Patents by Inventor Jeffrey Allan Pfaendtner

Jeffrey Allan Pfaendtner has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8173206
    Abstract: Methods for repairing barrier coatings involving providing a component having a barrier coating including at least one damaged portion, removing the damaged portion of the barrier coating leaving a void, applying a replacement tape cast barrier coating to the void of the component, and sintering the component having the replacement tape cast barrier coating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brett Allen Boutwell, Glen Harold Kirby, Jessica Lee Licardi, Jeffrey Allan Pfaendtner, James Dale Steibel
  • Patent number: 7666515
    Abstract: An article comprising a turbine component other than an airfoil having a metal substrate and a ceramic corrosion resistant coating overlaying the metal substrate. This coating has a thickness up to about one micrometer and consists of a ceramic composition that comprises a ceramic metal oxide selected from the group consisting of zirconia, hafnia and mixtures thereof. This coating can be formed by alternative methods to have different microstructures, including a dense matrix or a strain-tolerant columnar grain structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bangalore Aswatha Nagaraj, Brian Thomas Hazel, Jeffrey Allan Pfaendtner
  • Publication number: 20090191347
    Abstract: An article comprising a turbine component other than an airfoil having a metal substrate and a ceramic corrosion resistant coating overlaying the metal substrate. This coating has a thickness up to about 5 mils (127 microns) and comprises a ceramic metal oxide selected from the group consisting of zirconia, hafnia and mixtures thereof. This coating can be formed by a method comprising the following steps: (a) providing a turbine component other than an airfoil comprising the metal substrate; (b) providing a gel-forming solution comprising a ceramic metal oxide precursor; (c) heating the gel-forming solution to a first preselected temperature for a first preselected time to form a gel; (d) depositing the gel on the metal substrate; and (e) firing the gel at a second preselected temperature above the first preselected temperature to form the ceramic corrosion resistant coating comprising the ceramic metal oxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2009
    Publication date: July 30, 2009
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bangalore Aswatha Nagaraj, Brian Thomas Hazel, Jeffrey Allan Pfaendtner
  • Publication number: 20090191353
    Abstract: An article comprising a turbine component other than an airfoil having a metal substrate and a ceramic corrosion resistant coating overlaying the metal substrate. This coating has a thickness up to about 5 mils (127 microns) and comprises a ceramic metal oxide selected from the group consisting of zirconia, hafnia and mixtures thereof. This coating can be formed by a method comprising the following steps: (a) providing a turbine component other than an airfoil comprising the metal substrate; (b) providing a gel-forming solution comprising a ceramic metal oxide precursor; (c) heating the gel-forming solution to a first preselected temperature for a first preselected time to form a gel; (d) depositing the gel on the metal substrate; and (e) firing the gel at a second preselected temperature above the first preselected temperature to form the ceramic corrosion resistant coating comprising the ceramic metal oxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2009
    Publication date: July 30, 2009
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: BANGALORE ASWATHA NAGARAJ, BRIAN THOMAS HAZEL, JEFFREY ALLAN PFAENDTNER
  • Publication number: 20090162674
    Abstract: Tapes including a carrier film, and at least one barrier coating composition applied to the carrier film where the barrier coating composition is an environmental barrier coating composition or a thermal barrier coating composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Inventors: BRETT ALLEN BOUTWELL, Glen Harold Kirby, Jessica Lee Licardi, Jeffrey Allan Pfaendtner, James Dale Steibel
  • Publication number: 20090162539
    Abstract: Methods for repairing barrier coatings involving providing a component having a barrier coating including at least one damaged portion, removing the damaged portion of the barrier coating leaving a void, applying a replacement tape cast barrier coating to the void of the component, and sintering the component having the replacement tape cast barrier coating layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Inventors: BRETT ALLEN BOUTWELL, Glen Harold Kirby, Jessica Lee Licardi, Jeffrey Allan Pfaendtner, James Dale Steibel
  • Publication number: 20090162556
