Ceramic Insert for Gas Turbine CMC Sealing Geometry
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacturing and implementation of ceramic matrix composite (CMC) materials in gas turbine engine components face challenges due to the complexity of maintaining the desired geometry and performance during the manufacturing process, particularly with the need for additional processing steps that can alter the geometry and introduce errors.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a ceramic insert into the fiber layer lay-up process, which serves as a rib or seal seat, eliminates the need for additional processing steps by remaining in the fiber preform and bordering the cavity, thus maintaining the desired design geometry and enhancing sealing and mating with sub-components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If additional processing steps are used to form ribs or seal seats after fiber preform creation, then the component can achieve desired sealing and mating functions, but the geometry may be altered and manufacturing precision is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The ceramic insert is placed on the mandrel before the fiber preform is created, establishing the rib or seal seat geometry in advance. This preliminary placement ensures the final component has accurate geometry without requiring post-forming processing steps that could alter the fiber preform shape.
Solution Approach 2:
The ceramic insert serves as an intermediary object that provides the desired rib or seal seat geometry during manufacturing. It acts as a placeholder that defines the final geometry, allowing the fiber preform to be formed around it without requiring subsequent modification of the preform itself.
2Reliability
If additional processing steps are introduced to create ribs or seal seats, then sealing functions can be achieved, but the manufacturing process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ceramic insert placement is integrated into the fiber preform creation process itself, combining two operations (insert placement and preform formation) into a single manufacturing step. This eliminates the need for separate post-processing operations to create ribs or seal seats.
Solution Approach 2:
By placing the ceramic insert before fiber preform creation, the sealing features are established in advance as part of the primary manufacturing process, eliminating the need for additional processing steps that would increase manufacturing complexity.
3Manufacturing precision
If ceramic inserts are used during fiber preform creation, then the desired design geometry is maintained, but the manufacturing process requires additional initial setup
Solution Approach 1:
The ceramic insert serves as a temporary intermediary that defines the desired geometry during preform creation. While it adds initial setup, it eliminates the need for complex post-processing operations, ultimately simplifying the overall manufacturing workflow.
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes providing a ceramic insert on a mandrel, the mandrel and the ceramic insert together define a peripheral working surface, forming a fiber preform by wrapping a fiber layer around the mandrel and the ceramic insert so as to conform to the peripheral working surface, removing the mandrel from the fiber preform to leave a cavity in the fiber preform, the ceramic insert remaining in the fiber preform and bordering the cavity, and densifying the fiber preform with a ceramic matrix to form a gas turbine engine component.