Repair of coated turbine vanes installed in module
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorsThomas DeMichael, Richard Gerst, Brian S. Tryon, David A. Rutz, Billie W. Bunting
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of repairing a damaged coated vane from a turbine module without removing the vane from the module is taught. The method includes locally removing the coating in the vicinity of the damage as well as any underlying damage in the superalloy substrate. A diffusible coating precursor is then applied to the damage site. A heat treating fixture is then mounted on the vane and repair site is heated to up to 2000° F. in an inert environment to interdiffuse the coating precursor and the substrate. After the diffusion anneal, the vane is cleaned and the module is returned to service.
Claims18
A method of repairing a damaged coated turbine engine component of a module assembly, the method comprising:
- removing a damaged coating and underlying physical damage to the component to prepare a repair site, with the component mounted in the module assembly;
- applying a diffusible coating precursor to the repair site with the component mounted in the module assembly;
- mounting a heat treating fixture on the component at the repair site with the component mounted in the module assembly;
- providing an infrared energy beam focused on the repair site such that adjacent components are not heated with the infrared energy beam;
- heating the repair site according to a heating schedule;
- controlling the heating schedule with a remote line of sight infrared pyrometer and control system to interdiffuse the coating precursor and the component with the component mounted in the module assembly;
- and
- cleaning the repair site with the component mounted in the module assembly.
A method of repairing a damaged region of a coated vane from a turbine module without removing the vane from the module, the method comprising:
- identifying and qualifying the damaged region as suitable for in situ repair;
- removing the damaged coating;
- examining a superalloy substrate of the vane for cracks and other damage;
- blending the damage by abrasion to remove the cracks;
- applying a diffusible coating precursor to the damaged regions;
- mounting a heating fixture on the vane;
- heating the damaged region according to a heating schedule with focused high energy quartz lamps such that adjacent turbine components are unaffected by the heating;
- controlling the heating schedule with a remote line of sight infrared pyrometer and control system to interdiffuse the coating precursor and the vane;
- providing an inert atmosphere during interdiffusion of the coating and superalloy substrate;
- cleaning the vane;
- and
- returning module to service.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.