THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS

345 E. 47th St, New York, N.Y. 10017 96-GTr219

The Society shall not be responsible for statements or opinions advanced in papers or discussion at meetings of the Society or of its Divisions
Sections, or printed in its publications. Dicelogsion is printed only if the paper is published in an ASME Journal. Authorization to photocopy
material for internal or personal use under circumstance not falling within the fair use provisions of the Copyright Act is granted by ASME to
libraries and other users registered with the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC) Transactional Reporting Service provided that the base fee of
$0.30 per page Is paid dire* to the CCC. 27 Congress Street, Salem MA 01970. Requests for special permission or bulk reproduction shadd be ad-
dressed to the ASME Tedmical PublisNng Department.

Copyright 0 1996 by ASME All Rights Reserved Printed in U.SA.

JOINING OF WROUGHT NI-BASE COMBUSTOR ALLOYS

A. M. Ritter, M. R. Jackson, N. Abuaf, M. A. Lacey, and A. S. Feitelberg
GE Corporate Research & Development
Schenectady, New York

P. Lang
Acraline Products, Inc.
III I III MIMI I I 111111
Tipton, Indiana

In many advanced combustor concepts, such as the RQL (rich-quench-lean) combustor, the requirement of
low NOx emission makes film cooling of the hot gas path surfaces undesirable. Double-walled structures
with relatively low aspect ratio (height/width) rectangular passages and with well-controlled thin hot .
gas side metal walls are an alternative to film cooling. The additional application of other cooling
techniques, such as impingement and surface enhancements, make efficient use of the limited cooling air
available. However, the use of cooling channels to increase heat transfer coefficients on the coolant
side may ultimately require well-bonded structures. Alternate methods of bonding have been considered
for Ni-base alloy HA230-to-HA230 joints in thin-walled structures, with emphasis on bonds produced by
hot isostatic pressing and by laser welding. For hot isostatic pressed (HIPed) structures, mechanical
strength and ductility have been measured as a function of temperature for structures prepared after a
number of different surface cleaning treatments prior to joining. The surface cleanliness has been
characterized by scanning electron microscopy, and the after-HIP bond line microstructure has been
evaluated as formed and after mechanical testing. Characterization of laser welds produced at Laserdyne
for Acraline Products has consisted of scanning electron microscopy of the weld surfaces and
metallography of weld/substrate cross-sections, looking at solidification/heat affected features and
defects.

Acknowledgment: Portions of this work were supported by the U.S. Department of Energy,
Morgantown Energy Technology Center, under contract number DE-AC2I-87MC23170, with Abbie
Weigand-Layne and Ed Parsons serving as the METC project managers.

INTRODUCTION
Advanced cooling concepts now under development at GE
Corporate R&D, GE Power Generation and GE Aircraft Engines for
low-emissions combustors [Ritter, 1995] may require the
fabrication of complicated cooling channels in thin-walled
structures to achieve reasonable metal temperatures (Fig. I).
These structures have channel sizes and hot- and cold-wall
dimensions that may exceed the capabilities of the fragile ceramic
cores used in casting. making the component difficult to fabricate
by conventional means. Since more efficient cooling structures
may allow cooling flow reduction of 35-60% without increasing
metal temperatures. new methods for fabrication of double-walled
("2cool") structures have been developed here. The fabrication slot for cooling air
involves processes or a combination of processes including HIP, access to cooling
wrought processing, and various welding and joining processes; channels
and can include our demonstrated capability to incorporate metal
powder to make part or all of the structure. The "2cool" techniques
are currently being used to make one-of-a-kind pieces with
different complex cooling channels which can be tested for heat.
transfer characteristics; test panels with surface roughness tailored
to enhance heat transfer; and prototypes which can be further
optimized relative to fabrication techniques and for cooling
effectiveness, before component manufacture for power systems.

