Objective
Objectives and content:
This project addresses a major identified technical need in the gas turbine industry. Prolongation of component life-in-service by repair technology is already an integral part of the industry. However effective repair technologies have not yet been developed for the newer Single Crystal (SC) and Directionally Solidified (DS) materials, which are now being used in a range of applications in both the aero engine and land based gas turbine sectors. This project aims to develop cost effective repair technologies that will meet industry specifications for components made from these newer materials. University based feasibility studies will initially examine a range of candidate repair technologies including some, which have not hitherto been examined for this kind of application. The most promising technique(s) will be selected and optimised. In parallel, industrial partners will optimise coating and stripping trials on specimens of representative DS and SC materials. A number of specimens will then be repaired under controlled conditions using the optimised repair technology. The repaired specimens will be thoroughly tested to industry specifications.
The aim is that properties of the repaired specimens will be at least 60-80 % as good as those of the parent components. The 5 industrial partners are from key positions in the value chain of both the land based and aero turbine industries. They are well placed to ensure that the technology is exploited within 2-3 years of project completion in both the power generation and transport sectors. Major benefits arising will include large savings in energy and materials usage, lower operating costs for power plant operators and increased markets for the repair companies. Objective: Design and develop cost effective repair technologies for gas turbine components fabricated from single crystal (SC) or directionally solidified (DS) materials. The repaired zones will have to meet industry specifications in terms of mechanical and environmental properties. The ultimate goal is a technology that can produce repaired zones having properties equivalent to the parent materials. Innovation: Development of repair technologies for expensive components, which at the moment the industry cannot repair effectively, creating the potential to double component life in service. Investigation of a range of technologies, including physical vapour deposition (PVD), which have not hitherto been examined for this kind of application. A joint approach by firms from the industrial turbine industry and the aero turbine industry to solve a common technological problem Benefits: The life cycle of large numbers of costly turbine components will be enhanced by a factor of ~ 2 in the aero and land-based gas turbine industries leading savings of 2% - 5% per annum in material costs for the power plant operators; Reduced scrappage of costly components; reduced demand on rare elements e.g. Rhenium; potential savings in energy and materials equivalent to 300 - 400 MECU per annum. A technology breakthrough for European industry leading to competitive advantage in the world gas turbine market. BE97-4595
Fields of science
Call for proposal
Data not availableFunding Scheme
CSC - Cost-sharing contracts
Coordinator
127 Carrigtwohill - County Cork
Ireland
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Participants (6)
52056 Aachen
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22313 Hamburg
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80995 München
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G74 4PY Glasgow
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2 Dublin
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DD4 8UZ Dundee
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