CMC COMPONENT, POWER GENERATION SYSTEM AND METHOD OF FORMING A CMC COMPONENT

• US 20130084189A1
• Filed: 10/04/2011
• Published: 04/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Diego, Peter de
• Granted Patent: US 8,980,435 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 416/241.B
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/5248 Carbon, e.g. graphite
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/5268 Orientation of the fibers
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/602 Making the green bodies or pre-forms by moulding
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/614 Gas infiltration of green bodies or pre-forms
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/616 Liquid infiltration of green bodies or pre-forms
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/04 Ceramic interlayers
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/341 Silica or silicates
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/343 Alumina or aluminates
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/346 Titania or titanates
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/36 Non-oxidic
• 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 2237/84 Joining of a first substrate with a second substrate at least partially inside the first substrate, where the bonding area is at the inside of the first substrate, e.g. one tube inside another tube
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 37/001 directly with other burned ceramic articles
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 37/005 consisting of glass or ceramic material
• 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 2300/6033 Ceramic matrix composites [CMC]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249969 : Of silicon-containing material [e.g., glass, etc.]

Abstract

A ceramic matrix composite component for a power generation system includes a ceramic foam core and a ceramic matrix composite material surrounding at least a portion of the ceramic foam core. The ceramic foam core remains in place during operation of the component in the power generation system. Additionally, a method of forming the ceramic matrix composite component is provided.

Claims

1. A ceramic matrix composite component for a power generation system comprising:

a ceramic foam core; and

a ceramic matrix composite material surrounding at least a portion of the ceramic foam core, wherein the ceramic foam core remains in place during operation of the component.

2. The ceramic matrix composite component of claim 1, wherein the ceramic foam core includes a material selected from alumina, mullite, silica, zironica, zircon, silicon carbon, silicon boron, and combinations thereof

3. The ceramic matrix composite component of claim 2, wherein the ceramic foam core is selected from an open cell foam or a closed cell foam.

4. The ceramic matrix composite component of claim 1, wherein ceramic matrix composite includes at least one reinforcing fiber and a matrix material.

5. The ceramic matrix composite component of claim 4, wherein the at least one reinforcing fiber includes material selected from metallic fibers, ceramic fibers, carbon fibers, and combinations thereof

6. The ceramic matrix composite component of claim 4, wherein the matrix material selected from SiC, SiN, and combinations thereof

7. The ceramic matrix composite component of claim 1, wherein an intermediate layer is adjacent to the ceramic foam core and adjacent to the ceramic matrix composite material.

8. A power generation system comprising:

a turbine having a blade comprising;

a ceramic foam core; and

a ceramic matrix composite material surrounding at least a portion of the ceramic foam core, wherein the ceramic foam core remains in place during operation of the component in the power generation system.

9. The power generation system of claim 8, wherein the ceramic foam core includes a material selected from alumina, mullite, silica, zironica, zircon, silicon carbon, silicon boron and combinations thereof

10. The power generation system of claim 8, wherein the ceramic foam core is selected from an open cell foam or a closed cell foam.

11. The power generation system of claim 8, wherein an intermediate layer is adjacent to the ceramic foam core and adjacent to the ceramic matrix composite material

12. The power generation system of claim 8, wherein the ceramic matrix composite material includes reinforcing layer selected from metallic fiber, ceramic fiber, carbon fiber, and combinations thereof

13. The power generation system of claim 8, wherein the ceramic matrix composite material includes a matrix material selected from SiC, SiN, and combinations thereof

14. A method of forming a ceramic matrix composite component comprises:

providing a ceramic foam core, the ceramic foam core having a predetermined geometry;

assembling a ceramic matrix composite component preform including the ceramic foam core;

curing the ceramic matrix composite component preform and ceramic foam core;

infiltrating the cured ceramic matrix composite component preform and ceramic foam core to form the ceramic matrix composite component.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of providing a ceramic foam core includes adding an intermediate layer to the ceramic foam core.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of infiltrating includes infiltrating with a silicon boron material.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of infiltrating is a melt infiltration process, chemical vapor infiltration process, or polymer pyrolysis process.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the ceramic foam core is a material selected from alumina, mullite, silica, zironica, zircon, and combinations thereof

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the core is formed using a mold having a desired geometry.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the ceramic foam core is selected from an open cell foam or a closed cell foam.