SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR THERMAL LOCATION OF COOLING HOLES

• US 20160318135A1
• Filed: 01/13/2015
• Published: 11/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rtx Corporation
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Potter, David N., Raulerson, David A., Smith, Kevin D., Ouyang, Zhong, Brasche, Lisa J., Brindley, William J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,471,552 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 2700/06 Cooling passages of turbine components, e.g. unblocking or preventing blocking of cooling passages of turbine components
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 6/002 Repairing turbine components, e.g. moving or stationary blades, rotors, B23P6/045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 21/003 Arrangements for testing or measuring for measuring vibrations G01H
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/12 Cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/005 Repairing methods or devices
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/186 Film cooling F01D5/187 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/288 Protective coatings for blades
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 9/02 Nozzles; Nozzle boxes; Stator blades; Guide conduits , e.g. individual nozzles nozzle boxes F01D9/047
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/32 in gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2230/13 using lasers
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2230/80 Repairing, retrofitting or upgrading methods
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/80 Diagnostics
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/81 Modelling or simulation
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2300/611 Coating
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 25/72 Investigating presence of flaws
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10048 Infrared image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30164 Workpiece; Machine component
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/73 using feature-based methods

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed herein for repairing components. A material layer may be deposited on a surface of a component. The material layer may cover a cooling hole. A pulsed heat source may heat the component and the material layer. An infrared camera may take a series of images of the component. A location of the cooling hole may be identified based on thermal properties of the component. A removal tool may remove a portion of the material layer in order to expose the cooling hole.

Claims

1. A method of repairing a component comprising:

depositing a material layer on a surface of the component;

heating the component using a pulsed heat source;

measuring thermal properties of the component;

locating a cavity in the component based on the thermal properties; and

removing a portion of the material layer to expose the cavity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the material layer comprises a thermal barrier layer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the measuring the thermal properties comprises capturing a series of infrared images of the component.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the cavity comprises a cooling hole.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the locating the cavity comprises locating a center of the cavity.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the removing the portion of the material layer comprises aligning a laser drill with an angle of the cavity.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the component comprises an aircraft component.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating a 2-dimensional thermal image of the component.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising comparing the cavity to a known specification of the component in order to determine an angle of the cavity relative to the surface of the component.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising setting a power of a laser drill such that the removing the portion of the material layer removes a portion of the material layer without damaging the component.

11. A method of locating a cooling hole comprising:

heating a component and a material layer disposed on a surface of the component with a pulsed heat source;

capturing a series of thermal images of the component with an infrared camera;

processing the series of thermal images to identify temperature gradients on the component; and

based on the temperature gradients, identifying a location of a center of a first cooling hole.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising comparing the location of the center of the first cooling hole with a known specification for the component.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising identifying an angle of the first cooling hole relative to the surface of the component based on the known specifications.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising heating the component with the pulsed heat source a second time.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising locating a center of a second cooling hole.

16. A system for repairing a component comprising:

a pulsed heat source configured to heat the component;

an infrared camera configured to capture a series of thermal images of the component;

a computer coupled to the infrared camera and configured to identify a location of a cooling hole; and

a removal tool configured to remove a portion of a material layer covering the cooling hole.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the removal tool comprises a laser drill coaxial with the infrared camera.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the computer comprises stored specifications of the component.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the computer is configured to align the removal tool with an angle of the cooling hole based on the stored specifications.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the computer is configured to direct movement of the removal tool.