Unidirectional Solidification Patents (Class 164/122.1)
  • Patent number: 11123790
    Abstract: An apparatus for casting a part that includes a first housing, a second housing, a handling system and a cooling apparatus. The first housing defines a first chamber. The first chamber is configured to receive a melt heater and a mold heater. The second housing is configured to move between a first position and a second position such that when the second housing is in the first position, the first housing is open such that a mold can be inserted therein and when the second housing is in the second position, the second housing and the first housing define a second chamber. The cooling apparatus is configured to be positioned within the second chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brian David Przeslawski, Gary Lee Lynn, Christoper Raymond Hanslits, Douglas G. Konitzer
  • Patent number: 11084089
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a wing element that is provided inside a gas turbine and through which a fluid passes and a method of manufacturing a blade are provided. The method of manufacturing the wing element includes preforming the wing element; disposing the wing element inside a mold; sequentially melting the wing element inside the mold along one direction using a heating device; and solidifying the melted wing element using a cooling device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Inventor: Chae Hong Jeon
  • Patent number: 11040465
    Abstract: A fiber preform for a turbine engine blade, the preform comprising a main fiber structure (40) obtained by a single piece of three-dimensional weaving, said main first structure (40) comprising a first longitudinal segment (41) suitable for forming a blade root, a second longitudinal segment (42) extending the first longitudinal segment (41) and suitable for forming an airfoil portion (22), and a first transverse segment (51) extending transversely from the junction (49) between the first and second longitudinal segments (41, 42) and suitable for forming a first tongue for a first platform, wherein the first transverse segment (51) extends axially over a length that is less than 30%, preferably less than 15%, of the length of the junction (49) between the first and second longitudinal segments (41, 42).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Safran Aircraft Engines
    Inventors: Jérémy Guivarc'h, Alexandre Bernard Marie Boisson, Thomas Alain De Gaillard, Gilles Pierre-Marie Notarianni
  • Patent number: 10974319
    Abstract: In a casting device, positions of discharge ends discharging cooling gas, of respective gas supply nozzles are adjusted in response to movement of a mold. This makes it possible to stably achieve high cooling performance for the mold by blowing of the cooling gas. To adjust the positions of the respective discharge ends, the gas supply nozzles are advanced or retreated, or are expanded or contracted. Further, a cooling chamber may include a radiation cooling portion that cools the mold by radiation, and the radiation cooling portion is disposed below the gas supply nozzles that are provided directly below a heat shielding body partitioning a heating chamber and the cooling chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Takeshi Kaneko, Masaki Taneike, Hidetaka Oguma
  • Patent number: 10835951
    Abstract: The invention provides a method of assembling together a first core (12) and a second core (14) in order to make a non-permanent model configured for use in lost wax molding to form a part having a first cavity and a second cavity corresponding respectively to the first core and to the second core. The invention is characterized by the fact that the first and second cores (12, 14) are assembled together with a first spacer (20), the first spacer (20) being arranged between the first and second cores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignees: Safran, Safran Aircraft Engines
    Inventors: Adrien Bernard Vincent Rollinger, Mathieu Jean Luc Vollebregt, Joseph Toussaint Tami Lizuzu, Vincent Marc Herb, Didier Maurice Marceau Guerche, Ramzi Bohli
  • Patent number: 10822956
