Patent Description:
Many types of machines have protective coatings applied to interior components of the machines. For example, turbine engines may have thermal barrier coatings (TBC) applied to blades, nozzles, and the like, on the inside of the engines. These coatings can deteriorate over time due to environmental conditions in which the engines operate, wear and tear on the coatings, etc. Unchecked deterioration of the coatings can lead to significant damage to the interior components of the engines.

The outer casings or housings of turbine engines usually do not provide large access openings to the interior of the casings or housings. Because these coatings may be on the surfaces of components on the inside of the engines, restoring these coatings can require disassembly of the engines to reach the coatings. Disassembly of the engines can involve significant expense and time, and can result in systems relying on the engines (e.g., stationary power stations, aircraft, etc.) being out of service for a long time.

Some spray devices that restore coatings can be inserted into the small openings in the casings or housings without disassembling the engines, but these spray devices usually operate by moving the spray devices or components in the spray devices in order to apply the different components of the coatings. This movement can be difficult to control and can make it very difficult to apply an even, uniform restorative coating on interior surfaces of the engines.

<CIT> relates to a method of repairing an abradable coating of a compressor of a gas turbine, where a worn abradable coating is repaired.

In one aspect, an atomizing spray nozzle device includes plural inlets disposed at a first end of the device along a center axis of the device. The inlets are configured to receive different phases of materials used to form a coating. The device also includes atomizing zone housing portion fluidly coupled with the inlets and disposed along the center axis of the device. The atomizing zone housing is configured to receive the different phases of the materials from the inlets. The atomizing zone housing is shaped to mix the different phases of the materials into a mixed phase slurry. The device also includes a plenum housing portion fluidly coupled with the atomizing housing portion along the center axis of the device. The plenum housing portion includes an interior plenum that is elongated along the center axis of the device. The plenum is configured to receive the mixed phase slurry from the atomizing zone. The device also includes one or more delivery nozzles fluidly coupled with the plenum. The one or more delivery nozzles provide one or more outlets from which the mixed phase slurry is delivered onto one or more surfaces of a target object as a coating on the target object.

The system includes the atomizing spray nozzle device and an equipment controller configured to control rotation of a turbine engine into which the atomizing spray nozzle device is inserted during spraying of the mixed phase slurry by the atomizing spray nozzle device into the turbine engine.

In one aspect, a system includes the atomizing spray nozzle device and a spray controller configured to control one or more of a pressure of the slurry provided to the atomizing spray nozzle device, a pressure of a gas provided to the atomizing spray nozzle device, a flow rate of the slurry provided to the atomizing spray nozzle device, a flow rate of the gas provided to the atomizing spray nozzle device, a temporal duration at which the slurry is provided to the atomizing spray nozzle device, a temporal duration at which the gas is provided to the atomizing spray nozzle device, a time at which the slurry is provided to the atomizing spray nozzle device, and/or a time at which the gas provided to the atomizing spray nozzle device.

The present inventive subject matter will be better understood from reading the following description of non-limiting embodiments, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein below:.

One or more embodiments of the inventive subject matter described herein provide novel access tools and atomizing spray devices for producing a restorative coating for a turbine engine. The spraying access tool and spray nozzle devices possess unique and novel features that provide a restoration coating within a turbine engine without disassembly of the turbine engine. The spraying access tool, fluid delivery system, and spray nozzle devices can be employed through an access port in a turbine engine, such as a borescope port. The plugs for borescope parts can be easily removed and replaced with relatively little disruption to the operation of the turbine engine. A spray system includes a spray nozzle device for applying a restoration coating of, for example, a thermal barrier coating. While the description herein focuses on use of the spray system, access tool, and nozzle devices to apply restorative coatings on interior surfaces of turbine engines, the system, tool, and/or devices can be used to apply other, different coatings on interior or other surfaces of turbine engines, and/or can be used to apply coatings onto other surfaces of other machines. Unless specifically limited to turbine engines, thermal barrier coatings, or interior surfaces of turbine engines, not all embodiments described and claimed herein are so limited.

One or more embodiments of the spray devices described herein can be used to apply a spray coating that provides a chemical barrier coating to improve the resistance of the coating to attack by compounds such as calcium-magnesium alumino silicate. The chemical barrier coating also may provide some thermal improvement because of the thermal resistance of the spray coating. The chemical barrier coating can be applied in the field, in the overhaul shop, or even as a treatment to new components. Optionally, other coatings could be applied with the spray system and nozzle devices described herein.

One or more embodiments of the spraying access tool and spray nozzle device are designed to be employed inside a turbine engine at a fixed location that is set by the design of the spray access tool, the feedthrough into the turbine engine, and a mounting system for locating and fixing the feedthrough on the turbine case. The turbine is rotated (one or multiple shafts of the engine of the engine can be rotated) as the spray is delivered by the spray nozzle device to the rotating components that are being sprayed with restoration coating. The spray typically possesses particles of size of less than five microns (e.g., the largest outside dimension of any, all, or each of the particles along a linear direction is no greater than five microns). As a result of the coating restoration, the time between overhauls of the turbine engine can be extended.

One or more novel features of the spray nozzle system include the use of an internal atomizing zone within the spray nozzle device and the use of a plenum post atomizing in the spray nozzle device. The plenum is an internal, elongated chamber in the spray device. The plenum is elongated (e.g., is longer) in a direction that is along or parallel to an axial direction or axis of the spray device (e.g., the direction in which the spray device is longest). The plenum can provide a supply of two-phase ceramic-liquid droplets in a carrier gas to the exit nozzles from the plenum. The elongated plenum allows for delivery of droplets from the array of exit orifices that provides a spray with a broad footprint. The broad spray allows uniform coverage of a coating on a component.

The spraying access tool and the spray nozzle device for providing a coating restoration system and process include multiple elements, such as a device to allow access to the turbine engine, and a system for controlled rotation of the turbine engine at less than a slow designated speed of no faster than one hundred revolutions per minute. This provides a system for full circumferential coating of the components that are being restored. The spray nozzle device atomizes a slurry and can coat the thermal barrier coating on the component using this slurry that is atomized within the spray nozzle device. A control system and a process can deliver slurry to the atomizing nozzles within the spray nozzle device. The system can control slurry and gas delivery pressure, flow rate, delivery duration, and delivery time within a full spray coating program. The system can allow for a whole spectrum of options in terms of coating generation.

A spray and coating process can include selecting a nozzle spray angle, spray width, spray rates, spray duration, the number of passes over the targeted component surface, and/or the suitability of a component for coating based on the condition of the coating being restored. An engine start up procedure can be used to cure the restoration coating. For example, the engine having the restored coating can be turned on, which generates heat that cures or speeds curing of the restored coating. Alternatively, a heating source can be introduced into the engine to affect local curing of the restoration coating. The curing device could also be employed with an element of engine rotation. The engine is rotated to speed up curing of the restored coating.

The spraying access tool and spray nozzle device have no moving components outside or inside the turbine engine during spraying of the restorative coating in one embodiment. Previous approaches use a spray nozzle that is moved over the surface on which coating deposition is being performed. The nozzle device employs no moving components inside the engine in one embodiment. This avoids parts being dropped or lost inside the engine during a coating procedure, and can provide for a more uniform coating.

The spray nozzle device can be configured to spray a full rotating blade set over the full three hundred sixty degrees of rotation of the blade around the shaft of the turbine engine with little to no blind spots or uncoated regions.

A control system can be used to supply slurry to the feedthrough and nozzle system to provide the restoration coating around the full annular area of the turbine engine. The ceramic slurry can be delivered to the nozzle system using individual tubes, coaxial tubes, or the like.

