Westinghouse Electric Corporation

Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation

Siemens Power Generation, Inc.

Westinghouse Electric Company LLC

Michael Anthony Burke

Jay Alan Morrison

Gary Brian Merrill

Brij B Seth

Gary W Swartzbeck

Paula D Freyer

Paul John Zombo

Steven James Vance

Thomas Walter Zagar

Mohan A Hebbar

Jay Edgar Lane

Kent Goran Hultgren

Daniel George Thompson

Edward Jean Lahoda

Israel Stol

Douglas A Keller

William H Kasner

Marc Tertilt

Donald T Hackworth

Richard A Miller

Clarence A Andersson

Gerald G Lessmann

Daniel Hofmann

Robert E Gainer, Jr

Paolo Ferroni

Fausto Franceschini

Stefan Hoffmann

Cyril G Beck

Vijay Parthasarathy

The invention relates to a multilayer cladding including a combination of ceramic and metallic components. The multilayer coating includes an inner layer, an intermediate layer and an outer layer. The inner layer can form the cladding structure, the intermediate layer can include a ceramic composite or ceramic-containing composite composed of interlocking woven or braided fibers, e.g., fiber tows wrapped on the inner layer to form a woven structure, and a matrix material, and the outer can be composed of metal or metal alloy, such as, in the form of a coating. The multilayer cladding is effective to protect contents of the cladding structure from exposure to high temperature environments.

Multilayer composite fuel clad system with high temperature hermeticity and accident tolerance

A method of manufacturing a hybrid structure () having a layer of CMC material () defining an interior passageway () and a layer of ceramic insulating material () lining the passageway. The method includes the step of casting the insulating material to a first thickness required for effective casting but in excess of a desired second thickness for use of the hybrid structure. An inner mold () defining a net shape desired for the passageway remains in place after the casting step to mechanically support the insulating material during a machining process used to reduce the thickness of the insulating material from the as-cast first thickness to the desired second thickness. The inner mold also provides support as the CMC material is deposited onto the insulating material. The inner mold may include a fugitive material portion () to facilitate its removal after the CMC material is formed.

Method of manufacturing a hybrid structure

A hybrid structure () and method of manufacturing the same including a structural ceramic matrix composite (CMC) material () coated with a layer of ceramic insulating tiles (). Individual ceramic tiles are attached to a surface () of a mold (). The exterior surface () of the tiles may be subjected to a mechanical process such as machining with the mold in place to provide mechanical support for the tiles. A layer of CMC material is then applied to bond the tiles and the CMC material together into a hybrid structure. The mold may include a fugitive material portion () to facilitate removal of the mold when the hybrid structure has a complex shape. Tiles located in different regions of the structure may have different compositions and/or dimensions. The gaps between adjacent tiles may be filled from the outside before the CMC material is applied or from the inside after the mold is removed.

Hybrid structure using ceramic tiles and method of manufacture

An article comprising a ceramic material having a ceramic matrix composite backing adapted for use in a gas turbine engine is provided. The article comprises a structural ceramic material having a hot side facing toward a high temperature environment and a cold side facing away from the high temperature environment; and a ceramic matrix composite composition having a strength greater than the strength of the ceramic material attached to the back of the cold side of the ceramic material, whereby crack initiation and propagation are inhibited by the ceramic matrix composition to a greater degree than by the ceramic material.

Ceramic material having ceramic matrix composite backing and method of manufacturing

A stacked ceramic matrix composite lamellate assembly () including shear force bearing structures () for resisting relative sliding movement between adjacent lamellae. The shear force bearing structures may take the form of a cross-lamellar stitch (), a shear pin (), a warp () in the lamellae, a tongue () and groove () structure, or an inter-lamellar sealing member (), in various embodiments. Each shear force bearing structure secures a subset of the lamellae, with at least one lamella being common between adjacent subsets in order to secure the entire assembly.

Stacked lamellate assembly

An insulating ceramic made up of a plurality of partially filled shapes (e.g.,), such as oblate spheroids, spheres, and shapes free of corners, is provided. Each partially filled shape may include an inner skeleton (e.g.,) and an outer skin (e.g.,). The inner skeleton may be stabilized at a higher temperature relative to the outer skin. The shapes may be disposed in a binding matrix. The thickness of the outer skin may be very thin in view of the support provided by the inner skeleton, thereby improving the abradability characteristics of the ceramic.

