Articles for creating hollow structures in ceramic matrix composites

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019071363-A1
Application number	US-201715696869-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 6, 2017
Priority date	Sep 6, 2017
Publication date	Mar 7, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method of fabricating a ceramic composite components. The method may include providing at least a first layer of reinforcing fiber material which may be a pre-impregnated fiber. An additively manufactured component may be provided on or near the first layer. A second layer of reinforcing fiber, which may be a pre-impregnated fiber may be formed on top the additively manufactured component. A precursor is densified to consolidates at least the first and second layer into a densified composite, wherein the additively manufactured material defines at least one cooling passage in the densified composite component.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of fabricating a composite component comprising:
at least partially covering a core having an organic binder and at least a silicon component with a reinforcing fiber material, wherein the core includes at least one portion having a non-linear geometry.

2 . The method of fabricating a composite component of claim 1 , wherein the silicon component comprises at least one of Si, SiO, and SiO2.

3 . The method of fabricating a composite component of claim 1 , further comprising: performing an infiltration process with a ceramic matrix precursor material, wherein the precursor is densified and consolidates at least a first and second layer of the reinforcing fiber material into a densified composite, wherein the core defines at least one cooling passage in the densified composite component.

4 . The method of fabricating a composite component of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing fiber material is pre-impregnated with a ceramic matrix precursor material.

5 . The method of fabricating a composite component of claim 1 , wherein covering the core further comprises:
placing the core on at least one first layer of the reinforced fiber material, wherein the fiber material is pre-impregnated with a ceramic matrix precursor material; adding a second layer of pre-impregnated reinforcing fiber material on top of the core; wherein the first layer and second layer are densified to consolidate at least the first and second layer of reinforcing fiber, wherein the core defines at least one cooling passage in the completed ceramic matrix component.

6 . The method of fabricating a composite component of claim 1 , wherein the organic binder is C—H—O.

7 . The method of fabricating a composite component of claim 3 , wherein the infiltration process is a chemical vapor infiltration.

8 . The method of fabricating a composite component of claim 3 , wherein the infiltration process is a melt infiltration.

9 . The method of fabricating a composite component of claim 3 , wherein the infiltration process is a polymer impregnation and pyrolysis.

10 . The method of fabricating a composite component of claim 1 , wherein the core is removed to define the at least one cooling passage.

11 . The method of fabricating a composite component of claim 1 , wherein the core comprises at least one hollow passage, wherein the hollow passage defines the at least one cooling passage.

12 . The method for fabricating a composite component of claim 1 , wherein the core is formed by:
(a) contacting a cured portion of a workpiece with a liquid photopolymer; (b) irradiating a portion of the liquid photopolymer adjacent to the cured portion through a window contacting the liquid photopolymer; (c) removing the workpiece from the uncured liquid photopolymer; and (d) repeating steps (a)-(c) until the core is formed.

13 . The method for fabricating a composite component of claim 1 , wherein the composite component is at least a portion of at least one of a shroud, combustion liner, fuel nozzle, swirler, compressor blade, turbine blade, and turbine vein.

14 . A method of fabricating a composite component comprising:
at least partially covering a core having an organic binder and at least one of Si, SiO, and SiO2 with a reinforcing fiber material, wherein the core defines at least one cooling passage in the composite component.

15 . The method for fabricating a composite component of claim 14 , wherein the core is formed by:
(a) contacting a cured portion of a workpiece with a liquid photopolymer; (b) irradiating a portion of the liquid photopolymer adjacent to the cured portion through a window contacting the liquid photopolymer; (c) removing the workpiece from the uncured liquid photopolymer; and (d) repeating steps (a)-(c) until the core is formed.

16 . The method of fabricating a composite component of claim 14 , further comprising:
performing an infiltration process with a ceramic matrix precursor material, wherein the precursor is densified and consolidates at least a first and second layer of the reinforcing fiber material into a densified composite, wherein the core defines at least one cooling passage in the densified composite component.

17 . The method of fabricating a composite component of claim 14 , wherein the reinforcing fiber material is pre-impregnated with a ceramic matrix precursor material.

18 . The method of fabricating a composite component of claim 14 , wherein covering the core further comprises:
placing the core on at least one first layer of the reinforced fiber material, wherein the fiber material is pre-impregnated with a ceramic matrix precursor material; adding a second layer of pre-impregnated reinforcing fiber material on top of the core; wherein the first layer and second layer are densified to consolidate at least the first and second layer of reinforcing fiber, wherein the core defines at least one cooling passage in the completed ceramic matrix component.

19 . The method of fabricating a composite component of claim 14 , wherein the organic binder is C—H—O.

20 . The method of fabricating a composite component of claim 14 , wherein the infiltration process is a chemical vapor infiltration.

21 . The method of fabricating a composite component of claim 14 , wherein the core is removed through a heating process to define the at least one cooling passage.

22 . The method of fabricating a composite component of claim 14 , wherein the core comprises at least one hollow passage, wherein the hollow passage defines the at least one cooling passage.

23 . A method of fabricating a composite component comprising:
covering at least a portion of a first layer of reinforcing fiber material with a core portion; adding a second layer of reinforcing fiber material on top of the core portion; and densifying and consolidating at least the first and second layer of reinforcing fiber into a densified composite, wherein the core portion includes a portion having a non-linear geometry and defines at least one cooling passage in the densified composite component.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Li Tao
• Coons Timothy P
• Yang Xi
• Weimer Michael James

Classifications

• C04B35/64

  Burning or sintering processes (C04B33/32 takes precedence {; powder metallurgy B22F}) · CPC title

• C04B35/62886

  by wet chemical techniques · CPC title

• C04B35/62844

  Coating fibres · CPC title

• C04B35/62884

  by gas phase techniques · CPC title

• C04B35/80 Primary

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