Patents by Inventor Robert Vassen

Robert Vassen 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).

  • Publication number: 20230328870
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a coating in which: a substrate is provided; and the substrate is provided with a coating, in particular by means of atmospheric plasma spraying, with a plasma torch having a torch nozzle being used, by means of which torch a plasma jet is generated from a supplied process gas, and with a supplied spraying material being applied to the substrate by means of the plasma jet in order to obtain the coating, wherein the torch nozzle is characterized by a nozzle diameter or a minimum nozzle diameter in the range of 4 mm to 8 mm, in particular 5 mm to 8 mm, preferably 5 mm to 7 mm, and wherein the process gas stream is at least 40 slpm. The invention further relates to a component comprising a substrate and a coating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Inventors: Emine BAKAN, Markus WOLF, Georg MAUER, Daniel MACK, Robert VASSEN
  • Publication number: 20230184132
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for operating a gas turbine at a high temperature and to a gas turbine assembly. In the method, a gas turbine having a structural material and a thermal barrier layer disposed on the structural material is cooled down in a decelerated manner after operation at an operating temperature above 1000° C., so that damage to the structural material and/or the thermal barrier layer is minimized. In this way, the gas turbine can be operated permanently at temperatures above 1500° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2021
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Inventors: Robert VAßEN, Daniel Emil MACK, Martin TANDLER, Olivier GUILLON
  • Patent number: 11542204
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a non-oxide ceramic powder comprising a nitride, a carbide, a boride or at least one MAX phase with the general composition Mn+1AXn, where M=at least one element from the group of transition elements (Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf and Ta), A=at least one A group element from the group (Si, Al, Ga, Ge, As, Cd, In, Sn, Tl and Pb), X=carbon (C) and/or nitrogen (N) and/or boron (B), and n=1, 2 or 3. According to the invention, corresponding quantities of elementary starting materials or other precursors are mixed with at least one metal halide salt (NZ), compressed (pellet), and heated for synthesis with a metal halide salt (NZ). The compressed pellet is first enveloped with another metal halide salt, compressed again, arranged in a salt bath and heated therewith until the melting temperature of the salt is exceeded. Optionally, melted silicate can be added, which prevents the salt from evaporating at high temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: FORSCHUNGSZENTRUM JUELICH GMBH
    Inventors: Apurv Dash, Jesus Gonzalez, Robert Vassen, Olivier Guillon
  • Patent number: 11073029
    Abstract: A construction element, particularly adapted and configured for use in a turbo engine, in particular an aircraft engine, wherein a bond coat having a bond structure and thereabove a ceramic coat are disposed on a base. The lateral faces of the bond structure in the cross section are configured so as to be free of undercuts, wherein peak structures and/or trough structures are present, and the peak of the cross section of a peak structure has a mean peak angle (?) of less than or equal to 90°, most particularly less than 45°, and/or the trough structure has a valley angle in the range 90°??<170°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG, Forschungszentrum Juelich GMBH
    Inventors: Susanne Schrüfer, Robert Vassen, Daniel E. Mack, Martin Tandler, Frank Kurze
  • Patent number: 11065686
    Abstract: A method for sintering metallic and/or non-oxide components includes completely encapsulating, in a metal halide salt, a green body comprising at least one metallic and/or non-oxide powder, and compressing the encapsulated green body so as to be gastight. The method further includes heating, together with a metal halide salt in the presence of oxygen up to sintering temperatures, the compressed, encapsulated green body. The method additionally includes at least partially dissolving, after cooling, the metal halide salt in a liquid so that the sintered component can be removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: FORSCHUNGSZENTRUM JUELICH GMBH
    Inventors: Apurv Dash, Jesus Gonzalez, Robert Vassen, Olivier Guillon
  • Publication number: 20210147301
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a non-oxide ceramic powder comprising a nitride, a carbide, a boride or at least one MAX phase with the general composition Mn+1AXn, where M=at least one element from the group of transition elements (Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf and Ta), A=at least one A group element from the group (Si, Al, Ga, Ge, As, Cd, In, Sn, Tl and Pb), X=carbon (C) and/or nitrogen (N) and/or boron (B), and n=1, 2 or 3. According to the invention, corresponding quantities of elementary starting materials or other precursors are mixed with at least one metal halide salt (NZ), compressed (pellet), and heated for synthesis with a metal halide salt (NZ). The compressed pellet is first enveloped with another metal halide salt, compressed again, arranged in a salt bath and heated therewith until the melting temperature of the salt is exceeded. Optionally, melted silicate can be added, which prevents the salt from evaporating at high temperatures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2018
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventors: Apurv DASH, Jesus GONZALEZ, Robert VASSEN, Olivier GUILLON
  • Patent number: 10857622
    Abstract: A method for generating a structured surface on a substrate includes analyzing a substrate surface of the substrate and selecting, as a function of a condition of the substrate surface, method parameters including focus diameter, pulse peak power, pulse energy, point spacing, pulse length, pulse spacing and/or pulse sequence. The method further includes generating, by partial ablation and partial deposition via treatment with an intensive pulsed laser beam, surface structures having dimensions in the sub-micrometer range such that a multi-scale surface structure in the sub-micrometer and micrometer range adapted to intrinsically inhomogeneous properties of the substrate surface in the sub-micrometer range is generated. The substrate is an inhomogeneous substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: FORSCHUNGSZENTRUM JUELICH GMBH
