Fluid flow distributor for vapor phase coating of turbine components
A fluid flow distributor includes a manifold body having a first chamber configured to receive the supply of coating gas. A pair of inlet nozzles protrude from an upper surface of the manifold body for insertion into a turbine blade for delivering the coating gas to the internal cavities of the turbine blade. The inlet nozzles may be tapered to facilitate insertion of the inlet nozzles into a root portion of the turbine blade. The fluid flow distributor may have a geometry that promotes laminar flow of the coating gas.
1 . A method of making a 3D-printed fluid flow distributor, the fluid flow distributor being configured for insertion into a root portion of a turbine component for conveying a coating gas to internal flow channels of the turbine component, the method comprising:
storing data to non-transitory storage, said data including parameters associated with fluid dynamics of a fluid flow through internal cavities of the turbine component, said parameters including information defining a geometry of the internal cavities;
said data including information defining a geometry of the fluid flow distributor;
using a computing device with at least one hardware processor to predict characteristics of the fluid flow through the internal cavities of the turbine component when the fluid flow passes through the fluid flow distributor before entering the internal cavities of the turbine component;
using the computing device to enhance the characteristics of the fluid flow according to desired characteristics by modifying the information defining the geometry of the fluid flow distributor resulting in modified information for the geometry of the 3D-printed fluid flow distributer; and
3D printing the fluid flow distributor such that a geometry of the 3D-printed fluid flow distributor corresponds to the modified information defining the geometry of the fluid flow distributor.
2 . The method of making a 3D-printed fluid flow distributor of claim 1 , wherein the information defining the geometry of the fluid flow distributor includes a volume of a chamber in an interior space of the 3D-printed fluid flow distributor.
3 . The method of making a 3D-printed fluid flow distributor of claim 1 , wherein the information defining the geometry of the fluid flow distributor includes a size of a nozzle opening of a first nozzle of the 3D-printed fluid flow distributor.
4 . The method of making a 3D-printed fluid flow distributor of claim 1 , wherein the 3D-printed fluid flow distributor comprises:
a manifold body having a first inlet port configured to receive a supply of coating gas, the manifold body having an upper surface;
a first chamber formed in an interior space of the manifold body and configured to receive the supply of coating gas via the first inlet port;
a first inlet nozzle protruding from the upper surface and including a first inlet nozzle channel in fluid communication with the first chamber, the first inlet nozzle having a first inlet nozzle tip and a first intermediate portion disposed between the first inlet nozzle tip and the upper surface of the manifold body; and
a second inlet nozzle protruding from the upper surface, the second inlet nozzle having a second inlet nozzle tip and a second intermediate portion disposed between the second inlet nozzle tip and the upper surface of the manifold body,
wherein the first intermediate portion and the second intermediate portion are tapered, respectively, towards the first inlet nozzle tip and the second inlet nozzle tip to facilitate insertion of the first inlet nozzle and the second inlet nozzle into a root portion of a turbine component.
5 . The method of making a 3D-printed fluid flow distributor of claim 4 , wherein the second inlet nozzle includes a second inlet nozzle channel in fluid communication with the first chamber.
6 . The method of making a 3D-printed fluid flow distributor of claim 4 , wherein the manifold body has a second inlet port configured to receive the supply of coating gas, a second chamber being formed in the interior space of the manifold body and configured to receive the supply of coating gas via the second inlet port, the second inlet nozzle including a second inlet nozzle channel in fluid communication with the second chamber, and
wherein the first chamber and the second chamber are not fluidly connected in the manifold body.
7 . The method of making a 3D-printed fluid flow distributor of claim 4 , wherein the first inlet nozzle includes a first base portion disposed between the first intermediate portion and the upper surface of the manifold body.
8 . The method of making a 3D-printed fluid flow distributor of claim 7 , wherein the first base portion comprises a first fillet having a curved surface that provides a smooth transition between the first intermediate portion and the upper surface of the manifold body.
9 . The method of making a 3D-printed fluid flow distributor of claim 8 , wherein the taper of the first intermediate portion and the fillet of the first base portion are configured to guide insertion of the first inlet nozzle into the root portion of the turbine component such that the fluid flow distributor self-locates relative to the turbine component.
10 . The method of making a 3D-printed fluid flow distributor of claim 4 , wherein the 3D-printed fluid flow distributor further comprises a third inlet nozzle protruding from the upper surface and including a third inlet nozzle channel in fluid communication with the first chamber.
11 . The method of making a 3D-printed fluid flow distributor of claim 10 , wherein the first inlet nozzle, the second inlet nozzle and the third inlet nozzle are linearly aligned along the upper surface of the manifold body.
12 . The method of making a 3D-printed fluid flow distributor of claim 4 , wherein the 3D-printed fluid flow distributor further comprises an exhaust nozzle protruding from the upper surface and including an exhaust nozzle channel, the exhaust nozzle having an exhaust nozzle tip and an exhaust nozzle intermediate portion disposed between the exhaust nozzle tip and the upper surface of the manifold body,
wherein the exhaust nozzle intermediate portion is tapered towards the exhaust nozzle tip to facilitate insertion of the exhaust nozzle into the root portion of the turbine component.
13 . The method of making a 3D-printed fluid flow distributor of claim 12 , wherein the exhaust nozzle channel is connected to an exhaust passageway that is not in fluid communication with the first chamber, the exhaust passageway being fluidly connected to an exhaust port of the manifold body.
14 . The method of making a 3D-printed fluid flow distributor of claim 12 , wherein the exhaust nozzle channel is in fluid communication with an exhaust chamber formed in the manifold body, the exhaust chamber being fluidly connected to an exhaust port of the manifold body,
wherein the manifold body has a second inlet port in fluid communication with a second chamber formed in the manifold body, the second inlet nozzle including a second inlet nozzle channel in fluid communication with the second chamber, and
wherein none of the first chamber, the second chamber and the exhaust chamber are fluidly connected in the manifold body.