General Electric Company

Thomas Walter Rentz

William Randolph Stowell

Andrew Jay Skoog

Jane Ann Murphy

Daniel Peter Ivkovich, Jr

Dainel P Ivkovich, Jr

Joseph Thomas Begovich

Ching-Pang Lee

Robert Alan Johnson

Timothy Daniel Kostar

Bryan Thomas Bojanowski

Daniel P Ivkovich, Jr

Michael R Steele

John Frederick Ackerman

Darrell Glenn Senile

Raymond Grant Rowe

John Ellington Greene

Tara Easter McGovern

Glen Arthur MacMillan

Timothy Lance Manning

Terry James Kent

Mathew Curtis Roling

A coating system that includes a plurality of portions, each portion comprising one or more layers. The coating system includes an outer portion, which is an infrared radiation (IR) interaction portion, that dissipates incident (IR). Underlying this outer portion is a performance portion. The performance portion comprises at least one layer that includes microspheres. Between the substrate and performance portion is a compliance portion. The compliance portion comprises at least one layer of high temperature material that has a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) intermediate the performance layer and the substrate. The compliance portion thus reduces any high temperature thermal mismatch between the substrate and the performance portion.

Low thermal and radiation conductivity coating

Methods are provided for producing large volumes of small antenna arrays. In one embodiment, the method comprises the steps of creating an antenna array pattern as a computer file, printing the created pattern onto the surface of a suitable transfer paper, placing the printed image surface in contact with the surface of a material to be etched, and transferring the printed image to the surface of the material to be etched. The transfer can be effected by any combination of chemicals, heat, and/or pressure. After transfer of the printed image, the transfer paper is removed. The step of removing the transfer paper optionally includes wetting the transfer paper in a manner that dissolves the transfer paper leaving the printed antenna pattern on the surface of the material to be etched. The method further includes the step of etching the non-printed portions of the material, preferably by chemical etching, and removing the printed pattern from the surface of the material to yield an antenna array comprising a non-etched portion of the substrate surface. Arrays, and substrates having an etch-resistant mask for making the arrays, are also provided.

Low cost antenna array fabrication technology

An optical coating is applied to an article surface of an article by providing a deposition substrate other than the article surface, wherein the deposition substrate is made of a removable material. The optical coating is thereafter deposited onto the deposition substrate. The optical coating is thereafter transferred to the article surface using a transfer support, which may be the deposition substrate or may be a different piece. The method includes thereafter affixing the optical coating to the article surface, and thereafter removing the transfer support.

Method for applying an optical coating to a surface of an article

A method for forming a ceramic layer on the surface of a turbine component. This method comprises the following steps: (a) providing a turbine component having a surface; (b) providing at least one ceramic tape overlaying the component surface; and (c) manually pressing the at least one ceramic tape against the component surface at a temperature of from about 150&#xb0; to about 700&#xb0; F. (from about 66&#xb0; to about 371&#xb0; C.) so as to cause the at least one ceramic tape to adhere to the component surface.

Method of forming ceramic layer

A method for machining a component. The method includes providing a machining apparatus configured to induce vibrations such that a vibration direction of the machining apparatus is substantially aligned with respect to a machining direction of the component, and vibrating the machining apparatus in the vibration direction to machine the component in the machining direction.

Method and apparatus for ultrasonic machining

An optical coating is applied to an article surface of an article by applying a first release system to a deposition substrate, and depositing the optical coating onto the deposition substrate. A second release system and transfer substrate is applied to the second face of the optical coating. The first release system is dissolvable in a first-release-coating solvent that does not dissolve the second release system. The first release system is dissolved in the first-release-coating solvent that does not dissolve the second release system, to separate the optical coating from the deposition substrate. The first face of the optical coating is affixed to the article surface, and the transfer substrate is separated from the optical coating. Any of a variety of affixing techniques may be used.