    Abstract: A component is provided and includes a substrate comprising an outer and an inner surface, where the inner surface defines at least one hollow, interior space. The component defines one or more grooves, where each groove extends at least partially along the outer surface of the substrate and has a base and a top. The base is wider than the top, such that each groove comprises a re-entrant shaped groove. One or more access holes are formed through the base of a respective groove, to connect the groove in fluid communication with the respective hollow interior space. Each access hole has an exit diameter D that exceeds the opening width d of the top of the respective groove. The diameter D is an effective diameter based on the area enclosed. The component further includes at least one coating disposed over at least a portion of the surface of the substrate, wherein the groove(s) and the coating together define one or more re-entrant shaped channels for cooling the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ronald Scott Bunker, Eric Richard Bonini
  • Patent number: 10815793
    Abstract: An airfoil includes a first wall and a second wall that at least partially define a channel, and a trip strip coupled to the first wall, where at least a part of the trip strip forms a corrugated pattern. A gas turbine engine includes a compressor section, a combustor section, and a turbine section, where the turbine section includes an airfoil, where the airfoil includes a first wall and a second wall that at least partially define a channel, and a trip strip coupled to the first wall, where at least a part of the trip strip forms a corrugated pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Jeremy Styborski, William P. Stillman
  • Patent number: 10809154
    Abstract: A method of testing flow in an airfoil includes isolating a first cooling passage network of the airfoil by applying plugs to internal inlet orifices of the other ones of the cooling passage networks in the airfoil. The plugs block flow from an internal core cavity of the airfoil into the other ones of the cooling passage networks. The inlet orifices of the first cooling passage network are left open. A test flow is then applied to the internal core cavity and flows through the inlet orifices of the first cooling passage network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tracy A. Propheter-Hinckley
  • Patent number: 10792842
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for molding systems that have a low thermal mass. One embodiment is a first tool that includes a first frame. The first frame includes a first set of plates of magnetically permeable material, and a material disposed between plates of the first set. The first tool also includes a first set of induction coils that are disposed within the first frame and that generate a first electromagnetic field, and a first susceptor that extends from the first set of plates. The first susceptor generates heat in response to the first electromagnetic field. The first tool further includes a mold that extends from the first susceptor and receives heat via conductive heat transfer from the first susceptor. Each plate of the first set is thinner than a skin depth at which the first electromagnetic field would generate an electrical induction current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Marc R. Matsen, William C. Dykstra, Lee Charles Firth, Landon K. Henson, Tunde A. Olaniyan, John R. Hull
  • Patent number: 10689749
    Abstract: A linear evaporation source is disclosed. In one aspect, the source includes a crucible storing an evaporated material, a heater unit surrounding the crucible and heating the crucible, and a plurality of lateral reflectors surrounding a lateral surface of the heater unit. Each of the lateral reflectors includes a first reflector combined with the heater unit while being spaced apart from the heater unit and having a plurality of first openings and a second reflector movably combined with the first reflector and having a second opening. Open ratios of the lateral reflectors are independently adjusted to control a temperature of the crucible according to areas of the crucible. Thus, deposition uniformity of the linear evaporation source is enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Min Ho Kim, Seong Ho Jeong, Hyun Choi
  • Patent number: 10643290
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an aircraft component is manufactured from a plurality of separate materials comprising a first material. The first material is physically associated with a tracking device comprising a first storage medium featuring line-of-sight accessible information and a second storage medium featuring non-line-of-sight accessible information. The line-of-sight accessible information and the non-line-of-sight accessible information each comprise information regarding the first material physically associated with the tracking device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.
