The effect of elliptic type cooling holes on the creep behavior of nickel based single crystal alloys

Experimental results of our previous researches showed that cooling holes can increase the creep life of the plate specimens with round cooling holes. Finite element analysis showed the distances of the round cooling holes have influences on the creep characteristics of the specimen. In the present study, the influences of the elliptic type holes are investigated. The hole distances are chosen from the round holes with the longest creep life. Elliptic holes with different long/short axis ratios are studied with the minimum cross-sections of the calculated models maintaining the same. It could be found that elliptic hole type greatly affect the creep behavior of the alloys. The stress redistributions differ from that of the round holes. With the proper selection of long/short axis ratio, the creep life of the specimen can be greatly increased.