GRID CERAMIC MATRIX COMPOSITE STRUCTURE FOR GAS TURBINE SHROUD RING SEGMENT

• US 20100047061A1
• Filed: 08/20/2008
• Published: 02/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Energy Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Energy Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Morrison, Jay A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,118,546 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 415/173.100
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/246 Fastening of diaphragms or stator-rings
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 9/04 forming ring or sector
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2240/11 Shroud seal segments
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2300/21 Oxide ceramics
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2300/603 Composites; e.g. fibre-reinforced
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24479 including variation in thickness

Abstract

A ceramic matrix composite (CMC) component such as a ring seal segment (50, 50A, 50B, 50C, 50D) for a gas turbine engine (10), the component formed with a base plate (52) and a frame portion (54) that extends substantially normally from the base plate around its perimeter. A grid of intersecting CMC ribs (73) is formed on the base plate within the frame portion. The ribs have a height (H) that may be within 3 times the total thickness (B) of the base plate, including any rib base (39) bonded to the base plate, along at least most of the rib length. The grid of ribs may be assembled from an array of CMC cups (40) bonded to the base plate, to adjacent cups, and to the frame portion.

Claims

1. A ceramic matrix composite component for a turbine engine comprising:

a body made of a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) material comprising a ceramic matrix and a plurality of fibers therein;

the body comprising a base plate and a frame portion;

the frame portion comprising frame walls that are unitary with the base plate, substantially follow a perimeter of the base plate, and extend substantially normally from the base plate; and

a lattice of intersecting CMC ribs forming a grid in an area framed by the frame portion, the ribs extending substantially normally from the base plate, distal ends of at least some of the ribs intersecting the frame walls.

2. The ceramic matrix composite component of claim 1, wherein the grid comprises an isogrid and/or orthogrid geometry.

3. The ceramic matrix composite component of claim 1, wherein the grid comprises an array of cells, each cell formed as a cup of CMC, the cup comprising:

a bottom wall merged or bonded with the base plate to form a rib base;

cup side walls merged or bonded with adjacent ones of the cups to form the ribs; and

wherein at least some of the cups comprise at least one perimeter attachment wall merged or bonded with at least one of the frame walls.

4. The ceramic matrix composite component of claim 2, wherein the base plate, the frame walls, and the ribs are formed from a 3-dimensionally woven reinforcement fabric in a ceramic matrix.

5. The ceramic matrix composite component of claim 2, further including a stationary turbine support structure, wherein at least two of the frame walls are connected to the stationary turbine support structure, and wherein the base plate comprises a radially inner surface with a thermal barrier coating.

6. The ceramic matrix composite component of claim 2 wherein a transition between two of the frame walls occurs in a transition region, and at least 50% of the fibers adjacent to the transition region in said two frame walls span continuously across the transition region and extend into a portion of each of said two frame walls.

7. The ceramic matrix composite component of claim 2, wherein the ribs have a height that is within three times the total thickness of the base plate along at least most of the rib length.

8. The ceramic matrix composite of claim 2, wherein the ribs have a height that is between 1 and 2 times the total thickness of the base plate along at least most of the rib length.

9. The ceramic matrix composite component of claim 3, wherein the ribs have a height that is within three times the total thickness of the base plate plus the rib base along at least most of the rib length.

10. The ceramic matrix composite component of claim 3, wherein the ribs have a height that is between 1 and 2 times the total thickness of the base plate plus the rib base along at least most of the rib length.

11. The ceramic matrix composite of claim 3 in the form of a gas turbine ring seal segment, wherein the cup perimeter attachment walls have a height approximately the same as the frame walls along at least most of the frame wall length, and wherein the ribs vary in height from approximately the height of the frame walls distally, or adjacent the frame walls, to within three times the total thickness of the base plate plus the rib base proximally, or away from the frame walls.

12. A gas turbine engine ring seal segment comprising:

a ring seal segment body made of ceramic matrix composite (CMC) comprising a ceramic matrix and a plurality of fibers therein;

the CMC body comprising a base plate and a generally rectangular frame portion, the base plate and the frame portion being unitary with each other;

the frame portion extending substantially radially outward from the base plate, the frame portion having an upstream frame wall, a downstream frame wall, and first and second circumferential frame walls, wherein the upstream frame wall transitions into each of the first and second transverse frame walls, and wherein the downstream frame wall transitions at opposite ends into the first and second transverse frame walls;

a grid of intersecting CMC ribs within the frame portion, each rib extending substantially radially outwardly from the base plate; and

wherein the grid intersects the frame portion at distal ends of at least some of the ribs.

13. The ring seal segment of claim 12 wherein the transition between each of the frame walls occurs in a respective transition region, and wherein at least about 50% of the fibers in the transition region span continuously across the transition region and extend into a portion of each of the adjacent frame walls.

14. The ceramic matrix composite component of claim 13, wherein the grid comprises an isogrid and/or orthogrid geometry.

15. The ceramic matrix composite component of claim 12, wherein the grid comprises an array of cells, each cell formed as a cup of CMC, the cup comprising:

a bottom wall merged or bonded with the base plate to form a rib base;

cup side walls merged or bonded with adjacent ones of the cups to form the ribs; and

wherein at least some of the cups comprise at least one perimeter attachment wall merged or bonded with at least one of the frame walls.

16. The ceramic matrix composite component of claim 14, wherein the base plate, the frame walls, and the ribs comprise a 3-dimensionally woven reinforcement fabric in a ceramic matrix.

17. The ceramic matrix composite component of claim 14, wherein the ribs have a height within three times the total thickness of the base plate along at least most of the total rib length.

18. The ceramic matrix composite of claim 14, wherein the ribs have a height between 1 and 2 times the total thickness of the base plate along at least most of the total rib length.

19. The ceramic matrix composite component of claim 15, wherein the ribs have a height between 1 and 2 times the total thickness of the base plate plus the rib base along at least most of the total rib length.

20. A ring seal segment for a gas turbine, comprising:

a body made of a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) material comprising a ceramic matrix and a plurality of fibers therein;

the body comprising a base plate, a frame, and a grid of ribs;

the frame portion extending substantially normally from the base plate around the perimeter of the base plate;

the grid comprising intersecting CMC ribs, each rib extending substantially normally from the base plate within the frame portion;

each rib having a height within 3 times the total thickness of the base plate along at least most of the rib length; and

the grid assembled from an array of CMC cups bonded to the base plate.