Different turbine architectures may require different nozzle devices and spray system designs. The feed through into the turbine engines for the nozzle device and spray system can be produced in a variety of manners, including three-dimensional or additive printing, which is rapid, relatively low cost, and well suited for this technology.

<FIG> illustrates one embodiment of a spray access tool <NUM>. The spray access tool <NUM> can be included in a spraying system described herein. The spray access tool <NUM> is elongated from an insertion end <NUM> to an opposite distal end <NUM> along a center axis <NUM>. The insertion end <NUM> is inserted into one or more openings into machinery in which the coating is to be applied (e.g., into the outer casing or housing of a turbine engine). The insertion end <NUM> includes an outer housing or casing <NUM> that extends around and at least partially encloses an atomizing spray nozzle device <NUM>. The nozzle device <NUM> sprays an atomized, multiple phase slurry onto the interior surfaces of the machinery. The distal end <NUM> of the access tool <NUM> is fluidly coupled with one or more conduits of the spraying system for receiving the multiple, different phase materials that are atomized and mixed within the spray nozzle device <NUM>.

In one embodiment, the atomizing spray nozzle device <NUM> applies the restoration coating using two fluid streams, a slurry of ceramic particles in a first fluid (such as alcohol or water) and a second fluid (e.g., a gas such as air, nitrogen, argon, etc.) to produce two-phase droplets of the ceramic particles within the fluid. The ceramic particles produce the restorative coating when the ceramic particles impact the component. The two-phase droplets are directed toward the region of the component that requires restoration after field exposure. The fluid temperature and component substrate are selected to affect evaporation of the fluid during the flight from the atomizing spray nozzle device <NUM> to the substrate or component surface such that the deposit consists largely of only ceramic particles, and minimal or little fluid and gas. While prior spraying solutions use a spray nozzle that is moved over the surface on which deposition is being performed, the access tool <NUM> and spray nozzle device <NUM> are not moved (e.g., relative to the outer casing or housing of the turbine engine) during spraying. In one embodiment, the spray nozzle device <NUM> can apply the restorative coating without cleaning the thermal barrier coating before application of the restorative coating.

<FIG> illustrates a cut-away view of one embodiment of a machine <NUM> in which the access tool <NUM> is inserted to spray the coating on interior components of the machine <NUM>. <FIG> illustrates a cross-sectional view of the machine <NUM> shown in <FIG>. <FIG> illustrates another cross-sectional view of the machine <NUM> shown in <FIG>. The machine <NUM> represents a turbine engine. The machine <NUM> includes an outer housing or casing <NUM> that circumferentially extends around and encloses a rotatable shaft <NUM> having several turbine blades or fans <NUM> (shown in <FIG> and <FIG>) coupled thereto. The outer casing <NUM> includes several openings or ports <NUM>, <NUM> that extend through the outer casing <NUM> and provide access into the interior of the outer casing <NUM>. These ports <NUM>, <NUM> can include stage one nozzle ports <NUM> and stage two nozzle ports <NUM> in the illustrated example, but optionally can include other openings or ports. The access tool <NUM> is shaped to fit inside one or more of the ports <NUM>, <NUM> such that the insertion end <NUM> of the access tool <NUM> (and the spray nozzle device <NUM>) are disposed inside the machine <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>. The opposite distal end <NUM> of the access tool <NUM> is located outside of the outer casing or housing <NUM> of the machine <NUM>. During spraying of the restorative coating, the mixed phase materials used to form the coating are fed to the access tool <NUM> through the distal end <NUM> and flow into the spray nozzle device <NUM>. The spray nozzle device <NUM> atomizes and mixes these materials into an airborne slurry that is sprayed onto components of the machine <NUM>, such as the turbine blades <NUM>. In one embodiment, the blades <NUM> can slowly rotate by the stationary spray nozzle device <NUM> during spraying of the restorative coating onto the blades <NUM>. Alternatively, not according to the invention, the restorative coating is sprayed onto the blades <NUM> or other surfaces inside the outer casing <NUM> of the machine <NUM> while the blades <NUM> or other surfaces remain stationary relative to the spray nozzle device <NUM>. The restorative coating on a thermal barrier coating can be applied to both surfaces of the turbine blade <NUM>. The pressure side of the blade <NUM> can be coated using the spray access tool <NUM> and spray nozzle device <NUM> that is inserted into the stage one nozzle borescope port <NUM>. The opposite suction side of the blade <NUM> can be coated using the same or another spraying access tool <NUM> and the same or another spray nozzle device <NUM> that is inserted through the stage two nozzle borescope port <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of an atomizing spray nozzle device <NUM>. <FIG> illustrates a side view of the atomizing spray nozzle device <NUM> shown in <FIG>. The spray nozzle device <NUM> can represent or be used in place of the spray nozzle device <NUM> shown in <FIG>. The spray nozzle device <NUM> is elongated along a center axis <NUM> from a feed end <NUM> to an opposite delivery end <NUM>. The spray nozzle device <NUM> is formed from one or more housings that form an interior plenum chamber <NUM> extending between the feed end <NUM> and the delivery end <NUM>. The interior plenum chamber <NUM> directs the flow of the materials forming the mixed phase slurry through and out of the spray nozzle device <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, the plenum <NUM> is elongated in or along the center axis <NUM> (also referred to as an axial direction of the device <NUM>). In the illustrated embodiment, the inlets <NUM>, <NUM> are not directly coupled with the nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, but are coupled with the plenum <NUM>, which is connected with the nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>.

The housings of the spray nozzle device <NUM> and the other spray nozzle devices shown and described herein may have a cylindrical outer shape that is closed at one end (e.g., the delivery end) and that has inlets (as described below) at the opposite end (e.g., the feed end <NUM>), with one or more internal chambers of different shapes formed inside the housing.

The spray nozzle device <NUM> includes several inlets <NUM>, <NUM> extending from the feed end <NUM> toward (but not extending all the way to) the delivery end <NUM>. These inlets <NUM>, <NUM> receive different phases of the materials that are atomized within the spray nozzle device <NUM> to form the airborne slurry that is sprayed onto the surfaces of the machine <NUM>. In the illustrated embodiment, one inlet <NUM> extends around, encircles, or circumferentially surrounds the other inlet <NUM>. The inlet <NUM> can be referred to as the outer inlet and the inlet <NUM> can be referred to as the inner inlet. Alternatively, the inlets <NUM>, <NUM> may be disposed side-by-side or in another spatial relationship. While only two inlets <NUM>, <NUM> are shown, more than two inlets can be provided.

The inlets <NUM>, <NUM> may each be separately fluidly coupled with different conduits of a spraying system that supplies the different phases of materials to the spray nozzle device <NUM>. These conduits can extend through or be coupled with separate conduits in the access tool <NUM> that are separately coupled with the different inlets <NUM>, <NUM>. This keeps the different phase materials separate from each other until the materials are combined and atomized inside the spray nozzle device <NUM>.

The spray nozzle device <NUM> includes an atomizing zone housing <NUM> that is fluidly coupled with the inlets <NUM>, <NUM>. The atomizing zone housing <NUM> includes an outer housing that extends from the inlets <NUM>, <NUM> toward, but not all the way to, the delivery end <NUM> of the spray nozzle device <NUM>. The atomizing zone housing <NUM> defines an interior chamber in the spray nozzle device <NUM> into which the different phase materials in the inlets <NUM>, <NUM> are delivered from the inlets <NUM>, <NUM>. For example, slurry formed from liquid and ceramic particles can be fed into the atomizing zone housing <NUM> from the inner inlet <NUM> and a gas (e.g., air) can be fed into the atomizing zone housing <NUM> from the outer inlet <NUM>.

