Method of repairing superalloy components using phase agglomeration
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsBrian Leslie Henderson, Paul Albert Cook, Yan Cui, Daniel James Dorriety
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Abstract
A method of repairing a superalloy component includes subjecting the superalloy component, including a repair area, to a phase agglomeration cycle, which includes stepped heating and controlled cooling of the component. The method further includes applying weld material to the repair area to create a weld surface; and covering the weld surface with brazing material. The component is then subjected to a braze cycle to produce a brazed component. The brazed component is cleaned, and the cleaned component is subjected to a restorative heat treatment to restore the microcrystalline structure and mechanical properties of the component.
Claims17
A method of repairing a superalloy component, the method comprising the following sequential steps:
- (a) subjecting the superalloy component to a phase agglomeration cycle, the superalloy component comprising at least one repair area;
- (b) applying weld material to the at least one repair area to create a weld surface;
- (c) covering the weld surface with brazing material;
- (d) subjecting the superalloy component to a braze cycle to produce a brazed component;
- (e) cleaning the brazed component;
- and
- (f) subjecting the cleaned component to a restorative heat treatment;
- wherein step (a) includes heating the superalloy component to a first prescribed temperature, using a uniform ramp rate and one or more periods of holding the superalloy component at a plateau temperature;
- allowing the superalloy component to cool down at a prescribed cool-down rate to a second prescribed temperature;
- and performing forced cooling of the superalloy component to a third prescribed temperature;
- wherein the step of heating the superalloy component comprises holding the superalloy component at the first prescribed temperature for a first prescribed period;
- and
- wherein the step of heating the superalloy component to a first prescribed temperature comprises heating to a first plateau temperature, holding for a second prescribed period, heating to a second plateau temperature greater than the first plateau temperature, and holding for a third prescribed period longer than the second prescribed period and shorter than the first prescribed period;
- wherein the second plateau temperature is about 85% of the first prescribed temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.