MULTI-CAST TURBINE AIRFOILS AND METHOD FOR MAKING SAME
First Claim
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1. A method of providing a multi-material turbine airfoil having a tip and a root spaced-apart along a spanwise direction of the airfoil, the method comprising:
- a) identifying airfoil sections in the spanwise direction subject, in use, to different conditions;
b) selecting different cast alloy materials for the airfoil sections identified in a), the different cast alloy materials being selected in accordance with the conditions encountered by each of the identified airfoil;
c) casting the airfoil sections; and
d) friction welding the airfoil sections in an end-to-end relationship along the spanwise direction of the airfoil.
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Abstract
A gas turbine engine airfoil is made from separate cast sections having different cast alloy structures. The cast alloy structures are selected on the basis of the local operating conditions of each section. Friction welding can be used to join the sections together.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of providing a multi-material turbine airfoil having a tip and a root spaced-apart along a spanwise direction of the airfoil, the method comprising:
- a) identifying airfoil sections in the spanwise direction subject, in use, to different conditions;
b) selecting different cast alloy materials for the airfoil sections identified in a), the different cast alloy materials being selected in accordance with the conditions encountered by each of the identified airfoil;
c) casting the airfoil sections; and
d) friction welding the airfoil sections in an end-to-end relationship along the spanwise direction of the airfoil. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
- a) identifying airfoil sections in the spanwise direction subject, in use, to different conditions;
- 10. A method of providing a multi-alloy turbine airfoil, comprising conceptually dividing the airfoil along a spanwise direction into sections subjected to different conditions during engine operation, individually selecting cast alloy materials suited for each of the sections, separately casting the sections with the cast alloy materials selected for each particular section, and friction welding the different sections together.
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14. A method for making a multi-cast turbine airfoil, the method comprising:
- casting a first airfoil section with a first alloy, casting a second airfoil section with a second alloy, the first and second alloys having different properties and being respectively selected as a function of the conditions encountered by the first and second airfoil sections, and friction welding the first airfoil section to the second airfoil section in a plane normal to a span direction of the turbine airfoil.
- View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for making a multi-cast turbine airfoil, the method comprising:
- determining a temperature profile to which the turbine airfoil is, in use, subjected;
determining at least two axial sections of the turbine airfoil subjected to different temperatures, a second one of the at least two axial sections being subjected to a higher temperature than a first section;
selecting a lower temperature alloy of the first section and a higher temperature alloy for the second section, using said lower and higher temperature alloys to respectively make said first and second sections, and welding the first and the second sections together.
- determining a temperature profile to which the turbine airfoil is, in use, subjected;
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19. A gas turbine engine airfoil comprising a tip portion having a first cast alloy structure joined at a first friction weld to an intermediate airfoil portion having a second cast alloy structure, and a fixing portion having a third cast alloy structure, the fixing portion being joined at a second friction weld to the intermediate airfoil portion, said first, second and third cast alloy structures having different properties respectively suited for the conditions prevailing at the tip portion, the intermediate portion and the fixing portion of the gas turbine engine airfoil.
Specification