    Inventors: James Corrigan, Pier-Alexandre Pelletier
  • Patent number: 10605091
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for forming a film hole in an outer wall of an airfoil. The film hole includes a blind opening adjacent the interior of the airfoil and a hole adjacent the exterior of the airfoil. The blind opening fluidly couples to the hole to form the film hole for providing a volume of fluid as a surface cooling film along the exterior of the outer wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Gregory Terrence Garay, Douglas Ray Smith, Aaron Ezekiel Smith, Zachary Daniel Webster
  • Patent number: 10570531
    Abstract: A TiAl intermetallic compound single crystal material and a preparation method therefor are disclosed. The alloy composition of the material comprises TiaAlbNbc(C, Si)d, wherein 43?b?49, 2?c?10, a+b+c=100, and 0?d?1 (at. %).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: NANJING UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Guang Chen, Yingbo Peng, Gong Zheng, Zhixiang Qi, Minzhi Wang, Pei Li
  • Patent number: 10562096
    Abstract: An installation for manufacturing a part by implementation of a Bridgman method includes in particular a mold intended to receive a melted material and a thermal screen movable with respect to the mold intended to be positioned in front of the solidification front during the directional solidification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignees: SAFRAN, SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: David Grange, Gilles Martin
  • Patent number: 10487663
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an airfoil for a gas turbine, including an improved turbulator arrangement formed on an inner cooling channel of the airfoil. According to preferred embodiments of the invention, in order to ensure a constant angle of the cooling flow inside the channel relative to each turbulator, the angle formed between the turbulator and the vertical axis is advantageously adapted, in the curved area, for every single turbulator. Furthermore, the same principle may be applied to all the cooling channels present within the airfoil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: ANSALDO ENERGIA SWITZERLAND AG
    Inventors: Rainer Bauer, Shailendra Naik, Marc Henze
  • Patent number: 10449605
    Abstract: A method casts a plurality of alloy parts in a mold (600; 700) having a plurality of part-forming cavities (601). The method comprises pouring a first alloy into the mold causing: the first alloy to branch into respective flows along respective first flowpaths (676, 684; 708) to the respective cavities; and a surface of the first alloy in the part-forming cavities to equilibrate. The method further comprises pouring a second alloy into the mold causing: the second alloy to branch into respective flows along respective second flowpaths (676, 680; 712) to the respective cavities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Steven J. Bullied, John J. Marcin, Jr., Emily K. Kreek, Carl R. Verner, Mario P. Bochiechio
  • Patent number: 10406596
    Abstract: A casting core for an airfoil according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a first portion extending in a first direction and corresponding to a first cavity of an airfoil. The first portion defines a reference plane along a parting line formed by a casting die. The first portion defines a plurality of grooves corresponding to a plurality of trip strips of the airfoil. Each of the plurality of grooves defines a respective groove axis, and the plurality of grooves are distributed in the first direction along a first side of the reference plane such that one or more of the groove axes are oriented with respect to a pull direction of the casting die. A method for fabricating a gas turbine engine component is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Matthew S. Gleiner, Bret M. Teller, James T. Auxier
  • Patent number: 10391551
    Abstract: A mold body for use in a mold includes a mold cavity, a chill cavity, a fill channel, and a chill material having a thermal conductivity that is greater than the thermal conductivity of the mold body disposed within the chill cavity. The chill cavity is formed adjacent the mold cavity and is separated from the mold cavity by a chill wall. The fill channel is in communication with the chill cavity and with an exterior surface of the mold body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: FISHER CONTROLS INTERNATIONAL LLC
    Inventors: Adam Taylor Boyle, Nathan Padriac VanBecelaere
  • Patent number: 10344357
    Abstract: Turbocharger turbine wheels including nickel-based alloys are disclosed herein. In one exemplary embodiment, a turbocharger turbine wheel includes as, at least part of its constituency, a nickel-based alloy that includes, on a weight basis of the overall alloy: about 10.5% to about 11.5% cobalt, about 9.0% to about 10.0% chromium, about 5.75% to about 6.25% aluminum, about 2.8% to about 3.3% tantalum, about 4.0% to about 4.5% molybdenum, about 2.2% to about 2.4% titanium, about 0.13% to about 0.15% carbon, about 0.03 to about 0.09% zirconium, and a majority of nickel. The nickel-based alloy excludes tungsten except in unavoidable trace amounts. The turbocharger turbine wheel may be configured for operating at about 980° C. to about 1020° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Garrett Transportation I Inc.
