Method of making a multi-perforated part out of ceramic matrix composite material

• US 20040221941A1
• Filed: 02/25/2004
• Published: 11/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Safran Ceramics
• Original Assignee: Snecma Propulsion Solide (Safran SA)
• Inventors: Bouillon, Eric, Coupe, Dominique, Bouvier, Remi
• Granted Patent: US 7,238,247 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/155
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 1/44 by forcing cores into filled moulds for forming hollow articles
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 7/342 which are at least partially destroyed, e.g. broken, molten, before demoulding; Moulding surfaces or spaces shaped by, or in, the ground, or sand or soil, whether bound or not; Cores consisting at least mainly of sand or soil, whether bound or not
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/5244 Silicon carbide
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/5248 Carbon, e.g. graphite
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/52 based on carbon, e.g. graphite
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/565 based on silicon carbide
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/62863 Silicon carbide
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/62873 Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/62884 by gas phase techniques
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/80 Fibres, filaments, whiskers, platelets, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/806 The matrix of the ceramic products consisting of non-oxides only
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/83 Carbon fibres in a carbon matrix
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 38/0003 containing continuous channels, e.g. of the "dead-end" type or obtained by pushing bars in the green ceramic product B28B takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 38/068 Carbonaceous materials, e.g. coal, carbon, graphite, hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: F23M 2900/05004 Special materials for walls or lining
• CPC Class Codes: F23R 2900/00018 Manufacturing combustion chamber liners or subparts
• CPC Class Codes: F23R 3/007 constructed mainly of ceramic components
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A fiber preform for constituting the fiber reinforcement of composite material is prepared and then consolidated by depositing sufficient matrix phase therein to bond the fibers together while not completely densifying the preform. Pins of rigid material are put into place through the consolidated preform and densification of the consolidated preform containing the pins is continued by depositing at least a ceramic matrix phase. Thereafter, at least a portion of each pin is eliminated so as to leave a calibrated perforation passing through the resulting part, the pins being made at least in part out of a material that can be eliminated by applying treatment that does not affect the ceramic material of the matrix.

Claims

1. A method of making a multi-perforated part out of ceramic matrix composite material, the method comprising the steps consisting in:

preparing a fiber preform for constituting the fiber reinforcement of the composite material;

consolidating the preform by depositing within it sufficient matrix phase for binding the fibers to one another, but without densifying the preform completely;

putting a plurality of pins of rigid material into place through the consolidated preform;

continuing densification of the consolidated preform provided with the pins by depositing at least one ceramic matrix phase; and

eliminating at least a portion of each pin so as to leave a calibrated perforation passing through the part, the pins being made at least in part out of a material that can be eliminated by applying a treatment that does not affect the ceramic material of the matrix.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the pins put into place are made entirely out of material that can be eliminated.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein pins are used made with a core portion of material that can be eliminated and a peripheral portion or sheath of ceramic that is not eliminated when the core portion is eliminated.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the material of the pins that can be eliminated is eliminated by oxidation.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the pins used are made by densifying and stiffening a yarn or tow of carbon by means of a matrix.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the pins are put into place by a process comprising initially inserting the pins in a block of compressible material, bringing the block of compressible material into contact with the consolidated preform, and applying ultrasound energy to the pins while compressing the block of compressible material so as to cause the pins to penetrate into the consolidated preform.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the pins are implanted in a direction forming a non-zero angle relative to the normal to the surface of the consolidated preform.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein preform consolidation comprises forming a ceramic matrix phase of small thickness.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein preform consolidation comprises forming a carbon matrix phase of small thickness.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein, during consolidation of the preform, the volume ratio of the pores therein is reduced by no more than 40%.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein a preform is used in which the volume ratio of the pores has a value lying in the range 50% to 70%, and consolidation is performed until the volume ratio of the pores is reduced to a value lying in the range 40% to 60%.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the preform is densified with a ceramic matrix that includes at least one self-healing phase.

13. A method according to claim 1, for making a multi-perforated wall out of ceramic matrix composite material for a gas turbine combustion chamber.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the fiber preform is made by draping two-dimensional fiber plies.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the plies are bonded to one another.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the fiber preform is made up of a multilayer fabric.