# US 11,028,704 B2 · Turbine blade assembly including multiple ceramic matrix composite components

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- Number: US 11,028,704 B2
- Document ID: US11028704B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/663,999
- Filed: 2019-10-25
- Published: 2020-06-04
- Granted: 2021-06-08
- Earliest claimed: 2016-03-18
- Assignees: Siemens Energy, Inc.
- Applicants: Siemens Energy, Inc.
- Inventors: Arindam Dasgupta; Anand A. Kulkarni; Ahmed Kamel
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11028704B2

## CPC

- C04B 35/653: Processes involving a melting step
- F01D 5/282: {Selecting composite materials, e.g. blades with reinforcing filaments}
- B28B 1/001: {Rapid manufacturing of 3D objects by additive depositing, agglomerating or laminating of material (selective deposition modelling of metallic powder B22F10/00; rapid manufacturing of 3D objects in general and in particular of plastics B29C64/00)}
- B28B 1/002: {assembled from preformed elements}
- B32B 7/04: Interconnection of layers
- C04B 35/64: Burning or sintering processes (C04B33/32 takes precedence {; powder metallurgy B22F})
- C04B 37/005: {consisting of glass or ceramic material}
- F01D 5/147: {Construction, i.e. structural features, e.g. of weight-saving hollow blades (F01D5/148, F01D5/16 and F01D5/20 take precedence; blade shape F01D5/141; blades with cooling or heating channels or cavities F01D5/18; heating, heat-insulating or cooling means on blades F01D5/18)}
- F01D 5/187: {Convection cooling}
- F01D 5/284: {Selection of ceramic materials}
- C04B 2235/665: Local sintering, e.g. laser sintering
- C04B 2237/38: Fiber or whisker reinforced
- 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
- C04B 2237/88: Joining of two substrates, where a substantial part of the joining material is present outside of the joint, leading to an outside joining of the joint
- F05D 2230/22: by sintering
- F05D 2230/30: with deposition of material
- F05D 2240/30: Characteristics of rotor blades, i.e. of any element transforming dynamic fluid energy to or from rotational energy and being attached to a rotor
- F05D 2300/6033: Ceramic matrix composites [CMC]
- C04B: LIME, MAGNESIA; SLAG; CEMENTS; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF, e.g. MORTARS, CONCRETE OR LIKE BUILDING MATERIALS; ARTIFICIAL STONE {(roofing granules E04D7/005)}; CERAMICS (devitrified glass-ceramics C03C10/00); REFRACTORIES; TREATMENT OF NATURAL STONE
- F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D)
- B28B: SHAPING CLAY OR OTHER CERAMIC COMPOSITIONS; SHAPING SLAG; SHAPING MIXTURES CONTAINING CEMENTITIOUS MATERIAL, e.g. PLASTER (foundry moulding B22C; working stone or stone-like material B28D; shaping of substances in a plastic state, in general B29C; making layered products not composed wholly of these substances B32B)
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS

## Abstract

A turbine blade having an airfoil portion includes a first ceramic matrix composite (CMC) component having a first outer surface and a second ceramic matrix composite (CMC) component having a second outer surface. The second CMC component is positioned adjacent the first CMC component such that the first outer surface and the second outer surface align with one another and at least partially define the airfoil portion. A ceramic bead is at least partially formed at an interface between the first CMC component and the second CMC component. The formation of the bead melts a portion of the first CMC component and the second CMC component, such that the ceramic bead, the first CMC component, and the second CMC component become a single contiguous component and the bead fixedly attaches the first CMC component and the second CMC component. The bead includes a bead outer surface that extends outward beyond the first outer surface and the second outer surface and an overlayer is deposited onto the airfoil portion, the overlayer bonded to the first outer surface, the second outer surface, and the bead outer surface.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A turbine blade having an airfoil portion, the turbine blade comprising:
a first ceramic matrix composite (CMC) component having a first outer surface that is non-planar;
a second ceramic matrix composite (CMC) component having a second outer surface that is non-planar, the second CMC component positioned adjacent the first CMC component such that the first outer surface and the second outer surface at least partially define the airfoil portion;
a ceramic bead at least partially positioned at an interface between the first outer surface and the second outer surface, the ceramic bead, the first CMC component, and the second CMC component defining a single contiguous component and the bead fixedly attaching the first CMC component and the second CMC component to one another, the bead including a bead outer surface that extends outward beyond the first outer surface and the second outer surface; and
an overlayer deposited onto the airfoil portion, the overlayer bonded to the first outer surface, the second outer surface, and the bead outer surface.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The turbine blade of claim 1, wherein the first outer surface and the second outer surface each define a leading edge, a trailing edge, a pressure side and a suction side that cooperate to define a continuous airfoil shape.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The turbine blade of claim 1, wherein each of the first CMC component and the second CMC component includes a bottom surface and a top surface spaced apart from the bottom surface, the first outer surface extending between the bottom surface and the top surface of the first CMC component and the second outer surface extending between the bottom surface and the top surface of the second CMC component.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The turbine blade of claim 3, wherein the bottom surface of the second CMC component is juxtaposed adjacent the top surface of the first CMC component to define the interface, and wherein an outer edge of the bottom surface of the second CMC component and an outer edge of the top surface of the first CMC component cooperate to define a seam.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The turbine blade of claim 4, wherein the ceramic bead is formed using a laser and extends continuously along the seam.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The turbine blade of claim 3, wherein the first CMC component and the second CMC component each define an aperture that extends from the bottom surface to the top surface, the turbine blade further comprising a metallic core that extends through the aperture of the first CMC component and the second CMC component.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The turbine blade of claim 1, further comprising an adhesive positioned between the first CMC component and the second CMC component to at least partially bond the first CMC component to the second CMC component.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The turbine blade of claim 1, wherein the overlayer is a thermal barrier coating that is sprayed onto the first outer surface, the second outer surface, and the bead outer surface.

