CMC Vane Arc Segment With Single-Sided Platform Interlocking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Implementing ceramic matrix composite (CMC) materials in airfoils of gas turbine engines faces challenges due to thermal gradients, interlaminar stresses, and difficulties in attaching and managing stresses, which are different from those of metallic vanes, and manufacturing complexities such as bending ceramic fiber plies and forming platforms.
Innovation Solution
The use of CMC vane arc segments with single-sided platforms that project in a circumferential direction from the side walls, featuring bearing surfaces, ledges, tabs, and lock pins for interconnection, allowing for separate fabrication and easier manufacturing, and enabling cross-corner loading for enhanced load-carrying capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If CMC materials are used in airfoils to extend temperature capability and lifetime, then high temperature resistance is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases due to difficulties in bending ceramic fiber plies and forming platforms
Solution Approach 1:
The vane is divided into multiple arc segments that can be separately manufactured and then assembled together to form the complete airfoil. This segmentation allows each segment to be fabricated independently with simplified platform formation, avoiding the complexity of forming complete platforms on entire CMC vanes.
Solution Approach 2:
The platform configuration transitions from traditional double-sided platforms to a single-sided platform design. This dimensional simplification reduces the complexity of bending and forming ceramic fiber plies while maintaining the necessary structural support and load-bearing capabilities.
2Strength
If traditional double-sided platforms are used for CMC vane segments, then structural support is maintained, but manufacturing complexity increases due to difficulties in forming platforms on both sides
Solution Approach 1:
One of the two platforms is extracted or removed from the design, leaving only a single-sided platform. This extraction simplifies the manufacturing process by eliminating the need to form and attach platform structures on both sides of the CMC vane segments, while the remaining single platform provides sufficient structural support when combined with the inter-segment load-bearing connections.
3Strength
If CMC vane segments are designed with complex interconnection features, then load-carrying capacity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The load-bearing functionality is merged into the bearing surfaces of the adjacent arc segments themselves, rather than requiring separate complex interconnection mechanisms. The bearing surfaces on the leading and trailing ends of each segment directly engage with corresponding surfaces on adjacent segments, creating a unified load path that simplifies the overall device complexity while maintaining high load-carrying capacity.
Data Source
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AI summary
A gas turbine engine includes a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) vane arc segments (160) that are arranged in a circumferential row. Each of the CMC vane arc segments (160) includes an airfoil section that defines first and second side walls (64, 66), leading and trailing ends, and first and second radial ends. At the first radial end, the airfoil section has a single-sided platform (74) and the second side wall (66) has a bearing surface (78; 178). The single-sided platform (74) of each of the CMC vane arc segments (160) in the circumferential row is situated to bear against the bearing surface (78) of the next of the CMC vane arc segments (160) in the circumferential row.