# US 10,767,502 B2 · Composite turbine vane with three-dimensional fiber reinforcements

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,767,502 B2
- Document ID: US10767502B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/462,230
- Filed: 2017-03-17
- Published: 2018-06-28
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2016-12-23
- Assignees: ROLLS-ROYCE plc; Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.; Rolls-Royce High Temperature Composites Inc.
- Applicants: Rolls-Royce Corporation; Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
- Inventors: Tara G. Schetzel; Ted J. Freeman; Jun Shi; Jeffrey A. Walston; Steven Clarke; Sean Kroszner
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10767502B2

## CPC

- F01D 9/041: {using blades (F01D5/148 takes precedence)}
- F01D 5/282: {Selecting composite materials, e.g. blades with reinforcing filaments}
- F01D 5/284: {Selection of ceramic materials}
- F01D 25/005: {Selecting particular materials}
- F01D 5/18: Hollow blades, {i.e. blades with cooling or heating channels or cavities (structure of hollow blades in general F01D5/147)}; Heating, heat-insulating or cooling means on blades
- F01D 5/188: {with an insert in the blade cavity to guide the cooling fluid, e.g. forming a separation wall}
- F05D 2240/80: Platforms for stationary or moving blades
- F05D 2300/6033: Ceramic matrix composites [CMC]
- F05D 2300/6034: Orientation of fibres, weaving, ply angle
- 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 vane made from ceramic matrix composite material and adapted for use in a gas turbine engine. The turbine vane is made from ceramic matrix composite materials with three-dimensionally woven or braided reinforcing tows and includes an inner band, an outer band, and an airfoil that extends between the inner band and the outer band.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A turbine vane made from ceramic matrix composite material and adapted for use in a gas turbine engine, the turbine vane comprising
an inner band configured to define a circumferentially extending inner flow path surface;
an outer band configured to define a circumferentially extending outer flow path surface; and
an airfoil that extends from the inner band to the outer band across a flow path defined between the inner flow path surface and the outer flow path surface,
wherein the turbine vane includes three-dimensionally woven reinforcement fibers suspended in matrix material, the three-dimensionally woven reinforcement fibers including a plurality of tows each shaped to provide at least a portion of the inner band, the outer band, and the airfoil, the plurality of tows including a first plurality of fibers arranged generally in a hoop direction from a pressure side to a suction side of the airfoil and a second plurality of fibers woven with the first plurality of fibers and arranged in at least one of a radial direction, an axial direction, and a circumferential direction, the radial direction, the axial direction, and the circumferential direction each being different than the hoop direction, and wherein the airfoil has a higher fraction of the first plurality of fibers that extend in the hoop direction compared to fibers that extend in any one of the radial direction, the axial direction, and the circumferential direction,
wherein the airfoil includes a primary airfoil portion made at least in part from the three-dimensionally woven reinforcement fibers and the three-dimensionally woven fiber reinforcements of the primary airfoil portion are shaped to provide a leading end, a trailing end, a pressure side wall, and a suction side wall spaced apart from the pressure side wall to define a cooling cavity within the primary airfoil portion between the leading end, the trailing end, the pressure side wall, and the suction side wall,
wherein the airfoil includes a trailing-edge insert coupled to the primary airfoil portion to define a trailing edge of the airfoil, and
wherein the trailing edge insert includes an interior portion that extends into the cooling cavity and an exterior portion that defines the trailing-edge of the airfoil.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The turbine vane of claim 1, wherein the three-dimensionally woven fiber reinforcements of the primary airfoil portion are shaped to provide a rib that extends from the pressure side wall to the suction side wall through the cooling cavity.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The turbine vane of claim 2, wherein the rib is interrupted between the radially inner band and the radially outer band such that spaces are formed between portions of the rib.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The turbine vane of claim 1, wherein the trailing-edge insert extends into recesses formed in the inner band and the outer band to couple the trailing-edge insert to the primary airfoil portion.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The turbine vane of claim 1, wherein the trailing-edge insert comprises one of monolithic ceramic material and ceramic matrix composite material; and the trailing-edge insert is coupled to the primary airfoil portion by matrix material.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The turbine vane of claim 5, wherein the interior portion includes bonding surfaces that engage inner surfaces defining the cooling cavity of the primary airfoil portion.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The turbine vane of claim 5, wherein the interior portion includes bonding surfaces that face inner surfaces defining the cooling cavity of the primary airfoil portion and the matrix material is disposed on the bonding surfaces and the inner surfaces to bond the trailing edge insert to the primary airfoil portion.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The turbine vane of claim 1, wherein at least one of the inner band and the outer band has a higher fraction of the second plurality of fibers that extend in the circumferential direction compared to fibers that extend in any one of the radial direction and axial direction.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The turbine vane of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of fibers that extend in the hoop direction are generally perpendicular to the radial direction.

