Ceramic matrix composite component cooling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10975701-B2
Application number	US-201916386578-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 17, 2019
Priority date	Aug 10, 2016
Publication date	Apr 13, 2021
Grant date	Apr 13, 2021

Abstract

Ceramic matrix composite (CMC) airfoils and methods for forming CMC airfoils are provided. In one embodiment, an airfoil is provided that includes opposite pressure and suction sides extending radially along a span and opposite leading and trailing edges extending radially along the span. The leading edge defines a forward end of the airfoil, and the trailing edge defines an aft end of the airfoil. A trailing edge portion is defined adjacent the trailing edge at the aft end, and a pocket is defined in and extends within the trailing edge portion. A heat pipe is received in the pocket. A method for forming an airfoil is provided that includes laying up a CMC material to form an airfoil preform assembly; processing the airfoil preform assembly; defining a pocket in a trailing edge portion of the airfoil; and inserting a heat pipe into the pocket.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An airfoil for a gas turbine engine, comprising:
opposite pressure and suction sides extending radially along a span;
opposite leading and trailing edges extending radially along the span, the pressure and suction sides extending axially between the leading and trailing edges, the leading edge defining a forward end of the airfoil, the trailing edge defining an aft end of the airfoil;
a trailing edge portion defined adjacent the trailing edge at the aft end;
at least two pockets defined in the trailing edge portion, the at least two pockets extending within the trailing edge portion, the at least two pockets radially spaced apart from one another; and
a heat pipe received in each pocket.

2. The airfoil of claim 1 , wherein at least one pocket of the at least two pockets extends at an angle with respect to an axial direction.

3. The airfoil of claim 2 , wherein the airfoil defines adjacent the leading edge a cavity for receipt of a flow of cooling fluid, and wherein a condenser portion of the heat pipe is positioned near the cavity.

4. The airfoil of claim 1 , wherein at least one pocket of the at least two pockets extends radially within the trailing edge portion, and wherein at least one pocket of the at least two pockets extends axially within the trailing edge portion.

5. The airfoil of claim 4 , wherein the airfoil defines adjacent the leading edge a cavity for receipt of a flow of cooling fluid, and wherein a condenser portion of the at least one heat pipe extending axially within the trailing edge portion is positioned near the cavity.

6. The airfoil of claim 4 , wherein the airfoil defines adjacent the leading edge a cavity for receipt of a flow of cooling fluid, and wherein a condenser portion of the at least one heat pipe extending axially within the trailing edge portion is positioned near an outer band of the airfoil.

7. The airfoil of claim 4 , wherein the airfoil defines adjacent the leading edge a cavity for receipt of a flow of cooling fluid, and wherein a condenser portion of the at least one heat pipe extending axially within the trailing edge portion is positioned near an inner band of the airfoil.

8. The airfoil of claim 1 , wherein each heat pipe comprises a condenser portion, and wherein the condenser portion of at least one heat pipe of the at least two heat pipes is positioned near the radially outermost portion of the airfoil.

9. The airfoil of claim 1 , wherein each heat pipe comprises a condenser portion, and wherein the condenser portion of at least one heat pipe of the at least two heat pipes is positioned near the radially innermost portion of the airfoil.

10. The airfoil of claim 1 , wherein each heat pipe comprises a condenser portion, and wherein the condenser portion of at least one heat pipe of the at least two heat pipes is positioned near a radial midsection of the airfoil.

11. The airfoil of claim 1 , wherein each heat pipe comprises a condenser portion, and wherein the condenser portion of at least one heat pipe extends into a cavity defined by an outer band of the airfoil.

12. The airfoil of claim 1 , wherein each heat pipe comprises a condenser portion, and wherein the condenser portion of at least one heat pipe extends into a cavity defined by an inner band of the airfoil.

13. The airfoil of claim 1 , wherein the airfoil is formed from a ceramic matrix composite material.

14. A method for forming a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) airfoil for a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:
laying up a CMC material to form an airfoil preform assembly, the airfoil preform assembly defining an airfoil shape having
opposite pressure and suction sides extending radially along a span,
opposite leading and trailing edges extending radially along the span, the pressure and suction sides extending axially between the leading and trailing edges, the leading edge defining a forward end of the airfoil, the trailing edge defining an aft end of the airfoil, and
a trailing edge portion defined adjacent the trailing edge at the aft end;

processing the airfoil preform assembly to produce a green state CMC airfoil;
defining at least two pockets in the trailing edge portion, the at least two pockets radially spaced apart from one another; and
inserting a heat pipe into each pocket.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein at least one pocket of the at least two pockets is defined such that the at least one pocket extends at an angle with respect to an axial direction.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the airfoil preform assembly defines adjacent the leading edge a cavity for receipt of a flow of cooling fluid, and wherein a condenser portion of the heat pipe inserted into the at least one pocket is positioned near the cavity.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein at least one pocket of the at least two pockets is defined such that the at least one pocket extends radially within the trailing edge portion.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the airfoil preform assembly defines adjacent the leading edge a cavity for receipt of a flow of cooling fluid, and wherein laying up the CMC material to form the airfoil preform assembly comprises laying up a filler pack preform, a cavity preform, and a plurality of CMC plies that wrap around the filler pack preform and the cavity preform.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein at least one pocket of the at least two pockets is defined through the cavity preform and the filler pack preform.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein at least one pocket of the at least two pockets is defined in the filler pack preform and is located adjacent the cavity preform when the filler pack preform is laid up with the cavity preform and the plurality of CMC plies to form the airfoil preform assembly.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Frey David Alan
• Salamah Samir Armando
• Craig Iii Charles William

Classifications

• F01D5/181 Primary

  Blades having a closed internal cavity containing a cooling medium, e.g. sodium · CPC title

• C04B35/565

  based on silicon carbide · CPC title

• C04B35/80

  Fibres, filaments, whiskers, platelets, or the like · CPC title

• F01D9/041 Primary

  using blades (F01D5/148 takes precedence) · CPC title

• Y02T50/60

  Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft · CPC title