The ceramic particles in the slurry are atomized during mixing with the gas in the atomizing zone housing <NUM> to form a mixed-phase slurry. This mixed-phase slurry flows out of the atomizing zone housing <NUM> into a plenum housing portion <NUM> of the spray nozzle device <NUM>.

The plenum housing portion <NUM> is another part of the housing of the spray nozzle device <NUM> that is fluidly coupled with the atomizing zone housing <NUM>. The plenum housing portion <NUM> extends from the atomizing zone housing <NUM> to the delivery end <NUM> of the spray nozzle device <NUM>, and includes the plenum <NUM>. The plenum housing portion <NUM> receives the mixed phase slurry from the atomizing zone housing <NUM>.

The annular inlet <NUM> delivers gas to the atomizing zone housing <NUM>. The two-phase fluid, or slurry, of ceramic particles and liquid is delivered through the central inlet or tube <NUM> to the atomizing zone housing <NUM>. Two-phase droplets of ceramic particles and liquid are generated in the atomizing zone housing <NUM> and the atomizing gas accelerates the two-phase droplets from the atomizing zone housing <NUM> to the manifold or plenum housing portion <NUM>. In one embodiment, atomizing is complete before the droplets enter the plenum housing portion <NUM>.

One or more delivery nozzles are fluidly coupled with the plenum housing portion <NUM>. In the illustrated embodiment, the spray nozzle device <NUM> includes three nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, although a single nozzle or a different number of two or more nozzles may be provided instead. The delivery nozzle <NUM> can be referred to as an upstream delivery nozzle as the delivery nozzle <NUM> is upstream of the nozzles <NUM>, <NUM> along a flow direction of the materials in the spray nozzle device <NUM> (e.g., the direction in which these materials flow along the center axis <NUM> of the spray nozzle device <NUM>). The delivery nozzle <NUM> can be referred to as a downstream delivery nozzle as the delivery nozzle <NUM> is downstream of the delivery nozzles <NUM>, <NUM> along the flow direction. The delivery nozzle <NUM> can be referred to as an intermediate delivery nozzle as the delivery nozzle <NUM> is between the delivery nozzles <NUM>, <NUM> along the flow direction.

In the illustrated embodiment, the delivery nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> are formed as tapered rectangular bodies that extend away from the outer surface of the spray delivery nozzle <NUM> in radial directions away from the center axis <NUM>. The delivery nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> include rectangular openings <NUM> that are all elongated along the same direction that also is parallel to and extends along the center axis <NUM>. Optionally, the delivery nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> may have other shapes, may have different sized openings, and/or may not be aligned with each other as shown in <FIG>.

The openings <NUM> of the nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> provide outlets through which the mixed phase slurry is delivered from the plenum housing portion <NUM> onto one or more surfaces of the target object of the machine <NUM> as a coating or restorative coating on the machine <NUM>. The nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> can deliver the mixed phase slurry at pressures of <NUM> bar to <NUM> bar (ten to three hundred pounds per square inch) and, in one embodiment, as a pressure of less than <NUM> bar (one hundred pounds per square inch) for both the slurry delivery and the gas delivery.

As shown in <FIG>, the openings <NUM> in the nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> are oriented or positioned to direct the spray of the mixed-phase slurry in radial directions <NUM> that radially extend away from the center axis <NUM> of the spray nozzle device <NUM> and/or in directions that are more aligned with the radial directions <NUM> than directions that are perpendicular to the radial directions <NUM> (e.g., these other directions are closer to being parallel than perpendicular to the radial directions <NUM>).

In one embodiment, the nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> are small such that the nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> further atomize the mixed-phase slurry. The gas moving through the delivery spray device <NUM> can carry the mixed-phase slurry out of the nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> toward the surfaces onto which the restorative coating is being formed by the mixed-phase slurry.

The spray nozzle device <NUM> is designed to provide a conduit for at least two fluid media. The first fluid is a two-phase mixture, or slurry, of ceramic particles in a liquid, such as yttria stabilized zirconia particles in alcohol. The particles are typically less than ten microns in size, and can be as small as less than <NUM> microns in size. The second fluid is an atomizing gas that generates a spray by disintegrating the two-phase mixture of ceramic particles in a liquid into two-phase droplets of the same liquid (such as alcohol) and ceramic particles. The conduit of the nozzle spray device <NUM> is designed such that little to no evaporation of the fluid occurs during the transfer such that the composition of the two-phase ceramic particle-liquid medium is preserved to the region of atomizing in the nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and the generation of the two-phase droplets of the ceramic slurry, such as alcohol and yttria stabilized zirconia particles. The droplets are created within the spray nozzle device <NUM> prior to delivery of the materials onto the part being coated. The openings <NUM> of the delivery nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> operate to direct the spray and control the spray angle and width, and thereby provide a uniform coating.

Several cross-sectional planes through the spray nozzle device <NUM> are labeled in <FIG>. The delivery nozzle device <NUM> has a tapered shape that decreases in cross-sectional area in the atomizing zone housing <NUM> from a larger cross-sectional area at the interface between the atomizing zone housing <NUM> (e.g., the cross-sectional plane labeled A1 in <FIG>) to a smaller cross-sectional area at the interface between the atomizing zone housing <NUM> and the plenum housing portion <NUM> (e.g., the cross-sectional plane labeled A2 in <FIG>). The cross-sectional area of the spray nozzle device <NUM> remains the same from the cross-sectional plane A2 to any cross-sectional plane located between or downstream of any of the delivery nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> (e.g., one of these cross-sectional planes is labeled A3 in <FIG>).

The delivery nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> may have the same cross-sectional areas DA1, DA2, DA3 in any plane that is parallel to the center axis <NUM> of the spray nozzle device <NUM>. The cross-section areas DA1, DA2, DA3 of the nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> operates as the metering orifice area in the fluid circuit of the spray nozzle device <NUM>. In one embodiment, the sum of the cross-section areas DA1, DA2, DA3 of the delivery nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> is less than, equal to, or approximately equal to (e.g., within <NUM>%, within <NUM>%, or within <NUM>% of) the cross-sectional area A1 of the interface between the outer inlet <NUM> and the atomizing zone housing <NUM> (also referred to as the throat area of the delivery nozzle device <NUM>). The inventors of the subject matter described herein have discovered that these relationships between the cross-sectional areas result in metering of the mixed-phase slurry through and out of the spray nozzle device <NUM> that applies the uniform coatings described herein.

The sizes and arrangements of the nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> provide a uniform thickness coating on the interior components of the machine <NUM> over a broader or wider area when compared with other known spray devices, without having any moving parts or components. For example, the mixed-phase slurry that is sprayed from the nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> can extend over a wide range of degrees inside the machine <NUM> while providing a restorative coating that does not vary by more than <NUM>%, more than <NUM>%, or more than <NUM>% in thickness. As described above, the spray nozzle device <NUM> may not have moving components and may not move relative to the outer casing <NUM> of the machine <NUM> during spraying of the coating, but the blades <NUM> of the machine <NUM> may slowly rotate during spraying so that multiple blades <NUM> can be covered by the restorative coating sprayed by the spray nozzle device <NUM>.

<FIG> schematically illustrates spraying of the coating by several nozzles <NUM> of a spray device according to one example. The nozzles <NUM> can represent one or more of the nozzles described herein. The nozzles <NUM> are fluidly coupled with a plenum chamber <NUM>, which can represent one or more of the plenum chambers described herein. The nozzles <NUM> and plenum chamber <NUM> can represent the nozzles and/or plenum chambers in one or more of the spray devices described herein.

