Effect of tube-electrode inner diameter on electrochemical discharge machining of nickel-based superalloy

Nickel-based superalloys are widely employed in modern aircraft engines because of their excellent material characteristics, particularly in the fabrication of film cooling holes. How-ever, the high machining requirement of a large number of film cooling holes can be extremely chal-lenging. The hybrid machining technique of tube electrode high-speed electrochemical discharge drilling (TEHECDD) has been considered as a promising method for the production of film cooling holes. Compared with any single machining process, this hybrid technique requires the removal of more complex machining by-products, including debris produced in the electrical discharge machin-ing process and hydroxide and bubbles generated in the electrochemical machining process. These by-products significantly affect the machining efficiency and surface quality of the machined prod-ucts. In this study, tube electrodes in different inner diameters are designed and fabricated, and the effects of inner diameter on the machining efficiency and surface quality of TEHECDD are inves-tigated. The results show that larger inner diameters could effectively improve the flushing condi-tion and facilitate the removal of machining by-products. Therefore, higher material removal efficiency, surface quality, and electrode wear rate could be achieved by increasing the inner diam-eter of the tube electrode.     

Machining of a film-cooling hole in a single-crystal superalloy by high-speed electrochemical discharge drilling

Single-crystal superalloys are typical advanced materials used for manufacturing aeroengine turbine blades. Their unique characteristics of high hardness and strength make them exceedingly difficult to machine. However, a key structure of a turbine blade, the film-cooling hole,needs to be machined in a single-crystal superalloy; such machining is challenging, especially considering the increasing levels of machining efficiency and quality demanded by the aeroengine industry. Tube electrode high-speed electrochemical discharge drilling(TSECDD), a hybrid technique of high-speed electrical discharge drilling and electrochemical machining, provides high machining efficiency and accuracy, as well as eliminating the recast layer. In this study, TSECDD is used to machine a film-cooling hole in a nickel-based single-crystal superalloy(DD6). The Taguchi methods of experiment are used to optimise the machining parameters. Experimental results show that TSECDD can effectively drill the film-cooling hole; the optimum parameters that give the best performance are as follows: pulse duration: 12 ls, pulse interval: 30 ls, peak current:6 A, and salt solution conductivity: 3 m S/cm. Finally, a hole is machined by TSECDD, and the results are compared with those obtained by electrical discharge machining. TSECDD is found to be promising for improving the surface quality and eliminating the recast layer.     

二次流动对气冷涡轮叶栅流场的影响

针对典型跨声速高压涡轮叶型平面叶栅吸力面单排孔气膜冷却,采用数值模拟方法,比较分析了加入气膜冷却前后流场变化。结果表明,由于二次流动的影响,加入气膜冷却以后吸力面后部接近下壁面处没有受到冷气保护而直接暴露于主流高温燃气,在实际高压涡轮中将极大的降低叶片寿命。没有气膜冷却情况下,吸力面接近下壁面处边界层仍有可能因受到二次流动的影响发生转捩;加入气膜冷却情况下,气膜孔中心位置下游边界层由于射流和主流的相互作用将转变为湍流边界层,而由于孔间距的影响,只有射流和主流充分掺混以后才能影响到整个叶片的范围。     

气膜冷却对激波与边界层相互作用影响的数值模拟

针对跨声速平面叶栅中气膜冷却对流场的影响,采用数值模拟的方法,分析了激波和边界层的相互作用及引入气膜冷却之后三者之间的影响。结果表明,由于激波形成的逆压力梯度导致边界层出现分离现象,在引入冷却射流以后被部分抑制,流场细节显示在原分离处新形成了两个方向相反的分离旋涡。保持冷却条件不变,随着孔间距的减小,边界层分离现象被抑制的效果更加明显,平面叶栅热力损失系数逐渐减小。当孔径和孔间距之比达到0.67时,相对于没有引入气膜冷却的情况,热力损失系数降低了13%。冷气流量对射流和主流相互作用流场影响显著,冷气出口局部超声速区域显著增大流场损失,降低冷却效果。     

压力面气膜冷却数值模拟

针对典型高压涡轮叶型平面叶栅压力面气膜冷却,采用数值模拟方法,比较分析了不同冷气进口方式对计算结果的影响,并对冷气入射角度等参数对叶栅流场和性能的影响规律进行了研究。结果表明,在没有考虑二次流流动影响情况下,平面叶栅中通过管道给定冷气进口和直接在叶片表面给定冷气进口这两种方式对气膜冷却数值模拟结果影响很小,能量损失系数的差别仅为1%左右。冷气入射增加了叶栅损失,但能量损失系数与冷气入射角度并不是简单的单调关系,在入射角度从15°到60°的变化范围内,能量损失系数存在最小值,对应冷气入射角度在30°左右。