Inconel
Inconel is a trademark of Special Metals Corporation for a range of corrosion-resistant nickel-based alloys . They are mainly used for high temperature applications. In the English-speaking world, they are often abbreviated with Inco . In addition to Inconel, the trade names Chronin , Altemp , Haynes , Nickelvac and Nicrofer are also common.
composition
The individual products have different compositions. What they all have in common is nickel as the main component and chromium as the most important secondary component. In addition, the following elements can be included: iron , molybdenum , niobium , cobalt , manganese , copper , aluminum , titanium , silicon , carbon , sulfur , phosphorus and boron .
properties
The alloys have good corrosion resistance, making them suitable for use in extreme environments. When heated, a thick, stable oxide layer forms that protects the surface. The strength is maintained over a wide temperature range . This makes the alloys particularly interesting for high temperature applications in which aluminum and steel are unstable.
processing
Inconel alloys are considered difficult to work for classical forming techniques as rapid hardening begins. In further forming steps, either the machine tool or the tool is therefore deformed. For this reason, a powerful but slow machine tool is mostly used, so that the number of process steps required is kept as small as possible. Alternatively, it is also possible to carry out only the last process steps cold. Threaded holes are made by welding or soldering steel inserts with internal threads. Cutting is often carried out with a water jet cutting machine, and ceramic can also be used as a cutting material. The welding designed as a result of cracking and separation of the alloy components near the weld also difficult. Further developments in the alloy formulation are intended to remedy or alleviate this problem. The most common way to deal with this, however, is tungsten inert gas welding , but electron beam or rotary friction welding are also common joining technologies. A special way in the preparation of superdraco - rocket nozzles trodden in which the alloy by laser sintering in a 3D printing is molded process so that only a few finishing steps are necessary.
Applications
Inconel alloys are often used in areas with extremely high temperature loads. Compressor and turbine blades or combustion chambers in gas turbines are typical areas of application. It can also be used in turbochargers and as a material for exhaust valves in supercharged combustion engines. There they replace the sodium-filled outlet valves. Because of the high price, they are only suitable for tuning and motorsport. In Formula 1 u. a. Inconel exhaust manifold . Further applications can be found in chemical reactors and steam boilers, as well as silencers in firearms. Inconel is widely used, for example, in reactors, nuclear reactors, pipelines and valves in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. One area of application is here, for example, in the processing of media containing H 2 S and / or CO 2 . In addition to other nickel-based alloys, there are alternatives in chemical plant construction as well as components made from unalloyed steels or GRP, B. from perfluoroalkoxylalkane (PFA), are lined. Enamelled components are also used in practice .
The outer skin of the X-15 rocket plane and several different components of the Airbus A380 were also constructed with one of the alloys.
Individual evidence
- ^ High-Performance Alloys ( Memento from April 28, 2013 in the web archive archive.today ), Special Metals Corporation
- ↑ Special Alloys ( Memento of the original from June 5, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , Source 1 Alloys
- ↑ INCONEL alloy 600 ( Memento of the original from April 19, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF; 161 kB), Special Metals Corporation
- ↑ INCONEL alloy 625 ( Memento of the original from February 26th, 2009) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF; 576 kB), Special Metals Corporation
- ↑ INCONEL alloy 718 (PDF, 235 kB), Special Metals Corporation
- ↑ Elon Musk at the presentation of the spaceship on May 29, 2014 from 8:30 a.m.; https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=yEQrmDoIRO8
- ↑ Power Generation ( Memento from September 14, 2012 in the web archive archive.today ), Special Metals Corporation.
- ↑ Chemical Processing ( Memento from October 6, 2014 in the web archive archive.today ), Special Metals Corporation.
- ^ About Good Fabrications ("Performance inconel exhaust manufacturers for racecars").
- ↑ Robert S. Houston, Richard P. Hallion, and Ronald G. Boston, EDITOR'S INTRODUCTION, "Transiting from Air to Space: The North American X-15" , The Hyper Sonic Revolution: Case Studies in the History of Hypersonic Technology , Air Force History and Museums Program, 1998. NASA.gov.
