Material deposition for fuel nozzle joint

Abstract

A method of making a fluid injection component for a gas turbine engine includes depositing material onto a piece of tube stock. The method includes machining an elbow into the deposited material, wherein machining the elbow includes forming a braze joint surface in the deposited material. Depositing can include laser cladding the material onto the piece of tube stock.

Claims

1. A fluid injector comprising: a feed arm defining a first fluid passage; a material block disposed at an end of the feed arm and defining an end of the first fluid passage, the material block comprising an elbow, the elbow comprising a second fluid passage that extends from the first fluid passage; and a metallurgical joint joining the feed arm to the material block, wherein the metallurgical joint includes a metallurgical crystal structure including only one boundary that has a crystal structure between the feed arm and laser clad material of the material block.

2. The fluid injector as recited in claim 1, wherein the boundary is devoid of braze.

3. The fluid injector as recited in claim 2, further comprising: a nozzle component brazed to the elbow, wherein a second metallurgical joint joins the nozzle component to the elbow, wherein the second metallurgical joint includes a first metallurgical boundary between the elbow and a braze material, and a second metallurgical boundary between the braze material and the nozzle component.

4. The fluid injector as recited in claim 3, wherein the second fluid passage is in fluid communication with the nozzle component.

5. The fluid injector as recited in claim 1, wherein the second fluid passage extends through a lateral wall of the feed arm to the first fluid passage.

6. The fluid injector as recited in claim 5, wherein the second fluid passage is disposed at the end of the feed arm and extends from the end of the first fluid passage.

7. The fluid injector as recited in claim 5, wherein the second fluid passage is spaced from the end of the feed arm.

8. The fluid injector as recited in claim 1, wherein the feed arm comprises a bend.

9. The fluid injector as recited in claim 1, further comprising: a heat shield joined to the material block; wherein the heat shield extends around the feed arm; and wherein the second fluid passage extends through a lateral wall of the feed arm at a location between the heat shield and the end of the feed arm.

10. The fluid injector as recited in claim 9, wherein the heat shield extends around a full circumference of an outer surface of the feed arm.

11. The fluid injector as recited in claim 10, wherein the material block extends around the full circumference of the outer surface of the feed arm and wherein the heat shield is disposed between the material block and the feed arm.

12. The fluid injector as recited in claim 1, wherein the material block extends around a full circumference of an outer surface of the feed arm.

13. The fluid injector as recited in claim 1, wherein the material block extends partially around a circumference of an outer surface of the feed arm.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) So that those skilled in the art to which the subject disclosure appertains will readily understand how to make and use the devices and methods of the subject disclosure without undue experimentation, preferred embodiments thereof will be described in detail herein below with reference to certain figures, wherein:

(2) FIGS. 1-3 are schematic cross-sectional elevation views of respective stages in a process in accordance with the present disclosure, showing deposition of material for forming a joint for a fluid nozzle and feed tube;

(3) FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional perspective view of the assembly of FIG. 3;

(4) FIGS. 5-6 are schematic perspective views of continued stages of the process of FIGS. 1-4;

(5) FIG. 7-8 are a schematic cross-sectional elevation views of continued stages of the process of FIGS. 1-6;

(6) FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional elevation view of another embodiment of a fluid tube and nozzle assembly in accordance with the present disclosure;

(7) FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional perspective view of another embodiment of a fluid tube and nozzle assembly in accordance with the present disclosure; and

(8) FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a metallurgical joint in accordance with the present disclosure, showing the metallurgical boundary between the tube of feedstock and the deposited material.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(9) Reference will now be made to the drawings wherein like reference numerals identify similar structural features or aspects of the subject disclosure. For purposes of explanation and illustration, and not limitation, a partial view of an embodiment of a fluid injector in accordance with the disclosure is shown in FIG. 1 and is designated generally by reference character 100. Other embodiments of systems in accordance with the disclosure, or aspects thereof, are provided in FIGS. 2-11, as will be described. The systems and methods described herein can be used to facilitate manufacture of injection components, while reducing part count and weight. Fluid as used herein can include any suitable fluid such as liquid fuel, gas fuel, air, or the like.