    Inventors: Prashanth Chimangala Seetharamrao, Marc Wilson, Veronika Ricankova, Michael John Morrissey
  • Patent number: 10337121
    Abstract: An induction furnace assembly comprising a chamber having a mold; a primary inductive coil coupled to the chamber; a susceptor surrounding the chamber between the primary inductive coil and the mold; and a shield material contained in a reservoir coupled to or proximate the mold between the susceptor and the mold; the shield material configured to attenuate a portion of an electromagnetic flux generated by the primary induction coil that is not attenuated by the susceptor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph V. Mantese, Ryan C. Breneman, Thomas Anthony Rebbecchi, Andrew Boyne, John Joseph Marcin, Dustin W. Davis, David Ulrich Furrer, James Tilsley Auxier
  • Patent number: 10337332
    Abstract: An airfoil of a gas turbine engine includes an airfoil body having a leading edge and a trailing edge extending in a radial direction, a trailing edge cavity formed within the airfoil and proximate to the trailing edge of the airfoil, the trailing edge cavity extending from the trailing edge in a forward direction toward the leading edge, at least one set of blocking pedestals located within the trailing edge cavity, a set of circular pedestals located aftward from the at least one blocking set of pedestals, and a set of spear pedestals located aftward from the set of circular pedestals and closest to the trailing edge of the airfoil body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: James Tilsley Auxier, Bret M. Teller
  • Patent number: 10245635
    Abstract: A low-pressure mold for improving performance of spokes of an aluminum wheel. The mold is characterized in that cooling air holes in a bottom mold are moved for 10 mm outwards; heat-insulation grooves are formed in positions, 5 mm from the cooling air holes, of a back cavity of the bottom mold, and are 8 mm from the surface of a cavity; and the width of each heat-insulation groove is set to 8 mm. A circumference arrangement range of the heat-insulation grooves needs to be larger than the widths of the spokes, and the number of the heat-insulation grooves is defined by the number of the spokes. Heat-preservation asbestos is arranged in each heat-insulation groove, thereby further strengthening heat-insulation and heat preservation functions. One air hole is added based on the prior art, thereby increasing the cooling area and improving the cooling intensity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: CITIC Dicastal CO., LTD
    Inventors: Guohua Liu, Xu Wang, Xueqiang Li, Dong Xing, Junmeng Li, Changhai Li, Zhihua Zhu, Yongning Wang
  • Patent number: 10239120
    Abstract: Molded articles and methods for forming molded articles are provided. For example, a molded article comprises a first region formed by a first casting material and a second region formed by mixing a molten or liquid portion of the first casting material and a second casting material. The first casting material is a molten, liquid, or fluid metal alloy, and the second casting material is a molten or fluid metal alloy. The first casting material has a different chemical composition than the second casting material. The first region and the second region are cast as one integral casting using directional solidification, and the first region and the second region have different microstructure patterns. The molded article has a lower concentration of impurities than were present in the first and second casting materials, and an interface between the first region and the second region is devoid of an oxidation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Yan Cui, David Vincent Bucci, Ganjiang Feng, Srikanth Chandrudu Kottilingam, Dechao Lin
  • Patent number: 10220437
    Abstract: The present invention provides a water cooled mold for casting aluminum alloy wheels and a manufacturing method thereof. The water cooled mold is provided with first-type water cooling channels with high heat exchange efficiency and second-type water cooling channels with low heat exchange efficiency. The first-type water cooling channels are concave grooves through which cooling water flows, and a cooling surface of the mold is in contact with open surfaces of the concave grooves. The second-type water cooling channels are grooves with stainless steel pipes, and the stainless steel pipes are in contact with the cooling surface of the mold. The second-type water cooling channels are installed on mold portions corresponding to wheel window positions of a cavity, and the first-type water cooling channels are installed on mold portions corresponding to spokes, flanges and rims of the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: CITIC Dicastal CO., LTD
    Inventors: Lin Zhu, Changhai Li, Hongbiao Li, Yong Li
  • Patent number: 10118220
