Method for heat treating components

Abstract

A method for heat treating a superalloy component includes heating a superalloy component to a first temperature, cooling the superalloy from the first temperature to a second temperature at a first cooling rate in a furnace, and cooling the superalloy component from the second temperature to a final temperature at a second cooling rate. The second cooling rate is higher than the first cooling rate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for heat-treating a superalloy component, comprising:
 a furnace operable to cool a superalloy component from a first temperature to a second temperature at a first cooling rate and to cool the superalloy component from the second temperature to a final temperature at a second cooling rate, wherein the second cooling rate is higher than the first cooling rate, and wherein the first temperature is above a solvus temperature for the superalloy component and the second temperature is below the solvus temperature.   
     
     
         2 . The system of claim  17 , wherein the superalloy component is cooled from the first temperature to the second temperature at a first pressure, and is cooled from the second temperature to the final temperature at a second pressure, wherein the second pressure is higher than the first pressure. 
     
     
         3 . The system of claim  18 , wherein the second pressure is between 1 and 20 bar (0.1 and 2 MPa). 
     
     
         4 . The system of claim  17 , wherein the furnace includes a fan operable to provide convection within the furnace, wherein the superalloy component is cooled from the first temperature to the second temperature when the fan is operated at a first fan speed, and is cooled from the second temperature to the final temperature when the fan is operated at a second fan speed, wherein the second fan speed is higher than the first fan speed.