The nozzles <NUM> direct the coating being sprayed over a very large area. In one embodiment, the nozzles <NUM> spray the coating over an area <NUM> that includes a rectangular sub-area <NUM> that is bounded by linear paths <NUM> extending away from the outermost edges of the outermost nozzles <NUM> in radial directions from the center axis. The area <NUM> also extends beyond the sub-area <NUM> into two angled areas <NUM>, <NUM>. The angled areas <NUM>, <NUM> extend outward from the sub-area <NUM> by angles α. The angles α can vary in size but, in at least one embodiment, the angles α are each at least fifteen degrees and no more than <NUM> degrees. The entire area <NUM> defines a large area over which the spray device can apply a uniform coating without having to move the spray device.

<FIG> illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of an atomizing spray nozzle device <NUM>. <FIG> illustrates a side view of the atomizing spray nozzle device <NUM> shown in <FIG>. The spray nozzle device <NUM> can represent or be used in place of the spray nozzle device <NUM> shown in <FIG>. The spray nozzle device <NUM> is elongated along a center axis <NUM> from a feed end <NUM> to an opposite delivery end <NUM>, and includes an interior plenum or chamber <NUM> through which materials flow in the device <NUM>. The spray nozzle device <NUM> includes several inlets <NUM>, <NUM> extending from the feed end <NUM> toward (but not extending all the way to) the delivery end <NUM>. These inlets <NUM>, <NUM> receive different phases of the materials that are atomized within the spray nozzle device <NUM> to form the airborne slurry that is sprayed onto the surfaces of the machine <NUM>. In the illustrated embodiment, the inlet <NUM> is annular shaped and extends around, encircles, or circumferentially surrounds the other inlet <NUM>, similar to the inlets <NUM>, <NUM> described above. Alternatively, the inlets <NUM>, <NUM> may be disposed side-by-side or in another spatial relationship. While only two inlets <NUM>, <NUM> are shown, more than two inlets can be provided.

The inlets <NUM>, <NUM> may each be separately fluidly coupled with different conduits of a spraying system that supplies the different phases of materials to the spray nozzle device <NUM>, similar to the inlets <NUM>, <NUM>. The spray nozzle device <NUM> includes an atomizing zone housing <NUM> that is fluidly coupled with the inlets <NUM>, <NUM>. The atomizing zone housing <NUM> includes an outer housing that extends from the inlets <NUM>, <NUM> toward, but not all the way to, the delivery end <NUM> of the spray nozzle device <NUM>. The atomizing zone housing <NUM> defines an interior chamber in the spray nozzle device <NUM> into which the different phase materials in the inlets <NUM>, <NUM> are delivered from the inlets <NUM>, <NUM> and atomized, similar to as described above in connection with the atomizing zone housing <NUM> of the spray nozzle device <NUM>.

A plenum housing portion <NUM> is another part of the housing of the spray nozzle device <NUM> that is fluidly coupled with the atomizing zone housing <NUM>. The plenum housing portion <NUM> extends from the atomizing zone housing <NUM> to the delivery end <NUM> of the spray nozzle device <NUM>, and includes the plenum <NUM>. The plenum housing portion <NUM> receives the mixed phase slurry from the atomizing zone housing <NUM>, similar to as described above in connection with the spray nozzle device <NUM>. The plenum housing portion <NUM> is coupled with the delivery nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> that direct the mixed phase slurry and carrying gas toward the surfaces being coated, as described above. As shown in <FIG>, the plenum <NUM> is elongated in or along the center axis <NUM>. In the illustrated embodiment, the inlets <NUM>, <NUM> are not directly coupled with the nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, but are coupled with the plenum <NUM>, which is connected with the nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, one manner in which the spray nozzle devices <NUM>, <NUM> differ is the shape of the housings of the devices <NUM>, <NUM> in the atomizing zone housings <NUM>, <NUM>. The interior chamber formed by the atomizing zone housing <NUM> in the device <NUM> is tapered along the flow direction in the device <NUM> such that the cross-sectional area of the atomizing zone housing <NUM> decreases at different locations along the center axis <NUM> in the feed direction (e.g., the housing <NUM> becomes narrower as the materials flow through the housing <NUM> toward the nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>). Conversely, the interior chamber formed by the atomizing zone housing <NUM> in the device <NUM> is tapered in a direction that is opposite the flow direction in the device <NUM> such that the cross-sectional area of the atomizing zone housing <NUM> increases at different locations along the center axis <NUM> in the direction that is opposite to the feed direction (e.g., the housing <NUM> becomes wider or larger as the materials flow through the housing <NUM> toward the nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>).

Several cross-sectional planes through the spray nozzle device <NUM> are labeled in <FIG>. The delivery nozzle device <NUM> has a tapered shape that increases in cross-sectional area in the atomizing zone housing <NUM> from a smaller cross-sectional area at the interface between the atomizing zone housing <NUM> (e.g., the cross-sectional plane labeled A1 in <FIG>) to a larger cross-sectional area at the interface between the atomizing zone housing <NUM> and the plenum housing portion <NUM> (e.g., the cross-sectional plane labeled A2 in <FIG>). The cross-sectional area of the spray nozzle device <NUM> remains the same from the cross-sectional plane A2 to any cross-sectional plane located between or downstream of any of the delivery nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> (e.g., one of these cross-sectional planes is labeled A3 in <FIG>).

The delivery nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> may have the same cross-sectional areas DA1, DA2, DA3 in any plane that is parallel to the center axis <NUM> of the spray nozzle device <NUM>. The cross-section areas DA1, DA2, DA3 of the nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> operate as the metering orifice area in the fluid circuit of the spray nozzle device <NUM>. In one embodiment, the sum of the cross-section areas DA1, DA2, DA3 of the delivery nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> is less than the cross-sectional area A1 of the interface between the outer inlet <NUM> and the atomizing zone housing <NUM> (also referred to as the throat area of the delivery nozzle device <NUM>). The inventors of the subject matter described herein have discovered that these relationships between the cross-sectional areas result in metering of the mixed-phase slurry through and out of the spray nozzle device <NUM> that applies the uniform coatings described herein.

<FIG> illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of an atomizing spray nozzle device <NUM>. <FIG> illustrates a side view of the atomizing spray nozzle device <NUM> shown in <FIG>. <FIG> illustrates another side view of the atomizing spray nozzle device <NUM> shown in <FIG> with several cross-sectional planes being labeled.

The spray nozzle device <NUM> can represent or be used in place of the spray nozzle device <NUM> shown in <FIG>. The spray nozzle device <NUM> is elongated along a center axis <NUM> from a feed end <NUM> to an opposite delivery end <NUM>, and includes an interior chamber or plenum <NUM> through which materials flow in the device <NUM>. The spray nozzle device <NUM> includes several inlets <NUM>, <NUM> extending from the feed end <NUM> toward (but not extending all the way to) the delivery end <NUM>. These inlets <NUM>, <NUM> receive different phases of the materials that are atomized within the spray nozzle device <NUM> to form the airborne slurry that is sprayed onto the surfaces of the machine <NUM>. In the illustrated embodiment, the inlet <NUM> is annular shaped and extends around, encircles, or circumferentially surrounds the other inlet <NUM>, similar to the inlets <NUM>, <NUM> described above. Alternatively, the inlets <NUM>, <NUM> may be disposed side-by-side or in another spatial relationship. While only two inlets <NUM>, <NUM> are shown, more than two inlets can be provided.

The inlets <NUM>, <NUM> may each be separately fluidly coupled with different conduits of a spraying system that supplies the different phases of materials to the spray nozzle device <NUM>, similar to the inlets <NUM>, <NUM>. The spray nozzle device <NUM> includes an atomizing zone housing <NUM> that is fluidly coupled with the inlets <NUM>, <NUM>. The atomizing zone housing <NUM> includes an outer housing that extends from the inlets <NUM>, <NUM> toward, but not all the way to, the delivery end <NUM> of the spray nozzle device <NUM>.

