Additive manufacturing of gas turbine components has been suggested as a measure to improve performance and create other value additions in several research papers. This paper focuses on application of AM for gas turbine performance improvement considering industrial scale of this activity at Siemens Energy.Efficient cooling designs, made possible by AM, are considered not only from the standpoint of cooling characteristics, but also inherent challenges, arising in the complete chain of manufacturing processes: from powder removal to coating. Practical limitations of cooling scheme complexity are discussed and relative benefits of in-wall cooling with different channels orientation and such designs as multi-cascade impingement cooling are compared. Risk of printed channels contamination during the complete manufacturing process is discussed. It is shown that thin cooled trailing edges, enabled by the AM, provide considerable reduction of losses but require compensation of print distortions. Nevertheless, it is demonstrated that all such hurdles can be successfully overcome, and the components can be manufactured with the required quantity and according to the original design intent.Selection of the vane airfoil print direction is also an important decision, affecting efficiency, design, and cooling. Depending on the direction, surface roughness for internal channels may play both positive and detrimental roles, affecting channel dimensions and heat transfer characteristics. It is demonstrated how print direction selection for serial production can be done, considering the above factors as well as print support removal. It is discussed how simple flow test geometries, printed together with the guide vanes, can be used for process control and calibration measurements. This is especially important for elimination of the flow characteristics scatter between several printers in the industrial production process.Finally, the sequence and progress of AM components long-term validation in the field engines are discussed and illustrated with actual operation experience. It is shown how sequential validation process, starting with reproduction of conventionally manufactured parts with AM, and continuing with gradual increase of complexity of AM-enabled designs leads to performance improvement for new and upgraded Siemens gas turbine products.

Hot Turbine Guide Vane Performance Improvement With Metal Additive Manufacturing at Siemens Energy

Paper Proceedings: https://asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/GT/GT2021/volume/84898

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