    Abstract: An example mold assembly for fabricating an infiltrated downhole tool includes a mold forming a bottom of the mold assembly, and a funnel operatively coupled to the mold and having an inner wall, an outer wall, and a cavity defined between the inner and outer walls. An infiltration chamber is defined at least partially by the mold and the funnel. The inner wall faces the infiltration chamber and the outer wall forms at least a portion of an outer periphery of the mold assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey G. Thomas, Clayton Arthur Ownby, Grant O. Cook, III, Garrett T. Olsen, Daniel Brendan Voglewede
  • Patent number: 10099277
    Abstract: There is described a core for an investment casting process, comprising: a core passage which extends between a first point and a second point along a tortuous path having length L, wherein the first point and second point are separated by a direct line of sight distance, S, wherein L is greater than S; and, a core bridge which extends between the first and second points away from the core passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Simon Lloyd Jones, Mark John Simms
  • Patent number: 10060270
    Abstract: An airfoil (10) is disclosed for a gas turbine engine in which the airfoil (10) includes an internal cooling system (14) with one or more converging-diverging exit slots (20) configured to increase the effectiveness of the cooling system (14) at the trailing edge (34) of the airfoil (10) by increasing the contact of cooling fluids with internal surfaces (24, 30) of the pressure and suction sides (36, 38) of the airfoil (10). In at least one embodiment, the trailing edge cooling channel (18) may include one or more converging-diverging exit slots (20) to further pressurize the trailing edge cooling channel (18) and may be formed by a first and second ribs (80, 82) extending between an outer walls (13, 12) forming the pressure and suction sides (36, 38).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Ching-Pang Lee, Caleb Myers, Erik Johnson, Steven Koester
  • Patent number: 10058913
    Abstract: A low-pressure casting bottom mold for an aluminum alloy hub is provided. The low-pressure casting bottom mold for the aluminum alloy hub is composed of an upper surface facing a cavity and a lower surface facing a die casting platform, wherein the bottom mold lower surface facing the die casting platform comprises an iron sheet cover, the iron sheet cover is fixed at a position, corresponding to a wheel spoke, of the bottom mold lower surface, and a sealed space is formed between the iron sheet cover and the bottom mold lower surface in a surrounding manner; the iron sheet cover comprises air inlets at one side close to a wheel center and air outlets at one side close to a rim; and the air inlets are connected with air tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: CITIC Dicastal CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kaiqing Wang, Hongbiao Li, Xu Wang, Changhai Li
  • Patent number: 9950361
    Abstract: An example insulation enclosure includes a support structure having a top end, a bottom end, and an opening defined at the bottom end for receiving a mold within an interior of the support structure, and a thermal mass arranged at the top end of the support structure to thermally communicate with a top of the mold and resist heat flow from the top of the mold in an axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Clayton A. Ownby, Grant O. Cook, III, Jeffrey G. Thomas, Garrett T. Olsen
  • Patent number: 9925722
    Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) printing device has at least one collapsible vertical or horizontal axis using a scissor lift mechanism. One of the horizontal axis's can be made operable via a track or path where the entire machine moves along that path via movable wheels or gears. Sensors may monitor the height, orientation, position, and relative distance of the axes, machine, or extruders. Compensating mechanisms such as counterweights, propellers, or gyroscopes may be used to maintain balance, levelness, and control of the system. As a result, the size and weight of the 3D printer is reduced and made easier to transport while maintaining quality build functionality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Inventor: Matthew H. Martin
  • Patent number: 9925584
    Abstract: A method for die casting a hybrid component includes defining a cavity within a die element of a die and inserting a spar into the cavity. Molten metal is injected into the die element. The molten metal is solidified within the cavity to cast the hybrid component. The spar establishes an internal structure of the hybrid component. The spar includes a high melting temperature material that defines a first melting temperature greater than a second melting temperature of the molten metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Steven J. Bullied, John Joseph Marcin, Carl R. Verner
  • Patent number: 9835035