The atomizing zone housing <NUM> defines an interior chamber in the spray nozzle device <NUM> into which the different phase materials in the inlets <NUM>, <NUM> are delivered from the inlets <NUM>, <NUM> and atomized, similar to as described above in connection with the atomizing zone housing <NUM> of the spray nozzle device <NUM>.

A plenum housing portion <NUM> is another part of the housing of the spray nozzle device <NUM> that is fluidly coupled with the atomizing zone housing <NUM>. The plenum housing portion <NUM> extends from the atomizing zone housing <NUM> to the delivery end <NUM> of the spray nozzle device <NUM>, and includes the plenum <NUM>. The plenum housing portion <NUM> receives the mixed phase slurry from the atomizing zone housing <NUM>, similar to as described above in connection with the spray nozzle device <NUM>. The plenum housing portion <NUM> is coupled with several delivery nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> that direct the mixed phase slurry and carrying gas toward the surfaces being coated, as described above. As shown in <FIG>, the plenum <NUM> is elongated in or along the center axis <NUM>. In the illustrated embodiment, the inlets <NUM>, <NUM> are not directly coupled with the nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, but are coupled with the plenum <NUM>, which is connected with the nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>.

One way the spray nozzle device <NUM> differs from the spray nozzle devices <NUM>, <NUM> is the shape of the nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> in the plenum housing portion <NUM>. The nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> in the spray nozzle devices <NUM>, <NUM> have non-tapered shapes in that the cross-sectional areas of the intersections between the nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and the plenum housing portions <NUM>, <NUM> in the spray nozzle devices <NUM>, <NUM> are the same as the corresponding openings <NUM> of the nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>. For example, the nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> may have the same size and/or shape on opposite ends of each nozzle <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>. Conversely, one or more of the nozzles <NUM>, <NUM> in the spray nozzle device <NUM> has a tapered shape in the illustrated embodiment. For example, the outer delivery nozzles <NUM>, <NUM> (e.g., the upstream and downstream delivery nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>) are flared or otherwise tapered in or along radial directions <NUM> that radially extend away from the center axis <NUM>. These nozzles <NUM>, <NUM> may be flared or tapered in that the cross-sectional area of outer openings <NUM> at the outer ends of the nozzles <NUM>, <NUM> are larger than internal openings <NUM> at intersections between the nozzles <NUM>, <NUM> and the interior chamber defined by the plenum housing portion <NUM>. The mixed phase slurry flows from the interior chamber defined by the plenum housing portion <NUM> into the delivery nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> through the internal openings <NUM>. The mixed phase slurry flows out of the spray delivery device <NUM> through the outer openings <NUM>, similar to how the slurry flows out of the spray delivery devices <NUM>, <NUM> through the openings <NUM>.

Another difference between the spray nozzle device <NUM> and one or more other spray nozzle devices disclosed herein is the shape of the plenum housing portion <NUM>. An inner surface <NUM> of the plenum housing portion <NUM> defines the interior chamber in the plenum housing portion <NUM> through which the mixed phase slurry flows to the delivery nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>. In contrast to this inner surface in the plenum housing portions <NUM>, <NUM> of the spray devices <NUM>, <NUM>, the inner surface <NUM> in the plenum housing portion <NUM> of the spray device <NUM> is staged in cross-sectional area such that different segments of the plenum housing portion <NUM> have different cross-sectional areas. These segments can include an upstream segment <NUM>, an intermediate segment <NUM>, and a downstream segment <NUM>. Optionally, there can be fewer or a greater number of segments.

Different delivery nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> can be fluidly coupled with different segments <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> of the plenum housing portion <NUM>. For example, the upstream delivery nozzle <NUM> can be fluidly coupled with the upstream segment <NUM>, the intermediate delivery nozzle <NUM> can be fluidly coupled with the intermediate segment <NUM>, and the downstream delivery nozzle <NUM> can be fluidly coupled with the downstream segment <NUM>.

In the illustrated embodiment, the segments <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> of the plenum housing portion <NUM> are staged in cross-sectional area such that the cross-sectional areas of the segments <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> decrease at different locations along the length of the center axis <NUM> in the flow direction of the spray nozzle device <NUM>. For example, the cross-sectional area of the upstream segment <NUM> can be larger than the cross-sectional area of the intermediate segment <NUM> and can be larger than the cross-sectional area of the downstream segment <NUM>. The cross-sectional area of the intermediate segment <NUM> can be larger than the cross-sectional are of the downstream segment <NUM>.

Several cross-sectional areas of the spray delivery device <NUM> are labeled in <FIG> to avoid confusion with the other labeled items and reference numbers shown in <FIG>. The cross-sectional area at the interface between the atomizing zone housing <NUM> and the inlets <NUM>, <NUM> (labeled A1 in <FIG>) is larger than the cross-sectional area at the interface between the atomizing zone housing <NUM> and the plenum housing portion <NUM> (labeled A2 in <FIG>) in one embodiment. For example, the size of the atomizing zone housing <NUM> may be tapered along the flow direction similar to the atomizing zone housing <NUM> of the spray device <NUM> shown in <FIG>. The interior surface <NUM> of the plenum housing portion <NUM> includes several steps that define the different segments <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>. Additional cross-sectional areas at different locations along the flow direction within these steps in the spray device <NUM> continue to decrease. For example, a cross-sectional area in the location labeled A2 (at a leading end of the upstream segment <NUM>) can be larger than the cross-sectional area in the location labeled A3 (at a leading end of the intermediate segment <NUM>) and can be larger than the cross-sectional area in the location labeled A4 (at a leading end of the downstream segment <NUM>). The cross-sectional area in the location labeled A3 can be larger than the cross-sectional area in the location labeled A4.

The cross-sectional areas of the interior chamber defined by the plenum housing portion <NUM> on either side of the delivery nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and the cross-sectional areas of the outer openings <NUM> of the nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> can be related. For example, the cross-sectional area of the interior chamber at the location labeled A3 can be equal to or approximately equal to the difference between the cross-sectional area of the interior chamber at the location labeled A2 and the cross-sectional area of the outer opening <NUM> of the upstream nozzle <NUM>. The cross-sectional area of the interior chamber at the location labeled A4 can be equal to or approximately equal to the difference between the cross-sectional area of the interior chamber at the location labeled A3 and the cross-sectional area of the outer opening <NUM> of the intermediate nozzle <NUM>. The sum of the cross-sectional areas of the outer openings <NUM> of the delivery nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> is no larger than the cross-sectional area of the interior chamber at the location labeled A2 in one embodiment.

The stepped cross-sectional areas of the interior chamber defined by the plenum housing portion <NUM> provides for more uniform pressure and delivery of droplets of the mixed phase slurry along the spray delivery device <NUM> as the delivery nozzle exit area increases with increasing length along the spray delivery device <NUM>. One advantage of this design is that the design provides improved distribution of the ceramic particle-liquid droplets from the delivery nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> along the length of the spray nozzle device <NUM>, and improved uniformity of the coating on the components inside the machine <NUM> relative to one or more other embodiments disclosed herein.

