Jet Engine Materials

A quick overview of the materials requirements, the materials being used, and the materials being developed

Motivation for Materials Development

Higher

Operating Temperatures Higher Rotational Speeds Lower Weight Engine Components Longer Operating Lifetime Decreased Failure Occurrence

This

all adds up to:

Better

Performance Lower Life Cycle Costs

Materials Requirements

thousands of operating hours at temperatures up to 1,100C (2000 F) high thermal stresses caused by rapid temperature changes and large temperature gradients high mechanical stresses due to high rotational speeds and large aerodynamic forces low- and high-frequency vibrational loading oxidation

corrosion
time- , temperature- and stress-dependent effects such as creep, stress rupture, and high- and low-cycle fatigue.

Regions of the Engine

Cold

Sections

Inlet/Fan Compressor Casing

Hot

Sections

Combustor Turbine/Outlet

Cold Section Materials Requirements

High

Strength (static, fatigue) High Stiffness Low Weight Materials:

Titanium

Alloys Aluminum Alloys Polymer Composites Titanium intermetallics and composites

Applications of Polymer Composites

Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composite Properties Graphite/Kevlar

Very

high strength-weight ratios Very high stiffness-weight ratio (graphite) Versatility of design and manufacture Specific gravity: ~1.6 (compared to 4.5 for titanium & 2.8 for aluminum) Can only be used at low temperatures < 300 C (600 F)

Titanium alloys used for critical cold section components

Fan

disks/blade Compressor disks/blades Typical Alloy: Ti-6Al-4V

Titanium Properties
High

strength & stiffness to weight ratios > 150 ksi, E = 18 Msi Specific gravity of 4.5 ( 58 % that of steel) Titanium alloys can be used up to temperatures of ~ 590 C (1100 F) Good oxidation/corrosion resistance (also used in medical implants) High strength alloys hard to work therefore many engine components are cast

Metallurgy of disks critical to achieve desired properties and to eliminate defects

Accident occurred JUL-19-89 at SIOUX CITY, IA Aircraft: MCDONNELL DOUGLAS DC-10-10, Injuries: 111 Fatal, 47 Serious, 125 Minor, 13 Uninjured.
A FATIGUE CRACK ORIGINATING FROM A PREVIOUSLY UNDECTECTED METALLURGICAL DEFECT LOCATED IN A CRITICAL AREA OF THE STAGE 1 FAN DISK THAT WAS MANUFACTURED BY GENERAL ELECTRIC AIRCRAFT ENGINES. THE SUBSEQUENT CATASTROPHIC DISINTEGRATION OF THE DISK RESULTED IN THE LIBERATION OF DEBRIS IN A PATTERN OF DISTRIBUTION AND WITH ENERGY LEVELS THAT EXCEEDED THE LEVEL OF PROTECTION PROVIDED BY DESIGN FEATURES OF THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEMS THAT OPERATED THE DC-10'S FLIGHT CONTROLS.

Aluminum alloys can reduce weight over titanium

Conventional

alloys have lower strength/weight ratios than Ti but more advanced alloys approach that of Ti. Specific gravity: 2.8 ( 62 % that of Ti) Lower cost than Ti Max temp for advanced alloys: ~ 350 C (600 F) Lower weight & rotating part inertia

Titanium Aluminide Ti3Al

An

intermetallic alloy of Ti and Al Extends the temperature range of Ti from 1100 F to 1200-1300 F Suffers from embrittlement due to exposure to atmosphere at high temperature - needs to be coated.

Titanium Composites (MMC)

Titanium

matrix with SiC fibers Decreases weight while increases strength and creep strength

TYPICAL Ti/SiC COMPOSITE 100X

Hot Section Materials Requirements

High

Strength (static, fatigue, creep-rupture) High temperature resistance 850 C - 1100 C (1600 F - 2000 F) Corrosion/oxidation resistance Low Weight

High Temperatures - 1100 C (2000 F)

Creep

becomes at factor for conventional metals when the operating temperature reaches approximately 0.4 Tm (absolute melting temp.)
Conventional

engineering metals at 1100 C:

Steel Aluminum

Titanium

~0.9 Tm ~1.4 Tm ~0.7 Tm

Conclusion:

We need something other than conventional materials!

High Temperatures - 1100 C (2000 F)

What Materials Can Be Used?