    Abstract: A method is provided for making a mold for casting advanced turbine airfoils (e.g. gas turbine blade and vane castings) which can include complex internal and external air cooling features to improve efficiency of airfoil cooling during operation in the gas turbine hot gas stream. The method steps involve incorporating at least one fugitive insert in a ceramic material in a manner to form a core and at least a portion of an integral, cooperating mold wall wherein the core defines an internal cooling feature to be imparted to the cast airfoil and the at least portion of the mold wall has an inner surface that defines an external cooling feature to be imparted to the cast airfoil, selectively removing the fugitive insert, and incorporating the core and the at least portion of the integral, cooperating mold wall in a mold for receiving molten metal or alloy cast in the mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Howmet Corporation
    Inventors: Boyd A. Mueller, Michael A. Pepper, Darren K. Rogers, Gail R. Cole
  • Patent number: 9744587
    Abstract: The invention relates to the field of monocrystalline casting, and more specifically to a mold (1) for monocrystalline casting, and also to fabricating and using the mold. In particular, the mold (1) presents a mold cavity (7) comprising a first volume (7a), a second volume (7b) and a grain duct (4). The second volume (7b) is situated on the first volume (7a), being in communication therewith, and includes at least one horizontal projection relative to the first volume (7a). The grain duct (4) has a bottom end (4a) connected to the first volume (7a) and a top end (7b) adjacent to said horizontal projection of the second volume (7b). The mold (1) also has a separator member (11) interposed between the second volume (7b) of the mold cavity (7) and the top end (4b) of the grain duct (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Safran Aircraft Engines
    Inventors: Serge Fargeas, Dominique Coyez
  • Patent number: 9739155
    Abstract: A turbine blade that includes an airfoil defined by a concave shaped pressure side outer wall and a convex shaped suction side outer wall that connect along leading and trailing edges and, therebetween, form a radially extending chamber for receiving the flow of a coolant. The turbine blade further may include a rib configuration that partitions the chamber of the airfoil into radially extending flow passages. A first flow passage may include a first side on which turbulators are positioned, wherein each of the turbulators comprises a canted configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Aaron Ezekiel Smith, Lisa Anne Wichmann
  • Patent number: 9719357
    Abstract: One aspect of the present application provides an apparatus comprising a shape operable as a gas turbine engine component, an internal cavity within the shape including a radius, a trench on an external surface of the shape including a rear face tangential to an arc centered on the radius of the internal cavity, and a cooling hole extending from the internal cavity and exiting to the trench through the rear face of the trench wherein a cooling fluid introduced to the internal cavity flows through the cooling hole and into the trench during operation of the gas turbine engine component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jack K. Moody, Richard C. Uskert, Adam L. Chamberlain, David J. Thomas
  • Patent number: 9694421
    Abstract: A method including preheating a set of N shell molds for lost-wax casting, where the method can comprise: individually charging shell molds into n unit electric furnaces, each of which has previously been preheated to an initial loading temperature; starting a predefined preheating cycle for each shell mold charged in the unit electric furnaces, with a preheating cycle comprising raising the temperature of the furnace in compliance with a predefined ramp up to a predetermined setpoint temperature, and holding the furnace at the setpoint temperature for a predetermined duration; and at the end of each preheating cycle, unloading the shell mold in question and repeating the two preceding operations for another non-preheated shell mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Patrick Albert Calero, Bernard Louis Lallement, Serge Tenne, Yvan Rappart
  • Patent number: 9643240
    Abstract: A field of casting, and more particularly to a shell mold, and also to methods of fabricating and using such a shell mold. This shell mold includes a central cylinder, a plurality of molding cavities arranged in an assembly around the central cylinder, and at least one heat shield that is substantially perpendicular to the main axis. The central cylinder extends along a main axis between a casting cup and a base. Each molding cavity is connected to the casting cup by at least one feed channel, and also, by a baffle-selector with a starter in the base. The at least one heat shield completely surrounds each molding cavity in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the main axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Serge Fargeas, Dominique Coyez
  • Patent number: 9597728
