COMPONENT WITH A REGION TO BE COOLED AND MEANS FOR THE ADDITIVE MANUFACTURE OF SAME

Abstract

A component with a region to be cooled having a cooling channel which is arranged and designed so as to cool the region of the component during operation by a fluid flow, wherein the cooling channel is defined by a first channel side facing the region and by a second channel side facing away from the region. The first channel side forms a larger contact surface for the cooling channel than the second channel side. An additive manufacture process can produce the component.

Claims

1. A component with a region to be cooled, comprising: a cooling channel, which is arranged and designed to cool the region of the component during operation by a fluid flow, wherein the cooling channel is defined—facing toward the region—by a first channel side and—facing away from the region—by a second channel side, and wherein the first channel side forms a greater contact surface area with the cooling channel than the second channel side.

2. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the greater contact surface area of the first channel side—in comparison with the second channel side—is caused by a greater roughness of the first channel side.

3. The component as claimed in claim 2, wherein the roughness comprises a mean roughness value and/or a root-mean-square roughness.

4. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cooling channel has a circular cross section.

5. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cooling channel has an elliptical cross section.

6. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cooling channel has a rhomboidal cross section.

7. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the component is a component that can withstand high temperature loads.

8. A method for preparing for a powder-bed-based additive manufacturing process for a component as claimed in claim 1, the method comprising: choosing, in preparation for the manufacture, an orientation of the cooling channel is in relation to a building-up direction in such a way that the first channel side forms a greater contact surface area with the cooling channel in comparison with the second channel side on account of orientation-dependent manufacturing artefacts.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein an angle between a building-up direction of the component and a longitudinal axis of the cooling channel is between 30° and 60°.

10. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein an angle between a building-up direction of the component and a longitudinal axis of the cooling channel is at most 60°.

11. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein an angle between the building-up direction of the component and a longitudinal axis of the cooling channel is at least 30°.

12. A method for the powder-bed-based additive manufacture of a component, comprising: preparing for a powder-bed-based additive manufacturing process according to the method for preparation as claimed in claim 8.

13. A method of manufacturing, comprising: using orientation-dependent manufacturing artefacts of structures additively manufactured from a powder bed, for the forming of a deviation in the surface finish of a cooling channel of a component with a region to be cooled, so that a heat transmission on a channel side near the wall or region is increased—in relation to a channel side away from the wall or region—for a given fluid flow.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising: commands stored thereon which, during execution by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method as claimed in claim 8.

15. The component as claimed in claim 7, wherein the component comprises a turbine component and/or a hot gas component of a gas turbine.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0046] FIG. 1 shows a schematic sectional view of a component with a region to be cooled during operation.

[0047] FIG. 2 shows a schematic sectional view of the component with a cooling channel designed according to the invention.

[0048] FIG. 3 shows a schematic sectional view of the component with reference to a building-up direction of a corresponding additive manufacturing process.

[0049] FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of a velocity profile of a fluid flow in a channel of the component shown in FIG. 3.

[0050] FIG. 5 shows—by analogy with the representation of FIG. 3—an alternative alignment of the component in relation to the building-up direction.

[0051] FIG. 6 shows—by analogy with the representation of FIG. 4—a velocity profile of a fluid flow in a channel of the component shown in FIG. 5.

[0052] FIG. 7 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a cooling channel according to the invention.

[0053] FIG. 8 shows an alternative schematic cross-sectional view of a cooling channel according to the invention.

[0054] FIG. 9 shows another alternative schematic cross-sectional view of a cooling channel according to the invention.

[0055] FIG. 10 indicates method steps according to the invention on the basis of a simple flow diagram.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

[0056] In the exemplary embodiments and figures, elements that are the same or act in the same way may be provided in each case with the same designations. The depicted elements and their sizes in relation to one another are in principle not to be regarded as true to scale; rather, individual elements may be illustrated with exaggerated thickness or size dimensions for improved clarity and/or for improved understanding.

