Method for microstructure control of ceramic thermal spray coating
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorsChristopher W. Strock, Charles G. Davis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for applying segmented ceramic coatings includes means for supporting and moving one or more substrates; one or more heat sources disposed proximate to one or more substrates, wherein at least one of the heat sources is positioned to apply a heat stream to pre-heat a thermal gradient zone on a surface of a substrate; a material deposition device disposed proximate to one or more heat sources, wherein the material deposition device is positioned to deposit a material on a deposition area located behind the thermal gradient zone on the surface; and means for monitoring a surface temperature of one or more substrates.
Claims21
A method of forming a segmented ceramic spray coating on a substrate, comprising:
- (1) providing one or more heat sources disposed proximate to a substrate;
- (2) depositing optionally a quantity of a bond coat material into a heat stream of said one or more heat sources and onto a deposition area of a surface of said substrate to form an optional bond coat layer;
- (3) depositing optionally a quantity of a first ceramic material into said heat stream of said one or more heat sources and onto said deposition area of said surface to form an optional first ceramic material layer upon said optional bond coat layer;
- (4) applying said heat stream to a preheated thermal gradient zone located in front of said deposition area of a surface of said first ceramic material layer to expand said optional first ceramic material;
- (5) depositing one or more quantities of additional ceramic material into said heat stream and upon said pre-heated, expanded optional first ceramic material layer to form one or more additional layers of ceramic material;
- (6) cooling said one or more additional layers of ceramic materials to promote vertical crack propagation therein;
- and
- (7) applying said heat stream to said pre-heated thermal gradient zone of a surface of said one or more additional layers of ceramic material to expand said additional ceramic material.
An apparatus for applying segmented ceramic coatings, comprising:
- means for supporting and moving at least one substrate;
- means for promoting vertical crack propagation by equilibrating a thermal gradient between said at least one substrate or at least one segmented ceramic coating layer or both said at least one substrate and said at least one segmented ceramic coating layer and at least one vertically cracking ceramic material coating layer being deposited;
- and
- means for monitoring a surface temperature of said at least one substrate.
The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said at least one heat source comprise at least one of:
- a torch, a radiant heat source, a convective heat source, and a laser emitting heat source.
The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said at least one heat source comprise a torch and a second heat source comprising at least one of:
- a radiant heat source, a convective heat source, and a laser emitting heat source.
The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said at least one heat source comprise a first heat source comprising at least one of:
- a radiant heat source, a convective heat source, and a laser emitting heat source;
- and a second heat source comprising at least one of:
- a radiant heat source, a convective heat source, and a laser emitting heat source.
The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said material deposition device comprises a ceramic material deposition device.
The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said material deposition device comprises a bond coat material deposition device.
The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said material deposition device is capable of depositing more than one type of material.
The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said material deposition device is designed to deposit a quantity of material onto said at least one substrate in a second direction and said at least one heat source is capable of moving in a third direction with respect to said material deposition device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.