Other

Rtx Corporation

United Technologies Corporation

Raytheon Technologies Corporation

David Wasserman

Warren Brent Davis

Robert Dybus

Richard R Matthews

Christian X Campbell

Christopher M Juh

Cheng Gao

Richard R Mathews

Ahmed Abdillahi Abdi

Thomas S Heylmun

Michael G McCaffrey

Raymond C Surace

Jon E Sobanski

Howard J Liles

Eric A Hudson

James T Roach

Kathryn S Read

Scott Daniel Virkler

Raymond W Smith

Craig R McGarrah

Michael G Abbott

Kirk David Hlavaty

Lucas Dvorozniak

Ronald R Gagnon, Jr

Alex D Wong

Donald E Evans

Ryan W Brandt

David B Hudson

Christopher S Walz

Larry A Witherup

Warren Davis

A method of fabricating a ceramic matrix composite component includes fabricating a ceramic preform, the preform comprising a hollow portion with an internal cavity extending along a first axis from a first end to a second end of the hollow portion, supporting the hollow portion with an auxetic mandrel disposed within and the internal cavity and coaxial with the hollow portion, the auxetic mandrel comprising a first mandrel end and a second mandrel end, at least partially densifying the preform with a matrix, and removing the auxetic mandrel from the internal cavity by simultaneously applying a compressive force to each of the first mandrel end and the second mandrel end creating a deformed auxetic mandrel to reduce a cross-sectional profile of the auxetic mandrel along a second axis orthogonal to the first axis, and extracting the deformed auxetic mandrel from the first end of the hollow portion.

Auxetic materials and structures for ceramic matrix composite airfoil mandrels

A vane assembly includes a vane having an outer platform with mount structure and an airfoil extending inwardly from the outer platform and formed of ceramic matrix composites ('CMC'). The vane having an internal cooling chamber. A metal baffle is received within the internal cooling chamber and extends beyond the outer platform. A bathtub seal has a central portion receiving the metal baffle. The metal baffle has a central chamber and cooling air holes to deliver cooling air into the internal cooling chamber. The bathtub seal having an inner wall and an outer wall outward of the metal baffle. The inner wall, the outer wall and a base wall define a bathtub seal chamber. The base wall is in contact with the outer platform. The vane is connected to the outer wall. The static structure is received within the bathtub seal chamber. A connection is configured to deliver pressurized air to the bathtub seal chamber. A gas turbine engine is also disclosed.

Bathtub seal for damping CMC vane platform

A vane assembly includes a vane having an outer platform with mount structure and an airfoil extending inwardly from the mount structure and formed of ceramic matrix composites ('CMC'). The vane has an internal cooling chamber. A metal baffle is received within the internal cooling chamber and extends beyond the platform. A bathtub seal has a central portion receiving the metal baffle. The metal baffle has a central chamber and cooling air holes to deliver cooling air into the internal cooling chamber. The bathtub seal has an inner wall and an outer wall outward of the metal baffle. The inner wall, the outer wall and a bottom wall define a bathtub seal chamber. The bottom wall is in contact with an upper surface of the vane. The vane is connected to the outer wall. Static structure is received within the bathtub seal chamber. A gas turbine engine is also disclosed.

Bathtub seal integrated into CMC vane load path

A combustor liner segment which includes base having an inner surface, an outer surface, a front edge, a rear edge, and two side edges. The liner segment further includes a front wall extending from the front edge of the base, and a rear wall extending from the rear edge of the base. The combustor liner segment also includes at least one support member having a first portion and second portion. The combination of the first portion, the second portion, the outer surface, the front wall, and the rear wall form a partially enclosed space.

Combustor liner panels

A method of forming a vane assembly for a gas turbine engine includes the steps of 1) determining a re-stagger angle for an airfoil on a ceramic matrix composite ('CMC') vane, 2) determine an adjusted position of a baffle to be inserted within a central chamber in the vane, inserting the baffle into a bathtub seal, and adjusting an upper face of the baffle to an orientation relative to a bathtub seal support face to account for the adjusted position of the baffle and 3) fixing the baffle upper face to the bathtub seal flange support face. A vane assembly and a gas turbine engine are also disclosed.

CMC vane with rotatable baffle design to accommodate re-stagger

A method for processing a CMC airfoil includes nesting an airfoil fiber preform in a cavity of a fixture that has first and second tool segments, closing the fixture by rotating a first tool segment about a hinge, the closing causing the tool segments to clamp on a tail portion of the fiber preform and thereby conform the tail portion to the fixture. While in the fixture, the fiber preform is then partially densified with an interface coating material to form a partially densified fiber preform. While still in the fixture, one or more cooling holes are drilled into the trailing edge of the partially densified fiber preform. After the drilling, the partially densified fiber preform is removed from the fixture and further densified with a ceramic matrix material to form a fully densified CMC airfoil.

Method of processing a CMC airfoil

A method of forming a vane preform includes braiding a sleeve from ceramic fibers, inserting a flared mandrel into the sleeve, the flared mandrel comprising a body region and at least one contoured region, manipulating the sleeve using the flared mandrel to form contours in the sleeve corresponding to the contoured region of the flared mandrel, and laying up at least one ceramic ply with the sleeve to form the vane preform.

Flared mandrel and process for effective use in transition regions

A vane multiplet includes first and second ceramic matrix composite (CMC) singlet vanes that are arranged circumferentially adjacent each other. Each of the CMC singlet vanes includes an airfoil section and a platform at one end of the airfoil section. The platform defines forward and trailing platform edges and first and second circumferential side edges. A CMC overwrap conjoins the CMC singlet vanes. The CMC overwrap includes fiber plies that are fused to the platforms of the CMC singlet vanes.

Vane multiplet with conjoined singlet vanes

An airfoil vane includes an outer ceramic wall that defines an airfoil section and a cavity that extends through the airfoil section. A jumper tube is disposed in the cavity for transferring cooling air. The jumper tube includes a wall, a through-passage circumscribed by the wall, and a thermal barrier coating disposed on the wall.

Airfoil vane with coated jumper tube

A variable positioner includes a body portion with a cylindrical component, and an axially aligned through hole in the body position. A threading protrudes radially inward from an inner surface of the axially aligned through hole. A first axial end of the variable positioner defines an interface surface for interfacing with a rotor arm.

Variable positioner

Thermal lifting members for blade outer air seal supports of gas turbine engines include a hollow body defining a thermal cavity therein, at least one inlet fluid connector fluidly connected to the thermal cavity configured to supply hot fluid to the thermal cavity from a fluid source, at least one outlet fluid connector fluidly connected to the thermal cavity configured to allow the hot fluid to exit the thermal cavity, and at least one lifting hook configured to engage with a blade outer air seal support, wherein the thermal lifting member is configured to thermally expand outward when hot fluid is passed through the thermal cavity such that during thermal expansion the at least one lifting hook forces the blade outer air seal support to move outward.

Thermal lifting member for blade outer air seal support

The present application relates generally to a piloted nut. The piloted nut may be used on a tie-shaft to apply an axial load to a rotor. A piloting feature on an exterior surface of the nut provides radial piloting to the rotor. The piloted nut may be used in a gas turbine engine to apply an axial load to a rotor.

Piloted nut

A system includes, in one example, a shroud configured to circumscribe a plurality of rotor blades of a gas rotor engine, and at least one rub button including a head portion having a height configured to extend into a flow path region of the shroud along a central axis of the rub button that extends radially into the flow path region. The head portion includes a profile, orthogonal to the central axis, that varies according to a defined function of the height of the head portion.

Growing community of inventors

Las Vegas, NV, United States of America

David Wasserman