China3D printingNet January 27th, computational material design expert QuesTek Innovations has received a US$1.2 million grant from the US Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA-E) for the development of a new niobium-based3D printingalloy.
The company was awarded ARPA-E’s Ultra High Temperature Impermeable Material Propulsion Turbine Efficiency (ULTIMATE) program, which aims to develop high-performance materials specifically for the production of gas turbine blades. The working conditions of these blades are extremely high stress and temperature.
Therefore, QuesTek’s functionally graded alloys will be used to manufacture gas turbine blades for ultra-high temperature energy and aerospace applications, and it is hoped that they can improve fuel efficiency through higher operating temperatures.
Dr. Dana Frankel, QuesTek Design and Product Development Manager, pointed out: “Designing a new type of turbine material with significantly better performance than current nickel-based super alloys is one of the biggest challenges facing the field of materials science today.”
Gas turbine engines experience extremely high temperatures and pressures. Photography: Pratt & Whitney.
Take calculation method
Although with metal3D printingThe same advanced, but there are still a lot of metallurgical problems that hinder its large-scale adoption.For example, in3D printingThe use of certain conventional chemical and heat treatment methods on alloys usually results in cracks during printing or poor mechanical properties after printing, thus limiting the potential of this technology in the specification industry.
This is QuesTek’s attempt to overcome the obstacles of its proprietary Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) model. The company uses a calculation method for alloy development, using algorithms to modify the printability of materials and optimize their respective heat treatments to improve performance.
QuesTek has completed more than 50 government-funded projects and has extensive experience in super alloys, refractory alloys and high-entropy alloy designs (including aluminum, steel, nickel and titanium-based alloys).
QuesTek has previously developed a high-temperature aluminum alloy for powder bed fusion. Picture from QuesTek.
The impact of gas turbine efficiency
QuesTek’s niobium-based alloys will compete with many of the most advanced superalloys that have been established for gas turbine blades. Unfortunately, many of these alloys have limited high temperature stability or other problems that affect their 3D printability. In turn, this gives engineers an upper limit of geometric freedom when designing and testing new turbine blade types.
In addition, because the engine efficiency largely depends on the maximum cycle temperature of the system, which means that it varies with the operating temperature, QuesTek’s niobium-based alloy will directly improve the efficiency of jet engines and gas turbines in power plants. . In addition to the obvious economic benefits, this work also aims to reduce carbon emissions.
The company will work closely with the turbine engine original equipment manufacturer Pratt & Whitney to define aerospace requirements, jointly design end-use components, and perform testing and qualification procedures.In addition, QuesTek will also cooperate with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory3D printingProcess development, and cooperated with the University of Minnesota to develop high-temperature coatings.
Frankel concluded: “We are very pleased to have the opportunity to apply our time-tested computational material design methods to develop new refractory turbine alloys, paving the way for gradual changes in turbine engine performance and efficiency.”
Key engine components (such as turbine blades)3D printingIt is a relatively new application of this technology.In the maritime field, the defense contractor Naval Group has recently built a complete3D printingPropeller. According to reports, the propeller has a span of 2.5 meters and five individual 200kg blades. It is said to be the largest propeller of its kind in the world.
In other parts of Russia, the state-supported Advanced Research Foundation (FPI) and the Federal State Unified Enterprise (VIAM) have previously3D printingThe MGTD-20 gas turbine engine was tested in flight.According to reports, compared with traditional manufacturing methods, this3D printingThe equipment cuts the cost of the vehicle by half and shortens the delivery time by about 20 times. The top speed is 154 km/h, and the electric motor was evaluated on a light drone.
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