    Abstract: Methods for making tape cast barrier coatings involving making a slurry including at least a solvent and a barrier coating composition, depositing the slurry onto a carrier film in a tape casting machine to produce a cast slurry, evaporating the solvent from the cast slurry to produce a tape including the carrier film, and the barrier coating composition, and removing the carrier film from the tape to produce a tape cast barrier coating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Inventors: BRETT ALLEN BOUTWELL, Glen Harold Kirby, Jessica Lee Licardi, Jeffrey Allan Pfaendtner, James Dale Steibel
  • Patent number: 7390534
    Abstract: A process capable of depositing a diffusion coating of uniform thickness on localized surface regions of a component. The process makes use of an adhesive mixture containing a binding agent that is consumed as part of the deposition process so as not to negatively affect the quality and uniformity of the resulting coating. The process entails mixing a particulate donor material containing a coating element, a dissolved activator, and a particulate filler to form an adhesive mixture having a formable, malleable consistency. The adhesive mixture is applied to a surface of the component, and the component is heated to a temperature sufficient to vaporize and react the activator with the coating element of the donor material, thereby forming a reactive vapor of the coating element. The reactive vapor reacts at the surface of the component to form a diffusion coating containing the coating element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Dong-Sil Park, James Anthony Ruud, Jeffrey Allan Pfaendtner
  • Patent number: 7163718
    Abstract: A process for forming diffusion aluminide coatings on an uncoated surface of a substrate, without interdiffusing a sufficient amount of aluminum into a coating layer to adversely affect the coating growth potential and mechanical properties of said coating layer. A metal substrate is provided comprising an external surface and an internal passage therein defined by an internal surface, at least a portion of the external surface of the substrate being coated with a coating layer selected from the group consisting of ?-NiAl-base, MCrAlX, a line-of-sight diffusion aluminide, a non-line-of-sight diffusion aluminide, a pack diffusion aluminide, and a slurry diffusion aluminide on said substrate. The metal substrate is subjected to an aluminum vapor phase deposition process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nripendra Nath Das, Joseph David Rigney, Jeffrey Allan Pfaendtner, Matthew David Saylor
  • Patent number: 7150922
    Abstract: A beta-phase nickel aluminide (NiAl) overlay coating (24) and method for modifying the grain structure of the coating (24) to improve its oxidation resistance. The coating (24) is deposited by a method that produces a grain structure characterized by grain boundaries (44) exposed at the outer coating surface (36). The grain boundaries (44) may also contain precipitates (40) as a result of the alloyed chemistry of the coating (24). During or after deposition, the overlay coating (24) is caused to form new grain boundaries (34) that, though open to the outer surface (36) of the coating (24), are free of precipitates or contain fewer precipitates (40) than the as-deposited grain boundaries (44). New grain boundaries (34) are preferably produced by causing the overlay coating (24) to recrystallize during coating deposition or after deposition as a result of a surface treatment followed by heat treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Irene Spitsberg, Joseph David Rigney, Ramgopal Darolia, Elissa Hae-Kyung Lee, Jeffrey Allan Pfaendtner
  • Patent number: 7056555
    Abstract: An article having an internal passage therein and an internal article surface is coated by providing a coating slurry that is a mixture of a deposition source including a source of aluminum, a halide activator, and a flowable carrier comprising a flowable compound selected from the group consisting of a flowable organic compound and a flowable inorganic compound. There is no oxide dispersant in the coating slurry. The coating slurry is introduced into the internal passage and dried to remove at least a portion of the carrier therefrom and leave a dried coating material. The article surface in gaseous communication with the dried coating material is heated to form an aluminum-containing coating bonded to the article surface. Any residual dried coating material is removed by blowing compressed air through the internal passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven Earl Bauer, Gary Eugene Wheat, Matthew David Saylor, Jeffrey Allan Pfaendtner, Atul Natwerlal Shah
  • Patent number: 7026011