    Abstract: A system and method for directionally casting an elongated device are provided. The method includes orienting a mold within a furnace such that a first portion of the mold points downward. The first portion of the mold defines a space within the mold used to form a first end of the device. The first end of the device, when formed, has a greater mass than a second end of the device. The method also includes filling the mold with molten metal and lowering the mold out of the furnace into a liquid metal bath to immerse the first portion of the mold in the liquid metal bath. The method includes concurrently lowering the mold and the liquid metal bath to cool the molten metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Shyh-Chin Huang, Roger John Petterson
  • Patent number: 9528379
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention include turbine buckets and systems employing such buckets. Various particular embodiments include a turbine bucket having: a base; and an airfoil connected with the base at a first end of the airfoil, the airfoil including: a casing having: a suction side; a pressure side opposing the suction side; a leading edge spanning between the pressure side and the suction side; and a trailing edge opposing the leading edge and spanning between the pressure side and the suction side, the casing including an aperture on the leading edge; and a core within the casing, the core having a serpentine shape for supporting the casing and a leading edge passage fluidly connected with the aperture on the leading edge of the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jason Douglas Herzlinger, Harish Bommanakatte, Anthony Louis Giglio, Jacob Charles Perry, II
  • Patent number: 9475118
    Abstract: A method of component forming according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, positioning a metal powder in a mold cavity, melting the metal powder within the mold cavity, and cooling the melted metal powder to form a component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Sergey Mironets, Wendell V. Twelves, Agnes Klucha
  • Patent number: 9403208
    Abstract: A method and casting core for forming a landing for welding a baffle inserted into an airfoil are disclosed, wherein the baffle landing of the blade or vane is formed in investment casting by the casting core rather than by wax, reducing tolerances and variability in the location of the baffle inserted into the cooling cavity of airfoil when the baffle is welded to the baffle landing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Tracy A. Propheter-Hinckley
  • Patent number: 9272325
    Abstract: An environment servo type clean metal casting mold has a casting mold body with an ingate. The casting mold body includes a cold bottom mold plate and a peripheral mold plate that is connected with the cold bottom plate. The peripheral mold plate is provided with a vertical temperature break servo device. The temperature of the vertical temperature abrupt servo device contacting with the cooling metal varies in the vertical direction, hence the liquid metal has rapid heat emission, crystallization and solidification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: NANYANG XINGZHI PATENT TECHNOLOGY SERVICE CO., LTD
    Inventor: Shucheng Zhu
  • Patent number: 8944142
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to a device for the electromagnetic stirring of electrically conductive fluids in the liquid state and/or in the state of onsetting solidification of the fluid, using a rotating magnetic field that is produced in the horizontal plane of a Lorentz force. The aim is to achieve an intensive three-dimensional flow on the inside of the fluid for mixing in the liquid state up to the direct vicinity of solidifying fronts, and to simultaneously ensure an undisturbed, free surface of the fluid. The solution is to change the direction of rotation of the magnetic field rotating in the horizontal plane at regular time intervals in the form of a period duration, wherein the frequency of the directional change of movement of the magnetic field vector is adjusted such that in the state of mixing the liquid fluid a period duration is adjusted between two directional changes of the magnetic field during a time interval as a function of the adjustment time with the condition (I) 0.5·ti.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignees: Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf E.V., Technische Universitaet Dresden
    Inventors: Petr A. Nikrityuk, Sven Eckert, Dirk Raebiger, Bernd Willers, Kerstin Eckert, Roger Grundmann, Gunter Gerbeth
  • Publication number: 20140363305
    Abstract: A method is provided for casting an article such as a blade having an attachment root and an airfoil, the airfoil having a proximal end and a distal end. The method comprises introducing a molten alloy into a mold; and varying a composition of the introduced alloy during the introduction so as to produce a compositional variation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dilip M. Shah, Alan D. Cetel
  • Publication number: 20140332175
