# US 2004/0072014 A1 · Method for providing turbulation on the inner surface of holes in an article, and related articles

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- Number: US 2004/0072014 A1
- Document ID: US20040072014A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 10/271,098
- Filed: 2002-10-15
- Published: 2004-04-15
- Earliest claimed: 2002-10-15
- Assignees: General Electric Company
- Inventors: Wayne Charles Hasz; Nesim Abuaf; Robert Alan Johnson; Ching-Pang Lee
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20040072014A1

## CPC

- F28F 13/18: by applying coatings, e.g. radiation-absorbing, radiation-reflecting; by surface treatment, e.g. polishing
- 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)}
- F01D 5/186: {Film cooling (F01D5/187 takes precedence)}
- B23K 35/30: with the principal constituent melting at less than 1550°C
- F05C 2201/0463: Cobalt
- F05C 2201/0466: Nickel
- F05D 2230/10: by removing material
- F05D 2230/21: by casting
- F05D 2230/22: by sintering
- F05D 2230/23: by permanently joining parts together
- F05D 2230/40: Heat treatment
- F05D 2260/202: by film cooling
- F05D 2260/2212: by creating turbulence
- F05D 2260/22141: using fins or ribs
- F05D 2300/132: Chromium
- F05D 2300/172: Copper alloys
- F05D 2300/222: Silicon
- Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft
- Y10T 428/12993: Surface feature [e.g., rough, mirror]
- F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16)
- F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D)
- B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
- F05C: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO MATERIALS, MATERIAL PROPERTIES OR MATERIAL CHARACTERISTICS FOR MACHINES, ENGINES OR PUMPS OTHER THAN NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES
- 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
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A method of providing turbulation on the inner surface of a passage hole (e.g., a turbine cooling hole) is described. The turbulation is first applied to a substrate which can eventually be inserted into the passage hole. The substrate is often a bar or tube, formed of a sacrificial material. After the turbulation is applied to the substrate, the substrate is inserted into the passage hole. The turbulation material is then fused to the inner surface, using a conventional heating technique. The sacrificial substrate can then be removed from the hole by various techniques. Related articles are also described.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of providing turbulation on the inner surface of a passage hole, comprising the following steps:
(a) applying turbulation material to a substrate which is capable of being inserted into the passage hole and being fused to the inner surface of the passage hole;
(b) inserting the substrate into the passage hole, so that the substrate is adjacent to the inner surface of the passage hole; and
(c) fusing the turbulation material to the inner surface of the passage hole.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the turbulation material comprises a metal alloy.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the metal alloy comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt, aluminum, chromium, silicon, iron, and copper.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the metal alloy comprises MCrAl(X), and M is an element selected from the group consisting of Ni, Co, Fe, and combinations thereof; and X is an element selected from the group consisting of Y, Ta, Si, Hf, Ti, Zr, B, C, and combinations thereof.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate is a bar.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein a bonding agent is also applied to the bar.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the bonding agent comprises a braze alloy.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the braze alloy comprises at least one metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt, iron, a precious metal, and a mixture which includes at least one of the foregoing.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the braze alloy comprises at least about 40% by weight nickel, and at least one additional element selected from the group consisting of silicon, chromium, boron, and iron.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the bonding agent is in the form of a sheet.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the sheet comprises a green braze tape.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the sheet comprises a metal foil.

### Claim 13 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the turbulation material comprises a particulate phase of discrete metal alloy particles, having an average particle size within a range of about 125 microns to about 4000 microns.

### Claim 14 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the turbulation material is applied directly to the surface of the bar, prior to the application of the bonding agent.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein a binder material is used to provide temporary adhesion of the turbulation to the bar.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the turbulation material and the binder are in the form of a slurry which is applied directly to the surface of the bar.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the bonding agent is applied in the form of a layer over the turbulation material.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the layer of bonding agent is wrapped around the bar, so as to cover the discrete metal alloy particles.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein the bonding agent comprises a braze alloy.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein the bar is cylindrical.

### Claim 21 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein the bar comprises a sacrificial material which is removed from the passage hole, after the turbulation material is fused to the inner surface of the passage hole.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, wherein the sacrificial material is selected from the group consisting of metal oxides, metal salts, metal halides, metal borates, metal sulfates, metal aluminates, carbon-based materials, and combinations thereof.

### Claim 23 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, wherein the sacrificial material is removed from the passage hole by a technique selected from the group consisting of aqueous washing; chemical leaching, vacuum extraction, etching, ultrasonic processes, combustion, and combinations of these techniques.