(10) A method of making a fluid injection component for a gas turbine engine, e.g. a fluid injector 100 in FIG. 8, includes starting from a piece of tube stock 102, which can ultimately serve as a feed arm of a fluid injector 100 (as shown in FIG. 8). As shown in FIG. 2, the method includes depositing material 104 onto the piece of tube stock 102. Depositing includes laser cladding the material 104 onto the piece of tube stock 102. The material 104 is deposited about the full circumference C of an outer surface 103 of the piece of tube stock 102, relative to the longitudinal axis A of the piece of tube material A. While laser cladding is discussed herein, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that any other suitable deposition process can be used such as (but not limited to) electron beam cladding, cold spaying, or plasma spraying. The material 104 is also deposited to cover over an end 106 of the piece of tube stock 102 to close off the end 106 so fluid cannot flow out the end 106.

(11) With reference now to FIG. 3, the method includes machining the deposited material 104 into an elbow 110. This includes forming a braze joint surface 112 in the deposited material 104, which is oriented lateral to the axis A of the piece of tube stock 102. While brazing is discussed herein, those skilled in the art will appreciate that any suitable joining process, such as welding, can be used. A fillet interface 108 with the piece of tube stock 102 can be formed in the deposited material 104, either by the cladding process, or by cladding extra material 104 and machining it down to the fillet interface 108. The fillet interface 108 strengthens the connection of the piece of tube stock 102 and the elbow 110.

(12) With reference now to FIG. 4, machining the deposited material 104 includes forming a fluid passage 114 through the deposited material 104 and through a lateral wall 116 of the piece of tube stock 102. The passage 114 is in fluid communication with the main fluid passage 118 in the piece of tube stock 102. FIG. 5 shows the deposited material 104, which can be further machined down to the form in FIG. 6, even exposing a portion 120 of the piece of tube stock 102 that had been covered by the deposited material 102.

(13) Referring now to FIG. 7, the method includes brazing a fluid nozzle 122 to the braze joint surface 112 of the deposited material 104. The fluid passage 114 extends from the main fluid passage 118 of the piece of tube stock 102, through the elbow 110, and into the nozzle component 122. As shown in FIG. 8, the method can include forming a bend in the piece of tube stock 102 as indicated by the curved double arrow.

(14) With reference now to FIG. 9, in applications where a heat shield 124 is desirable, machining the deposited material 104 can include forming a second braze joint surface 126 in the deposited material 104. The method can include brazing a heat shield 124 to the second braze joint surface 126. It is also contemplated that in lieu of a braze joint, the laser cladding process could be used to weld the heat shield 124 directly to the fluid nozzle assembly. As shown in FIG. 10, it is also contemplated that the chin portion 128 identified in FIG. 7 can be shortened or eliminated as shown in FIG. 10, for a more compact form factor.

(15) With reference now to FIG. 11, a metallurgical joint 130 joins the feed arm/piece of tube stock 102 to the elbow 110. The metallurgical joint 130 includes a metallurgical crystal structure including only one boundary 132 that has a crystal structure, between the feed arm/piece of feed stock 102 and deposited material 104 of the elbow 110. The crystal structure boundary 132 can be devoid of braze. A second metallurgical joint 134 joins the nozzle component 122 to the elbow 110. The second metallurgical joint 134 includes a first metallurgical crystal structure boundary 136 between the elbow 110 and braze material 138. A second metallurgical crystal structure boundary 140 between braze material 138 and the nozzle component 122.

(16) Systems and methods as disclosed herein can reduce part count, reducing cost and weight of fluid injection components. They can also allow use for lower cost materials (such as use of stock tubes). Waste material can be reduced or minimized relative to machining an entire piece of stock material down to make the feed tube and elbow from a single piece of stock material.

(17) The methods and systems of the present disclosure, as described above and shown in the drawings, provide for facilitated manufacture of fluid injection components while reducing part count and weight. While the apparatus and methods of the subject disclosure have been shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that changes and/or modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the subject disclosure.