    Abstract: A grain starter for use in solidification of molten metallic material forming an article having a directional grain structure and a method for solidifying an article having a directional grain structure with a substantial absence of stray grains. The grain starter comprises a grain-starting material that initiates grain growth in the molten metallic material in a preselected crystallographic direction. The grain-starting material has a melting temperature higher than the metallic material forming the article lest the grain starter be modified by contact with the molten material. The grain starter further includes a feature that modifies heat transfer characteristics of the metallic material in contact with it in order to produce an article having grains oriented in the preselected crystallographic orientation and modifies the profile of the advancing solidification front. The article is substantially free of stray grains not oriented in the preselected crystallographic direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2013
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Shan LIU, Warren Tan KING, Srinivasan RAGHAVAN, Arthur S. PECK, Dayananda NARAYANA
  • Patent number: 8851151
    Abstract: A system for producing cast components from molten metal. One form of the present invention includes a system for the precision pouring of molten metal within a casting mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Donald J. Frasier, Matthew Kush, Max Eric Schlienger, Michael Baldwin
  • Patent number: 8820390
    Abstract: A method for controlling a boride distribution in a metal matrix compost includes controlling a distribution of the boride particles are controlled during a solidification of a molten composite material. The controlling of the redistribution of the boride particles includes applying a heat to the composite material to form a molten composite material. The method includes, holding, by a mold (120, 715), the molten composite material. The method also includes focusing, by a reinforcement particle unit (100, 700), a location of the boride particles during a cooling of the molten composite material. The reinforcement particle unit could include a directed solidification unit (100). The reinforcement particle unit could also include centrifugal casting system (700). The arm includes a center mounting point (725).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Alexandra Cintron-Aponte, Jose R. Vazquez
  • Publication number: 20140202653
    Abstract: Provided is a method for preparing high-purity aluminum by directional solidification, comprising the steps of: providing 4N to 5N aluminum as raw material, heating the same to a temperature of 670° C. to 730° C., maintaining the temperature for 7 minutes to 80 minutes, cooling the bottom of chamber (3) to allow the aluminum liquid crystallizing in a direction from the bottom to top of the chamber (3) for 1 hour to 8 hours to obtain a crystalline ingot, during the crystallization process of a finished product of crystalline ingot, stifling and heating the aluminum liquid, maintaining a particular temperature gradient of the aluminum liquid, and removing a portion of the crystalline ingot from one end of the ingot, the remaining portion being the high-purity aluminum. Also provided is a smelting furnace, comprising a shell (1), a heating device (2), a chamber (3), a temperature measurement device, a stirring device and a cooling device (6).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: Xinjiang Joinworld Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tao Hong, Imin Nurgul
  • Patent number: 8752610
    Abstract: A method includes providing a mold including a molten casting material, moving the mold in a first direction, and guiding a solidification interface across the mold in a second direction in response to the moving the mold. The second direction is deviated from the first direction, and the solidification interface includes a transition to a negative heat transfer region. The mold moves in the first direction at a constant speed, and the mold includes heat transfer features such that a solidification time of the molten casting material at the conditions of the solidification interface is approximately constant as a function of the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Max Eric Schlienger, Paul Anthony Withey
  • Patent number: 8752611
    Abstract: A system and method for directionally casting an elongated device are provided. The method includes orienting a mold within a furnace such that a first portion of the mold points downward. The first portion of the mold defines a space within the mold used to form a first end of the device. The first end of the device, when formed, has a greater mass than a second end of the device. The method also includes filling the mold with molten metal and lowering the mold out of the furnace into a liquid metal bath to immerse the first portion of the mold in the liquid metal bath. The method includes concurrently lowering the mold and the liquid metal bath to cool the molten metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Shyh-Chin Huang, Roger John Petterson