CMC component with cooling cavity
AssigneeRtx Corporation
InventorsCheng Gao, Howard J. Liles
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method is described for introducing cooling cavities into CMC components beneath flanges such as T-shaped flanges within the CMC components. During layup, preform is made having flanges formed from a Y-shaped weave in which plies of woven ceramic fiber tows form a radial flange section extending from a base of the preform and two bifurcated arms. The plies of the two bifurcated arms and plies of the base form a cooling cavity having a triangular cross section beneath the flange. Cooling fluid inlet passages are provided to permit cooling fluid to enter the cooling cavity and thereby cool the internal region of the CMC component to reduce formation of thermal stresses.
Claims20
A ceramic matrix composite (CMC) component comprising:
- a base having a bottom inner surface and a top outer surface, said base comprising a plurality of ceramic fiber piles,
- at least one flange structure extending from the top outer surface of the base at a connection region, said flange structure being formed from a Y-weave of a plurality of ceramic fiber piles and having a radial flange section extending upward from the top outer surface of the base and, at the connection region, two arms formed by bifurcation of the plurality of ceramic fiber piles of the Y-weave,
- a cooling channel beneath said at least one flange structure wherein the cooling channel is positioned at the connection region, the cooling channel having walls defined by the two arms of the Y-weave and plies of the base, said cooling channel having a triangular shaped cross section, and
- at least one cooling fluid inlet passage extending through said at least one flange structure to the cooling channel.
A method of forming a ceramic matrix composite comprising:
- laying up a plurality of ceramic fiber plies to form a base bottom inner surface and a top outer surface,
- providing a plurality of ceramic fiber plies that form at least one flange structure extending from the top outer surface of the base at a connection region, said flange structure being formed from a Y-weave of a plurality of ceramic fiber piles and having a radial flange section extending upward from the top outer surface of the base and, at the connection region, two arms formed by bifurcation of the plurality of ceramic fiber piles of the Y-weave, wherein the base and at least one flange structure form a ceramic matrix composite preform,
- providing a cooling channel beneath said at least one flange structure wherein the cooling channel is positioned at the connection region, the cooling channel having walls defined by the two arms of the Y-weave and plies of the base,
- subjecting the ceramic matrix composite preform to densification to form a ceramic matrix composite, and
- before or after the densification, providing at least one cooling fluid inlet passage extending through said at least one flange structure to the cooling channel.
A gas turbine engine comprising:
- a fan section, a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section, said turbine section including at least one rotor and one or more turbine blade(s) extending radially outwardly from said at least one rotor;
- a blade outer air seal assembly positioned between the one or more turbine blade(s) and an outer casing to the engine;
- said blade outer air seal is formed of a plurality blade outer air seal segments, wherein each blade outer air seal segment comprises
- a base having a bottom inner surface and a top outer surface, said base comprising a plurality of ceramic fiber piles,
- at least one flange structure extending from the top outer surface of the base at a connection region, said flange structure being formed from a Y-weave of a plurality of ceramic fiber piles and having a radial flange section extending upward from the top outer surface of the base and, at the connection region, two arms formed by bifurcation of the plurality of ceramic fiber piles of the Y-weave,
- a cooling channel beneath said at least one flange structure wherein the cooling channel is positioned at the connection region, the cooling channel having walls defined by the two arms of the Y-weave and plies of the base, said cooling channel having a triangular shaped cross section, and
- at least one cooling fluid inlet passage extending through said at least one flange structure to the cooling channel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.