<FIG> illustrates a side view of one embodiment of an atomizing spray nozzle device <NUM>. The spray nozzle device <NUM> can represent or be used in place of the spray nozzle device <NUM> shown in <FIG>. The spray nozzle device <NUM> is elongated along a center axis <NUM> from a feed end <NUM> to an opposite delivery end <NUM>, and includes an interior chamber or plenum <NUM> through which materials flow in the device <NUM>. The spray nozzle device <NUM> includes several inlets <NUM>, <NUM> extending from the feed end <NUM> toward (but not extending all the way to) the delivery end <NUM>. As described above, these inlets <NUM>, <NUM> receive different phases of the materials that are atomized within the spray nozzle device <NUM> to form the airborne slurry that is sprayed onto the surfaces of the machine <NUM>. In the illustrated embodiment, the inlet <NUM> is annular shaped and extends around, encircles, or circumferentially surrounds the other inlet <NUM>, similar to as described above. Alternatively, the inlets <NUM>, <NUM> may be disposed side-by-side or in another spatial relationship. While only two inlets <NUM>, <NUM> are shown, more than two inlets can be provided.

The spray nozzle device <NUM> includes an atomizing zone housing <NUM> that is fluidly coupled with the inlets <NUM>, <NUM>. The atomizing zone housing <NUM> includes an outer housing that extends from the inlets <NUM>, <NUM> toward, but not all the way to, the delivery end <NUM> of the spray nozzle device <NUM>. The atomizing zone housing <NUM> defines an interior chamber in the spray nozzle device <NUM> into which the different phase materials in the inlets <NUM>, <NUM> are delivered from the inlets <NUM>, <NUM> and atomized, similar to as described above.

A plenum housing portion <NUM> is another part of the housing of the spray nozzle device <NUM> that is fluidly coupled with the atomizing zone housing <NUM>. The plenum housing portion <NUM> extends from the atomizing zone housing <NUM> to the delivery end <NUM> of the spray nozzle device <NUM>, and includes the plenum <NUM>. The plenum housing portion <NUM> receives the mixed phase slurry from the atomizing zone housing <NUM>, similar to as described above. The plenum housing portion <NUM> is coupled with several separate delivery nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> that direct the mixed phase slurry and carrying gas toward the surfaces being coated, as described above. Although not shown in <FIG>, the nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> can include the openings into the plenum housing portion <NUM> (through which the multi-phase slurry is received from the interior chamber of the plenum housing portion <NUM>) and the openings from which the multi-phase slurry exits the spray nozzle device <NUM>. The plenum <NUM> is elongated in or along the center axis <NUM>. In the illustrated embodiment, the inlets <NUM>, <NUM> are not directly coupled with the nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, but are coupled with the plenum <NUM>, which is connected with the nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>.

One way in which the spray nozzle device <NUM> differs from one or more other embodiments of the spray nozzle devices is the tapered shape of the interior chamber <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, the interior chamber <NUM> has a cross-sectional area that decreases at different locations in the flow direction within the device <NUM>. For example, the cross-sectional area of the interior chamber <NUM> at a cross-sectional plane A1 (the interface between the inlets <NUM>, <NUM> and the atomizing zone housing <NUM>) is larger than the cross-sectional area of the interior chamber <NUM> a cross-sectional plane A2 at a location between the upstream and intermediate delivery nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, and is larger than the cross-sectional area of the interior chamber <NUM> at a cross-sectional plane A3 at a location that is between the intermediate and downstream delivery nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>. The cross-sectional area of the interior chamber <NUM> at the plane A2 is larger than the cross-sectional area of the interior chamber <NUM> at the plane A3.

Additionally, the spray nozzle device <NUM> can differ from one or more other spray nozzle devices disclosed herein in that the delivery nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> are disposed closer to each other. The delivery nozzles of one or more other spray nozzle devices disclosed herein may be spaced apart from each other in directions that are parallel to the center axes and/or flow directions of the spray nozzle devices. The delivery nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> of the spray nozzle device <NUM> can be closer to each other, as shown in <FIG>. The nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> may remain separate from each other in that a small portion of the housing forming the nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> can extend between neighboring nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> to keep the multi-phase slurry flowing in one nozzle <NUM>, <NUM>, or <NUM> separate from the multi-phase slurry flowing in another nozzle <NUM>, <NUM>, and/or <NUM>.

The cross-sectional areas of the nozzle openings and the cross-sectional areas of the interior chamber <NUM> can be related. For example, the cross-sectional area of the interior chamber <NUM> at the plane A3 can be equal or approximately equal to the difference between the cross-sectional area of the interior chamber <NUM> at the plane A2 and the cross-sectional area of the outer opening of the upstream nozzle <NUM> (e.g., the opening through which the multi-phase slurry exits the device <NUM> through the nozzle <NUM>). The progressive reduction in cross-sectional areas with increasing length of the interior chamber <NUM> can provide for more uniform pressure and delivery of droplets of the multi-phase slurry along the length of the device <NUM>. This tapered manifold design can prevent the pressure of the multi-phase slurry from dropping across the length of the delivery nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and can result in a more uniform delivery of droplets of the multi-phase slurry over all the outer openings of the delivery nozzles <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> when compared to one or more other embodiments described herein.

<FIG> illustrates another embodiment of the spray nozzle device <NUM> shown in <FIG>. The spray nozzle device <NUM> shown in <FIG> is longer than the spray nozzle device <NUM> shown in <FIG>, and includes several more delivery nozzles (all labeled <NUM> in <FIG>). The nozzles <NUM> in the device <NUM> are spaced apart from each other along the flow direction or directions that are parallel to the center axis of the device <NUM>. The interior chamber <NUM> of the device <NUM> still has the tapered shape described above.

<FIG> illustrates a perspective view of another embodiment of a spray nozzle device <NUM>. <FIG> illustrates a side view of the spray nozzle device <NUM> shown in <FIG>. The spray nozzle device <NUM> is similar to the spray nozzle devices described herein in that the spray nozzle device <NUM> includes a housing that defines an interior chamber, inlets that receive materials forming a multi-phase slurry, an atomizing housing zone, and a plenum housing portion. One difference between the spray nozzle device <NUM> and the other spray nozzle devices described herein is the different orientations of spray nozzles <NUM> of the device <NUM>. As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the delivery nozzles <NUM> are oriented at different angles <NUM> with respect to a center axis <NUM> of the spray nozzle device <NUM>. The orientation of each delivery nozzle <NUM> can be represented by a direction <NUM> in which the delivery nozzle <NUM> is oriented or a center axis <NUM> of the delivery nozzle <NUM>.

For example, the delivery nozzle <NUM> that is farthest upstream relative to the other delivery nozzles <NUM> along the flow direction in the spray nozzle device <NUM> is oriented at the smallest acute angle <NUM> relative to the center axis <NUM>. The delivery nozzle <NUM> that is farthest downstream of the other delivery nozzles <NUM> is oriented at the largest obtuse angle <NUM> relative to the center axis <NUM>. The delivery nozzles <NUM> located between the farthest upstream and farthest downstream nozzles <NUM> are located at different angles <NUM>, with each delivery nozzle <NUM> that is next along the flow direction being oriented at a larger angle <NUM> relative to the preceding nozzles <NUM>.

