Composite keystoned blade track

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10316682-B2
Application number	US-201615088852-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 1, 2016
Priority date	Apr 29, 2015
Publication date	Jun 11, 2019
Grant date	Jun 11, 2019

Abstract

A blade track for a gas turbine engine includes a plurality of blade track segments. The blade track segments are arranged circumferentially around a central axis to form the blade track.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A blade track for a gas turbine engine, the blade track comprising
a plurality of blade track segments comprising ceramic-matrix composite materials and shaped to extend part-way around a central axis, each blade track segment including opposing circumferential end faces and a radially outer surface extending between the end faces, and
an annular composite-lock structure positioned to engage the radially outer surfaces of the blade track segments, the composite-lock structure including ceramic-matrix materials and at least one reinforcement fiber of ceramic-containing material suspended in the ceramic-matrix materials of the annular composite-lock structure,
wherein the blade track segments are positioned circumferentially around the central axis to form a ring, the end faces of the blade track segments are engaged with one another, and the composite-lock structure continuously extends circumferentially around the entire ring to provide a radially-inward force toward the central axis against each of the plurality of blade track segments such that each blade track segment acts as a keystone to maintain a form of the ring.

2. The blade track of claim 1 , wherein the at least one reinforcement fiber is positioned to circumferentially surround the ring along the radially outer surfaces of the blade track segments.

3. The blade track of claim 2 , wherein the at least one reinforcement fiber is a single continuous fiber that extends around the ring at least twice.

4. The blade track of claim 2 , wherein the at least one reinforcement fiber includes a plurality of fibers.

5. The blade track of claim 2 , wherein each of the blade track segments further includes a runner and a pair of flanges that extend radially outward from the outer surface of the runner to form a radially-outward opening lock-receiving channel with the runner that receives at least a portion of the composite-lock structure.

6. The blade track of claim 5 , wherein a first one of the pair of flanges extends outwardly in a radial direction along an axially-forward face of the runner to form a generally continuous axially-forward face of the blade track segment.

7. The blade track of claim 6 , wherein a second one of the pair of flanges extends outwardly in the radial direction along an axially-aft face of the runner to form a generally continuous axially-aft face of the blade track segment.

8. The blade track of claim 1 , wherein the end faces of the blade track segments are configured to engage and form a resultant radially-outward force away from the central axis against the composite-lock structure.

9. The blade track of claim 8 , wherein the end faces extend radially inward from the outer surface and are positioned to lie in a plane defined in part by the central axis.

10. A method of assembling a blade track for use in a gas turbine engine, the method comprising
positioning a plurality of blade track segments circumferentially around a central axis, each blade track segment comprising ceramic-matrix composite materials and shaped to extend part-way around the central axis, each blade track segment including opposing circumferential end faces and a radially outer surface extending between the end faces,
engaging the end faces of adjacent blade track segments together to form a ring of blade track segments, and
forming an annular composite-lock structure along the radially outer surfaces of the blade track segments, the composite-lock structure comprising ceramic-matrix composite materials,
wherein the composite-lock structure continuously extends circumferentially around the ring of blade track segments to provide a radially inward force against the blade track segments such that each blade track segment acts as a keystone to maintain a form of the ring of blade track segments.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein forming the composite-lock structure includes positioning at least one reinforcement fiber of ceramic-containing material along the outer surfaces of the blade track segments and suspending the at least one reinforcement fiber in ceramic-matrix materials included in the composite lock structure.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein suspending the at least one reinforcement fiber in ceramic-matrix material includes infiltrating the at least one reinforcement fiber with the ceramic-matrix material and solidifying the ceramic-matrix material to form a ceramic-matrix composite structure.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the at least one reinforcement fiber is infiltrated using at least one of a slurry infiltration process or melt infiltration process.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one reinforcement fiber is a single continuous fiber.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising wrapping the fiber around the ring along the radially outer surfaces of the blade tracks at least once.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising wrapping the fiber around the ring along the radially outer surfaces of the blade tracks at least twice.

17. A method of forming a blade track for use in a gas turbine engine, the method comprising
forming a plurality of blade track segments from ceramic-matrix composite materials,
arranging the blade track segments in a ring, and
forming an annular composite-lock structure from ceramic-matrix composite materials along radially outer surfaces of the blade track segments,
wherein composite-lock structure continuously extends circumferentially around the entire ring and is configured to provide a radially inward force against the blade track segments such that each blade track segment acts as a keystone to maintain a form of the ring.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein forming the composite-lock structure includes wrapping a single continuous fiber of ceramic-containing material along the radially outer surfaces of the blade track segments at least once and suspending the at least reinforcement one fiber in ceramic-matrix material.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein suspending the at least one reinforcement fiber in ceramic-matrix material includes infiltrating the at least one reinforcement fiber with the ceramic-matrix material and solidifying the ceramic-matrix material to form a ceramic-matrix composite structure.

20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising wrapping the fiber around the ring along the radially outer surfaces of the blade tracks at least twice.

Assignees

• Rolls Royce Nam Tech Inc
• Rolls Royce Plc

Inventors

• Vetters Daniel K
• Davis Paul A
• Jones Simon L
• Hillier Steven
• Broadhead Peter

Classifications

• C04B2235/5252

  having a specific pre-form · CPC title

• C04B35/83

  Carbon fibres in a carbon matrix · CPC title

• F05D2240/55

  Seals · CPC title

• F05D2230/60

  Assembly methods · CPC title

• F04D29/526

  Details of the casing section radially opposing blade tips (ducts F04D29/545) · CPC title