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US 2009/0078390 A1Published application
Integral Single Crystal/Columnar Grained Component and Method of Casting the Same
AssigneeSiemens Power Generation, Inc.
InventorsKenneth M. Tamaddoni-Jahromi, David W. Hunt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hybrid cast component (10) including both a columnar grained region (12) and a single crystal region (14) integrally formed and joined along a metallurgical boundary (32) in a single casting operation without the need for any weld or braze. A gas turbine blade formed as such may include a columnar grained airfoil and a single crystal platform without any necessity for a thermally formed joint at the blade fillet area.
Claims9
A method of casting comprising:
- providing a mold defining a component shape comprising a first region and a second region;
- providing a chill plate;
- providing a columnar grained starter block between the chill plate and the first region;
- providing a single crystal starter seed between the chill plate and the second region;
- introducing molten metal into the mold;
- and
- controlling solidification of the molten metal within the mold to grow a columnar grained material from the columnar grained starter block into the first region and to grow a single crystal material from the single crystal starter seed into the second region, with the columnar grained material and the single crystal material being integrally joined along a boundary during the solidification step without the necessity for a separate metals joining step.
4 more elements
A gas turbine engine component comprising:
- an airfoil section comprising a plurality of columnar grains of a superalloy material grown with a lowest modulus grain orientation being parallel to a radial length direction of the airfoil section;
- and
- a platform section comprising a single crystal of the superalloy material cast concurrently with the columnar grains of the superalloy material in a single casting operation and joined thereto at a metallurgical boundary formed during the single casting operation.
A casting apparatus comprising:
- a chill plate;
- a mold extending from the chill plate and comprising a first region proximate the chill plate and a second region remote from the chill plate;
- a columnar grained starter block disposed between the chill plate and the first region of the mold;
- a single crystal starter seed disposed proximate the chill plate but remote from the columnar grained starter block;
- a grain continuator disposed between the single crystal starter seed and the second region of the mold;
- whereby when molten metal is introduced into the mold, solidification can be controlled within the mold to grow a columnar grained material from the columnar grained starter block into the first region and to grow a single crystal material from the single crystal starter seed into the second region while bypassing the first region, with the columnar grained material and the single crystal material being integrally joined during the solidification step without the necessity for a separate metals joining step.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.