Gas Turbine Blade Outer Air Seal Segmented Mounting

The air seal assembly is divided into multiple seal segments that can be independently positioned and stressed. This segmentation distributes the thermal and mechanical loads across multiple interfaces rather than concentrating stress on a single continuous seal, thereby reducing peak temperatures at metallic interfaces while maintaining overall sealing effectiveness.

A carrier structure serves as an intermediary between the ceramic matrix composite seal segments and the metallic turbine components. This carrier acts as a thermal and mechanical buffer, isolating the CMC segments from direct thermal contact with metallic interfaces, thus reducing heat transfer and interface temperatures while still enabling effective sealing.

The seal segments are designed with non-uniform thickness and varying material properties across different regions. The local geometry and material composition are optimized to distribute stress more evenly, preventing stress concentration at specific points that would otherwise lead to elevated metallic interface temperatures while maintaining high thermal resistance where needed.

The seal segments are designed to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction dynamically. By allowing the CMC segments to expand and contract independently within their mounting structure, the design prevents stress concentration that would occur with rigid constraints, thereby reducing heat transfer to metallic interfaces while maintaining the high thermal resistance of the ceramic material.