Hybrid ceramic matrix composite turbine blades for improved processibility and performance

• US 20050158171A1
• Filed: 01/15/2004
• Published: 07/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Subramanian, Suresh, Carper, Douglas Melton, Steibel, James Dale, Jendrix, Richard William
• Application Number:
  US10/758,250
• Publication Number:
  US 20050158171A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 415/200
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 18/00 Layered products essentially comprising ceramics, e.g. refractory products
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2311/22 Nickel or cobalt
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2315/02 Ceramics
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/422 Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/428 Silicon
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/5244 Silicon carbide
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/5248 Carbon, e.g. graphite
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/5256 Two-dimensional, e.g. woven structures
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/5268 Orientation of the fibers
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/616 Liquid infiltration of green bodies or pre-forms
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/80 Phases present in the sintered or melt-cast ceramic products other than the main phase
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/361 Boron nitride
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/363 Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/365 Silicon carbide
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/368 Silicon nitride
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/38 Fiber or whisker reinforced
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/61 Joining two substrates of which at least one is porous by infiltrating the porous substrate with a liquid, such as a molten metal, causing bonding of the two substrates, e.g. joining two porous carbon substrates by infiltrating with molten silicon
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/565 based on silicon carbide
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/62863 Silicon carbide
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/62868 Boron nitride
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/62871 : Silicon nitride
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/62873 : Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/282 : Selecting composite materials, e.g. blades with reinforcing filaments
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/284 : Selection of ceramic materials
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2300/2261 : of silicon
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2300/603 : Composites; e.g. fibre-reinforced
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 : Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

The present invention is a hybrid ceramic matrix composite turbine engine component comprising an outer shell section(s) and an inner core section(s), wherein the outer shell section(s) and the inner core section(s) were bonded together using an MI process. The outer shell section(s) comprises a SiC/SiC material that has been manufactured using a process selected from the group consisting of a slurry cast MI process and a prepreg MI process. The inner core section(s) comprises a material selected from the group consisting an Si/SiC composite material and a monolithic ceramic material. The Si/SiC composite material may be manufactured using the Silcomp process. The present invention may be a high pressure turbine blade, a high pressure turbine vane, a low pressure turbine blade, or a low pressure turbine vane. The present invention is also a method of manufacturing a hybrid ceramic matrix composite turbine engine component.

Claims

1. A ceramic matrix composite turbine engine component comprising:

a core insert section comprising a material selected from the group consisting of a silicon-silicon carbide composite and a monolithic ceramic; and

an outer shell section comprising a silicon carbide-silicon carbide composite material, wherein the at least one outer shell section and the at least one core insert section are bonded together using a silicon melt infiltration process.

2. The turbine engine component of claim 1, wherein the component comprises a plurality of outer shell sections.

3. The turbine engine component of claim 1, wherein the component comprises a plurality of core insert sections and a plurality of outer shell sections.

4. The turbine engine component of claim 1, wherein the core insert section is a silicon-silicon carbide composite.

5. The turbine engine component of claim 4, wherein the core insert section is manufactured using a Silcomp process.

6. The turbine engine component of claim 1, wherein the core insert section is a monolithic ceramic material.

10. The turbine engine component of claim 1, wherein the component is a turbine vane.

11. The turbine engine component of claim 1, wherein the component is a turbine nozzle.

7. The turbine engine component of 2, wherein the outer shell section is silicon carbide-silicon carbide composite material.

8. The turbine engine component of claim 7, wherein the outer shell section is manufactured using a slurry cast melt infiltration process.

9. The turbine engine component of claim 7, wherein the outer shell section is manufactured using a prepreg melt infiltration process.

12. A method of manufacturing a ceramic matrix composite turbine blade comprising the steps of:

providing a core insert section having a preselected geometry, the core insert section comprising a material selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide-silicon carbide composite preform having at least some porosity, silicon-silicon carbide composite, silicon-silicon carbide composite preform having at least some porosity, silicon-silicon carbide composite, and a monolithic ceramic;

providing a plurality of plies of silicon carbide prepreg cloth;

laying up a preselected number of silicon carbide prepreg plies to form an outer shell section;

assembling the core insert section and the outer shell section into a turbine blade form, the turbine blade form comprising a dovetail section and an airfoil section, wherein the core insert section is positioned in the dovetail section of the turbine blade form;

autoclaving the turbine blade form;

filling remaining porosity in the turbine blade form with at least silicon using a silicon melt infiltration process, the filling also forming a bond between the core insert section and the outer shell preform.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the core insert section is a silicon-silicon carbide preform.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the silicon-silicon carbide preform includes carbon microspheres.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the core insert section is a silicon carbide-silicon carbide preform manufactured using a slurry cast process.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the core insert section is a silicon carbide-silicon carbide preform manufactured using a prepreg process.

17. A method of manufacturing a ceramic matrix composite turbine blade comprising the steps of:

providing a core insert section having a preselected geometry, the core insert section comprising a material selected from the group consisting of a silicon carbide-silicon carbide composite preform having at least some porosity, a silicon-silicon carbide composite, the silicon-silicon carbide composite preform having at least some porosity, a silicon-silicon carbide composite, and a monolithic ceramic;

providing an outer shell section preform, the outer shell preform having at least some porosity;

assembling the core insert section and the outer shell preform into a turbine blade form, the turbine blade form comprising a dovetail section and an airfoil section, wherein the core insert section is positioned in the dovetail section of the turbine blade form; and

filling remaining porosity in the turbine blade forms with at least silicon using the silicon melt infiltration process, the filling also forming a bond between the at least one core insert section and the at least one outer shell preform.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the core insert section is a silicon-silicon carbide preform.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the silicon-silicon carbide preform includes carbon micro spheres.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the core insert section is a silicon carbide-silicon carbide preform manufactured using a slurry cast process.