Method for repairing composite components using a plug

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11548102-B2
Application number	US-202016944914-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 31, 2020
Priority date	Jul 31, 2020
Publication date	Jan 10, 2023
Grant date	Jan 10, 2023

Abstract

A method for repairing composite components includes installing a plug within a feature defined by a composite component, with the plug being formed from one or more neutral materials. Furthermore, the method includes infiltrating the composite component with an infiltrant to densify a repair region of the composite component, with the plug blocking a flow of the infiltrant into the feature. Moreover, after infiltrating the composite component, the method includes removing the plug from the feature.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for repairing composite components, the method comprising:
filling a feature defined by a composite component with one or more neutral particulate materials;
compacting the one or more neutral particulate materials to form a plug within the feature;
infiltrating the composite component with an infiltrant to densify a repair region of the composite component, the plug blocking a flow of the infiltrant into the feature; and
after infiltrating the composite component, removing the plug from the feature.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plug entirely fills the feature defined by the composite component.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein removing the plug from the feature comprises chemically removing the plug from the feature defined by the composite component.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein removing the plug from the feature comprises mechanically removing the plug from the feature defined by the composite component.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more neutral particulate materials include a bond resistant material.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the one or more neutral particulate materials include boron nitride.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the one or more neutral particulate materials include polytetrafluoroethylene.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the feature comprises a hole.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the feature comprises a slot.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein infiltrating the composite component comprises melt infiltrating the composite component with the infiltrant to densify the repair region of the composite component.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
positioning a repair material on the repair region of the composite component before infiltrating the composite component with the infiltrant.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the repair material comprises silicon carbide and the infiltrant comprises silicon.

13. A method for repairing composite turbomachine components, the method comprising:
filling a feature defined by a composite turbomachine component with one or more neutral and bond resistant particulate materials;
compacting the one or more neutral and bond resistant particulate materials to form a plug within the feature;
infiltrating the composite turbomachine component with an infiltrant to densify a repair region of the composite turbomachine component, the plug blocking a flow of the infiltrant into the feature; and
after infiltrating the composite turbomachine component, removing the plug from the feature.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the composite turbomachine component comprises a gas turbine engine vane, a gas turbine engine blade, or a gas turbine engine shroud block.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein removing the plug from the feature comprises chemically removing the plug the from the feature defined by the composite turbomachine component.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein removing the plug from the feature comprises mechanically removing the plug the from the feature defined by the composite turbomachine component.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the plug entirely fills the feature defined by the composite turbomachine component.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the one or more neutral particulate materials include a bond resistant material.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the one or more neutral particulate materials include boron nitride.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the one or more neutral particulate materials include polytetrafluoroethylene.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Roberts Herbert Chidsey
• Scott Christopher James

Classifications

• F01D5/284

  Selection of ceramic materials · CPC title

• B29C73/24 Primary

  Apparatus or accessories not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• F05D2230/80

  Repairing, retrofitting or upgrading methods · CPC title

• B29C73/02

  using liquid or paste-like material (B29C73/16 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F05D2220/32

  in gas turbines · CPC title