Combustion Turbine Component Having Rare-Earth Strengthened Alloy and Associated Methods

Abstract

A method of making a combustion turbine component includes forming a metallic powder including at least one metal and at least one rare-earth element and processing the metallic powder including at least one metal and at least one rare-earth element to form a cohesive metallic mass. A primary aging heat treatment may be performed on the cohesive metallic mass. A homogenization heat treatment may be performed on the cohesive metallic mass prior to the primary aging heat treating. Furthermore, a secondary aging heat treatment may be performed on the cohesive metallic mass after the primary aging heat treating.

1 . A method of making a combustion turbine component comprising:
 forming a metallic powder comprising at least one metal and at least one rare-earth element;   processing the metallic powder comprising at least one metal and at least one rare-earth element to form a cohesive metallic mass; and   performing a primary aging heat treatment on the cohesive metallic mass.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein forming the metallic powder comprising at least one metal and at least one rare-earth element comprises atomizing a metallic liquid comprising at least one metal and at least one rare-earth element to form the metallic powder comprising at least one metal and at least one rare-earth element. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein performing the primary aging heat treatment comprises:
 heating the cohesive metallic mass to a primary aging temperature being greater than a secondary carbide phase field temperature of the cohesive metallic mass and less than a solvus temperature of a gamma prime phase of the cohesive metallic mass;   holding the cohesive metallic mass at the primary aging temperature; and   cooling the cohesive metallic to a desired temperature related to the secondary carbide phase field temperature.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the cohesive metallic mass is held at the primary aging temperature for 1.5 to 2.5 hours; wherein the cohesive metallic mass is cooled at a rate of 20° C. to 30° C. per minute; and wherein the desired temperature is within 300° C. of the secondary carbide phase field temperature. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising performing a homogenization heat treatment on the cohesive metallic mass prior to the primary aging treatment. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the homogenization heat treatment comprises a solution heat treatment; and wherein performing the homogenization heat treatment comprises:
 heating the cohesive metallic mass at a first heating rate to a temperature below the solvus temperature of a gamma prime phase of the cohesive metallic mass;   heating the cohesive metallic mass at a second heating rate less than the first heating rate to a solution temperature being at least the solvus temperature of the gamma prime phase of the cohesive metallic mass;   holding the cohesive metallic mass at the solution temperature; and   cooling the cohesive metallic mass to a temperature below the solution temperature.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the first heating rate is in a range of 10° C. to 25° C. per minute; wherein the second heating rate is in a range of 1° C. to 3° C. per minute; wherein the cohesive metallic mass is held at the solution temperature for 1.5 to 2.5 hours; and wherein the cohesive metallic mass is cooled at a rate of 20° C. to 30° C. per minute. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising performing a secondary aging heat treatment on the cohesive metallic mass after performing the primary aging heat treatment. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein performing the secondary aging heat treatment comprises:
 heating the cohesive metallic mass to a secondary carbide phase field temperature of the cohesive metallic mass;   holding the cohesive metallic mass at the secondary carbide phase field temperature; and   cooling the cohesive metallic mass to below the secondary carbide phase field temperature.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the cohesive metallic mass is heated to the secondary carbide phase field temperature at a rate of less than 25° C. per minute; wherein the cohesive metallic mass is held at the secondary carbide phase field temperature for 15 to 25 hours; and wherein the cohesive metallic mass is cooled at a rate of 20° C. to 30° C. per minute. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein processing the metallic powder comprises compacting the metallic powder into a desired shape. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein processing the metallic powder comprises mechanically working the metallic powder into a desired shape. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the metallic powder further comprises at least one oxide of the at least one rare earth element. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the metallic powder comprises, by percentage of weight, 0.1% to 10%, total, of at least one rare-earth element. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the metallic powder comprises at least one, of Co, Cr, Al, Fe, Ni, Mo, W, Ti, Ta, and Re. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising forming the combustion turbine component from the cohesive metallic mass. 
     
     
         17 . A method of making a combustion turbine component comprising:
 atomizing a metallic liquid comprising at least one metal and at least one rare-earth element to form a metallic powder;   processing the metallic powder to form a cohesive metallic mass;   performing a homogenization heat treatment on the cohesive metallic mass; and   performing a primary aging heat treatment on the cohesive metallic mass.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising performing a secondary aging heat treatment on the cohesive metallic mass after performing the primary aging heat treatment. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising forming the combustion turbine component from the cohesive metallic mass. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the metallic powder comprises, at least one of Co, Cr, Al, Fe, Ni, Mo, W, Ti, Ta, and Re, and by percentage of weight, 0.1% to 10%, total, of at least one rare-earth element. 
     
     
         21 . A method of making a combustion turbine component comprising:
 atomizing a metallic liquid comprising at least one metal and at least one rare-earth element to form a metallic powder;   processing the metallic powder to form a cohesive metallic mass; and   performing a homogenization heat treatment on the cohesive metallic mass.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the homogenization heat treatment comprises a solution heat treatment; and wherein performing the solution heat treatment comprises:
 heating the cohesive metallic mass at a first heating rate to a temperature below the solvus temperature of a gamma prime phase of the cohesive metallic mass;   heating the cohesive metallic mass at a second heating rate less than the first heating rate to a solution temperature being at least the solvus temperature of the gamma prime phase of the cohesive metallic mass;   holding the cohesive metallic mass at the solution temperature; and   cooling the cohesive metallic mass to a temperature below the solution temperature.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the first heating rate is in a range of 10° C. to 25° C. per minute; wherein the second heating rate is in a range of 1° C. to 3° C. per minute; wherein the cohesive metallic mass is held at the solution temperature for 1.5 to 2.5 hours; and wherein the cohesive metallic mass is cooled at a rate of 20° C. to 30° C. per minute. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising performing a secondary aging heat treatment on the cohesive metallic mass after performing the primary aging heat treatment. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising forming the combustion turbine component from the cohesive metallic mass. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the metallic powder comprises, at least one of Co, Cr, Al, Fe, Ni, Mo, W, Ti, Ta, and Re, and by percentage of weight, 0.1% to 10%, total, of at least one rare-earth element.