### Claim 10

A turbine vane made from ceramic matrix composite material and adapted for use in a gas turbine engine, the turbine vane comprising
an inner band configured to define a circumferentially extending inner flow path surface;
an outer band configured to define a circumferentially extending outer flow path surface; and
an airfoil that extends from the inner band to the outer band across a flow path defined between the inner flow path surface and the outer flow path surface,
wherein the turbine vane includes three-dimensionally woven reinforcement fibers suspended in matrix material, the three-dimensionally woven reinforcement fibers including a plurality of tows each shaped to provide at least a portion of the inner band, the outer band, and the airfoil, the plurality of tows including a first plurality of fibers arranged generally in a hoop direction from a pressure side to a suction side of the airfoil and a second plurality of fibers woven with the first plurality of fibers and arranged in at least one of a radial direction, an axial direction, and a circumferential direction, the radial direction, the axial direction, and the circumferential direction each being different than the hoop direction, and wherein the airfoil has a higher fraction of the first plurality of fibers that extend in the hoop direction compared to fibers that extend in any one of the radial direction, the axial direction, and the circumferential direction,
wherein the airfoil includes a primary airfoil portion made at least in part from the three-dimensionally woven reinforcement fibers and the three-dimensionally woven fiber reinforcements of the primary airfoil portion are shaped to provide a pressure side wall and a suction side wall spaced apart from the pressure side wall to define a cooling cavity therebetween,
wherein the airfoil includes a trailing-edge insert coupled to the primary airfoil portion to define a trailing edge of the airfoil, and
wherein the trailing-edge insert is formed to include cooling air discharge apertures that open into the cooling cavity to carry cooling air from inside the airfoil axially-aft out to the gas path.

### Claim 11

A turbine vane made from ceramic matrix composite material and adapted for use in a gas turbine engine, the turbine vane comprising
an inner band configured to define a circumferentially extending inner flow path surface, the inner band including three-dimensionally woven reinforcement fibers;
an outer band configured to define a circumferentially extending outer flow path surface, the outer band including three-dimensionally woven reinforcement fibers; and
an airfoil that extends from the inner band to the outer band across a flow path defined between the inner flow path surface and the outer flow path surface, the airfoil including three-dimensionally woven reinforcement fibers,
wherein the three-dimensionally woven reinforcement fibers included in the airfoil include a plurality of tows each shaped to provide at least a portion of the inner band and the outer band, the plurality of tows including a first plurality of fibers arranged generally in a hoop direction from a pressure side to a suction side of the airfoil and a second plurality of fibers woven with the first plurality of fibers and arranged in at least one of a radial direction, an axial direction, and a circumferential direction, the radial direction, the axial direction, and the circumferential direction each being different than the hoop direction, and wherein the airfoil has a higher fraction of the first plurality of fibers that extend in the hoop direction compared to fibers that extend in any one of the radial direction, the axial direction, and the circumferential direction.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The turbine vane of claim 11, wherein the airfoil includes a trailing-edge insert coupled to a primary airfoil portion that includes the three-dimensionally woven reinforcement such that the trailing-edge insert defines a trailing edge of the airfoil.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The turbine vane of claim 12, wherein the trailing-edge insert is formed to include cooling air discharge apertures in fluid communication with a cooling cavity formed by the primary airfoil portion to carry cooling air from inside the airfoil out to the gas path.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The turbine vane of claim 12, wherein the trailing-edge insert extends into recesses formed in the inner band and the outer band to couple the trailing-edge insert to the primary airfoil portion.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The turbine vane of claim 12, wherein the trailing-edge insert comprises one of monolithic ceramic material and ceramic matrix composite material; and the trailing-edge insert is coupled to the primary airfoil portion by matrix material.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The turbine vane of claim 11, wherein the airfoil includes a primary airfoil portion made at least in part from the three-dimensionally woven reinforcement fibers and the three-dimensionally woven fiber reinforcements of the primary airfoil portion are shaped to provide a leading end, a trailing end, a pressure side wall, and a suction side wall spaced apart from the pressure side wall to define a cooling cavity between the leading end, the trailing end, the pressure side wall, and the suction side wall, wherein the airfoil includes a trailing-edge insert coupled to the primary airfoil portion to define a trailing edge of the airfoil, and wherein the trailing edge insert includes an interior portion that extends into the cooling cavity and an exterior portion that defines the trailing-edge of the airfoil.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The turbine vane of claim 16, wherein the interior portion includes bonding surfaces that engage inner surfaces defining the cooling cavity of the primary airfoil portion.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The turbine vane of claim 16, wherein the interior portion includes bonding surfaces that face inner surfaces defining the cooling cavity of the primary airfoil portion and matrix material is disposed on the bonding surfaces and the inner surfaces to bond the trailing edge insert to the primary airfoil portion.

### Claim 19 (depends on 11)

The turbine vane of claim 11, wherein at least one of the inner band and the outer band has a higher fraction of the second plurality of fibers that extend in the circumferential direction compared to fibers that extend in any one of the radial direction and axial direction.

### Claim 20 (depends on 11)

The turbine vane of claim 11, wherein the first plurality of fibers that extend in the hoop direction are generally perpendicular to the radial direction.