General Electric Company

David Randall Hobart

John Ellington Greene

Peter De Diego

James Joseph Murray, Iii

Matthew Troy Hafner

A method of manufacturing a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) turbine nozzle shell is provided. The method includes: assembling a primary outer nozzle platform, a primary inner nozzle platform, a core and trailing edge preform, and an airfoil-shaped body; joining the primary outer nozzle platform to a secondary outer nozzle platform of the airfoil-shaped body; and joining the primary inner nozzle platform to a secondary inner nozzle platform of the airfoil-shaped body. Composite plies circumferentially surround the airfoil-shaped body, and their longitudinal edges are cut into fingers that are folded down. The fingers are interleaved between secondary platform plies to form the secondary outer and inner nozzle platforms.

Ceramic matrix composite turbine nozzle shell and method of assembly

A ceramic matrix composite turbine nozzle includes a primary outer nozzle platform; a primary inner nozzle platform; and an airfoil-shaped body extending between the primary inner and primary outer nozzle platforms. The body includes core plies defining a cavity; composite wrap plies circumscribing the core plies and defining an airfoil shape; a secondary outer nozzle platform in contact with the primary outer nozzle platform; and a secondary inner nozzle platform in contact with the primary inner nozzle platform. Each composite wrap ply has two layers of unidirectional fibers oriented transverse to each other and has first and second longitudinal edges. The first and second longitudinal edges are cut into fingers, which are folded in a transverse direction away from a turbine nozzle longitudinal axis and are interleaved between platform plies to define the secondary inner nozzle platform and the secondary outer nozzle platform.

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Cincinnati, OH, United States of America

David Randall Hobart