Avoiding grain defects in single crystal components by application of a heat conductor technique

Abstract During single crystal solidification in turbine blades, grain defects are often formed in the platform region with abrupt variation in cross-section. In order to reduce grain defects arising from component geometries an HC (Heat Conductor) technique was developed. In the production process for ceramic shell moulds, a graphite heat conductor of excellent heat conductivity is inserted close to the inner corner of the platform. This effectively extracts local heat from this critical region during directional solidification. Numerical simulations show that by using HC the thermal condition in the platform region can be significantly improved. The single crystal growth in the blade body can spread into the platform more quickly before the melt at the platform extremity becomes deeply undercooled. Structural investigations reveal a remarkable reduction in grain defect formation, providing confirmation of the effectiveness of the HC technique in improving the casting quality of single crystal components.