These orientations of the delivery nozzles <NUM> provide for a fan-like arrangement of the nozzles <NUM>. This arrangement can provide for a larger coverage area that is sprayed by the multi-phase slurry exiting the nozzles <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a perspective view of another embodiment of a spray nozzle device <NUM>. <FIG> illustrates a side view of the spray nozzle device <NUM> shown in <FIG>. The spray nozzle device <NUM> is similar to the spray nozzle device <NUM> shown in <FIG>, except for the shape of the plenum housing portion and delivery nozzle. As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, an interior chamber or plenum <NUM> defined by the housing of the spray nozzle device <NUM> has a shape that is curved toward the exterior surface of the spray nozzle device <NUM>. An outer opening <NUM> forms a delivery nozzle <NUM> of the device <NUM> through which the multi-phase slurry is sprayed onto components of the machine <NUM>. The materials forming this slurry are fed into the plenum <NUM> through the inlets described above in connection with the device <NUM>, are atomized and mixed, and flow through the interior chamber <NUM> and out of the device <NUM> through the opening <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a perspective view of another embodiment of a spray nozzle device <NUM>. <FIG> illustrates a side view of the spray nozzle device <NUM> shown in <FIG>. Like the other spray nozzle devices described herein, the spray nozzle device <NUM> can be used in place of the spray nozzle device <NUM> described above. The device <NUM> is similar to the spray nozzle device <NUM> shown in <FIG>, except for the shape of a delivery nozzle <NUM>. As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the nozzle <NUM> is a radial slot outlet that provides a spray for improved radial coating of a component within the machine <NUM>. The nozzle <NUM> has an outer opening <NUM> through which the multi-phase slurry exits the device <NUM>. This opening <NUM> is in the shape of an elongated slot, with the slot being elongated along a direction that is parallel to a center axis <NUM> of the device <NUM>. After insertion of the spray nozzle device <NUM> in the machine <NUM>, the radial slot opening <NUM> on the delivery nozzle <NUM> can be oriented perpendicular to the center line of the machine <NUM> (e.g., the turbine engine) and/or parallel to the radius of the machine <NUM> (e.g., the turbine engine).

A method for creating one or more of the spray devices disclosed herein can include using additive forming (e.g., three-dimensional printing) to form a single housing body that is the spray device, or to form multiple housings that are joined together to form the spray device.

<FIG> illustrates one embodiment of a partial view of a jacket assembly <NUM>. <FIG> illustrates a cross-sectional view of the jacket assembly <NUM>. The assembly <NUM> can include a flexible or semi-flexible body that extends around the exterior of one or more of the spray delivery devices (e.g., <NUM>) described herein without blocking the inlets or delivery nozzles of the devices. The assembly <NUM> includes several conduits <NUM> through which a temperature-modifying substance can flow. For example, a coolant (e.g., liquid nitrogen) can be placed in and/or flow through the conduits <NUM> to reduce or maintain a temperature of the materials flowing in the spray delivery device inside the assembly <NUM>. Optionally, a heated fluid can be placed in and/or flow through the conduits <NUM> to increase or maintain a temperature of the materials flowing in the spray delivery device inside the assembly <NUM>.

Use of the assembly <NUM> can allow for the spray delivery devices to be used in a range of environments throughout the world having widely varying ambient temperatures. Additionally, the assembly <NUM> can assist in preventing residual heat in the machine <NUM> from preventing the restorative coatings from being applied (e.g., by cooling the coatings). For example, some large commercial turbine engines can take a long time to cool down. If the spray is cooled, then it may not be necessary to wait for the turbine engine to cool to ambient temperature before the coating is applied. The assembly <NUM> can be used to cool the slurry prior to introduction of the slurry to the delivery nozzles of the spray devices, can be used to cool the atomizing gas prior to atomizing the slurry in the spray devices, to both cool the slurry and the atomizing gas, etc..

The assembly <NUM> can be used to keep the temperature of the atomizing gas and the two-phase slurry within certain desired limits. If the gas temperature is too high, or the two-phase slurry is too high, the quality of the coating can be reduced. If the temperature deviates from the desired temperature range of operating for the spray process, there can be a change in the size of the droplets, the composition of the slurry, the rate of evaporation of the liquid post atomizing and prior to impact of the two-phase droplets on the surface that is being coated. Use of the assembly <NUM> can keep the temperatures of the slurry and the gas within desired limits.

<FIG> illustrates one embodiment of a control system <NUM>. The control system <NUM> can be used to control operation of the machine <NUM> during spraying of a restorative coating using one or more of the spray devices described herein. The control system <NUM> includes an equipment controller <NUM> that represents hardware circuitry that includes and/or is connected with one or more processors (e.g., one or more microprocessors, field programmable gate arrays, and/or integrated circuits). These processors control operation of the machine <NUM>, such as by changing a speed at which the machine <NUM> operates. The equipment controller <NUM> can be connected with the machine <NUM> through one or more wired and/or wireless connections to change the speed at which the machine <NUM> operates, and to activate or deactivate the machine <NUM>.

A spraying system <NUM> controls delivery of the materials (e.g., ceramic particles, liquids, and/or gases) to the spray nozzle device <NUM> via the spray access tool <NUM> that is inserted into the machine <NUM>. The spraying system <NUM> can control the flow rate, pressure, and/or duration at which a liquid (e.g., water or alcohol), solid (e.g., ceramic particles), and/or gas (e.g., air) are supplied to the device <NUM> from one or more sources <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, such as tanks or other containers. Optionally, the solid and liquid can be provided from a single source (e.g., a source of the slurry).

The spraying system <NUM> can include a spray controller <NUM> that controls a pressure of a slurry provided to the device <NUM>, a pressure of a gas provided to the device <NUM>, a flow rate of the slurry provided to the device <NUM>, a flow rate of the gas provided to the device <NUM>, a temporal duration at which the slurry is provided to the device <NUM>, a temporal duration at which the gas is provided to the device <NUM>, a time at which the slurry is provided to the device <NUM>, and/or a time at which the gas provided to the device <NUM>.

The spray controller <NUM> represents hardware circuitry that includes and/or is connected with one or more processors, and one or more pumps, valves, or the like of the spraying system <NUM>, for controlling the flow of materials to the device <NUM> for spraying a restorative coating onto the interior of the machine <NUM>. The controller <NUM> can generate signals communicated to the valves, pumps, etc. via one or more wired and/or wireless connections to control delivery of the materials to the device <NUM>.

In one embodiment, the controllers <NUM>, <NUM> operate in conjunction with each other to add the restorative coating to the interior of the machine <NUM>. The controller <NUM> can begin rotating the machine <NUM> at a slow speed (e.g., no more than one hundred revolutions per minute) prior to or concurrently with the controller <NUM> beginning to direct the flow of the slurry and gas to the device <NUM>. The device <NUM> can then remain stationary inside the machine <NUM> while the slurry and gas is sprayed onto the interior of the machine <NUM> during slow rotation of the machine <NUM>. In one embodiment, the device <NUM> does not move relative to the exterior of the machine <NUM> during rotation of interior components of the machine <NUM> and spraying of the restorative coating.

In one embodiment, an atomizing spray nozzle device includes plural inlets disposed at a first end of the device along a center axis of the device. The inlets are configured to receive different phases of materials used to form a coating. The device also includes atomizing zone housing portion fluidly coupled with the inlets and disposed along the center axis of the device. The atomizing zone housing is configured to receive the different phases of the materials from the inlets. The atomizing zone housing is shaped to mix the different phases of the materials into a mixed phase slurry. The device also includes a plenum housing portion fluidly coupled with the atomizing housing portion along the center axis of the device. The plenum housing portion includes an interior plenum that is elongated along the center axis of the device. The plenum is configured to receive the mixed phase slurry from the atomizing zone. The device also includes one or more delivery nozzles fluidly coupled with the plenum. The one or more delivery nozzles provide one or more outlets from which the mixed phase slurry is delivered onto one or more surfaces of a target object as a coating on the target object.

Optionally, the atomizing zone housing portion, the plenum housing portion, and the one or more delivery nozzles are sized to be inserted into one or more of a stage one nozzle borescope opening or a stage two nozzle borescope opening of a turbine engine.

Optionally, the plenum in the plenum housing portion provides for delivery of droplets of the mixed phase slurry from the one or more delivery nozzles that creates a spray of the droplets and a uniform coverage of the coating on the target object.

Optionally, the one or more delivery nozzles are configured to spray the mixed phase slurry onto the one or more surfaces of the target object to apply the coating as a uniform coating.

