Method for vapor phase aluminiding of a gas turbine blade partially masked with a masking enclosure
AssigneeGeneral Electric Aviation Service Operation Ptd. Ltd.
InventorsNigel Brian Thomas Langley, Kwok Heng Yow
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gas turbine blade to be protected by an aluminide coating is placed within a masking enclosure including an airfoil enclosure that prevents deposition on the airfoil of the gas turbine blade, and a dovetail enclosure that prevents deposition on the dovetail of the gas turbine blade. The assembly is vapor phase aluminided such that aluminum is deposited on an exposed portion of the gas turbine blade that is not within the masking enclosure.
Claims17
A method for selectively protecting a gas turbine blade, comprising the steps of
- providing the gas turbine blade having an airfoil, a shank with a dovetail, and a platform therebetween having a top surface and a bottom surface;
- providing a masking enclosure comprising
- an airfoil enclosure having a top seal plate with a top opening therethrough and sized to receive the airfoil of the gas turbine blade therein with the airfoil extending through the top opening and the top seal plate contacting the top surface of the platform, and
- a dovetail enclosure including a dovetail guide that receives a lower end of the dovetail therein and a bottom seal plate with a bottom opening therethrough and sized to fit around the shank;
- thereafter
- placing the gas turbine blade into the masking enclosure to form an aluminiding assembly;
- and thereafter
- vapor phase aluminiding the aluminiding assembly with the gas turbine blade having its airfoil and its dovetail within the masking enclosure, such that aluminum is deposited on an exposed portion of the gas turbine blade that is not within the masking enclosure.
A method for selectively protecting a gas turbine blade, comprising the steps of
- providing the gas turbine blade which has previously been in service and having an airfoil, a shank with a dovetail, and a platform therebetween having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the step of providing the gas turbine blade includes the step of cleaning the gas turbine blade;
- providing a masking enclosure comprising
- an airfoil enclosure having a top seal plate with a top opening therethrough and sized to receive the airfoil of the gas turbine blade therein with the airfoil extending through the top opening and the top seal plate contacting the top surface of the platform, wherein the step of providing the masking enclosure includes the step of depositing an aluminum-containing coating on an inside surface of the airfoil enclosure, and
- a dovetail enclosure including a dovetail guide that receives a lower end of the dovetail therein and a bottom seal plate with a bottom opening therethrough and sized to fit around the shank;
- thereafter
- placing the gas turbine blade into the masking enclosure to form an aluminiding assembly, wherein the step of placing includes a step of
- filling a space between the dovetail and the dovetail enclosure with a masking powder;
- and thereafter
- vapor phase aluminiding the aluminiding assembly with the gas turbine blade having its airfoil and its dovetail within the masking enclosure, such that aluminum is deposited on an exposed portion of the gas turbine blade that is not within the masking enclosure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.