As pan of a DOE contract [Cook, 1993; Bowen, 1995], we have

fabricated a "2cool" RQL combustor, with circumferential cooling
channels and a complex part geometry (Fig. 2). Testing of this
combustor using coal gas as the fuel is planned for the first quarter Figure I. "2cool" combustor liner prototype schematic drawing
of 1996, and will allow evaluation of the combustor design and photograph with thin-walled axial cooling channels.
concepts (heat transfer, and thermal and stress analysis), as well as
Presented at the International Gas Turbine and Aeroeugine Congress 8s Exhibition
Downloaded From: https://proceedings.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org onBirmingham,
07/02/2019 TermsUK
of Use: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/terms-of-use
— June 10-13,1996
 Figure 2. Photograph and schematic drawing of circumferentially-cooled "2cool" rich-stage combustor liner.
the effectiveness of the fabrication methods. The combustor has
been fabricated by welding an outer shell to a channeled hot wall.
However, the possibility of part distortion in a partially-bonded
structure in service suggests that fully-bonded structures, such as
can be produced in HIP processing, may eventually be needed. For
this reason, we have concentrated on HIP processes and the
cleaning procedures leading to the best properties, as well as work
on laser welding as a fabrication method.
EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
We have made several assemblies to evaluate the effects of HIP
and materials interactions (from HIP can structures and leachable
materials used as temporary mandrels to form eventual channels)
on properties of the Ni-base alloy Haynes 230 (HA230; Ni-22Cr-
14W-3Fe-2Mo-0.55i-0.5Mn-0.4A1-0.1C, in weight-percent) to be
used in the combustor walls. Figure 3 shows the assemblies and
the test bar configuations. In the first assembly, HA230 sheet was
sandwiched between either monel (Ni-30Cu), steel, or HA230
sheet. After HIP, the monel or steel layers were etched away. The
excess HA230 in the central region was machined away, and
Downloaded From: https://proceedings.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org on 07/02/2019 Terms of Use: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/terms-of-use
dogbone-shaped tensile bars were prepared from the remaining
HA230. Comparison of the resulting properties would show any
degradation in properties of the HA230 due to interaction with the
steel and monel leachable materials. The second assembly
consisted of multiple 0.08" (2mm) thick layers of HA230 which
when HIPed allowed testing of joined interfaces under normal
loading. Samples were EDMed from the HIPed structure, and test
bars with 0.2" (5mm) diameter button heads and 0.080" (2mm)
gauge sections were centerless ground. Nominally, seven
interfaces were contained within the uniform gauge length.
Testing resulted in a worst-bond evaluation out of each HIP stack,
the worst bond being the one to fail in the tensile tests. Testing
was carried out from mom temperature to 1800°F (980°C).
First tests of bond lines after a standard degreasing + alcohol
cleaning resulted in reasonable yield strengths, but lower than
expected values for ultimate tensile strength and ductility.
Investigation of the as-received HA230 sheet indicated a
considerably contaminated surface. Additional cleaning studies
were necessary for development of a more ductile structure.
 For laser welding trials, samples of HA230 sheet 0.156" (4mm)
thick by 6" (152mm) by 1" (25mm) were machined to form two
channels 0.046" (1.17mm) deep by 0.28" (7.Imm) wide running
along the 6" (152mm) length. These dimensions simulate the
structure of -channel in the RQL combustor liner: - These pieces
were joined in laser welding studies at a vendor as a trial of
3.5" (89mm) conditions to be used in joining the "2cool" RQL combustor liner.
HIP, etch monel, steel, machine dog-bone tensiles to
verify that the sacrificial steel and monel will not RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
degrade the HA230 properties.
Tensile and Rupture Prnperties
Effect of HIP Processing: Test bars of HA230 HIPed
between sheets of monel and steel, the leachable materials to be
used in the RQL combustor liner assembly, have been tensile and
rupture tested. These are sheet samples, with the large flat surfaces
of the test bar being the surfaces from which the leachable
materials were etched. The results are compared below to values
for a parallel test where the HA230 was HIPed between foils of the
HIP HA230 pieces together and machine same alloy. This experiment is designed to determine if there is
likely to be any degradation in properties of HA230 due to surface
button-head tensile samples. effects during the HIP process, or due to the etching process. The
tensile results for the three types of sample stack-ups are shown
Figure 3. Assemblies hot isostatically pressed for evaluation of in Table 1 below.
properties of the combustor alloy HA230.
The strengths and ductilities are reasonable for the HA230
To determine if there was a practical cleaning method which could exposed to interdiffusion with monel or steel, to the etching
be applied to "2cool" structures, four additional stacks of 0.080" process, or to a combination. However, there has been some
(2mm) thick HA230 were prepared so that tensile samples could be degradation relative to HA230 tensile properties after similar
machined and tested normal to the prepared bond planes. The four thermal treatments. Results of rupture testing to determine the
conditions included: effects of diffusion and/or etching on rupture behavior in air at
1600°F/12ksi (870°C/83 MPa) are shown in Table 2.
a) glass bead blast + caustic clean + acid etch
b) vapor blast + caustic clean + acid etch These results indicate that in rupture at 1600 °F (870°C), there is
c) caustic clean + acid etch . essentially no effect of monel or steel interdiffusion from HIPing
d) caustic clean + acid etch + electropolish with HA230, or of the etching process to remove those leachable
elements, on rupture ductility or on life. The Haynes Alloy 230
data base indicates a nominal 100h life at 1600°F/12.1ksi
The caustic cleaning was in a commercial cleanser/citrus-base (870°083.4MPa), so the results further indicate essentially no
degreaser (biodegradable); the acid etch was 21.5% MCI, 1.8% effect of the HIP cycle on subsequent rupture life.
HNO3, balance H20, at I40°F for one minute, followed by an
alcohol rinse.