    Inventors: Caren Sophia Gatzen, Daniel Emil Mack, Martin Tandler, Robert Vassen
  • Publication number: 20200216942
    Abstract: A method for coating, with a coating material, a monocrystalline substrate surface of a component comprising a monocrystalline alloy includes polishing the monocrystalline substrate surface, transferring the substrate to a vacuum chamber, and heating the entire substrate to a temperature of at least half a melting temperature of the substrate but less than a melting temperature of the substrate. The method further includes applying the coating material in powder form onto the polished monocrystalline substrate surface by vacuum plasma spraying. The powder has a mean particle size in a range of 10 to 200 ?m. A pressure in a range of 1 to 200 mbar is set for the vacuum plasma spraying, and an argon atmosphere having a hydrogen content in a range of 10 to 50 vol. % is used as a working gas for the vacuum plasma spraying.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2018
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Inventors: Tobias Kalfhaus, Robert Vassen, Olivier Guillon
  • Publication number: 20200198048
    Abstract: A method for generating a structured surface on a substrate includes analyzing a substrate surface of the substrate and selecting, as a function of a condition of the substrate surface, method parameters including focus diameter, pulse peak power, pulse energy, point spacing, pulse length, pulse spacing and/or pulse sequence. The method further includes generating, by partial ablation and partial deposition via treatment with an intensive pulsed laser beam, surface structures having dimensions in the sub-micrometer range such that a multi-scale surface structure in the sub-micrometer and micrometer range adapted to intrinsically inhomogeneous properties of the substrate surface in the sub-micrometer range is generated. The substrate is an inhomogeneous substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Applicant: Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH
    Inventors: Caren Sophia GATZEN, Daniel Emil MACK, Martin TANDLER, Robert VASSEN
  • Publication number: 20200171575
    Abstract: A method for sintering metallic and/or non-oxide components includes completely encapsulating, in a metal halide salt, a green body comprising at least one metallic and/or non-oxide powder, and compressing the encapsulated green body so as to be gastight. The method further includes heating, together with a metal halide salt in the presence of oxygen up to sintering temperatures, the compressed, encapsulated green body. The method additionally includes at least partially dissolving, after cooling, the metal halide salt in a liquid so that the sintered component can be removed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Inventors: Apurv DASH, Jesus GONZALEZ, Robert VASSEN, Olivier GUILLON
  • Publication number: 20200049018
    Abstract: A construction element, particularly adapted and configured for use in a turbo engine, in particular an aircraft engine, wherein a bond coat having a bond structure and thereabove a ceramic coat are disposed on a base. The lateral faces of the bond structure in the cross section are configured so as to be free of undercuts, wherein peak structures and/or trough structures are present, and the peak of the cross section of a peak structure has a mean peak angle (?) of less than or equal to 90°, most particularly less than 45°, and/or the trough structure has a valley angle in the range 90°??<170°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2019
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Inventors: Susanne SCHRÜFER, Robert VASSEN, Daniel E. MACK, Martin TANDLER, Frank KURZE
  • Publication number: 20190360107
    Abstract: A method for coating a substrate having a cavity structure, in particular a cooling structure, inside the substrate, wherein the cavity structure includes openings in the surface of the substrate. At least one bonding layer, in particular a diffusion layer, or at least one metallic layer is applied onto the substrate, in particular onto the surface of the substrate, and subsequently at least one thermal protection layer is applied onto the at least one diffusion layer by using a plasma spray physical vapour deposition (PS-PVD) method, a hollow cathode sputtering method or a suspension plasma spray (SPS) method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2019
    Publication date: November 28, 2019
    Inventors: Susanne SCHRUEFER, Tanja WOBST, Robert VASSEN, Georg MAUER, Ralf LAUFS, Karl-Heinz RAUWALD
  • Patent number: 10486385
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for producing a metal or ceramic component having regions of differing porosities. The method includes subjecting powder or a presintered precursor to a pressure-assisted pressing and sintering step, using at least one punch for the pressing step. The at least one punch has a contact surface that is intended for making contact with the powder or the presintered precursor and that has a flat outer region and an inner region having a concave recess. After the sintering step, a component is obtained that has a flat outer compacted region having a first porosity and an inner porous region having a second porosity. The component has, on at least one side, a defined transition region between the outer region and the inner region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: FORSCHUNGSZENTRUM JUELICH GMBH
    Inventors: Martin Bram, Robert Vassen, Jesus Gonzalez, Diana Marcano
  • Publication number: 20190292645