Unconventional

metal alloys -

or superalloys
Ceramics

Superalloys
Nickel

(or Cobalt) based materials Can be used in load bearing applications up to 0.8Tm - this fraction is higher than for any other class of engineering alloys! High strength /stiffness Specific gravity ~8.8 (relatively heavy) Over 50% weight of current engines

Typical Compositions of Superalloys

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION, WEIGHT PERCENT
Ni TURBINE BLADE ALLOYS ALLOY 713C MAR-M 247 CMSX - (SC) TURBINE DISK ALLOYS WASPALOY RENE 95 COMBUSTOR ALLOYS HASTELLOY X INCONEL 617 BAL 22.0 BAL 22.0 1.5 12.5 9.0 9.0 0.6 1.0 BAL 19.5 BAL 14.0 13.5 8.0 4.3 3.5 3.5 3.5 1.3 3.5 3.0 2.5 0.006 0.06 0.01 0.05 BAL 12.5 BAL BAL 8.2 8.0 10.0 4.6 4.2 0.6 0.6 10.0 8.0 3.0 6.0 2.0 6.1 5.5 5.6 0.8 1.0 1.0 0.12 0.20 0.10 0.09 1.5 0.1 Cr Co Mo W Ta Cb Al Ti C Zr Hf

Chromium yields corrosion resistance

Microstructure of a Superalloy
Superalloys

are dispersion hardened Ni3Al and Ni3Ti in a Ni matrix Particles resist dislocation motion and resist growth at high temperatures

Creep - Rupture
Strain

increases over time under a static load - usually only at elevated temperatures (atoms more mobile at higher temperatures) The higher energy states of the atoms at grain boundaries causes grain boundaries particularly ones transverse to load axis - to creep at a rate faster than within grains Can increase creep-rupture strength by eliminating transverse grain boundaries

Controlled grain structure in turbine blades:

Equi-axed

Directionally Single Crystal solidified (DS) (SX)

Performance of superalloy parts enhanced with thermal barrier coatings

Thin

coating - plasma sprayed MCrALY coating materials Increased corrosion/oxidation resistance Can reduce superalloy surface temperature by up to 40 C (~100 F)

Non-metallics - Ceramics
Cobalt Nickel Chromium Tungsten Tantalum Silicon Nitrogen Carbon
CERAMIC

SUPERALLOY

Ceramics - Advantages
Higher

Temperatures Lower Cost Availability of Raw Materials Lighter Weight Materials:

Al2O3,

Si3N4, SiC, MgO

Ceramics - Challenges
DUCTILITY IMPACT

Superalloys Ceramics
TOUGHNESS CRITICAL FLAW SIZE

Ceramic Composites
Ceramic

Fiber Reinforced Ceramic Matrix Improve toughness Improve defect tolerance Fiber pre-form impregnated with powder and then hotpressed to fuse matrix

Carbon-Carbon composite
Carbon

fibers in a carbon matrix Has the potential for the highest temperature capability > 2000 C (~4000 F) Must be protected from oxidation (e.g. SiC) Currently used for nose-cone for space shuttle which has reentry temperatures of 1650 C (3000 F)

Trends in turbine materials

TURBINE ROTOR INLET TEMP, F

Materials for F109 engine

F109 FAN MODULE MATERIALS

F109 HP COMPRESSOR MATERIALS

201-T6 Aluminum INCO 625 (side plates) INCO 718 (vanes) 17-4 PH HAST X

Ti 6-4

INCO 718

Ti 6-2-4-2

F109 COMBUSTOR/MIDFRAME MATERIALS

HS 188 + TBC INCO 718 HS 188 300 SS INCO 718 INCO 718

HS 188

HAST S

HAST X

INCO 600

F109 HP TURBINE MATERIALS

INCO 738 HAST X MAR-M 247 HAST S DS MAR-M 247 MAR-M 247 INCO 738 DS MAR-M 247 DS

HAST X

INCO 718

WASP B

F109 LP TURBINE MATERIALS

HAST X BACK WITH HAST X 0.032 CELL. HONEYCOMB INCONEL 625
EQUIAXED MAR-M 247 COATED WITH RT-21

INCONEL 625 HAST X BACK WITH HAST X 0.032 CELL. HONEYCOMB HASTELLOY X

EQUIAXED MAR-M 247

EQUIAXED MAR-M 247 COATED WITH RT-21 HAST X BACK WITH HAST X 0.032 CELL. HONEYCOMB WASPALOY WASPALOY

HAST X BACK WITH HAST X0.032 CELL. HONEYCOMB

WASPALOY
WASPALOY

WASPALOY