Compliant interface for ceramic turbine blades
AssigneeRockwell International Corporation
InventorsEdwin F. C. Cain, William T. McFarlen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides a ceramic turbine blade having a ceramic root flange and a metallic compliant layer which is electroformed to the ceramic root flange and then machine-formed to the geometry required for attachment to the turbine disk. Because of its intimate bond to the surface of the ceramic root flange and because of its compliant nature, the metallic compliant layer serves to uniformly distribute stresses induced by the attachment of the blade to the turbine disk. The present invention also envisions the attachment and use of a fir tree root section to an otherwise complete ceramic blade without risk of stress fracture or modification of the turbine disk.
Claims16
A ceramic turbine blade suitable for attachment to a turbine disk having a peripheral surface and a series of footings in said peripheral surface, each of said footings having interior surfaces for receiving a turbine blade, said ceramic blade comprising:
- a ceramic body comprising a blade body and a root flange,
- a first layer of conductive metal deposited onto said root flange by chemical deposition,
- at least one layer of compliant metal electroformed onto said first layer, said compliant layer having an exterior surface engageably conforming to said interior surfaces of one of said footings.
A ceramic turbine blade suitable for attachment to a turbine disk having a peripheral surface and a series of footings, each of said footings having interior surfaces for receiving turbine blades, said ceramic turbine blade comprising:
- a ceramic body comprising a blade body and a root flange,
- a first layer of conductive metal deposited onto said root flange by chemical deposition,
- at least one layer of compliant metal electroformed onto said root flange of said ceramic body and having exterior surfaces,
- a root element affixed to said exterior surfaces of said compliant layer of said root flange, said root element having surfaces engageable with said interior surfaces of said footings of said turbine disk.
A method for affixing ceramic turbine blades to a turbine disk having a peripheral surface and a series of footings in said peripheral surface, each of said footings having interior surfaces for receiving a turbine blade, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a ceramic root flange to said ceramic turbine blade,
- depositing onto said root flange an initial layer of conductive metal by chemical deposition about a substantial entirety of said root flange,
- electroforming at least one layer of compliant metal upon said initial layer,
- machining said layer of compliant metal to form exterior surfaces which engageably conform to the substantial entirety of said footings of said turbine disk,
- engaging said exterior surfaces of said layer of compliant metal of said ceramic turbine blade with said interior surfaces of one of said footings.
A method for affixing a ceramic turbine blade to a turbine disk having a periperal surface and a series of footings in said peripheral surface, each said footings having interior surfaces for receiving a turbine blade, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a ceramic root flange to said ceramic turbine blade,
- depositing onto said root flange an initial layer of conductive metal by chemical deposition,
- electroforming at least one layer of compliant metal upon said initial layer,
- fitting a root element over said layer of compliant metal, said root element having exterior surfaces engageably conforming with said interior surfaces of said footings of said turbine disk,
- engaging said exterior surfaces of said root element of said ceramic turbine blade with said interior surfaces of one of said footings of said turbine disk.
A ceramic turbine assembly comprising:
- a turbine disk having a peripheral surface and a series of footings in said peripheral surfaces, each of said footings having interior surfaces for receiving a turbine blade,
- a plurality of ceramic turbine blades, each comprising a ceramic body including a ceramic root, a first layer of conductive metal deposited onto said ceramic root by chemical deposition, and at least one layer of compliant metal electroformed onto said first layer, said compliant layer having exterior surfaces providing secure engagement with said interior surfaces of said footings of said turbine disk.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.