Additive technologies for manufacturing swirlers of the combustion chamber of aircraft engines from nickel superalloy powders

<ns3:p>The key task of designing and operating modern aviation gas turbine engines (AGTEs), which operate at high temperatures and pressures, is to increase their reliability and durability. In particular, it applies to the swirler of the combustion chamber, which ensures the uniformity of the heat load. Traditional casting methods of manufacturing such parts are time-consuming and accompanied by the formation of technological defects and a decrease in the efficiency of blowing along the contours. The application of additive manufacturing using powders of heat-resistant high-nickel alloys allows you to eliminate these shortcomings, integrate the swirler parts into one single part, increase the efficiency of the production process and reduce the risk of defects. The aim of our work was to optimise the design of the swirler and develop the technological process of its manufacturing.Spherical nickel superalloy powders IN718 were researched in two size ranges, 50...200 μm and ≤ 63 μm. Metallographic research was performed on an EVO-40XVP scanning electron microscope; elemental analysis was performed on an OXFORD INCA Energy 350 energy dispersive spectrometer. The granulometric characteristics of the powders were determined using ImageJ software. The swirler was manufactured on the EOS M400 unit using the L-PBF method, the essence of which is the successive layer-by-layer fusion of the powder alloy. To increase the density and mechanical properties of the parts, hot isostatic pressing was performed.Combining several components of the swirler of aviation gas turbine engines into one part simplifies the design, reduces weight, and increases its technical and aerodynamic characteristics. The possibility of CAD modelling in designing complex geometric shapes and using L-PBF technology in manufacturing achieves it.Due to the accuracy of the reproduction of the given geometry of the outer and inner surfaces of the swirler and the maximum packing density of the pre-set granulometric parameters of the powder mixtures of the IN 718 alloy, it was possible to obtain the maximum reproducibility of the parts in 3D printing. It, in turn, will reduce the load on the structural components of the combustion chamber and turbine of the engine, increase the efficiency of its operation, and optimize the fuel combustion conditions. The swirler printed as a single part is characterised by greater stability of geometric characteristics that do not exceed permissible deviations and, as a result, stabilize the overall airflow along the contours.Based on the obtained research results, it was possible to increase the reliability and efficiency of the manufactured parts of aviation gas turbine engines.A new approach to the modeling and manufacturing a swirler for an aircraft gas turbine engine is proposed.</ns3:p>