The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 08, 2003
Filed:
Jul. 01, 1997
Warren D. Grossklaus, Jr., West Chester, OH (US);
Roger D. Wustman, Loveland, OH (US);
John M. Powers, Independence, KY (US);
Jeffrey A. Conner, Hamilton, OH (US);
Jon C. Schaeffer, Milford, OH (US);
General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US);
Abstract
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 is particularly suited for completely removing a thermal insulating ceramic layer of thermal barrier coating system that includes a metallic bond coat, such as a diffusion aluminide or MCrAlY coating, between the surface of the component and the ceramic layer, while leaving the bond coat substantially undamaged. Furthermore, the method of this invention includes a technique by which ceramic material within cooling holes in the component can be removed without damaging the underlying bond coat. The process steps generally include removing the ceramic layer from the surface of the component by subjecting the ceramic layer to a caustic solution at an elevated temperature and pressure, and then removing ceramic material from the cooling hole by carefully directing a high-velocity fluid stream into the cooling hole. According to this invention, the high-velocity fluid stream is able to overcome the compressive stresses that otherwise anchor the ceramic in the cooling hole, yet does not remove or damage the bond coat underlying the ceramic.