Structural Metallic Systems For Advanced Gas Turbine Applications
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Birmingham
Department Name: Metallurgy and Materials
Abstract
Dwindling resources and climate change are forcing engineering designers to utilise materials and energy supplies withever-greater efficiency. It is argued that cuts in CO2 emissions of between 60-90% must be achieved if irreversibleclimate change is to be avoided.At present, almost all aircraft propulsion and over 1/3 of the UK's total generating capacity rely on gas turbines. Theirflexibility and efficiency compared with the alternatives mean that their use in power generation is predicted todramatically increase for the foreseeable future. Similarly, a substantial growth in air travel is also predicted withpassenger numbers forecast to double or triple by 2050. Achieving drastic reductions in the emissions from gas turbines,without bring national economic activity to a standstill, requires urgent activity on a very wide number of fronts. This isparticularly important for the UK. It has Europe's largest gas turbine industry, second only to the US, including majorengine makers, such as Rolls-Royce, Alstom and Siemens, together with approximately 3,000 companies supplyingalloys, high integrity components, such as discs, blades and shafts, as well as coatings and seals. The industry as awhole employs over 400,000 people and generates 2 billion in exports in the power sector alone.The aim of this programme is to meet this challenge by identifying and developing materials based on refractory metals,such as Mo and Co alloys, while carrying out shorter term research to extend the usefulness of Ni-based alloys. Thework will involve a coordinated programme of materials development and processing, microstructural and defectmodelling, characterisation and prediction of these high temperature materials designed to answer the fundamentalquestions that will enable their potential to be fully realised.To generate a critical mass of researchers, the programme brings together academics from 6 universities with expertise inthe necessary areas, together with Rolls-Royce plc to ensure the research is appropriate and to establish a route forexploitation.The success of the UK high-value engineering sector is an area in which improved public understanding is needed toimprove the perception of metallurgical engineering generally and to engender enthusiasm to encourage more youngpeople into science and engineering. To address this, a significant programme of public engagement has been designedto run alongside this research programme
Planned Impact
This programme addresses a national grand challenge, the reduction of emissions in energy production, by developing disruptive materials technologies for increasing the operating temperature of gas turbines. The beneficiaries will be: * UK gas turbine industry, including supply chain: By enabling the primary end-user in this programme, Rolls-Royce, to remain competitive as power generation, aero and land, becomes increasingly constrained by environmental legislation; * UK policy makers: By both informing UK government and enabling it to meet national, EU and international commitments without compromising the economic viability of UK industry; * UK population: By limiting potential damage through dangerous climate change whilst simultaneously minimising the impact on standard of living. UK aerospace and energy industry * To ensure a critical mass of researchers, this programme builds upon the established and highly successful UTP framework between Cambridge, Swansea and Birmingham and involves other institutions where specific expertise exists (Sheffield, Cranfield & Imperial College).* Maximum impact requires: 1. RR will manage the involvement of companies in the supply chain to enable the development of suitable manufacturing techniques.. 2. The application of the materials in land-based turbines, using the established relationship between RR and Alstom. * Active technical engagement with RR will build upon existing links between academic staff and RR staff. Each project in the programme will have a nominated technical specialist at RR who will attend regular technical review meetings held in the universities. Annual Gate Reviews will be held to assess development of materials and the involvement of appropriate commercial partners. Materials identified as suitable for adoption by industry at the end of the programme will have a RR technical representative assigned to champion their development and deployment. * The Programme will be managed by an Operations Board (made up of representatives from RR, EPSRC & each university). This will review developments in the individual projects & assign responsibilities within both RR & universities for uptake of technologies into industry. * A dedicated website will be run from University of Cambridge to capture and maintain new knowledge as well as enabling easy dissemination of technical information within the partnership. * A formal collaboration agreement will be put in place before the programme. * Issues associated with the manufacture and the supply chain will be addressed by the appropriate partners in collaboration with the relevant funding agencies. UK policy makers * Oversight of progress and developments on the programme, as well as coordination with other activities, will be achieved through attendance of the Governance and Operations Boards by members of the Energy Materials Working Group, EPSRC and TSB. * EPSRC & TSB will provide assistance in the delivery of the new materials into the industrial sector through the identification of suitable funding mechanisms to support their continued development beyond this programme. UK population * On-line material will be developed to give a basic understanding of the problems and applications as well as enabling those interested to follow the progress of the project. * This will be done in collaboration with the Naked Scientists , who produce science highly popular radio programmes and podcasts. It is hoped to contribute toward recruiting more undergraduates into engineering and physical sciences.