Method of applying an optical coating to an article surface

A coating and method for overcoating a TBC on a component used in a high-temperature environment, such as the combustor section of an industrial gas turbine. The coating defines the outermost surface of the component and is formed of at least two layers having different compositions. An inner layer of the coating contains alumina in a first silica-containing matrix material that is free of zinc titanate. An outer layer of the coating contains alumina, a glass material, and zinc titanate in a second silica-containing matrix material. The outer layer of the coating has a surface roughness of not greater than three micrometers Ra and forms the outermost surface of the component. The coating reduces the component temperature by reducing the convective and radiant heat transfer thereto.

Smooth outer coating for combustor components and coating method therefor

A method of repairing a thermal barrier coating () on a component () designed for use in a hostile thermal environment, such as turbine, combustor and augmentor components of a gas turbine engine. The method more particularly involves repairing a thermal barrier coating () on a component () that has suffered localized spallation () of the thermal barrier coating (). After cleaning the surface area () of the component () exposed by the localized spallation (), a ceramic paste () comprising a ceramic powder in a binder is applied to the surface area () of the component (). The binder is then reacted to yield a ceramic-containing repair coating () that covers the surface area of the component and comprises the ceramic powder in a matrix of a material formed when the binder was reacted. The binder is preferably a ceramic precursor material that can be converted immediately to a ceramic or allowed to thermally decompose over time to form a ceramic, such that the repair coating () has a ceramic matrix. The repair method can be performed while the component () remains installed, e.g., in a gas turbine engine. Immediately after the reaction step, the gas turbine engine can resume operation during which the binder is further reacted/converted and the strength of the repair coating increases.

Component with repaired thermal barrier coating

A method of forming a multilayer ceramic coating system on a substrate that requires thermal protection from a hostile thermal environment. The method generally entails forming at least one tape that contains ceramic particles dispersed in an organic constituent, such as a binder and/or plasticizer. If a single tape is used, the tape is formed of multiple layers of different compositions and applied as a unit to the substrate, thereby forming at least an innermost layer and an outermost layer on the substrate. If multiple tapes are used, a first tape is applied to the substrate to form the innermost layer, and a second tape is applied to form the outermost layer. The tape/tapes are then sintered to form innermost and outermost ceramic layers, respectively, on the substrate. The tape/tapes are formed and processed such that the innermost ceramic layer has submicron voids to provide a desired level of porosity, while the outermost ceramic layer is thinner, smoother and less porous than the innermost ceramic layer.

Method of forming a multilayer ceramic coating

A protective coating and coating method for protecting a thermal barrier coating (TBC) on a component, such as a component of a gas turbine engine. The protective coating comprises alumina particles in a silica-containing matrix, and may be substantially homogeneous or formed of multiple layers having different compositions. The composition and relative amounts of alumina and matrix material in the protective coating enable the coating to react with molten compounds containing calcia, magnesia, alumina and/or silica (CMAS), forming a compound with a melting temperature that is significantly higher than CMAS. As such, infiltration of molten CMAS into the TBC is significantly reduced or entirely avoided.

Protective coating for thermal barrier coatings and coating method therefor

A method of repairing a thermal barrier coating on a component designed for use in a hostile thermal environment, such as turbine, combustor and augmentor components of a gas turbine engine. The method more particularly involves repairing a thermal barrier coating on a component that has suffered localized spallation of the thermal barrier coating. After cleaning the surface area of the component exposed by the localized spallation, a ceramic paste comprising a ceramic powder in a binder is applied to the surface area of the component. The binder is then reacted to yield a ceramic-containing repair coating that covers the surface area of the component and comprises the ceramic powder in a matrix of a material formed when the binder was reacted. The binder is preferably a ceramic precursor material that can be converted immediately to a ceramic or allowed to thermally decompose over time to form a ceramic, such that the repair coating has a ceramic matrix. The repair method can be performed while the component remains installed, e.g., in a gas turbine engine. Immediately after the reaction step, the gas turbine engine can resume operation during which the binder is further reacted/converted and the strength of the repair coating increases.

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Cincinnati, OH, United States of America

Thomas Walter Rentz