Table I

Sample Time Temperature. 0.2% Y.S U.T.S. Elongation

HA230 sandwiched 70°F (23°C) 71 ksi (490NIPa) 123 ksi (848MPa) 32%
in HA230 foil 1400 (760) 47 (324) 75(517) 46
1600(870) 39 (269) 40 (276) 53

HA230 sandwiched 70 (23° C) 60 (414) 107 (738) 19

in monel 1400 (760) 39 (269) 58 (400) 31
1600 (870) • 38 (262) 41(283) 39

HA230 sandwiched 70 (23 °C) 59 (407) . 107 (738) 20

in steel 1400 (760) 39 (269) 65 (448) 39
1600(870) 35 (241) 37(255) 45
Y. S. is yield strength, U. T. S. is ultimate tensile strength

Downloaded From: https://proceedings.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org on 07/02/2019 Terms of Use: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/terms-of-use

 Table 2
Total
Sample Type 3600°F/12ksilair Life ?Ionisation
(870°C/83MPa air Life)
HA230 sandwiched in HA230 foil 133.4 hours 55%
HA230 sandwiched in monel 115.0 55
HA230 sandwiched in steel 161.0 61

Table I

Temperature 0.2% Yield Ultimate Total

Strength Tensile Strength Elongation
stack/literature* stack/literature* stack/literature*

70 °F (23°C) 58/57 ksi (400/393MPa) 96/125 ksi (662/862MPa) 13/48 To

1200 (649) 41/39 (283/269) 70/97 (483/669) 7/55
1400 (760) 38/41 (262/283) 56/85 (386/586) 5/46
1600 (870) 35/32 (241/221) 47/58 (324/400) 2/59
1800(980) 18/17 (124/117) 18/32 (124/221) 2/70

*stack: HIPed sample tested in short transverse sheet orientation across interfaces.
literature: cold rolled & solution annealed sample tested in longitudinal sheet direction [Haynes International, 1990].

Interfacial Cleanliness
Test results for a HIP assembly of ten stacked sheets of 0.08"
(2mm) HA230, with tensile test bars EDM'ed such that the HIP
interfaces were normal to the loading axis, are listed in Table 3.
This data is for the cleaning procedure involving degreasing and
alcohol rinsing. For comparison, data are shown from the Haynes
Alloy 230 data base, for longitudinal properties. It should be kept
in mind that the real comparison would be to short transverse
properties of such wrought material, but no such data exists for
these small thickness sheets. Yield strengths of the HIPed stack
are comparable to the literature values. Failure occurred at the HIP
over the ductilities of the as-received samples (Fig. 5). Compared
with the literature values for HA230 tested in the longitudinal
direction (Table 3), the cleaned HA230 samples were much less
ductile at all temperatures. However, the ductilities for samples
cleaned using Method D were quite reasonable. This process
included electropolishing as a final step, which resulted in a very
clean smooth surface on the foils. However, electropolishing may
not be a viable method for a final finish on all "2cool" structures
prior to assembly.
Ultimate Tensile Streng th, ksi

