General Electric Company

Proteus Engineering Inc.

Other

James Thomas Hawkins

Toby George Darkins, Jr

Mark Willard Marusko

Eric Alan Estill

John Peter Heyward

Joshua Brian Jamison

James Herbert Deines

Toby George Darkins

Michael Hawkins

Gerald Alexander Pauley

Ritchie D Price

George A Oxenham

Toby George Darkins Jr

Mark Msrusko

Hybrid turbine airfoil components containing a ceramic material, in which detailed features of the components are formed of materials other than ceramic materials. The components include a first component formed of a ceramic-based material and a second component formed of a metallic material. The first component comprises an airfoil portion and a nub, and the second component is separately formed and attached to the first component by casting the metallic material around the nub of the first component. The second component includes a platform portion between the airfoil portion and the nub of the first component and a dovetail portion on the nub of the first component. Each of the platform and dovetail portions has at least one off-axis geometric feature that results in the second component having a more complex geometry than the first component.

Turbine airfoil components containing ceramic-based materials and processes therefor

Hybrid components containing a ceramic material, in which detailed features of the components are formed of materials other than ceramic materials, yet result in a robust mechanical attachment of the ceramic and non-ceramic portions of the components. The components includes a first subcomponent formed of a ceramic-based material and a second subcomponent formed of a metallic material. The first subcomponent has a nub and the second subcomponent is separately formed and attached to the first subcomponent by casting the metallic material around the nub of the first subcomponent. The second subcomponent is attached to the first subcomponent by a compression fit and encapsulation of the second subcomponent on the nub of the first subcomponent. The nub has a compliant coating system that provides thermal expansion compliance between the metallic material of the second subcomponent and the ceramic-based material of the first subcomponent.

Components containing ceramic-based materials and coatings therefor

Processes for producing a component containing a ceramic-based material and having detailed features formed from materials other than ceramic materials. Such a process entails producing the component to include a first subcomponent and at least a second subcomponent having at least one off-axis geometric feature that results in the second subcomponent having a more complex geometry than the first subcomponent. The first subcomponent is formed of a ceramic-based material, and the second subcomponent and its off-axis geometric feature are separately formed of a metallic material and attached to the first subcomponent to yield a robust mechanical attachment. The component may be, for example, a gas turbine airfoil component.

Processes for producing components containing ceramic-based and metallic materials

A composite article, for example a blading member of a gas turbine engine, comprising a plurality of stacked layers of in-plane reinforcing fibers bonded together with a matrix resin is provided with enhanced resistance to impact cracking, material loss and/or delamination through use of a plurality of spaced apart reinforcing pins disposed into the article at an angle to the stacked layers, in one form disposed in a selected article region generally to resist strain energy generated during operation of the region. In another form, enhanced resistance is provided through the combination of a matrix resin including properties comprising a tensile strain property of at least 5% and a Ktoughness of at least about 850 psi&#xb7;inch, and a plurality of spaced apart reinforcing pins disposed into the article at an angle to the stacked layers. A method for making such a composite article with such resin comprises stacking the layers of in-plane reinforcing fibers into a shape and then inserting the reinforcing pins shape. The shape is cured with a matrix resin about the in-plane fibers of the stacked layers and about the reinforcing pins.

Pin reinforced, crack resistant fiber reinforced composite article

The present invention provides a sealing apparatus for sealing leakage around a trunnion assembly of a gas turbine engine variable vane rotatably supported by an engine casing. The apparatus includes a trunnion of the variable vane rotatable about a trunnion axis, radially spaced apart inner and outer casing bores circumscribed about the trunnion axis and disposed radially outward of the engine centerline through the casing, and the trunnion rotatably disposed within the inner and outer casing bores. The inner bore is wider than the outer bore forming an annular shoulder with a planar radially inwardly facing shoulder surface. An annular recess in the trunnion has a planar radially inwardly facing recess surface substantially co-planar with the shoulder surface. A sealing ring is radially slidably disposed about the trunnion below the outer recess surface and has a radially outwardly facing sealing surface substantially co-extensive in a direction perpendicular to the trunnion axis and sealable with both the outer recess surface and the shoulder surface.

Seal apparatus for gas turbine engine variable vane

Corrosion is avoided in variable stator vanes through the use of an outer trunnion bushing that eliminates the galvanic corrosion potential of conventional bushings. The bushing has a plurality of layers arranged concentrically so as to include an innermost layer and an outermost layer. The innermost layer is made of a braided graphite composite laminate material, and the outermost layer is made of a non-galvanic material.

Trunnion bushing

A circular multi-wave composite compression spring (10) is formed from a carbon fiber (58) reinforced laminate. The circular compression spring (10) is comprised of unidirectional graphite fibers (58) encased in a polymeric resin of generally rectangular cross-section such that adjacent crests (14) and troughs (16) of the waves in adjacent turns (12) of the spring (10) contact each other along a radial line generally extending from the longitudinal axis (30) of the spring (10). The line contact provides for increased fatigue life and more stable loading of the spring (10) under compression. The carbon fiber reinforced laminate provides comparable strength characteristics similarly configured springs fabricated from conventional materials while providing significantly reduced weight. Furthermore, the composite spring (10) offers increased performance parameters such as increased linearity response over a wider spring deflection range and with insignificant hysteresis.

Composite multi-wave compression spring

A circular multi-wave composite compression spring is formed from a carbon fiber reinforced laminate. The circular compression spring is comprised of unidirectional graphite fibers encased in a polymeric resin of generally rectangular cross-section such that adjacent crests and troughs of the waves in adjacent turns of the spring contact each other along a radial line generally extending from the longitudinal axis of the spring. The line contact provides for increased fatigue life and more stable loading of the spring under compression. The carbon fiber reinforced laminate provides comparable strength characteristics similarly configured springs fabricated from conventional materials while providing significantly reduced weight. Furthermore, the composite spring offers increased performance parameters such as increased linearity response over a wider spring deflection range and with insignificant hysteresis.

A variable stator vane includes an airfoil with an integral outer trunnion having a seat extending integrally therefrom. A threaded stem extends from the seat and includes a coextensive alignment surface that cooperates with a complementary mounting hole in a lever arm which restrains rotation of the lever arm about the stem during assembly for ensuring a predetermined rotational orientation between the lever arm and the airfoil.

Self-aligning variable stator vane

Hydrogen and oxygen are generated by directing the output of a solar-pumped laser through a beam expander and a frequency multiplier to increase the frequency of the laser beam to the ultraviolet level. The frequency-multiplied laser beam is directed onto an anode and a cathode disposed in a reactor vessel. The anode is electrically connected to the cathode. An electrolytic solution surrounds the anode and the cathode. Hydrogen is evolved at the cathode, and oxygen is evolved at the anode.

Growing community of inventors

Loveland, OH, United States of America

James Thomas Hawkins