Professional Documents
Culture Documents
& DEVELOPMENTS
Dr Malcolm C Thomas
Titanium Symposium, November 2007
1. Manufacture
3. Current Uses
5. Intermetallics
3
A GRAIN OF SAND
from the beach to Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce
Manufacture of titanium alloys
4
INTRODUCTION
z Titanium (Ti) is the 9th most abundant element, and is the 4th
most abundant metal out of the structurally useful metals.
z Extraction of metal from its ore is a lengthy and expensive
process.
z Only 5% of mined ore is converted to titanium sponge. The
remainder is used as pigment in paints.
z Titanium sponge is manufactured from ore using the Kroll process
developed by Dr William Kroll in 1940. This process is responsible
for 99% of current sponge production. Sponge is the primary
ingredient for titanium alloy production.
z The aerospace industry consumes 50% of the world’s annual
titanium alloy production of 25,000 tonnes. It is also used in the
petro-chemical and medical industries.
5
SPONGE MANUFACTURE
CONCENTRATED ORE Rutile ore obtained by dredging from beaches.
TiO2
TITANIUM CLEANLINESS
z Titanium is very susceptible to contamination during sponge
production and melting
z Heavy metals particularly with high melting points (eg, W, Mo) can,
and do, persist through multiple VAR melting (HDI)
z The reactivity of titanium means that exposure to air while still hot
can result in oxygen and nitrogen enriched defects (Type 1) which
can survive VAR melting (Sioux City crash)
z As a consequence, triple melt VAR was adopted by the industry as
a premium (rotor) grade requirement
z More recently cold hearth melting (CHM) has been developed (EB
or plasma)
- The longer residence time in CHM allows for the heavy metal
impurities to fall which are trapped in the hearth
- Type 1 defects have sufficient residence time to float and
dissolve
8
EB / PLASMA COLD HEARTH MELTING
The water-cooled
titanium scrap, Electron or plasma guns hearth contains weirs
sponge & alloys and dams to remove
impurities from the
molten metal as it
flows through the
hearth. The metal is
cast into retractable
moulds for
subsequent VAR
melting.
cooled hearth
cast
electrodes for
VAR
9
MATERIAL
Type I Defects High Density Inclusion Defects Premium Ti Production
3 45
40
2.5
35
2 30
No. Of Defects / million lbs
1.5
20
1 15
10
0.5
0 0
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Year
11
Pre 90
90 - 05
Average Ranking [0 to 4]
3 Current
0
Input Materials Red/Dist/Opening/Facilities Cake Removal/Shearing
Average Ranking [0 to 4]
3 Current
0
Input Mat's Primary Melt Secondary Melt Tertiary Melt
0
Input Mat's Hearth Melt Final Melt
Intercase
z Composite blades
z Being evaluated for future engines
z May replace solid titanium and hollow blades
z Cost of overall fan system will be the driver
z Hollow Titanium Blisks
z Combination of hollow fan blades and linear friction
welding
z Used for advanced military application
z Repair is key capability
20
Al Eq.
10
Ti 8-1-1
Ti 1100
Ti 6242
Ti 6-22-22
Ti 6-4
Ti 834
Ti 685
Ti 679
Ti 829
Ti 6-6-2
Ti 6-2-4-6
5
Ti 550
SP 700
Ti 10-2-3
5
B III
B CEZ
Ti 15-3-3-3
Ti -17
B 21S
10
15
BC
20
25
Mo Eq.
βt 104 101 101 102 995 105 950 100 955 975 985 940 910 900 890 770 800 840 760 675
5 5 5 5 0 0
Al 5.8 6 5.5 6 6 8 2.2 6 6 4 6 6 4.5 5 5 3 3 3 3
Sn 4 2.7 3.5 2 5
11 2 2 2 2 2 2 4.5 3
5
Zr 3.5 4 3 5 4 4 2 4 4 2 6 4
Nb 0.7 1 2.7
METALLURGY
z Alpha Titanium is hexagonal which limits available slip
systems and renders titanium more prone to texturing
z The microstructures can be complex and can vary widely
depending on processing and heat treatment
z Given that Titanium is temperature limited by its
reactivity, advances are most likely from a better
understanding of processing / properties / microstructure
z Radically new titanium alloys are unlikely
z The most promising areas are Ti-Al intermetallics and
better burn resistant alloys
z Near alpha titanium alloys exhibit a complex
phenomenon called cold dwell fatigue
22
Discs – Failures
BETA GRAINS
Alpha colony
24
Prior Beta Grain * Billet itself sets starting bulk chemistry, Grain Boundary
initial partitioning, macro/microstructure Morphology
Billet* preheat, and crystallography
temperature, time and Forge temperature,
ramp rate, transfer time strain and strain rate,
to press, strain and strain transfer time and
rate during forging, press media for post forge
time and hold periods cooling
σ
26
COLD DWELL
z Significant research ongoing
z Timescales
z Targets identified and literature review 1993
z Alloy certified 1997
z 20Kg weight saving achieved for Trent 890B
33
Engineering Benefit
High strength = improved over-speed.
Temperature capability = Ti 6-4 +150 ºC
Good crack growth and fracture toughness
34
Source: J.J.Kruzic et al, Fatigue Crack Propagation In Gamma Based TiAl Alloys at Large and Small Cracks Sizes. in
High-Temperature Ordered Intermetallics VIII, MRS Sym.Proc., Boston, MA, U.S.A, 1999
39
CONCLUSIONS
z Current useage levels of titanium in aero engines are likely to
continue
z More demanding performance requirements will limit titanium
useage as temperature increases
z The titanium industry has improved its quality performance
and further dramatic changes are unlikely
z The use of alloys with capability beyond 6246 will depend on
new technical breakthrough
z The introduction of gamma titanium aluminide will permit the
use of Ti in new areas of the engine, eg, Turbines
z Better life cycle costs will only be achieved with a better
understanding of life limiting behaviour such as cold dwell