# US 10,370,984 B2 · Aluminum alloy airfoil with designed crystallographic texture

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- Number: US 10,370,984 B2
- Document ID: US10370984B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/100,663
- Filed: 2014-11-19
- Published: 2016-10-20
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2013-12-06
- Assignees: United Technologies Corporation
- Applicants: United Technologies Corporation
- Inventors: Iuliana Cernatescu; Thomas J. Watson; James O. Hansen; David Ulrich Furrer; Randy P. Salva
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10370984B2

## CPC

- F01D 5/28: Selecting particular materials; {Particular measures relating thereto;} Measures against erosion or corrosion
- C30B 29/52: Alloys
- F01D 5/147: {Construction, i.e. structural features, e.g. of weight-saving hollow blades (F01D5/148, F01D5/16 and F01D5/20 take precedence; blade shape F01D5/141; blades with cooling or heating channels or cavities F01D5/18; heating, heat-insulating or cooling means on blades F01D5/18)}
- F05D 2220/36: specially adapted for the fan of turbofan engines
- F05D 2250/74: given by a set or table of xyz-coordinates
- F05D 2300/173: Aluminium alloys, e.g. AlCuMgPb
- F05D 2300/605: Crystalline
- F05D 2300/606: Directionally-solidified crystalline structures
- Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft
- F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D)
- C30B: SINGLE-CRYSTAL GROWTH (by using ultra-high pressure, e.g. for the formation of diamonds, B01J3/06); UNIDIRECTIONAL SOLIDIFICATION OF EUTECTIC MATERIAL OR UNIDIRECTIONAL DEMIXING OF EUTECTOID MATERIAL; REFINING BY ZONE-MELTING OF MATERIAL (zone-refining of metals or alloys C22B); PRODUCTION OF A HOMOGENEOUS POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITH DEFINED STRUCTURE (casting of metals, casting of other substances by the same processes or devices B22D; working of plastics B29; modifying the physical structure of metals or alloys C21D, C22F); SINGLE CRYSTALS OR HOMOGENEOUS POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITH DEFINED STRUCTURE; AFTER-TREATMENT OF SINGLE CRYSTALS OR A HOMOGENEOUS POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITH DEFINED STRUCTURE (for producing semiconductor devices or parts thereof H10); APPARATUS THEREFOR
- 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

An airfoil includes an airfoil body that extends at least between leading and trailing edges, first and second sides, and radially inner and outer ends. The airfoil body includes an aluminum alloy that has a controlled crystallographic texture with respect to a predefined three-dimensional coordinate system. The airfoil can be used in the fan of a gas turbine engine.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An airfoil comprising:
an airfoil body extending at least between leading and trailing edges, first and second sides, and radially inner and outer ends, the airfoil body including an aluminum alloy having a controlled crystallographic texture with respect to a predefined three-dimensional coordinate system, wherein the controlled crystallographic texture defines a texture distribution with respect to volume fractions of textures.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The airfoil as recited in claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional coordinate system has an axis extending in a radial direction with respect to the radially inner and outer ends.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The airfoil as recited in claim 1, wherein the controlled crystallographic texture includes 20 to 100% of crystallites by volume oriented of a high strength crystal direction within 10° radius of an axis of the predefined three-dimensional coordinate system.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The airfoil as recited in claim 3, wherein the high strength crystal direction is selected from the group consisting of <111>, <112> and <110>.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The airfoil as recited in claim 1, wherein the predefined three-dimensional coordinate system is a Cartesian coordinate system having a Z-axis extending along a radial direction of the airfoil body, a X-axis extending in a direction traverse to the first and second sides, and an Y-axis extending orthogonally to the Z-axis and the X-axis, and the controlled crystallographic texture includes an orientation of a selected crystal direction within a cone of 10° of the Z-axis.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The airfoil as recited in claim 5, wherein the selected crystal direction is selected from the group consisting of <111>, <112>, <110>, and combinations thereof.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The airfoil as recited in claim 1, wherein the predefined three-dimensional coordinate system is a Cartesian coordinate system having a Z-axis extending along a radial direction of the airfoil body, an X-axis extending in a direction traverse to the first and second sides, and a Y-axis extending orthogonally to the Z-axis and the X-axis, and the controlled crystallographic texture includes orientations of at least one of crystal directions <111>, <112> and <110> within 10° with respect to at least one of the axes of the Cartesian coordinate system.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The airfoil as recited in claim 1, wherein the texture distribution includes 20% to 100%, by volume, of a defined texture.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The airfoil as recited in claim 1, wherein the predefined three-dimensional coordinate system is a Cartesian coordinate system having a Z-axis extending along a radial direction of the airfoil body, a X-axis extending in a direction traverse to the first and second sides, and an Y-axis extending orthogonally to the Z-axis and the X-axis, and the texture distribution includes 30% to 70%, by volume, of a first texture, the first texture being defined by a {111} type of crystallographic plane being parallel within +/−10° of the X-Y, X-Z or Z-Y plane of the Cartesian coordinate system and a <1-10> type of crystallographic direction being oriented within a cone of 10° of one of the axes of the Cartesian coordinate system.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The airfoil as recited in claim 9, wherein the texture distribution further includes 30% to 70%, by volume, of a second texture, the second texture being defined by a {111} type of crystallographic plane being parallel within +/−10° of the X-Y, X-Z or Z-Y plane of the Cartesian coordinate system and a <−110> type of crystallographic direction being oriented within a cone of 10° of one of the axes of the Cartesian coordinate system.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The airfoil as recited in claim 10, wherein the texture distribution further includes less than 40%, by volume, of a third texture, the third texture being defined by a {100} crystallographic plane being parallel within +/−10° of the X-Y, X-Z or Z-Y plane of the Cartesian coordinate system and a <001> crystallographic direction being oriented within a cone of 10° of one of the axes of the Cartesian coordinate system.

