to claim 2 further comprising of each of the conditioned components providing any type of hard film. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) The conditioning method of gas turbine engine components for aerodynamic noise reduction according to claim 2 provided on gas turbine engine components coated with any type of hard film as an interlayer conditioning.