At Brindley Metals we work very hard to source the best resources. We do all we can to ensure we have everything you could need for almost any application. This includes alloys of steel, titanium, and more. We also have access to specialist materials like Alloy 90 nickel round bar. As a result, clients in all kinds of challenging industries can rely on us.
The world of power generation is very interesting. It is also vital to modern society. Countries need to be able to generate energy effectively to meet the needs of residents and businesses. We also need the right solutions for vehicles, generators, and more. However, it is also crucial to think about efficiency, safety, and the environment. All of these facts can make it challenging, but also provide lots of opportunities.
Gas turbines
At the heart of most natural gas or liquid fuel power stations you will find gas turbines. They are vital for generating electricity. You can also find smaller ones in jet engines, ships, trains, and even tanks.
The turbines are relatively simple in their operation. What happens first is there will be an injection of compressed air. This mixes with a fuel, typically natural gas or a liquid. When it ignites it produces extremely hot gas. It drives the blades in the turbine, turning the drive shaft. This in turn connects to a generator containing a magnet. When it turns at high speeds, it creates a strong magnetic field. It can then cause electrons in surrounding copper coils to move. Ultimately, you have electricity.
Some gas turbines can have a secondary steam turbine as well as the main one. A crucial part of the process is the loop will need to dispel hot steam at some point. Simply venting it will waste the energy it contains. Instead, it can power the second turbine to generate even more power. It improves the efficiency of the system.
The right components
While the turbines are relatively simple in terms of operation, the design needs to be right. A key thing here is to choose the right materials for components, including the blades, disks, shafts, and coils. They need to be able to handle the conditions to ensure there won’t be a loss of efficiency or a dangerous failure.
Alloy 90 nickel round bar is a good option for many of the components, particularly the turbine blades. The metal is a wrought nickel alloy that includes chromium, cobalt, titanium, and aluminium. It has excellent thermal resistance as well as good mechanical properties. This makes it a good choice for parts that must deal with excessive temperatures.
The nickel alloy is also age hardenable. This is very important for parts like blades because they need to be hard and durable. The ageing can achieve this, boosting the wear resistance and service life of the parts.
In addition, the nickel has very good creep resistance. A big concern with parts like turbine blades is they have to be able to stand a great deal of stress. The stresses could lead to creep, causing components to slowly deform over time. That can reduce the efficiency, cause issues like noise, and even trigger a catastrophic failure. Luckily, the nickel can resist it, even at high temperatures for long periods.
Ask us about alloy 90 nickel round bar
Brindley Metals knows how vital it is to select the right materials for each job. We can help clients with this thanks to our vast collection. It includes alloys of steel, nickel, titanium, aluminium and many more. We even have some niche metals that are hard to find.
So, talk to us if you need to source alloy 90 nickel round bar or any of our other products. We can arrange everything with you, even offering suggestions if you want help.