General Electric Company

Lockheed Martin Corporation

Eric Garrard Smith

Jeffrey Reid Thyssen

Robert Gerard Sheldon

Robert Krummen

Shroud covers for buckets of gas turbines sometimes overlap one another. To repair a shroud cover overlap and preclude further overlap during turbine operation, a first weld bead of high hardness material is applied along the radial inside surface of the overlapping cover and adjacent an intermediate edge of the Z-shaped edges of the covers. Additional weld beads of a more ductile material are applied along the same surface behind the initial weld bead to structurally support the high hardness initially applied weld material. By building up weld material along the inside radial face of the overlapping cover adjacent the overlapped edge of the adjoining cover, the thickness of the overlapping cover is increased to preclude shroud cover overlap during further turbine operation.

Method of repairing shroud tip overlap on turbine buckets

A method is disclosed for fabricating a low cost, elevated-temperature resistant part with a serrated surface and elevated-temperature structural properties similar to (within fifty percent (50%)) a superalloy material comprising the steps of: forming a master tool having the desired serrated surface; electro-forming the elevated-temperature resistant part by depositing three alloying elements comprising nickel, cobalt and manganese onto the master tool in the amounts of about 60%-70% nickel, 40%-30% cobalt and 0.05%-0.10% manganese; and separating the elevated-temperature resistant part from master tool.

Growing community of inventors

Marietta, GA, United States of America

Eric Garrard Smith