Optionally, the outer housing is configured to be inserted into a turbine engine to spray the mixed phase slurry onto the one or more surfaces of an interior of the turbine engine without disassembling the turbine engine.

Optionally, the atomizing zone housing portion, the plenum housing portion, and the one or more delivery nozzles are configured to be inserted into a turbine engine to spray the mixed phase slurry onto the one or more surfaces of an interior of the turbine engine without moving the outer housing relative to the turbine engine during spraying of the mixed phase slurry.

Optionally, the atomizing zone housing portion, the plenum housing portion, and the one or more delivery nozzles are configured to be inserted into a turbine engine to spray the mixed phase slurry onto the one or more surfaces of an interior of the turbine engine while one or more components inside the turbine engine rotate.

Optionally, a first inlet of the inlets is configured to receive a mixture of ceramic particles and a liquid fluid into the outer housing and a second inlet of the inlets is configured to receive a gas.

Optionally, the atomizing zone housing portion is configured to atomize and mix the mixture of the ceramic particles and the liquid fluid with the gas as the mixed phase slurry.

Optionally, the second inlet is configured to direct the gas through the atomizing zone housing portion and the plenum housing portion such that the gas carries the mixed phase slurry from the atomizing zone housing portion to the plenum housing portion and out of the plenum housing portion through the one or more delivery nozzles.

Optionally, the one or more delivery nozzles also are configured to atomize the mixed phase slurry as the mixed phase slurry is sprayed toward the one or more surfaces of the target object.

Optionally, the atomizing zone housing portion and the plenum housing portion are elongated along a center axis. The one or more delivery nozzles can be positioned to spray the mixed phase slurry in one or more radial directions from the center axis.

Optionally, the plenum housing portion defines an interior chamber through which the mixed phase slurry flows. The interior chamber can be staged in cross-sectional area such that different upstream and downstream segments of the interior chamber have different cross-sectional areas within the plenum housing portion.

Optionally, the upstream segment of the plenum housing portion has a larger cross-sectional area than the downstream segment of the plenum housing portion.

Optionally, the interior chamber defined by the plenum housing portion includes an intermediate stage between the upstream and downstream segments. The interior chamber of the intermediate stage can have a cross-sectional area that is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the upstream stage but is larger than the cross-sectional area of the downstream stage.

Optionally, a sum of cross-sectional areas of the one or more delivery nozzles in the plenum housing portion is equal to or approximately equal to the cross-sectional area of the interior chamber in the plenum housing portion at an intersection between the inlets and the atomizing zone housing portion.

Optionally, the one or more delivery nozzles include an upstream delivery nozzle, an intermediate delivery nozzle, and a downstream delivery nozzle. An interior chamber of the plenum housing portion through which the mixed phase slurry flows can have a cross-sectional are in a location between the upstream and intermediate delivery nozzles that is equal or approximately equal to a difference between a cross-sectional area of the interior chamber upstream of the upstream delivery nozzle and a cross-sectional area of the upstream delivery nozzle.

Optionally, a cross-sectional area of the interior chamber in a location between the intermediate and downstream delivery nozzles is equal or approximately equal to a difference between the cross-sectional area of the interior chamber in a location between the upstream and intermediate delivery nozzles and the cross-sectional area of the intermediate delivery nozzle.

Optionally, the plenum housing portion defines an interior chamber through which the mixed phase slurry flows. The interior chamber can have a tapered shape in the atomizing zone housing portion such that cross-sectional area of the interior chamber in the atomizing zone housing portion increases along a direction of flow of the mixed phase slurry within the interior chamber.

Optionally, a sum of cross-sectional areas of the one or more delivery nozzles is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the interior chamber at an intersection between the inlets and the atomizing zone housing portion.

Optionally, the plenum housing portion defines an interior chamber through which the mixed phase slurry flows. The interior chamber can have a tapered shape that decreases in cross-sectional area in a direction of flow of the mixed phase slurry in the interior chamber.

Optionally, the one or more delivery nozzles include plural delivery nozzles positioned in a fan arrangement with the nozzles elongated along different directions that are oriented at different angles with respect to a center axis of the atomizing spray nozzle device.

Optionally, the device also includes a jacket assembly disposed outside of the plenum housing portion and the atomizing zone housing portion. The jacket assembly can be configured to hold one or more of a heating material or a cooling material to change or maintain a temperature of the mixed phase slurry flowing through the atomizing spray nozzle device.

In one embodiment, a system includes the atomizing spray nozzle device and an equipment controller configured to control rotation of a turbine engine into which the atomizing spray nozzle device is inserted during spraying of the mixed phase slurry by the atomizing spray nozzle device into the turbine engine.

In one embodiment, a system includes the atomizing spray nozzle device and a spray controller configured to control one or more of a pressure of the slurry provided to the atomizing spray nozzle device, a pressure of a gas provided to the atomizing spray nozzle device, a flow rate of the slurry provided to the atomizing spray nozzle device, a flow rate of the gas provided to the atomizing spray nozzle device, a temporal duration at which the slurry is provided to the atomizing spray nozzle device, a temporal duration at which the gas is provided to the atomizing spray nozzle device, a time at which the slurry is provided to the atomizing spray nozzle device, and/or a time at which the gas provided to the atomizing spray nozzle device.

Furthermore, references to "one embodiment" of the presently described subj ect matter are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features. Moreover, unless explicitly stated to the contrary, embodiments "comprising" or "having" an element or a plurality of elements having a particular property may include additional such elements not having that property.

It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-described embodiments (and/or aspects thereof) may be used in combination with each other. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the subject matter set forth herein without departing from its scope. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. In the appended claims, the terms "including" and "in which" are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms "comprising" and "wherein. " Moreover, in the following claims, the terms "first," "second," and "third," etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects.

Claim 1:
A system comprising:
an atomizing spray nozzle device (<NUM>, <NUM>) comprising:
plural inlets (<NUM>, <NUM>) disposed at a first end of the device (<NUM>, <NUM>) along a center axis (<NUM>) of the device (<NUM>), the inlets (<NUM>, <NUM>) configured to receive different phases of materials used to form a coating;
an atomizing zone housing (<NUM>) portion fluidly coupled with the inlets (<NUM>, <NUM>) and disposed along the center axis (<NUM>) of the device (<NUM>,<NUM>), the atomizing zone housing (<NUM>) configured to receive the different phases of the materials from the inlets (<NUM>, <NUM>), the atomizing zone housing (<NUM>) shaped to mix the different phases of the materials into a mixed phase slurry;
a plenum housing portion (<NUM>) fluidly coupled with the atomizing housing (<NUM>) portion along the center axis (<NUM>) of the device (<NUM>, <NUM>), the plenum housing portion (<NUM>) including an interior plenum chamber (<NUM>) that is elongated along the center axis (<NUM>) of the device (<NUM>), the interior plenum chamber (<NUM>) configured to receive the mixed phase slurry from the atomizing zone (<NUM>);
one or more delivery nozzles (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) fluidly coupled with the interior plenum chamber (<NUM>), the one or more delivery nozzles (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) providing one or more outlets from which the mixed phase slurry is delivered onto one or more surfaces of a target object as a coating on the target object; and characterized in that the system further comprises
an equipment controller (<NUM>) configured to control rotation of a turbine engine into which the atomizing spray nozzle device (<NUM>) is inserted during spraying of the mixed phase slurry by the atomizing spray nozzle device into the turbine engine,
wherein the equipment controller (<NUM>) is configured to rotate the turbine engine at a no more than one hundred revolutions per minute prior to commencement of spraying of the mixed phase slurry and
wherein the turbine engine is rotated to speed up curing of the coating.