Organisations
Publications
Anderson M
(2016)
Application of a multi-component mean field model to the coarsening behaviour of a nickel-based superalloy
in Acta Materialia
Anderson M
(2018)
Mean-field modelling of the intermetallic precipitate phases during heat treatment and additive manufacture of Inconel 718
in Acta Materialia
Baris A
(2017)
Observation of crack microstructure in oxides and its correlation to oxidation and hydrogen-uptake by 3D FIB Tomography - case of Zr-ZrO 2 in reactor
in Materials at High Temperatures
Baris A
(2018)
Chemical and microstructural characterization of a 9 cycle Zircaloy-2 cladding using EPMA and FIB tomography
in Journal of Nuclear Materials
Basoalto H
(2016)
An extension of mean-field coarsening theory to include particle coalescence using nearest-neighbour functions
in Acta Materialia
Basoalto HC
(2018)
A computational study on the three-dimensional printability of precipitate-strengthened nickel-based superalloys.
in Proceedings. Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences
Busso E
(2010)
Effects of breakaway oxidation on local stresses in thermal barrier coatings
in Acta Materialia
Christofidou K
(2018)
On the Effect of Nb on the Microstructure and Properties of Next Generation Polycrystalline Powder Metallurgy Ni-Based Superalloys
in Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A
Cruchley S
(2014)
Characterisation of subsurface oxidation damage in Ni based superalloy, RR1000
in Materials Science and Technology
Cruchley S
(2015)
Comparison of Chromia Growth Kinetics in a Ni-based Superalloy, with and without Shot-peening
in Corrosion Science
Cruchley S
(2013)
Chromia layer growth on a Ni-based superalloy: Sub-parabolic kinetics and the role of titanium
in Corrosion Science
Cruchley S
(2015)
The role of oxidation damage in fatigue crack initiation of an advanced Ni-based superalloy
in International Journal of Fatigue
Cruchley S
(2015)
Effect of prior oxidation on high cycle fatigue performance of RR1000 and role of oxidation in fatigue crack initiation
in Materials at High Temperatures
Cruchley S
(2014)
Cautionary note on use of focused ion beam sectioning as technique for characterising oxidation damage in Ni based superalloys
in Materials at High Temperatures
Daus F
(2007)
Mechanical and microstructural assessments of RR1000 to IN718 inertia welds - effects of welding parameters
in Materials Science and Technology
Ding R
(2009)
The role of carbide additions in the mechanical properties and microstructure of NbTiAl alloys
in IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering
Ding R
(2012)
Microstructure and mechanical property of directionally solidified Ti-46Al-0.5W-0.5Si alloys with and without Gd
in Intermetallics
Ding R
(2011)
In situ hydride formation in titanium during focused ion milling.
in Journal of electron microscopy
Ding R
(2010)
Influence of carbides on the strength and toughness of a niobium alloy
in Materials Science and Technology
Ding R
(2012)
Transmission electron microscopy of deformed Ti-6Al-4 V micro-cantilevers
in Philosophical Magazine
Ding R
(2009)
The role of Hf and TiC additions in the mechanical properties and microstructure of NbAlV alloys
in Materials Science and Engineering: A
Ding R
(2015)
Electron microscopy study of direct laser deposited IN718
in Materials Characterization
Ding R
(2011)
Application of a novel EBSD-FIB method to the transmission of c + a dislocations through / interfaces Ti-6Al-4V for producing in situ tension transmission electron microscopy specimens
in Journal of Electron Microscopy
Ding R
(2015)
Features of fracture surface in a fully lamellar TiAl-base alloy
in Intermetallics
Ding R
(2018)
Influence of low CO concentration on catalysed carbon deposition on 20Cr25Ni steel in CO2 environments containing ethene
in Corrosion Science
Ding R
(2011)
An FIB-SEM slice-and-view study of three-dimensional beta phase distribution in Ti-6Al-4V.