    Abstract: A method for applying an aluminide coating on a gas turbine engine blade having an external surface and an internal cooling cavity having an internal surface that is connected to the external surface by cooling holes. The method is conducted in a vapor coating container having a hollow interior coating chamber, and includes the steps of loading the coating chamber with the blade to be coated; providing an aluminide coating gas in the loaded coating chamber; maintaining the loaded coating chamber comprising the aluminide coating gas at a specified temperature and time to deposit an aluminide coating on the external surface of the blade; and then flowing an inert carrier gas into the loaded coating chamber comprising the aluminide coating gas at a specified gas flow rate and time to move the aluminide coating gas through the cooling holes and internal cooling cavity and deposit an aluminide coating on the internal surface of the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Roger Dale Wustman, William Scott Walston, Matthew David Saylor, Brian Harvey Pilsner, Jeffrey Allan Pfaendtner
  • Patent number: 6974637
    Abstract: An article and TBC coating system thereon that in combination exhibit significantly improved spallation resistance. The article comprises a substrate formed of a metal alloy containing ruthenium and one or more refractory elements (e.g., tantalum, tungsten, molybdenum, rhenium, hafnium, etc.). The substrate is protected by a coating system comprising an aluminum-containing bond coat on the surface of the substrate and a ceramic coating bonded to the substrate by the bond coat. The bond coat, preferably an aluminide, is deposited so as to be substantially free of ruthenium, though ruthenium is present in the bond coat as a result of diffusion from the substrate into the bond coat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey Allan Pfaendtner, Deborah A. Schorr, Ramgopal Darolia, Joseph David Rigney, Irene Spitsberg, William Scott Walston
  • Patent number: 6929825
    Abstract: A method for applying an aluminide coating on a gas turbine engine blade having an external surface and an internal cooling cavity having an internal surface that is connected to the external surface by cooling holes. The method is conducted in a vapor coating container having a hollow interior coating chamber, and includes the steps of loading the coating chamber with the blade to be coated; providing an aluminide coating gas in the loaded coating chamber; flowing an inert carrier gas into the loaded coating chamber comprising the aluminide coating gas at a specified gas flow rate and time to move the aluminide coating gas through the cooling holes and internal cooling cavity and deposit an aluminide coating on the internal surface of the blade; and then flowing an inert carrier gas into the loaded coating chamber comprising the aluminide coating gas at a specified higher temperature and time to deposit an aluminide coating on the external surface of the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Roger Dale Wustman, William Scott Walston, Matthew David Saylor, Brian Harvey Pilsner, Jeffrey Allan Pfaendtner
  • Patent number: 6921586
    Abstract: A coating system for an article comprising a substrate formed of a metal alloy that is prone to the formation of a deleterious secondary reaction zone (SRZ) as a result of containing more than three weight percent rhenium and at least one additional refractory metal. The coating system comprises an aluminum-containing overlay coating and a diffusion barrier coating between the overlay coating and the substrate. The diffusion barrier coating consists of, in atomic percent, about 20% to about 90% ruthenium, about 2% to about 60% chromium, optionally up to about 50% aluminum, optionally up to about 20% of a platinum-group metal, and the balance at least one of nickel, cobalt, and iron and incidental impurities. The diffusion barrier coating sufficiently inhibits diffusion of aluminum from the overlay coating into the substrate, such that the substrate remains essentially free of SRZ.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ji-Cheng Zhao, Jeffrey Allan Pfaendtner, Christine Govern, Melvin Robert Jackson
  • Patent number: 6887589
    Abstract: A beta-phase NiAl overlay coating containing a dispersion of ceramic particles and a process for depositing the overlay coating. If the coating is used to adhere a thermal barrier coating (TBC), the TBC exhibits improved spallation resistance as a result of the dispersion of ceramic particles having a dispersion-strengthening effect on the overlay coating. The overlay coating contains at least one reactive element and is deposited so that the some of the reactive element deposits as the ceramic particles dispersed in the overlay coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ramgopal Darolia, Joseph David Rigney, William Scott Walston, Jeffrey Allan Pfaendtner, Brett Allen Rohrer Boutwell, Irene Spitsberg, James Anthony Ruud