[0057] FIG. 1 shows at least part of a component 10 in a longitudinal section. The component 10 is advantageously a component of a high-temperature-resistant material of a complicated shape to be additively manufactured from the powder bed.

[0058] The component 10 has a region B to be cooled during the operation of the same. The region B advantageously defines during the operation of the component a surrounding area by which the component is subjected to high thermal loads, such as for example a hot gas path of a gas turbine. The region B may accordingly be a wall region of the component 10 or comprise a corresponding wall.

[0059] For cooling the region B, the component 10 also has a cooling channel K. The cooling channel K is advantageously flowed through during the operation of the component 10 by a cooling fluid or a fluid flow F, in order to cool the region B.

[0060] The component 10 of FIG. 1 may represent a prior-art component. In particular, the channel side or channel side structure or the surface area thereby formed or contact surface area (not explicitly indicated in FIG. 1), which determines an interaction with the cooling fluid, is advantageously uniformly designed.

[0061] As a result of cooling of the fluid flow F, a heat transmission or a heat transfer of a quantity of heat Q1 (cf. the downwardly directed arrow) advantageously takes place during the operation of the component 10 from the region B to the cooling fluid F.

[0062] FIG. 2 likewise shows in a longitudinal section analogous to FIG. 1—a component 10 according to the invention. As a difference from FIG. 1, the cooling channel K has, facing toward the region B or the wall of the component 10, advantageously circumferentially, a first channel side 1 or channel side structure.

[0063] Furthermore, the cooling channel K has, facing away from the region B or the wall of the component 10, advantageously circumferentially, a second channel side 2, which is different from the first channel side.

[0064] It is indicated by the jagged or curved contour of the first channel side 1 that this channel side forms a greater contact surface area with the cooling channel K than the second channel side 2, which is shown as straight. The greater contact surface area of the first channel side 1 may be caused for example by an increased roughness or by introduced surface features. As explained further below, these features or artefacts are advantageously inherently formed or imparted by the powder-bed-based additive manufacturing method.

[0065] The measure of the described roughness may be for example a root-mean-square roughness, a mean roughness value, an average depth of roughness or some other relevant measure.

[0066] The described differently or non-uniformly formed channel structure sides also bring about an improved heat transmission, and consequently an improved cooling effect, on the side 1 that is facing toward the region B, and is subjected to even greater thermal loads, during the operation of the component 10 without having to provide a greater cooling fluid mass flow or a greater cooling fluid pressure difference. This brings about the advantages according to the invention that are described here.

[0067] As a result of a cooling of the fluid flow F, a heat transmission or heat transfer of a quantity of heat Q2 (compare the downwardly directed arrow) from the region B to the cooling fluid advantageously takes place during the operation of the component 10.

[0068] As indicated by the correspondingly widened arrow, the quantity of heat Q2 is greater than the quantity of heat Q1 shown in FIG. 1.

[0069] In the ideal or simplified case, the heat transmission may be given or approximated as follows: Q=α.Math.A (T1−T2).Math.Δt, where Q is the transmitted quantity of heat, A is the contact surface area under consideration, T1−T2 is the temperature difference, and Δt is the time interval under consideration.

[0070] FIG. 3 also shows in a schematic longitudinal section a component 10, which has a cooling channel K with a longitudinal axis L. Here, the longitudinal axis L of the cooling channel K is aligned parallel to a building-up direction z, here a vertical. The building-up direction z is also aligned perpendicularly or normal to a building platform 20 (building platform surface). Loose powder surrounding the component during the additive build-up is indicated by the designation P.

[0071] It is known that it is inherent to additive powder-bed-based manufacturing methods that the building-up direction is oriented perpendicularly on a manufacturing surface formed by the powder bed.

[0072] FIG. 4 schematically indicates a velocity profile of a fluid flow F through a cooling channel K correspondingly shown in FIG. 3. It can be seen in FIG. 4 that a velocity profile of the fluid flow F that is symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis L of the channel and is indicated by the arrows is obtained.