    Abstract: A method for producing a self-healing heat-insulating layer on a substrate by atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) of a heat-insulating-layer powder. The method includes introducing MoSi2 powder containing aluminum into a heat-insulating layer. The MoSi2 powder contains aluminum in a content of from 2 to 15 wt. %. The MoSi2 powder is used in a mass fraction of between 0.5 and 5 wt. % based on the heat-insulating layer. The method further includes injecting the heat-insulating-layer powder at a first point that is at a distance from a gun in the axial direction and injecting the MoSi2 powder into a plasma jet at a second point that is at a greater distance from the gun in the axial direction. An injection distance (I) of between 20 and 60 mm is set between the first and the second point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Inventors: Robert Vassen, Denise Koch, Karl-Heinz Rauwald, Wim G. Sloof
  • Publication number: 20190070818
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a metal or ceramic component, wherein powder or a pre-sintered component is used, and the component is produced via a pressure-supported compacting and sintering step by means of at least one ram. According to the invention, a ram is used, the contact surface of which has an outer flat region and at least one inner region with a concave recess, whereby a component with regions of different porosities is produced during the compacting and sintering step at a maximum temperature (T1) and a predetermined force. With said method, it is possible to produce a metal or ceramic component in two method steps or preferably in only one method step, in such a way that the component has an outer flat region and at least one inner region with a convex elevation, and wherein the porosity of the outer flat region is significantly lower than the porosity of the inner region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Publication date: March 7, 2019
    Inventors: Martin Bram, Robert Vassen, Jesus Gonzalez, Diana Marcano
  • Publication number: 20190047253
    Abstract: An adhesion promoter layer for joining a high-temperature protection layer to a substrate includes a first layer of a first adhesion promoter material, provided for application to the substrate, and a second layer, arranged on the first layer and including a second adhesion promoter material having additionally introduced oxide dispersions, which is provided for joining a high-temperature protection layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Publication date: February 14, 2019
    Inventors: Robert VASSEN, Jan BERGHOLZ, Daniel Emil MACK, Willem J. QUADAKKERS
  • Patent number: 8986792
    Abstract: To apply a thermal barrier coating (10), a plasma jet (5) is generated by a plasma torch in a work chamber (2) and is directed to the surface of a substrate (3) introduced into the work chamber, and a ceramic coating material is applied to the substrate surface by means of PS-PVD, wherein the coating material is injected into the plasma jet as a powder and is partly or completely vaporized there. On applying the thermal barrier coating, in a first workstep the feed rate of the injected powder is set so that a large part of the injected powder vaporizes, wherein the coating material condenses from the vapor phase on the substrate surface and forms mixed phases with the material of the substrate surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignees: Oerlikon Metco AG, Forschungszentrum Julich GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Hospach, Robert Vassen, Georg Mauer, Karl-Heinz Rauwald, Detlev Stöver, Konstantin von Niessen, Malko Gindrat
  • Publication number: 20130196141
    Abstract: Provided is a method for internally coating the pores of a porous functional coating made of a base material with a hardening material that reduces the diffusion of the base material and/or the reactivity of the base material with the environment thereof. The hardening material is deposited from the gas phase onto the interior surfaces of the pores. It was recognized that by depositing hardening material from the gas phase, it can be introduced much deeper into the pore system of the functional coating than had been possible according to the prior art. This applies in particular when the hardening material is not itself introduced into the pore s stem, but rather one or two precursors thereof, and from said precursors the actual hardening material forms at the internal surfaces of the pores.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2011
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Inventors: Robert Vassen, Frank Vondahlen, Doris Sebold, Daniel Emil Mack, Georg Mauer, Detlev Stoever
  • Publication number: 20120190118
    Abstract: A component for high-temperature use comprises a metallic base material and a non-ferromagnetic protective layer arranged thereon, which is able to form a protective oxide layer on the component surface at temperatures between 600° C. and 1100° C. A sensor material is introduced into the protective layer, wherein, in the stated temperature range, the local magnetism, notably ferromagnetism or ferrimagnetism, at the site of the sensor material is dependent on the local concentration and/or composition of the material of the protective layer in the immediate vicinity of the sensor material and/or on the cumulative temperature-time curve at the site of the sensor material. The component can be examined non-destructively, from the outside, for the local magnetism in the protective layer, which is typically between 100 ?m and 500 ?m thick.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2010
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Huettel, Robert Vassen, Willem J. Quadakkers
  • Publication number: 20110244216
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for producing a coating system on a component, wherein at least one coating is deposited on the component by way of atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) and at least one further coating is deposited by way of suspension plasma spraying (SPS). The coatings are particularly advantageously deposited in the sequence of APS+SPS or APS+SPS+APS or APS+SPS+erosion coating. These sequences of coatings applied in this way usually have an effect providing a first porous coating and a second porous coating disposed thereon, wherein the porosity of the second coating is greater than that of the first coating, and wherein the reflectivity is greater than that of the first coating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Inventors: Alexandra Meyer, Holger Kassner, Robert Vassen, Detlev Stoever, Jose-Luis Marques-Lopez