Date: Jan 01, 2013 Source: SBIR Success Stories (
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R&D Opportunity:
A key limitation of turbine efficiency has been the failure of parts at high temperature operating conditions, where efficiency is greatest. In FY 2010, through the SBIR program, the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Fossil Energy funded research and development activities to explore innovative surface cooling and internal cooling approaches that allow ceramic and metal gas engine turbine parts to survive in working fluids with higher temperatures.
Solution:
Mikro Systems, Inc. developed a unique ceramic core casting technology (TOMOsm) that permits the intricate design and casting of enhanced heat transfer features on gas turbine blades. The Mikro approach allows new cooling surface features to be created that would not be possible with current casting processes. Further, this alternate core casting technology will seamlessly integrate into existing multimillion dollar casting processes used by the industry and quickly revolutionize the industry's ability to enhance both existing and future turbines with new blade designs.
Impact:
Mikro's approach is a breakthrough technology for both development and manufacture of ceramic casting cores. It enables faster and lower-cost development of advanced gas turbine blades, and the process can be scaled up for volume production. Further, the Mikro technology supports design features that would not be possible to produce with conventional core casting technology. Production lead time can be improved by 70 percent and development costs reduced by as much as 50 percent when compared to conventional core casting manufacturing processes. A cost advantage was also demonstrated with tooling costs amounting to $50,000 -- $100,000 compared to $250,000 -- $300,000 for conventional tooling.