[0073] FIG. 5 also shows in a schematic longitudinal section a component 10 according to the invention, which, for example in the course of production planning in advance of a corresponding additive manufacturing process, is arranged in such a way in relation to the building-up direction z that an angle γ between the longitudinal axis L and the building-up direction z is obtained.

[0074] Here, the angle γ may be for example between 10° and 80°. This extended range of angles is advantageous in particular for small channel dimensions or diameters, of for example 5 to 7 mm, or less than 10 mm.

[0075] Alternatively, the angle γ may be between 20° and 70°, or assume values between 30° and 60°. In all of these mentioned ranges, the advantages according to the invention can be exploited.

[0076] In one design, the angle γ is at most 60°.

[0077] In one design, the angle γ is at least 30°.

[0078] FIG. 6 schematically indicates a velocity profile of a fluid flow F through the cooling channel correspondingly shown in FIG. 5. Here it can be seen that a velocity profile that is asymmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis L of the channel K is obtained. This is owing to the phenomenon that, as described above, the first channel side forms a greater roughness, for example caused inherently by the production, and a greater contact surface area with the cooling channel K or with the fluid flow F passed through it during operation.

[0079] FIG. 7 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a channel K according to the invention. According to this design, the channel has a circular cross section.

[0080] FIG. 8 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a channel K according to the invention. According to this design, the channel has an elliptical cross section.

[0081] FIG. 9 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a channel K according to the invention. According to this design, the channel has a rhomboidal cross section.

[0082] Although this is not explicitly indicated in the figures, according to the invention the cross section of the channel K may have different shapes, for example non-axially symmetrical shapes, such as the shape of a droplet, wherein the short side of the droplet may be facing toward the region B, the shape of a trapezoid, a parallelogram-like shape or some other shape.

[0083] FIG. 10 indicates on the basis of a schematic flow diagram method steps according to the invention which comprise both preparation already for a corresponding powder-bed-based additive manufacturing process for the component 10 and the actual physical additive manufacture of the same.

[0084] The method indicated by way of example comprises method steps a) and b).

[0085] Method step a) is intended in particular to represent a method for preparing for a powder-bed-based additive manufacturing process of a component (10), wherein an orientation of the cooling channel K in relation to a building-up direction z is chosen in preparation for manufacture in such a way that the first channel side 1 forms a greater contact surface area with the cooling channel K—as described—in comparison with the second channel side 2 on account of orientation-dependent or structural manufacturing artefacts.

[0086] The mentioned preparation for manufacture may for example take the form of establishing a suitable irradiation strategy or establishing irradiation parameters (such as laser power, pulsing or hatch spacing) and take the form of so-called CAM data (computer-aided-manufacturing). Accordingly, this method step may for example be at least partially performed by a computer program or computer program product CPP. This is a particularly advantageous design of the preparation for the process, in particular in view of a number of individual irradiation vectors for complex components of possibly several millions.

[0087] By contrast, method step b) is intended to represent the actual physical additive manufacture of the component according to the described preparation for the process.

[0088] The component is advantageously a component that is used in the hot gas path of a turbomachine, for example a gas turbine. In particular, the component may be a moving or stationary blade, a segment or ring segment, a burner part or a burner tip, a frame, a shield, a heat shield, a nozzle, a seal, a filter, an orifice or lance, a resonator, a prop or a turbulator, or a corresponding junction, an insert, or a corresponding retrofitted part.

[0089] Although, in the figures described, the design according to the invention of the channel side structure of the first channel side is only simplified and zigzag-like, and primarily a roughness is representatively indicated, the advantages according to the invention can likewise be specifically incorporated—by for example features induced by a specific irradiation strategy that increase the turbulence of the flow and consequently the heat dissipation from the region B into the fluid F.

[0090] The invention is not restricted by the description on the basis of the exemplary embodiments to these embodiments, but rather comprises any novel feature and any combination of features. This includes in particular any combination of features in the patent claims, even if this feature or this combination itself is not explicitly specified in the patent claims or exemplary embodiments.