Computationally Guided ODS Refractory HEAs via Additive Manufacturing

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Program:
ULTIMATE
Award:
$1,199,882
Location:
East Hartford, Connecticut
Status:
ALUMNI
Project Term:
04/15/2021 - 07/14/2023
Website:

Technology Description:

Raytheon Technologies Research Center (RTRC) aims to design and validate the manufacturability and mechanical properties of a new hot section turbine alloy. To achieve higher efficiency turbine operation, RTRC will use additive manufacturing (AM) to produce test coupons (specimens) and potentially a representative turbine blade using a high entropy alloy (HEA) enhanced with oxide dispersion strengthening (ODS) particles. Combining HEAs with ODS imparts high-temperature strength and creep (deformation) resistance to enable 1300°C operation that significantly exceeds the capability of current single crystal nickel superalloys. Leveraging AM produces a blade very close to the final shape, reducing the need for machining, and incorporates ODS into the alloy. The program will employ a machine learning framework and screening experiments to explore HEA composition space and identify the best candidates. Powders will be produced for these candidates and then modified with nano-oxides to create an ODS feedstock for AM. Deploying this class of alloys for 1300°C turbine operation will allow airlines to save millions of gallons of fuel per year.

Potential Impact:

Combining development of new ultrahigh temperature materials with compatible coatings and manufacturing technologies has the potential to increase gas turbine efficiency up to 7%, which will significantly reduce wasted energy and carbon emissions.

Security:

Coal-fired and nuclear-powered plant electricity generation is uneconomical, unsafe, outdated, and/or contributes to significant CO2 emissions. Increasing gas turbine efficiency is critical to ensuring that plants can effectively deploy their capacity to the grid, increasing energy security.

Environment:

Improving gas turbine efficiency can significantly reduce carbon emissions from air travel, which represents 2% of all global carbon emissions.

Economy:

By 2050, a 7% efficiency improvement in the natural gas turbines used for U.S. electricity generation could save up to 15-16 quads of energy; in civilian aircraft turbines, 3-4 quads of energy could be saved for U.S. air travel.

Contact

ARPA-E Program Director:
Dr. Philseok Kim
Project Contact:
Dr. John Sharon
Press and General Inquiries Email:
ARPA-E-Comms@hq.doe.gov
Project Contact Email:
john.sharon@rtx.com

Partners

National Energy Technology Laboratory

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Release Date:
04/21/2020