AFTERMARKET REPAIR PROCESS FOR A FUEL NOZZLE GUIDE HEAT SHIELD OF A GAS TURBINE ENGINE

1 . A method for repairing a fuel nozzle guide comprising:

mechanically separating a heat shield of a damaged fuel nozzle guide from an inner portion of the fuel nozzle guide;

manufacturing a replacement heat shield of the damaged fuel nozzle guide; and

joining the replacement heat shield to the inner portion.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein manufacturing the replacement heat shield comprises additively manufacturing the replacement heat shield.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining an set of actual dimensions of the heat shield and manufacturing the replacement heat shield according to the determined actual dimensions of the heat shield.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising removing artifacts of the mechanical separation from the inner portion prior to joining the replacement heat shield to the inner portion.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein joining the replacement heat shield to the inner portion comprises fusing the replacement rim portion to the inner diameter portion.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein fusing the replacement heat shield to the inner portion provides a 100% penetration of the inner portion.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein fusing the replacement heat shield to the inner portion uses one of a plasma weld fusion, an electron beam weld fusion, a laser weld fusion, and a gas tungsten arc weld fusion.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising repairing at least one crack in the inner portion prior to joining the replacement heat shield to the inner portion.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein manufacturing the replacement heat shield comprises creating a replacement heat shield having approximately identical dimensions to the heat shield.

10 . A fuel nozzle guide comprising:

a heat shield, wherein the heat shield is a ring defining an axis;

an inner portion fused to the heat shield and extending radially inward from and axially along the axis; and

wherein the heat shield is an additively manufactured replacement heat shield approximately identical to an original cast heat shield.

11 . The fuel nozzle guide of claim 10 , wherein a fusion between the inner portion and the heat shield extends along a full inner circumference of an inner diameter of the heat shield.

12 . The fuel nozzle guide of claim 11 , wherein the fusion provides a 100% penetration of the inner portion.

13 . The fuel nozzle guide of claim 12 , wherein the fusion is one of a plasma weld fusion, an electron beam weld fusion, a laser weld fusion, and a gas arc weld fusion.

14 . The fuel nozzle guide of claim 10 , wherein the heat shield further includes a plurality of cooling splines extending axially from a face of the heat shield.

15 . The fuel nozzle guide of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of cooling splines are distributed circumferentially evenly about the heat shield.

16 . The fuel nozzle guide of claim 14 , wherein each of the cooling splines in the plurality of cooling splines includes an axially outward corner defining a sharp corner angle.

17 . The fuel nozzle guide of claim 16 , wherein the sharp corner angle is in the range of 89 to 91 degrees.

18 . A repair process for a gas turbine engine comprising:

identifying a damaged fuel nozzle guide, wherein the damaged fuel nozzle guide is a cast single component;

mechanically separating a heat shield from a remainder of the damaged fuel nozzle guide;

additively manufacturing a replacement heat shield; and

fusing the replacement heat shield to the remainder of the damaged fuel nozzle guide, thereby repairing the damaged fuel nozzle guide.

19 . The repair process of claim 18 , wherein fusing the replacement heat shield to the remainder of the damaged fuel nozzle guide comprises applying a fusion process including a 100% penetration of a contact between the replacement heat shield and the remainder of the damaged fuel nozzle guide.

20 . The repair process of claim 18 , wherein additively manufacturing the replacement heat shield comprises determining an actual dimension of the remainder of the fuel nozzle guide, and additively manufacturing the replacement heat shield to match.