interfaces at low elongations, possibly due to contamination, and 140

this resulted in lower than literature values for ultimate strength.
120 -
Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the surface of the as-
received plus cleaned (degreased and alcohol-rinsed) HA230 sheet
showed a pocked surface with considerable contamination both 100 -
within the pocks and within the fiat regions of the surface. The
contamination is probably oxide particles rolled into the surface 80 -
during either hot deformation or cold deformation of the sheet. A
simple 1470°F (800°C) heat treatment for 4 hours in H2 did not 60 • degr/alcohol
change the surface substantially. The effects of the other cleaning 0 Method A
methods, described in the "Experimental Procedure" section, were 40 - 0 Method B
also evaluated by SEM. The results are summarized in Table 4, and
indicate that the quality of the surface cleanliness and finish can be
a
Method C
20 - • Method D
affected by the cleaning method. To determine what effect the •
cleaning method has on the bond strength, additional HIP stacks
of 0.080" (2mm) thick HA230 were tested normal to the bond 1000 2000
plane. The data for the different processes (listed in Experimental
Procedure) are in Table 5. There was little effect of the cleaning Test Temperature, °F
method on yield or ultimate strengths. However, relative to
strengths for the as-received condition (degreased + alcohol rinse), Figure 4. Ultimate tensile strength values for HA230 HIPed stack-
the ultimate tensile strengths of the cleaned samples were stronger ups cleaned by different methods prior to HIPing.
at all test temperatures except I400°F (760°C) (see Fig. 4). The
ductilities of the cleaned samples were significantly improved

Downloaded From: https://proceedings.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org on 07/02/2019 Terms of Use: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/terms-of-use

 Table 4

Ireatment Surface Condition

as-received pitted surface; alumina particles in pits and on flat regions of surface

degreased + alcohol cleaned pitted surface; alumina particles in pits and on flat regions of surface

I470°F (800 °C) heat treatment for 4 hours in H2 as-above; some grooving of grain boundaries

glass bead blast + caustic clean + acid etch (process A) roughened surface with no obvious particles

vapor blast + caustic clean + acid etch(process B) roughened surface with no obvious particles

caustic clean + acid etch (process C) pitted surface with particles in pits; pits may be more shallow
than for as-received
caustic clean + acid etch + electro-polish (process D) smooth metal surface with intergranular and intragranular phases
sticking up from surface

Four nuggets were continuous-circumferentially welded, full

penetration autogenous, around the 14" (356mm) diameter. On
60 one nugget, a single laser pass was made; on a second nugget, two
• deg/alcohol separated passes were made; on a third nugget, three passes were
0 Method A made, with a slight overlap of adjacent pools at the very bottom of
Stra in a t Frac tu re, %

50 -
the welds; the fourth nugget was welded with a wider laser traverse,
o Method B that width accomplished by rotating the laser beam, apparently
40 A Method C with about a 0.02-0.04" (0.5-Imm) diameter circular pattern while
• Method D the nugget was being traversed circumferentially.

30 -
20 -
10
1000
Test Temperature, °F
Figure 5. Ductility for HA230 stack-ups cleaned by different
methods.
fractorranhv and Metallopranhv of Joints
We have also evaluated laser spot welding as an assembly
technique for the RQL "2cool" combustor, characterizing the weld
microstructure for depth of penetration, cracking, porosity, and
the extent of the heat-affected-zone. Figure 6 shows micrographs
taken of laser welds of Hast-X to Hast-X through the cooling
nugget regions of large combustors. The welds were made for
r r
Acraline (Tipton, IN) by Laserdyne (Eden Prairie, MN).
Weld pools for the three nominally .04" (Imm) dia welds had
characteristic "keyhole" shapes, with weld metal protruding at the
bottom of the weld and a slight dimple at the top of the weld.
Metallography reveals there is very little flow into the gap
between the two sheets of Hast-X. The weld pools are sound, with
minor amounts of porosity, in the range of 0.001-0.002" (25-
50um) in size, except for the wide rotating laser beam weld which
had large cavities, 0.01-0.02" (0.25-0.5mm) dia, in the region of
the sheet-to-sheet gap at the periphery of the weld. There were
2000 obvious cracks in the weld metal near these very large pores.
Where weld metal had flowed into the gap regions, incomplete
bonding to the two sheets of the liquid produced features which
could be stress raisers under applied loads. The heat affected zone
in the Hast X showed grain boundary liquation and liquation around
some second phase particles. Some minor cracking in the HAZ
could also be found. Despite the defects observed on the
metallographic cross-sections of Hast-X-to-Hast-X welds, the
welds were very ductile in destructive evaluation.
Laser welds were also made on HA230 samples, using a variety of
conditions. This material was found to be less easily welded than
Hast-X, with more cracking and more porosity. Some of the
conditions used resulted in welds which had a nearly acceptable
level of porosity, and further trials are planned to optimize this
process.

