# US 10,767,493 B2 · Turbine vane assembly with ceramic matrix composite vanes

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- Number: US 10,767,493 B2
- Document ID: US10767493B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/265,567
- Filed: 2019-02-01
- Published: 2020-08-06
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2019-02-01
- Assignees: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
- Applicants: Rolls-Royce plc
- Inventors: Michael J. Whittle; Steven Hillier
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10767493B2

## CPC

- F01D 5/186: {Film cooling (F01D5/187 takes precedence)}
- F01D 9/041: {using blades (F01D5/148 takes precedence)}
- F01D 9/042: {fixing blades to stators (fixing stator-rings in the casing or to each other F01D25/246)}
- F01D 11/001: {for sealing space between stator blade and rotor}
- F05D 2220/32: in gas turbines
- F05D 2240/12: Fluid guiding means, e.g. vanes
- F05D 2260/202: by film cooling
- F05D 2300/20: Oxide or non-oxide ceramics
- F05D 2300/6033: Ceramic matrix composites [CMC]
- Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft
- F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D)
- F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

A turbine section adapted for use in a gas turbine engine includes a turbine case, a turbine wheel, and a turbine vane assembly. The turbine case is made from metallic materials. The turbine wheel is housed in the case. The turbine vane assembly is fixed to the case and configured to smooth and redirect air moving along a primary gas path of the turbine section.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A turbine section adapted for use in a gas turbine engine, the turbine section comprising
a case made from metallic materials and shaped to extend around a central reference axis,
a turbine wheel housed in the case, the turbine wheel including a disk mounted for rotation about the central reference axis relative to the case, a plurality of blades coupled to the disk for rotation with the disk, and a rotatable seal element coupled to the disk for rotation with the disk, and
a turbine vane assembly fixed to the case and configured to smooth and redirect air moving along a primary gas path of the turbine section ahead of interaction with the turbine wheel, the turbine vane assembly including a plurality of composite aero vanes made from ceramic matrix composite material shaped to provide inner and outer end walls defining the primary gas path as well as airfoils that extend across the primary gas path, a plurality of structural vanes made from metallic materials shaped to provide airfoils that extend across the primary gas path, and a static seal element that cooperates with the rotatable seal element of the turbine wheel to provide a seal for resisting movement of gasses across the seal when the turbine section is in use within a gas turbine engine,
wherein the static seal element is fixed to the plurality of structural vanes so as to be in turn coupled to the case while remaining free for relative movement in relation to the composite aero vanes so that the composite aero vanes are substantially free from carrying mechanical loads applied by pressure on the static seal element to the case.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The turbine section of claim 1, wherein the seal provided by the rotatable seal element and the static seal element are arranged radially inward of the primary gas path.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The turbine section of claim 2, wherein the static seal element includes a seal panel that divides axially adjacent compartments within the turbine section and at least one seal land that is engaged by the rotatable seal element.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The turbine section of claim 3, wherein the rotatable seal element includes a knife ring that engages the land of the static seal element.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The turbine section of claim 1, wherein the plurality of structural vanes each include an inner end wall facing the primary gas path, an outer end wall spaced radially from the inner end wall and facing the primary gas path, and an airfoil that extends from the inner end wall to the outer end wall across the primary gas path.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The turbine section of claim 5, wherein the plurality of structural vanes each include a seal mount that extends radially inwardly from the inner end wall away from the primary gas path and the static seal element is fixed to the seal mount.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The turbine section of claim 6, wherein the plurality of structural vanes each include a case mount that extends radially outwardly from the outer end wall away from the primary gas path and the case mount engages the case to couple the structural vane and the static seal element to the case.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The turbine section of claim 7, wherein the plurality of composite aero vanes are each coupled to the case by a metallic spar that extends through the airfoils of the composite aero vanes.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The turbine section of claim 6, wherein the static seal element is fixed to the seal mount by at least one fastener.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The turbine section of claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of composite aero vanes is spaced apart from the static seal element.

### Claim 11

A turbine vane assembly adapted for use in a gas turbine engine, the assembly comprising
a plurality of composite aero vanes made from ceramic matrix composite material, each of the plurality of composite aero vanes including an inner end wall that extends partway around a central reference axis, an outer end wall spaced radially from the inner end wall to define a primary gas path therebetween, and an airfoil that extends from the inner end wall to the outer end wall across the primary gas path,
a plurality of structural vanes made from metallic materials, each of the plurality of structural vanes including airfoils that extend across the primary gas path, and
a static seal element fixed to the plurality of structural vanes and spaced apart from the composite aero vanes.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The assembly of claim 11, wherein the static seal element is arranged radially inward of the primary gas path.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The assembly of claim 12, wherein the plurality of structural vanes each include a seal mount that extends radially inwardly from the inner end wall away from the primary gas path and the static seal element is fixed to the seal mount.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The assembly of claim 13, wherein the plurality of structural vanes each include a case mount that extends radially outwardly from the outer end wall away from the primary gas path, and the case mount is configured to engage a case so that the static seal element may be fixed to the case via the plurality of structural vanes.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The assembly of claim 13, wherein the static seal element is fixed to the seal mount by at least one fastener.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The assembly of claim 13, wherein the plurality of structural vanes each include an inner end wall facing the primary gas path, an outer end wall spaced radially from the inner end wall and facing the primary gas path, and an airfoil that extends from the inner end wall to the outer end wall across the primary gas path.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The assembly of claim 16, wherein the airfoil of each of the plurality of structural vanes is formed to include a cooling air passageway and a plurality of film cooling holes interconnecting the cooling air passageway with the primary gas path.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The assembly of claim 11, wherein the plurality of composite aero vanes are each mounted to a metallic spar that extends radially through the associated airfoil.