### Claim 12

A gas turbine engine comprising:
a fan;
a compressor section;
a combustor in fluid communication with the compressor section; and
a turbine section in fluid communication with the combustor,
the fan including an airfoil having an airfoil body extending at least between a leading edge and a trailing edge, a first side and a second side, and a radially inner end and a radially outer end, the airfoil body including an aluminum-based metallic material having a controlled crystallographic texture with respect to a predefined three-dimensional coordinate system, wherein the controlled crystallographic texture includes an orientation of a high strength crystal direction within 10° of an axis of the predefined three-dimensional coordinate system and the controlled crystallographic texture defines a texture distribution with respect to volume fractions of texture components.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 12 wherein the predefined three-dimensional coordinate system is a Cartesian coordinate system having a Z-axis extending along a radial direction of the airfoil body, a X-axis extending in a direction traverse to the first and second sides, and an Y-axis extending orthogonally to the Z-axis and the X-axis, and the controlled crystallographic texture includes an orientation of a selected crystal direction within a cone of 10° of the Z-axis.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 13, wherein the selected crystal direction is selected from the group consisting of <111>, <112>, <110>, and combinations thereof.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 12, wherein the predefined three-dimensional coordinate system is a Cartesian coordinate system having a Z-axis extending along a radial direction of the airfoil body, a X-axis extending in a direction traverse to the first and second sides, and an Y-axis extending orthogonally to the Z-axis and the X-axis, and the controlled crystallographic texture includes orientations of at least one of crystal directions <111>, <112> and <110> within a cone of 10° with respect to at least one of the axes of the Cartesian coordinate system.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 12, wherein the texture components distribution includes 20% to 100%, by volume, of a defined texture.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 12, wherein the predefined three-dimensional coordinate system is a Cartesian coordinate system having a Z-axis extending along a radial direction of the airfoil body, a X-axis extending in a direction traverse to the first and second sides, and an Y-axis extending orthogonally to the Z-axis and the X-axis, and the texture component distribution includes:
30% to 70%, by volume, of a first texture components, the first texture component being defined by a {111} crystallographic plane of the crystallites in this component being parallel within +/−10° of the X-Y, X-Z or Z-Y plane of the Cartesian coordinate system and a <1-10> type of crystallographic direction of the crystallites in this component being oriented within a cone of 10° radius of one of the axes of the Cartesian coordinate system,
30% to 70%, by volume, of a second texture component, the second texture component being defined by a {111} crystallographic plane of the crystallites in this component being parallel within +/−10° of the X-Y, X-Z or Z-Y plane of the Cartesian coordinate system and a <−110> type of crystallographic direction of the crystallites in this component being oriented within a cone of 10° radius of one of the axes of the Cartesian coordinate system, and
less than 40%, by volume, of a third texture component, the third texture component being defined by a {100} type of crystallographic plane of the crystallites in this component being parallel within +/−10° of the X-Y, X-Z or Z-Y plane of the Cartesian coordinate system and a <001> type of crystallographic direction of the crystallites in this component being oriented within a cone of 10° of one of the axes of the Cartesian coordinate system.