Methods for fabricating gas turbine components using an integrated disposable core and shell die

Abstract

Methods involving providing an integrated disposable core and shell die of an authentic gas turbine component, inserting at least one through-rod through the integrated disposable core and shell die, casting an integrated core and shell mold inside of the integrated disposable core and shell die, removing the integrated disposable core and shell die to obtain the integrated core and shell casting mold having the at least one through-rod disposed therein, casting an authentic gas turbine component replica using the integrated core and shell casting mold, and removing the integrated core and shell casting mold and the at least one through-rod to obtain the authentic gas turbine component replica.

1 . A method comprising:
 providing an integrated disposable core and shell die of an authentic gas turbine component;   inserting at least one through-rod through the integrated disposable core and shell die;   casting an integrated core and shell mold inside of the integrated disposable core and shell die;   removing the integrated disposable core and shell die to obtain the integrated core and shell casting mold having the at least one through-rod disposed therein;   casting an authentic gas turbine component replica using the integrated core and shell casting mold; and   removing the integrated core and shell casting mold and the at least one through-rod to obtain the authentic gas turbine component replica.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  comprising fabricating the integrated disposable core and shell die from a numeric model using stereolithography. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  comprising fabricating the integrated disposable core and shell die using an additive layer manufacturing process selected from the group consisting of micro-pen deposition, selective laser sintering, laser wire deposition, fused deposition, ink jet deposition, electron beam melting, laser engineered net shaping, direct metal laser sintering, direct metal deposition and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  comprising fabricating the integrated core and shell casting mold from a ceramic slurry and curing the ceramic slurry to produce an integrated solidified ceramic core and shell casting mold. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein removing the integrated disposable core and shell die comprises a method selected from the group consisting of melting, burning, dissolving, and combinations thereof, the integrated disposable core and shell die. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein removing the integrated core and shell casting mold comprises a method selected from the group consisting of breaking, dissolving, leaching, and combinations thereof, the solidified ceramic core and shell casting mold from about the authentic gas turbine component replica. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the at least one through-rod comprises quartz or alumina. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the authentic gas turbine component is a component having a substantially hollow interior selected from the group consisting of turbine blades, turbine nozzles, and shrouds. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the substantially hollow interior comprises at least one internal channel. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the at least one through-rod traverses through at least one opening in the integrated disposable core and shell die. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1  comprising inserting a plurality of through-rods through the integrated disposable core and shell die. 
   
   
       12 . A method comprising:
 generating a numeric model of an authentic gas turbine component, the numeric model having an outer shell die disposed thereabout;   fabricating an integrated disposable core and shell die of the authentic gas turbine component;   inserting at least one through-rod through the integrated disposable core and shell die;   casting an integrated core and shell mold inside of the integrated disposable core and shell die;   removing the integrated disposable core and shell die to obtain the integrated core and shell casting mold having the at least one through-rod disposed therein;   casting an authentic gas turbine component replica using the integrated core and shell casting mold; and   removing the integrated core and shell casting mold and the at least one through-rod to obtain the authentic gas turbine component replica.   
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  comprising fabricating the integrated disposable core and shell die using an additive layer manufacturing process selected from the group consisting of micro-pen deposition, selective laser sintering, laser wire deposition, fused deposition, ink jet deposition, electron beam melting, laser engineered net shaping, direct metal laser sintering, direct metal deposition and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12  comprising fabricating the integrated core and shell casting mold from a ceramic slurry and curing the ceramic slurry to produce an integrated solidified ceramic core and shell casting mold. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12  wherein removing the integrated disposable core and shell die comprises a method selected from the group consisting of melting, burning, dissolving, and combinations thereof, the integrated core and shell die. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 12  wherein removing the integrated core and shell casting mold comprises a method selected from the group consisting of breaking, dissolving, leaching, and combinations thereof, the integrated solidified ceramic core and shell casting mold from about the authentic gas turbine component replica. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the authentic gas turbine component is a component having a substantially hollow interior selected from the group consisting of turbine blades, turbine nozzles, and shrouds. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the substantially hollow interior comprises at least one internal channel. 
   
   
       19 . A method comprising:
 providing a numeric model of an authentic airfoil having a plurality of internal channels, the numeric model generated using computer aided design and having an outer shell disposed thereabout;   fabricating an integrated disposable core and shell die of the numeric model of the authentic airfoil using an additive layer manufacturing process selected from the group consisting of micro-pen deposition, selective laser sintering, laser wire deposition, fused deposition, ink jet deposition, electron beam melting, laser engineered net shaping, direct metal laser sintering, direct metal deposition and combinations thereof,   inserting a plurality of through-rods through the integrated disposable core and shell die;   casting an integrated core and shell mold comprising a ceramic slurry inside of the integrated disposable core and shell die;   curing the ceramic slurry to produce an integrated core and shell casting mold comprising a solidified ceramic;   removing the integrated disposable core and shell die to obtain the integrated core and shell casting mold having the plurality of through-rods disposed therein;   casting an authentic airfoil replica using the integrated core and shell casting mold; and   removing the integrated core and shell casting mold and the plurality of through-rods to obtain the authentic airfoil replica.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the authentic airfoil replica is a component having a substantially hollow interior selected from the group consisting of turbine blades, turbine nozzles, and shrouds.