Application and Advantages of Laser Cladding Technology in Equipment Repair in the Power Industry

With the development of the economy and society and the advancement of technology, laser cladding technology has matured, and renewable energy has been entrusted with new missions such as energy conservation, emission reduction, greenhouse gas control, and air pollution prevention. Wind and hydropower, as clean and non-polluting new energy sources for power generation, have made significant contributions to the power industry.

In the power industry, electrical equipment is widely distributed and operates continuously, resulting in a high probability of component failure. Components of power generation equipment are subjected to varying degrees of gas, high temperature, high pressure, and corrosive media in their working environments. Long-term use may cause localized damage due to aging, such as impellers, turbines, and axles in wind and hydropower equipment. To extend the service life of expensive production equipment, surface remanufacturing technology can be employed for repair, especially for blades used in power generation units, which are often very costly to manufacture. Reinstalling and reusing repaired blades will significantly reduce the power generation costs of power plants.

Laser cladding technology is an important method for material surface modification, with the following advantages:

1. Stable Quality: It uses high-energy-density laser beams to rapidly melt alloys of different compositions and properties on the substrate surface, forming a layer with entirely different composition and performance through rapid solidification. Laser cladding technology can eliminate defects such as pores and cracks during the welding process, ensuring stable quality of repaired components.

2. High Precision: The cladding alloy is self-contained, with a dense structure, fine grains, increased hardness and toughness, and significantly improved surface properties. Laser cladding technology enables high-precision surface repair, ensuring that repaired components meet design requirements.

3. Wide Applicability: Laser cladding technology can be applied to surface repair of various materials, such as steel, aluminum, nickel-based alloys, etc.

4. High Efficiency: Under rapid heating, the substrate is minimally affected by heat and does not deform. Laser cladding technology allows for quick surface repair, reducing production time and maintenance costs.

Laser cladding technology addresses a series of technical challenges inherent in traditional thermal processing methods such as electric welding and argon arc welding, including unavoidable thermal deformation and thermal fatigue damage.

Laser cladding has a low dilution rate, a dense structure, excellent bonding between the coating and the substrate, and reliable performance. Currently, laser cladding is primarily applied in three areas: first, surface modification of materials, such as turbine blades and rollers; second, rapid prototyping, which uses metal powder sintered layer by layer to quickly create models; and third, the repair of damaged complex three-dimensional components, fully demonstrating the flexibility and advancement of laser remanufacturing technology.