in Journal of electron microscopy
Edmonds I
(2009)
The Role of the ?' Precipitate Dispersion in Forming a Protective Scale on Ni-Based Superalloys at 750 °C
in Oxidation of Metals
Evans H
(2013)
A mechanism for stress-aided grain boundary oxidation ahead of cracks
in Scripta Materialia
Evans H
(2011)
Oxidation failure of TBC systems: An assessment of mechanisms
in Surface and Coatings Technology
Flint T
(2018)
Prediction of grain structure evolution during rapid solidification of high energy density beam induced re-melting
in Materials & Design
Gong Y
(2017)
On the breakaway oxidation of Fe9Cr1Mo steel in high pressure CO2
in Acta Materialia
Guo Y
(2012)
Characterization of Dissimilar Linear Friction Welds of a-ß Titanium Alloys
in Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance
Guo Y
(2017)
Spatial variation of microtexture in linear friction welded Ti-6Al-4V
in Materials Characterization
Guo Y
(2013)
Microstructure and microhardness of Ti6246 linear friction weld
in Materials Science and Engineering: A
Htwe Y
(2018)
Anisotropy of < a > slip behaviour in single-colony lamellar structures of Ti-6Al-4V
in Materials Science and Engineering: A
Hu D
(2012)
Solidification and grain refinement in Ti45Al2Mn2Nb1B
in Intermetallics
Hu D
(2012)
Grain refinement in beta-solidifying Ti44Al8Nb1B
in Intermetallics
Hu D
(2009)
Microstructure and tensile properties of cast Ti-44Al-4Nb-4Hf-0.1Si-0.1B alloy with refined lamellar microstructures
in Intermetallics
Hu D
(2010)
Tensile Ductility of Cast TiAl Alloys
in Materials Science Forum
Huang A
(2009)
The formation of grain boundary gamma during cooling of Ti46Al8Nb
in Intermetallics
Huang Y
(2014)
The structural relaxation effect on the nanomechanical properties of a Ti-based bulk metallic glass
in Journal of Alloys and Compounds
Huang Z
(2011)
Characterization of the Weld Line Zones of an Inertia Friction Welded Superalloy
in Advanced Materials Research
Huang Z
(2011)
Electron microscopy characterization of the weld line zones of an inertia friction welded superalloy
in Journal of Materials Processing Technology
Hung Y
(2009)
Fatigue crack growth and load redistribution in Ti/SiC composites observed in situ
in Acta Materialia
Jackson R
(2011)
Oxidation Study of an EB-PVD MCrAlY Thermal Barrier Coating System
in Oxidation of Metals
Jiang H
(2011)
Microstructure and properties of hot isostatically pressed powder and extruded Ti25V15Cr2Al0·2C
in Materials Science and Technology
Jiang H
(2010)
Nucleation of massive gamma during air cooling of Ti46Al8Ta
in Intermetallics
Jiang H
(2009)
Thermal stability of the omega phase in Zr-containing TiAl alloys
in Journal of Alloys and Compounds
Jiang H
(2009)
Characterization of microplasticity in TiAl-based alloys
in Acta Materialia
Khoshkhou D
(2016)
Three-dimensional displacement mapping of diffused Pt thermal barrier coatings via synchrotron X-ray computed tomography and digital volume correlation
in Scripta Materialia
| Description | Fundamental understanding of processing-microstructure-property correlations has allowed: new alloys to be introduced; life extension of existing components to be supported; and, new joining methods to be introduced into the arduous environment of a gas turbine aero-engine. |
| Exploitation Route | The joining techniques could find applications in other sectors of transportation and power generation industries. The new alloys also have applications to other areas such as their use in turbo-chargers for automotive transportation. Also, the lifing methodologies developed have applicability to land- based power generation. |
| Sectors | Aerospace Defence and Marine Energy Transport |
| Description | Fundamental studies have allowed the incorporation of new alloys TiAl into the up-rated version of a new engine (2015) and to be introduced into service in the near future. They have also facilitated the use of new joining techniques for engines which are now flying (2014-2015). Finally they have allowed life extension methodologies which are expected to save many millions of pounds to the engine fleet over the next 30 years in service. In addition this Strategic Partnership allowed the University of Birmingham to bid for the RPIF HTRC project with Rolls-Royce. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2013 |
| Sector | Aerospace, Defence and Marine |
| Impact Types | Economic |
| Description | ATI |
| Amount | £2,300,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | TS/N010825/1 |
| Organisation | Innovate UK |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2016 |
| End | 03/2019 |
| Description | ATI |
| Amount | £16,000,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | TS/N001222/1 |
| Organisation | Innovate UK |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 06/2016 |
| End | 06/2018 |
| Description | ATI |
| Amount | £13,000,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | TS/L008831/1 |
| Organisation | Innovate UK |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2014 |
| End | 03/2017 |
| Description | EPSRC Programme Grant |
| Amount | £2,000,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/P00878/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 08/2016 |
| End | 08/2020 |
| Description | FP7 |
| Amount | £1,009,357 (GBP) |
| Organisation | European Union |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | European Union (EU) |
| Start | 05/2011 |
| End | 06/2016 |
| Description | H2020 |
| Amount | £1,500,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | European Union |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | European Union (EU) |
| Start | 03/2016 |
| End | 03/2019 |
| Description | Research Grant |
| Amount | £9,000,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/M005607/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2014 |
| End | 09/2019 |
| Description | Rolls-Royce Plc |
| Amount | £1,111,400 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Rolls Royce Group Plc |
| Sector | Private |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2010 |
| Description | University Technology Centre with TIMET |
| Amount | £1,000,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Timet UK Ltd |
| Sector | Private |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2012 |
| End | 09/2017 |