Downloaded From: https://proceedings.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org on 07/02/2019 Terms of Use: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/terms-of-use

 Table 5

Procedure YS ksi (1‘1Pa) IlTS ksi (Ml's) %el ult* %el frac* .1./LA
70°F (23°C) tests
A 61.7 (425) 125.7 (867) 34 35 28
B 60.7 (419) 124.2 (856) 32 33 28
C 60.7 (419) 124.8 (460) 34 36 28
D 61.1 (421) 124.1 (456) 33 34 32
1200°F (649°C) tests
A 43.3 (299) 93.4 (644) 23 23 23
B 45.1 (311) 94.7 (653) 21 22 23
C 42.7 (294) 95.7 (660) 27 28 27
D 44.5 (307) 97.2 (670) 26 26 24
1400°F (760°C) tests
A 40.5 (279) 74.3 (512) 11 12 13
B 40.4 (279) 75.2 (519) 13 14 13
C 40.2 (277) 75.6 (521) 12 12 16
D 39.6 (273) 76.5 (527) 15 22 23
1600fT (870°C) tests
A 39.2 (270) 44.1 (304) 3.5 6.0 7.0
B 39.1 (270) 43.1 (297) 3.7 9.4 8.3
C 39.8 (274) 43.4 (299) 3.3 14 14
D 36.7 (253) 44.4 (306) 4.0 18 15
1800°F (980°C) tests
A 21.0 (145) 21.7 (150) 2.1 4.1 4.9
21.4 (148) 22.3 (154) 1.7 6.0 8.1
223 (154) 22.8 (157) 1.6 6.4 6.9
25.4 (175) 26.1 (180) 1.9 16 19

* strain at ultimate tensile strength

strain at fracture (total elongation)
nugget

double
weld

(a)

(C)
Figure 6. Schematic drawing showing weld locations (a); (b)
photomicrographof single weld (b); and some flash from weld
pool into the gap between the inner and outer walls (c).

Downloaded From: https://proceedings.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org on 07/02/2019 Terms of Use: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/terms-of-use

 CONCLUSIONS
I) Double-walled ("2cool") ROL. combustor liners can be
fabricated by joining an outer shell to a grooved inner cylinder.
2) Joining of such a structure made from HA230 can be
accomplished by HIP of the outer wall to the inner. The strength
and ductility of the HIPed interfaces are a function- of the
cleanliness of the interfaces. This is affected by the method used
for cleaning, with a combination of (caustic clean + acid etch +
electropolish) being most effective.
3) The "2cool" structure can also be fabricated by laser spot
welding the outer wall to the inner cylinder. The integrity (lack of
porosity or cracks) and strength of the welds is a function of the
material to be welded, and the welding parameters chosen.
Downloaded From: https://proceedings.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org on 07/02/2019 Terms of Use: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/terms-of-use
REFERENCES
Bowen, J.H., Feitelberg, A.S., Hung, S.L., Lacey, M.A., and
Manning. K.S., 1995,"Performance of Low Btu Fuel Gas Turbine
Combustors," in Proc. Advanced Coal-Fired Power Systems '95
Review.Meeting, DOEJMETC-95/1018, pp. 250-262.
Cook, C.S., Abuaf, N., Feitelberg, A.S., Hung, S.L., Najewicz,
DJ., and Samuels, M.S., 1993, "Combustion Tests of a Turbine
Simulator Burning Low Btu Fuel and a Rich-Quench-Lean
Combustor," DE-AC21-87MC23170, in Proc of the Coal-Fired
Power- Systems 93 -- Advances in IGCC and PFBC Review
Meeting, D.L. Bonk, ed., USDOE, Morgantown Energy
Technology Center, Morgantown, WV.
Haynes International, Inc., Kokomo, IN, 1990, Haynes Alloy 230
Brochure, H-30000.
Ritter, A.M., Jackson, M.R., Abuaf, N., Cunha, F., and
Kirkpatrick, F., 1993, GE Co., Schenectady, NY, unpublished
research.