Dual-walled ceramic matrix composite (cmc) component with integral cooling and method of making a cmc component with integral cooling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016101561-A1
Application number	US-201514881864-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 13, 2015
Priority date	Oct 14, 2014
Publication date	Apr 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A dual-walled ceramic matrix composite (CMC) component comprises: a CMC core having a hollow shape enclosing at least one interior channel; and a CMC outer layer overlying and spaced apart from the CMC core by a ceramic slurry-cast architecture positioned therebetween. Each of the CMC core and the CMC outer layer comprises ceramic fibers in a ceramic matrix. The CMC core further includes a plurality of through-thickness inner cooling holes in fluid communication with the at least one interior channel. The ceramic slurry-cast architecture defines a cooling fluid path over an outer surface of the CMC core that connects the interior channel(s) to an external environment of the dual-walled CMC component. The CMC outer layer may also include a plurality of through-thickness outer cooling holes in fluid communication with the cooling fluid path, thereby extending the cooling fluid path through the CMC outer layer.

First claim

1 . A dual-walled ceramic matrix composite (CMC) component with integral cooling, the dual-walled CMC component comprising:
a CMC core having a hollow shape enclosing at least one interior channel; and a CMC outer layer overlying and spaced apart from the CMC core by a ceramic slurry-cast architecture positioned therebetween, each of the CMC core and the CMC outer layer comprising ceramic fibers in a ceramic matrix, wherein the CMC core includes a plurality of through-thickness inner cooling holes in fluid communication with the at least one interior channel, and wherein the ceramic slurry-cast architecture defines a cooling fluid path over an outer surface of the CMC core, the cooling fluid path connecting the at least one interior channel to an external environment of the dual-walled CMC component.

2 . The dual-walled CMC component of claim 1 , wherein the CMC outer layer further comprises a plurality of through-thickness outer cooling holes in fluid communication with the cooling fluid path, thereby extending the cooling fluid path through the CMC outer layer.

3 . The dual-walled CMC component of claim 1 , wherein the ceramic slurry-cast architecture includes a plurality of ceramic pedestal features extending from the outer surface of the CMC core to an inner surface of the CMC outer layer, the ceramic pedestal features having a predetermined shape and spacing for optimizing the cooling fluid path.

4 . The dual-walled CMC component of claim 1 , wherein the CMC core and the CMC outer layer comprise a SiC-SiC composite, and wherein the ceramic slurry-cast architecture comprises monolithic silicon carbide.

5 . The dual-walled CMC component of claim 1 being a blade, vane, combustor liner or seal segment of a gas turbine engine.

6 . A method of forming a CMC component with integral cooling, the method comprising:
positioning a preform comprising a rigidized framework of ceramic fibers within a mold having an inner surface comprising a plurality of protrusions, the preform having a hollow shape enclosing at least one interior channel; introducing into the mold a slurry comprising particulate solids in a flowable carrier, the slurry (a) infiltrating the rigidized framework of ceramic fibers and (b) flowing over an outer surface of the preform and around the plurality of protrusions; removing or immobilizing the flowable carrier, the particulate solids (a) remaining in the rigidized framework of ceramic fibers and (b) being deposited on the outer surface of the preform between the protrusions, thereby forming a slurry-cast architecture on the outer surface of the preform; removing the mold; forming a plurality of through-thickness cooling holes in the preform, the cooling holes forming a cooling fluid path from the at least one interior channel through the slurry-cast architecture and out of the preform.

7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising, after removing the mold, infiltrating the preform with a molten material, thereby forming a CMC core.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the slurry-cast architecture comprises slurry-cast pedestal features separated by recessed regions defined by the protrusions of the mold.

9 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising machining the slurry-cast architecture.

10 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising, after removing the mold, bonding a ceramic outer layer to the preform.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the bonding comprises wrapping a prepreg tape around the slurry-cast architecture and then heating the prepreg tape.

12 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising infiltrating the ceramic outer layer with a molten material, thereby forming a CMC outer layer.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein infiltration of the preform and infiltration of the ceramic outer layer with a molten material are carried out simultaneously after the bonding, thereby forming a dual-walled CMC component comprising a CMC outer layer bonded to a CMC core.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising forming a plurality of through-thickness cooling holes in the CMC outer layer, thereby extending the cooling fluid path from the interior channel through the CMC outer layer.

15 . The method of claim 6 , wherein infiltration of the preform and infiltration of a ceramic outer layer with a molten material are carried out separately to independently form a CMC core and a CMC outer layer.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising bonding the CMC outer layer to the CMC core, thereby forming a dual-walled CMC component.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the bonding comprises reactive brazing or diffusion bonding.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising forming a plurality of through-thickness cooling holes in the CMC outer layer, thereby extending the cooling fluid path from the interior channel through the CMC outer layer.

19 . The method of claim 6 , wherein introducing the slurry into the mold comprises slurry infiltration, injection molding or gel-casting.

20 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the CMC component comprises a blade, vane, combustor liner or seal segment of a gas turbine engine.

Assignees

• Rolls Royce Corp

Inventors

• Walston Jeffrey A
• Landwehr Sean

Classifications

• B32B3/266

  characterised by an apertured layer, the apertures going through the whole thickness of the layer, e.g. expanded metal, perforated layer, slit layer regular cells B32B3/12 · CPC title

• B28B1/24

  by injection moulding {(injection moulding of ceramic slips B28B1/265; of tubular articles B28B21/38)} · CPC title

• F23R3/42

  characterised by the arrangement or form of the flame tubes or combustion chambers · CPC title

• F01D9/02

  Nozzles; Nozzle boxes; Stator blades; Guide conduits {, e.g. individual nozzles (nozzle boxes F01D9/047)} · CPC title

• B32B1/08 Primary

  Tubular products · CPC title