  • Publication number: 20040209110
    Abstract: A beta-phase NiAl overlay coating containing a dispersion of ceramic particles and a process for depositing the overlay coating. If the coating is used to adhere a thermal barrier coating (TBC), the TBC exhibits improved spallation resistance as a result of the dispersion of ceramic particles having a dispersion-strengthening effect on the overlay coating. The overlay coating contains at least one reactive element and is deposited so that the some of the reactive element deposits as the ceramic particles dispersed in the overlay coating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2003
    Publication date: October 21, 2004
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Jeffrey Allan Pfaendtner, Ramgopal Darolia, William Scott Walston, Brett Allen Rohrer Boutwell, Irene Spitsberg, James Anthony Ruud, Joseph David Rigney
  • Publication number: 20040180232
    Abstract: The present invention is process for forming diffusion aluminide coatings on an uncoated surface of a substrate, without interdiffusing a sufficient amount of aluminum into a coating layer to adversely affect the coating growth potential and mechanical properties of said coating layer. A metal substrate is provided comprising an external surface and an internal passage therein defined by an internal surface, at least a portion of the external surface of the substrate being coated with a coating layer selected from the group consisting of &bgr;-NiAl-base, MCrAlX, a line-of-sight diffusion aluminide, a non-line-of-sight diffusion aluminide, a pack diffusion aluminide, and a slurry diffusion aluminide on said substrate. The external surface of the substrate is cleaned. The metal substrate is subjected to a aluminum vapor phase deposition process performed using a fluorine-containing activator selected from the group consisting of AiF3, CrF3, NH4F, and combinations thereof, at a rate in the range of about 0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2004
    Publication date: September 16, 2004
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nripendra Nath Das, Joseph David Rigney, Jeffrey Allan Pfaendtner, Matthew David Saylor
  • Publication number: 20040151836
    Abstract: A method for applying an aluminide coating on a gas turbine engine blade having an external surface and an internal cooling cavity having an internal surface that is connected to the external surface by cooling holes. The method is conducted in a vapor coating container having a hollow interior coating chamber, and includes the steps of loading the coating chamber with the blade to be coated; providing an aluminide coating gas in the loaded coating chamber; flowing an inert carrier gas into the loaded coating chamber comprising the aluminide coating gas at a specified gas flow rate and time to move the aluminide coating gas through the cooling holes and internal cooling cavity and deposit an aluminide coating on the internal surface of the blade; and then flowing an inert carrier gas into the loaded coating chamber comprising the aluminide coating gas at a specified higher temperature and time to deposit an aluminide coating on the external surface of the blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2003
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Inventors: Roger Dale Wustman, William Scott Walston, Matthew David Saylor, Brian Harvey Pilsner, Jeffrey Allan Pfaendtner
  • Publication number: 20040151834
    Abstract: A method for applying an aluminide coating on a gas turbine engine blade having an external surface and an internal cooling cavity having an internal surface that is connected to the external surface by cooling holes. The method is conducted in a vapor coating container having a hollow interior coating chamber, and includes the steps of loading the coating chamber with the blade to be coated; providing an aluminide coating gas in the loaded coating chamber; maintaining the loaded coating chamber comprising the aluminide coating gas at a specified temperature and time to deposit an aluminide coating on the external surface of the blade; and then flowing an inert carrier gas into the loaded coating chamber comprising the aluminide coating gas at a specified gas flow rate and time to move the aluminide coating gas through the cooling holes and internal cooling cavity and deposit an aluminide coating on the internal surface of the blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2003
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Inventors: Roger Dale Wustman, William Scott Walston, Matthew David Saylor, Brian Harvey Pilsner, Jeffrey Allan Pfaendtner