### Claim 24 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the surface of the bar contains a pattern of indentations, and each indentation has a dimension which is reciprocal to the dimension of a corresponding, desired turbulation site on the inner surface of the passage hole.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The method of claim 24, wherein the indentations are filled with a composition comprising a bonding agent and the turbulation material, prior to insertion of the bar into the passage hole.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25, wherein the composition further comprises a binder.

### Claim 27 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25, wherein the bonding agent is a braze material.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The method of claim 27, wherein the braze material comprises at least one metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt, iron, a precious metal, and a mixture which includes at least one of the foregoing.

### Claim 29 (depends on 27)

The method of claim 27, wherein at least one layer of braze tape is wrapped around the bar after the indentations are filled with the composition, and prior to insertion of the bar in the passage hole.

### Claim 30 (depends on 24)

The method of claim 24, wherein the bar comprises a sacrificial material which is removed from the passage hole, after the turbulation material is fused to the inner surface of the passage hole.

### Claim 31 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the turbulation material is combined with a bonding agent to form multiple rings of a turbulation-bonding agent composition, prior to step (b); and the rings are then inserted over the bar, so that the bar is encircled by the rings; wherein the rings are spaced from each other in a pre-selected pattern which defines the desired pattern of turbulation for the surface of the passage hole.

### Claim 32 (depends on 31)

The method of claim 31, wherein, prior to step (b), sacrificial rings comprising a sacrificial material are inserted over the bar intermittently with the insertion of the turbulation-bonding agent rings, so as to fill spaces which exist between the rings of the turbulation-bonding agent, thereby maintaining a desired separation between the turbulation-bonding agent rings.

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The method of claim 32, wherein the bar is removed after being inserted into the passage hole, while the turbulation-bonding agent rings and sacrificial rings remain in place within the passage hole.

### Claim 34 (depends on 33)

The method of claim 33, wherein the sacrificial rings are removed from the passage hole after the turbulation material is fused to the inner surface of the passage hole.

### Claim 35 (depends on 34)

The method of claim 34, wherein the sacrificial rings are removed by a technique selected from the group consisting of aqueous washing; chemical leaching, vacuum extraction, etching, ultrasonic processes, combustion, and combinations of these techniques.

### Claim 36 (depends on 31)

The method of claim 31, wherein the bonding agent is a braze composition.

### Claim 37 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the bar is a tube which comprises a metal foil, having a first surface and an opposite, second surface.

### Claim 38 (depends on 37)

The method of claim 37, wherein the metal foil has a surface area sufficient to cover a portion of the inner surface of the passage hole on which turbulation is desired.

### Claim 39 (depends on 37)

The method of claim 37, wherein the metal foil comprises a braze material, and the turbulation material is provided on the first surface of the metal foil.

### Claim 40 (depends on 39)

The method of claim 39, wherein the metal foil is rolled into a shape substantially similar to the shape of the passage hole, and is inserted into the passage hole, so that the second surface is adjacent to or in contact with the inner surface of the passage hole, and the turbulation on the first surface of the metal foil becomes attached to the surface of the passage hole, after the fusing step.

### Claim 41 (depends on 40)

The method of claim 40, wherein the foil is temporarily held in place within the passage hole by a fastening technique, prior to the fusing step.

### Claim 42

A method of providing turbulation on the inner surface of at least one radial cooling hole in a turbine blade formed of a superalloy material, comprising the following steps:
(i) applying turbulation material to a cylindrical bar formed of a sacrificial material, said bar being capable of being fused to the inner surface of the hole;
(ii) wrapping a layer of braze material around the bar, covering the turbulation material;
(iii) inserting the bar into the hole;
(iv) applying sufficient heat to braze the turbulation material to the inner surface of the hole with the braze material; and then
(v) removing the cylindrical bar by a technique suitable for eliminating the sacrificial material.

### Claim 43

An article, comprising:
(I) a substrate containing at least one passage hole, wherein the passage hole includes an inner surface; and
(II) turbulation material bonded to at least a portion of the inner surface of the passage hole by a bonding agent.

### Claim 44 (depends on 43)

The article of claim 43, wherein the turbulation material extends beyond the inner surface of the passage hole, forming a plurality of protuberances.

### Claim 45 (depends on 44)

The article of claim 44, wherein the protuberances are disposed in a selected pattern.

### Claim 46 (depends on 44)

The article of claim 44, wherein the bonding agent comprises a braze alloy.

### Claim 47 (depends on 44)

The article of claim 44, wherein the turbulation material comprises a metal alloy.

### Claim 48 (depends on 47)

The article of claim 47, wherein the metal alloy comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt, aluminum, chromium, silicon, iron, and copper.

### Claim 49 (depends on 44)

The article of claim 44, wherein the substrate comprises a superalloy material.

### Claim 50 (depends on 44)

The article of claim 44, wherein the substrate is a turbine engine component.