### Claim 9

A turbine blade having an airfoil portion, the turbine blade comprising:
a plurality of ceramic matrix composite (CMC) components each having a bottom surface, a top surface spaced apart from the bottom surface, and an outer closed surface that extends between the bottom surface and the top surface, the outer closed surface being non-planar, one of the bottom surface and the top surface of each CMC plurality of CMC components positioned adjacent the other of the bottom surface and the top surface of an adjacent CMC component of the plurality of CMC components such that the outer closed surfaces cooperate to define the airfoil portion;
a plurality of seams, each seam defined at an interface between two adjacent CMC components and extending around an edge of the outer closed surface of one of the two adjacent CMC components to define a closed loop;
a plurality of ceramic beads each positioned at and extending completely around one of the plurality of seams, each bead fixedly attaching the two adjacent CMC components that define the respective seam to one another, each bead including a bead outer surface that extends outward beyond the outer closed surface of one of the two adjacent CMC components that define the respective seam; and
an overlayer deposited onto the airfoil portion, the overlayer bonded to the outer closed surfaces of the plurality of CMC components and the bead outer surface.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The turbine blade of claim 9, wherein the overlayer is a thermal barrier coating that is sprayed onto the outer closed surface of each of the plurality of CMC components and to the bead outer surface of each of the plurality of ceramic beads.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The turbine blade of claim 9, wherein each outer closed surface defines a leading edge, a trailing edge, a pressure side and a suction side that cooperate to define a continuous airfoil shape, and wherein each CMC component includes an aperture that extends from the bottom surface to the top surface.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The turbine blade of claim 11, further comprising a metallic core sized to fit within the aperture, and wherein a first CMC component of the plurality of CMC components is positioned with the metallic core passing through the aperture and extending beyond the top surface.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The turbine blade of claim 12, wherein a second CMC component of the plurality of CMC components includes a second bottom surface that is juxtaposed adjacent the top surface of the first CMC component, and wherein the metallic core passes through the aperture in the second CMC component and extends beyond a second top surface of the second CMC component, the top surface of the first CMC component and the second bottom surface of the second CMC component cooperating to define the interface.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The turbine blade of claim 9, wherein each ceramic bead is formed using a laser and a supply of powdered material.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The turbine blade of claim 9, further comprising an adhesive positioned between adjacent CMC components to at least partially bond adjacent CMC components to one another.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The turbine blade of claim 12, wherein each CMC component defines a second aperture that extends from the bottom surface to the top surface, the turbine blade further comprising a second metallic core that extends through the second apertures of each CMC component.

### Claim 17

A method of manufacturing a turbine blade having an airfoil portion, the method comprising:
forming a plurality of CMC components, each CMC component including an outer surface that defines a portion of the airfoil portion, the outer surface being non-planar;
positioning a first of the plurality of CMC components adjacent a second of the plurality of CMC components;
applying a ceramic bead between the first of the plurality of CMC components and the second of the plurality of CMC components, the ceramic bead fixedly attaching the first of the plurality of CMC components and the second of the plurality of CMC components such that their outer surfaces cooperate to define a partial airfoil, and wherein the ceramic bead includes a bead outer surface that extends outward of the outer surfaces;
positioning a free CMC component of the plurality of CMC components adjacent the partial airfoil;
forming an additional ceramic bead between the free CMC component and the partial airfoil to fixedly attach the free CMC component to the partial airfoil, the additional ceramic bead including an additional bead outer surface that extends outward of the outer surface of the partial airfoil;
repeating the positioning a free CMC component and the forming an additional ceramic bead steps until the partial airfoil fully defines the airfoil portion; and
applying an overlay to the airfoil portion, the overlay bonding to the outer surfaces of each of the plurality of CMC components, and each of the bead outer surfaces.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of manufacturing a turbine blade of claim 17, wherein positioning the first of the plurality of CMC components adjacent the second of the CMC components defines a seam that extends continuously around the outer surface of the first of the plurality of CMC components, and wherein the ceramic bead is applied to the seam and extends continuously around the first of the plurality of CMC components.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of manufacturing a turbine blade of claim 18, further comprising laser melting a material, a portion of the first CMC component adjacent the seam, and a portion of the second CMC component adjacent the seam, the material, the melted portion of the first CMC component, and the melted portion of the second CMC component solidifying such that the bead permanently attaches the first CMC component to the second CMC component.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The method of manufacturing a turbine blade of claim 17, further comprising spraying the overlay onto the outer surface of each of the plurality of CMC components, the bead outer surface, and the additional bead outer surface.