Patents by Inventor Walter L. Riggs

Walter L. Riggs 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).

  • Thermal barrier coating with controlled defect architecture
    Patent number: 9850778
    Abstract: Yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) particles (40) form a thermal barrier layer (58) on a metal substrate (24). The YSZ particles have a porous interior (52, 54) and a fully melted and solidified outer shell (50). The thermal barrier layer may have porosity greater than 12%, including porosity within the particles and inter-particle gap porosity. Inter-particle gaps may be greater than 5 microns. The thermal barrier layer may exhibit elastic hysteresis and an average modulus of elasticity of 15-25 GPa. A bond coat (44A, 44B) may be applied between the substrate and the thermal barrier layer. The bond coat may have a first dense MCrAlY layer (44A) on the substrate and a second rough, porous MCrAlY layer (44B) on the first MCrAlY layer, the bond layers diffusion bonded to each other and to the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Walter L. Riggs, Gunnar W. Swanson, Heiko Lammers
  • THERMAL BARRIER COATING WITH CONTROLLED DEFECT ARCHITECTURE
    Publication number: 20150140356
    Abstract: Yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) particles (40) form a thermal barrier layer (58) on a metal substrate (24). The YSZ particles have a porous interior (52, 54) and a fully melted and solidified outer shell (50). The thermal barrier layer may have porosity greater than 12%, including porosity within the particles and inter-particle gap porosity. Inter-particle gaps may be greater than 5 microns. The thermal barrier layer may exhibit elastic hysteresis and an average modulus of elasticity of 15-25 GPa. A bond coat (44A, 44B) may be applied between the substrate and the thermal barrier layer. The bond coat may have a first dense MCrAlY layer (44A) on the substrate and a second rough, porous MCrAlY layer (44B) on the first MCrAlY layer, the bond layers diffusion bonded to each other and to the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Walter L. Riggs, Gunnar W. Swanson, Heiko Lammers