The Science and Technology Daily reported that a research group at Dalian University of Technology has made significant new progress in the rapid cooling technology for forging turbine discs in high-temperature alloys. This newly developed technology has improved and optimized the cooling process and methods. After using this technology, the strength, durability, and high-temperature resistance of the turbine disc can be significantly enhanced, injecting new vitality into the production and manufacturing of China's aviation engines.
Turbine discs made of high-temperature alloys are particularly critical components in aircraft engines. When an aircraft engine is operating, the internal temperature is extremely high, the pressure is also very high, and it must rotate quickly, creating a very harsh working environment. The turbine disc must work under these adverse conditions. Its quality is crucial, directly determining the power, efficiency, and service life of the engine. The breakthrough in rapid cooling technology has demonstrated the following significant importance:
Firstly, it can make the grain structure finer: Using the rapid cooling method can effectively prevent the grains from growing larger, resulting in smaller and more uniform grains. This way, the strength, toughness, and fatigue resistance of the turbine disc can be improved. This is very important for the turbine disc to maintain stable operation under high temperatures and high stress environments.
The second advantage is that it can make the microstructure of the material more reasonable. Through the method of rapid cooling, the material can form a uniformly distributed and fine microstructure. As a result, the segregation of material composition and defects will be greatly reduced, enhancing the mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of the alloy, ensuring that the turbine disc can operate stably and reliably even under extremely harsh working conditions.
The third point is to enhance the performance against high-temperature deformation: The rapid cooling method can fix the strengthening phase (such as γ' phase), thereby enhancing the alloy's ability to resist high-temperature deformation, which can significantly extend the service life of the turbine disc.
The fourth point is to control residual internal stress: Using appropriate cooling processes can effectively control the residual internal stress generated during forging, reducing the possibility of deformation and cracking of the turbine disc, making the dimensions of the turbine disc more stable and the machining accuracy higher.
Finally, it enhances overall performance: Rapid cooling combined with subsequent heat treatment processes optimizes the overall performance of high-temperature alloys, meeting the demand for high-performance materials in aviation engines.
The high-temperature alloy turbine disc is the "heart" of the aircraft engine, and its manufacturing process has always been a key research area in the global aerospace industry. The turbine disc needs to convert the thermal energy produced by the combustion of fuel into rotational force that can drive the aircraft forward. Therefore, the material used for the turbine disc must be especially heat-resistant, able to withstand corrosion, and have very high mechanical strength. For a long time, China has had a gap compared to Western countries in terms of high-performance aviation engines. However, things are different now. The breakthrough in rapid cooling technology provides strong support for China's own innovation in the aerospace industry. The breakthrough in high-temperature alloy technology in China is truly a source of pride!
Globally, the United States leads in high-temperature alloys and rapid cooling technologies. Companies like General Electric and Pratt & Whitney have successfully applied nickel-based high-temperature alloys to high-performance engines such as the F119 and F135 through their advanced manufacturing processes. In Europe, there are also notable strengths in the development of nickel-based alloys and precision heat treatment technologies. Russia has shown a deep technical foundation in military aviation. However, in recent years, China has significantly increased its investment in research and development in the field of high-temperature alloys, achieving substantial progress, especially in the hot processing of difficult-to-deform alloys and microstructure control. The successful first flight of a whole turbine disc made of domestically produced ceramic matrix composites further demonstrates that China is rapidly closing the gap with Western countries in related technologies.
Currently, China has at least two new-generation fighter jets still under development, with an urgent need for high-performance aviation engines. The rapid cooling technology developed by Dalian University of Technology not only applies to performance upgrades of existing engines but may also provide critical support for the development of engines for sixth-generation aircraft. By optimizing the cooling rate, this technology significantly improves the microstructure and mechanical properties of high-temperature alloys, not only enhancing the power and efficiency of the engine but also increasing its reliability and durability under extreme conditions.
With continuous breakthroughs in the field of high-temperature alloys, the application prospects of rapid cooling technology are very broad. Besides the military aviation sector, this technology may also promote the development of the civil aviation industry, such as the manufacturing of commercial aircraft engines and gas turbines. China's continuous technological progress has already shown the possibility of catching up with or even surpassing international advanced levels, and in the future, it is expected to play a more critical role and have a more important position in the global aviation engine market.
The breakthrough achieved by Dalian University of Technology is particularly remarkable, which means that China has completed another outstanding achievement in the field of high-temperature alloy manufacturing, like setting up a brand-new and highly visible milestone in this field. This provides a reliable and powerful technical support for China's own innovation in the aerospace industry and the advancement of national defense modernization. In the future, if the relevant technologies can be further improved, become more mature, and achieve large-scale industrial applications, China's aviation engines will have a great prospect of reaching the top level globally in terms of performance and stability.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7535351722902848063/
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