Braze joints for a component and methods of forming the same

Abstract

A system for creating a braze joint within a component. The system includes an environment operable to reach a braze temperature sufficient to melt at least a portion of a braze material. The system also includes a component within the environment, the component including a base having a base surface, a recess depending from the base surface into the base to an inner edge, and a braze material within the recess and forming a cap above the base surface. The braze material fills the recess from the cap to the inner edge. The cap has an exposed braze surface. The system also includes an insulation layer that at least partially covers the exposed braze surface.

1 . A system for creating a braze joint, the system comprising:
 an environment operable to reach a braze temperature sufficient to melt at least a portion of a braze material;   a component within said environment, said component comprising:
 a base comprising a base surface; 
 a recess depending from said base surface into said base to an inner edge; and 
 said braze material within said recess and forming a cap above said base surface, said braze material filling said recess from said cap to said inner edge, said cap having an exposed braze surface; and 
   an insulation layer at least partially covering said exposed braze surface.   
     
     
         2 . The system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said environment is located within a vacuum furnace, said vacuum furnace operable to reach said brazing temperature and to create a vacuum within said environment sufficient to remove at least some gas from said environment. 
     
     
         3 . The system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said braze material comprises a braze filler alloy. 
     
     
         4 . The system in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein said braze material comprises a braze paste including said braze alloy and a braze powder, said braze powder having a higher melting point than said braze filler alloy. 
     
     
         5 . The system in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein said braze alloy comprises at least one of cobalt, copper, aluminum, boron, silicon, germanium, gold, silver, and nickel. 
     
     
         6 . The system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said insulation layer comprises at least one of ceramic, ceramic fiber, mineral wool, polycrystalline fiber, and silica cloth, and wherein said insulation layer completely covers said cap and at least partially covers said base surface. 
     
     
         7 . The system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said insulation layer completely covers said cap and at least partially covers said base surface. 
     
     
         8 . The system in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising a cooling device operable to extract heat from a location on said base, said location being closer to said inner edge of said recess than to said cap. 
     
     
         9 . The system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said insulation layer causes a ratio of modulus of said cap to modulus of said braze joint to be greater than or equal to 1.1, where modulus is defined as a volume of a geometrical body divided by a heat dissipation area of the geometrical body. 
     
     
         10 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A system for creating a braze joint, the system comprising:
 an environment operable to reach a braze temperature sufficient to melt at least a portion of a braze material;   a component within said environment, said component comprising:
 a base comprising a base surface; 
 a recess depending from said base surface into said base to an inner edge; and 
 said braze material within said recess and forming a cap above said base surface, said braze material filling said recess from said cap to said inner edge, said cap having an exposed braze surface; and 
   a cooling device operable to selectively extract heat from a location on said base, said location being closer to said inner edge of said recess than to said cap.   
     
     
         22 . The system in accordance with  claim 21 , wherein the cooling device comprises a heat exchanger. 
     
     
         23 . The system in accordance with  claim 22 , wherein the heat exchanger comprises a plate-fin heat exchanger, a plate heat exchanger, or a tube heat exchanger. 
     
     
         24 . The system in accordance with  claim 21 , wherein the cooling device comprises a graphite plate with embedded cooling channels connected to a cooling media. 
     
     
         25 . The system in accordance with  claim 21 , wherein the cooling device comprises an impingement manifold operable to direct a fluid into impingement with said location on said base. 
     
     
         26 . The system in accordance with  claim 25 , wherein the impingement manifold comprises jet nozzles connected to a source of cooling fluid. 
     
     
         27 . The system in accordance with  claim 26 , wherein the cooling fluid comprises at least one gas selected from the group consisting of argon, helium, hydrogen, and nitrogen. 
     
     
         28 . The system in accordance with  claim 21 , further comprising an insulation layer at least partially covering said exposed braze surface. 
     
     
         29 . The system in accordance with  claim 28 , wherein said insulation layer comprises at least one of ceramic, ceramic fiber, mineral wool, polycrystalline fiber, and silica cloth. 
     
     
         30 . The system in accordance with  claim 28 , wherein said insulation layer completely covers said cap and at least partially covers said base surface. 
     
     
         31 . The system in accordance with  claim 28 , wherein said insulation layer causes a ratio of modulus of said cap to modulus of said braze joint to be greater than or equal to 1.1, where modulus is defined as a volume of a geometrical body divided by a heat dissipation area of the geometrical body.