Method for smoothing a surface of a component

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for smoothing a surface of a component, in which a component is placed in a liquid-solids mixture; a relative movement is produced between the liquid-solids mixture and the component; thus there is a flow of the liquid-solids mixture along the surface; wherein there is provided in the liquid-solids mixture a guide surface, along which the liquid-solids mixture flows, wherein a directional component toward the surface is imposed on the flow.

Claims

1. A method for smoothing a surface of a component, comprising the steps of: placing the component in a liquid-solids mixture; producing a relative movement between the liquid-solids mixture and the component; providing a flow of the liquid-solids mixture along the surface; wherein there is provided in the liquid-solids mixture a guide surface, along which the liquid-solids mixture flows, wherein a directional component toward the surface is imposed on the flow; wherein the surface of the component comprises a suction-side surface and a pressure-side surface, wherein the guide surface is assigned to both the suction-side surface and the pressure-side surface in the liquid-solids mixture.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the guide surface is a lateral surface of a guide unit that is subject to flow in the liquid-solids mixture, wherein the liquid-solids mixture thus also flows along a lateral surfaces opposite the guide surface.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the surface of the component has a curved course when observed in a sectional plane, and the guide surface has a complementary curved course when observed in the same sectional plane.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the guide surface is arranged relative to the surface wherein a distance that is taken perpendicular to a flow line profile between the component surface and the guide surface, when observed in a sectional plane, decreases in the flow direction.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein an additional guide surface is provided in the liquid-solids mixture, along which guide surface the liquid-solids mixture flows, wherein the component is arranged between the guide surfaces.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the guide surfaces are arranged relative to each other in such a way that a distance between the guide surfaces that is taken perpendicular to a flow-line profile between the guide surfaces, when observed in a sectional plane, decreases in the flow direction.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the component is configured and arranged in a gas channel of a turbomachine, wherein the surface is an upper surface facing the gas channel.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the component is a blade element or vane body for the turbomachine.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein, in order to produce the relative movement in a stationary coordinate system, the component is moved through the liquid-solids mixture.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the guide surface or guide surfaces are moved together with the component through the liquid-solids mixture.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the liquid-solids mixture is provided with sphere-shaped solids.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of: providing a container for holding the liquid-solids mixture and for arranging the component; providing a movement mechanism for producing the relative movement between the liquid-solids mixture and the component; providing a guide surface in the container, in order to impose on the flow the directional component toward the surface.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will be explained in more detail in the following on the basis of an example of embodiment, wherein the individual features in the scope of the independent, coordinated claims can also be essential to the invention in another combination, and wherein also no distinction is made individually between the different claim categories.

(2) Taken individually,

(3) FIG. 1 shows a device for carrying out the method according to the invention in a schematic, partially excerpted lateral view;

(4) FIGS. 2a-c show different possibilities for the arrangement of guide surfaces or guide units for flow guidance in the device according to FIG. 1;

(5) FIG. 3 shows an engine in an axial section for illustration of possible applications.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(6) FIG. 1 shows a device 1 for smoothing a component 2, concretely a surface 2.1 of the component 2. Component 2 presently involves a blade or a blade element of an aircraft engine; see also FIG. 3 for illustration. For the smoothing, the component 2 is or will be placed in a container 3 that is filled with a liquid-solids mixture 4.

(7) The component 2 then will be moved in the liquid-solids mixture 4, a relative movement 5 thus being produced between the liquid-solids mixture 4 and the component 2. In this way, a flow 6 of the liquid-solids mixture 4 is established along the surface 2.1 of the component 2. As the enlarged excerpt illustrates, the mixture 4 is made up of a liquid constituent 7 (presently, e.g., water, H.sub.2O.sub.2, silicates) and sphere-shaped solids 8 with a diameter of e.g., 0.5 mm. If the mixture 4, due to the relative movement 5, flows along the surface 2.1, the spheres roll out on the surface 2.1 with a certain pressure.

(8) In order to obtain a more uniform pressure over the surface 2.1, according to the invention, a guide surface 20 is arranged in the mixture 4, and this guide surface imposes a directional component 21 on the flow 6 toward the surface 2.1 of the component 2. This is illustrated in FIGS. 2a-c (particularly in FIG. 2a), and in fact is illustrated each time in a section (referred to FIG. 1, the sectional plane lies perpendicular to the surface of the drawing and horizontal). The profile shape of the component 2, thus, e.g., of the blade element, can be recognized in these sections.

(9) In the variant according to each of FIGS. 2a, b, yet another guide surface 200 is provided, which also imposes a directional component 210 on the flow 6 toward the component surface 2.1. Therefore, a guide surface 20, 200 is assigned to both a suction-side surface 2.1.1 and a pressure-side surface 2.1.2 of the blade element. Each of the guide surfaces 20, 200 is formed from a guide unit 22, 220, namely a guide plate flushed by the mixture 4.

(10) The guide surfaces 20, 200 are arranged relative to the component 2 or its surface 2.1, so that a respective distance 25, 250 from the surface 2.1 decreases in the flow direction 26. Further, a distance 27 between the guide surfaces 20, 200 also decreases in the flow direction 26.

(11) In the situation shown in FIG. 2c, in the case of the component 2, i.e., the blade element, the flow does not strike the leading edge thereof during the smoothing, but rather its trailing edge. Moreover, also in this case, only a single guide unit 22 with the guide surface 20 finds application, this unit being assigned to the suction-side surface 2.1.1 of the component 2. In general, FIGS. 2a-c illustrate different possibilities and options.

(12) FIG. 3 shows a turbomachine 30, concretely a turbofan engine, in an axial section (the sectional plane contains the longitudinal axis 31). Functionally, the turbomachine 30 is divided into compressor 32, combustion chamber 33, and turbine 34, wherein air aspirated in the compressor 32 is compressed. With kerosene mixed in, it is then combusted in the combustion chamber 33, and the arising hot gas is expanded in the turbine 34. Both the compressor 32 and the turbine 34 are each constructed in multiple stages. The component 2 (the smoothed blade element according to the preceding description) can find application both in the turbine 34 and the compressor 32, the latter being preferred (due to the high aerodynamic specifications therein).