Localized thickening ply reinforcement within ceramic matrix composite airfoil cavity
AssigneeRtx Corporation
InventorHoward J. Liles
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A CMC component for a gas turbine engine includes an airfoil including a leading edge, a trailing edge, a suction sidewall, and a pressure sidewall having a locally-thickened region, the locally-thickened region being a maximum thickness region of the pressure sidewall. The locally-thickened region has a first thickness, a maximum thickness region of the suction sidewall has a second thickness, and the first thickness is greater than the second thickness.
Claims16
A ceramic matrix composite vane for a gas turbine engine comprising:
- an airfoil comprising:
- a leading edge;
- a trailing edge;
- a suction sidewall;
- and
- a pressure sidewall joined to the suction sidewall at the leading edge and the trailing edge, the pressure sidewall comprising a locally-thickened region,
- a first platform;
- and
- a second platform, wherein the airfoil is connected to and extends between the first platform and the second platform;
- wherein the locally-thickened region extends from one of the first platform and the second platform to a midspan region of the airfoil and wherein the locally-thickened region has a first thickness, the first thickness being a maximum thickness of the pressure sidewall;
- wherein the suction sidewall has a second thickness, the second thickness being a maximum thickness of the suction sidewall;
- wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness;
- and
- wherein the airfoil comprises a plurality of fiber plies;
- wherein at least one of the plurality of plies is disposed only in the locally thickened region of the airfoil and one of the first platform and the second platform.
A method of forming a ceramic matrix composite vane comprising a airfoil extending in span between a first platform and a second platform, the method comprising:
- identifying stress regions in the vane exceeding a threshold value;
- subsequently, forming a preform by:
- laying up a first subset of plies around a mandrel;
- laying up at least one reinforcing ply over the first subset of plies, the at least one reinforcing ply coextensive with the stress regions;
- and
- laying up a second subset of plies over the at least one reinforcing ply;
- and
- densifying the preform with a ceramic matrix;
- wherein the first subset of plies and the second subset of plies define the airfoil, the airfoil comprising a leading edge, a trailing edge, a suction sidewall, and a pressure sidewall;
- wherein the at least one reinforcing ply covers only a portion of the span of the airfoil and forms a portion of one of the first platform and the second platform;
- and
- wherein the second set of plies wraps around the airfoil.
A vane assembly for a gas turbine engine, the vane assembly comprising:
- an inner case;
- an outer case;
- and
- at least one ceramic matrix composite (CMC) vane coupled between the inner case and the outer case, the at least one CMC vane comprising:
- an inner diameter platform;
- an outer diameter platform;
- and
- an airfoil connected to and extending between the inner diameter platform and the outer diameter platform, the airfoil comprising:
- a leading edge;
- a trailing edge;
- a suction sidewall;
- and
- a pressure sidewall joined to the suction sidewall at the leading edge and the trailing edge, the pressure sidewall comprising a locally-thickened region extending from the inner diameter platform or the outer diameter platform toward a midspan region pressure sidewall,
- wherein the locally-thickened region has a first thickness, the first thickness being a maximum thickness of the pressure sidewall;
- wherein the suction sidewall has a second thickness, the second thickness being a maximum thickness of the suction sidewall;
- wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness;
- and
- wherein the airfoil comprises a plurality of fiber plies;
- wherein at least one of the plurality of plies is disposed only in the locally thickened region of the of the pressure sidewall and one of the inner diameter platform and the outer diameter platform.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.