Additively manufactured impeller

Abstract

An impeller including a blade section, a shroud section, and a hub is made of a monolithic structure. The impeller is made by loading a 3D image file into an additive manufacturing device, using it to generate 2D files which correspond to a plurality of cross-sectional layers of the impeller, and solidifying corresponding portions of pulverant material layers to create the impeller.

1 . An impeller comprising:
 a blade section including a plurality of blades, wherein the blade section has a diameter and the blades extend radially from a hub; and   a shroud section circumscribing the blade section, connected to the radially outermost portions of the plurality of blades, wherein   the blade section, the shroud section, and the hub comprise a monolithic structure of a material.   
     
     
         2 . The impeller of  claim 1 , wherein the diameter of the shroud section is less than 20 cm. 
     
     
         3 . The impeller of  claim 1 , wherein the monolithic structure extends less than 12 cm. axially. 
     
     
         4 . The impeller of  claim 1 , wherein the material has a stable surface oxide. 
     
     
         5 . The impeller of  claim 4 , wherein the material is a titanium-based alloy. 
     
     
         6 . The impeller of  claim 1 , further comprising a shaft connected to the monolithic structure. 
     
     
         7 . The impeller of  claim 6 , wherein the monolithic structure includes the shaft. 
     
     
         8 . A method of making an impeller, the method comprising:
 loading a 3D image file into an additive manufacturing device;   generating 2D files from the 3D image file which correspond to a plurality of cross-sectional layers of the impeller; and   solidifying a portion of a pulverant material layer corresponding to each of the plurality of cross-sectional layers in a layerwise fashion to create the impeller.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the pulverant material layer comprises a material having a stable surface oxide. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the material having a stable surface oxide is a titanium-based alloy. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein solidifying the pulverant material layer includes lasing the pulverant material. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein solidifying the pulverant material layer comprises focusing an electron beam on the pulverant material. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein solidifying the pulverant material layer includes at least partially melting the pulverant material. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein solidifying the pulverant material layer includes sintering the pulverant material. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 8 , and further comprising removing the unsintered portions of the pulverant material layers. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the impeller formed by solidifying the layers of the pulverant material includes a shroud and a plurality of blades. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the shroud and the plurality of blades are made of a monolithic structure.