Insulating ceramic based on partially filled shapes

A hybrid ceramic structure ( ), for use in high temperature environments such as in gas turbines, is made from an insulating layer ( ) of porous ceramic that is thermally stable at temperatures up to 1700&deg; C. bonded to a high mechanical strength structural layer ( ) of denser ceramic that is thermally stable at temperatures up to 1200&deg; C., where optional high temperature resistant adhesive ( ) can bond the layers together, where optional cooling ducts ( ) can be present in the structural layer and where hot gas ( ) can contact the insulating layer ( ) and cold gas ( ) can contact the structural layer ( ).

Hybrid ceramic material composed of insulating and structural ceramic layers

High efficiency, thin-walled turbine components such as turbine blade airfoils comprise a superalloy substrate covered by a thin skin. The thin skin may be bonded to the inner spar structure of a turbine blade airfoil by a transient liquid phase bonding process. The inner spar preferably comprises a cast single crystal nickel base superalloy. The thin skin may comprise a single crystal or polycrystalline nickel base superalloy or the like.

Turbine components comprising thin skins bonded to superalloy substrates

A method of repairing gas turbine engine components is provided. The method includes removing the damaged portion and fabricating an insert to match the removed portion. The insert is precision machined and crystallographically matched to the original component, and then bonded to this component using transient liquid phase bonding techniques and suitable heat treatment.

Transient liquid phase bonding repair for advanced turbine blades and vanes

Large gas turbine blades made from separate cast segments of superalloys are disclosed. The turbine blade is designed such that bond lines between adjacent segments are placed in low stress regions of the blade. The cast superalloy segments of the blades are aligned and fitted together with specified tolerances. The turbine blade segments are then joined by transient liquid phase bonding, followed by a controlled heat treatment which produces the desired microstructure in the bond region. The method allows for the production of large, high quality turbine blades by joining small, high quality cast superalloy sections, in comparison with prior attempts to cast large turbine blades as single pieces which have produced very low yields and high individual component costs.

Turbine blades made from multiple single crystal cast superalloy segments

A method of bonding cast superalloys is disclosed. The method includes the steps of casting separate superalloy component parts, machining the mating surfaces of the separate parts in a controlled manner to avoid recrystallization of the material and to ensure a tight fit between the parts, bonding the parts together, and thermally treating the bonded component. In a preferred embodiment, the component is a turbine blade for a land-based gas turbine.

Method of bonding cast superalloys

A monitor for detecting overheating of a critical component in a combustion turbine is provided. The monitor, when used in conjunction with a closed-loop cooling system, comprises a coating comprising an indicator material having an activation temperature. The coating is situated on the internal cooling passages of the critical component. The monitor further comprises a sensor connected to an outlet conduit of the cooling system for determining the amount of degradation of indicator material by monitoring the cooling fluid flowing through the outlet conduit. Embodiments further comprising &ldquo;sniffer&rdquo; tubes for use with open-loop air cooling systems also are provided. In alternative embodiments, auxiliary cooling systems for supplying auxiliary cooling to critical components at certain activation temperatures also are provided.

On-line monitor for detecting excessive temperatures of critical components of a turbine

A method of bonding together at least two long, metal alloy segments, of turbine components, such as turbine blade segments (,and,) by: putting a melting point depressant between the segments at bond planes (,) between contracting segments; forming a heated zone across the segments and a heated front (,); where melt pools (,) form in a molten zone (,) at the heated front which front (,), pools (,) and zone (,) continuously move and pass along the bond planes (,); where crystal re-growth (,) occurs along the bonding planes to form bonds (,) between the individual segments (,and,) behind the moving molten zone (,).

Single crystal turbine components made using a moving zone transient liquid phase bonded sandwich construction

A monitor for detecting overheating of a critical component in a combustion turbine is provided. The monitor, when used in conjunction with a closed-loop cooling system, comprises a coating comprising an indicator material having an activation temperature. The coating is situated on the internal cooling passages of the critical component. The monitor further comprises a sensor connected to an outlet conduit of the cooling system for determining the amount of degradation of indicator material by monitoring the cooling fluid flowing through the outlet conduit. Embodiments further comprising 'sniffer' tubes for use with open-loop air cooling systems also are provided.

On-line monitor for detecting excessive temperatures of critical

A weld pool viewing system including optical elements for enhancing the weld pool image is positioned at an angle relative to the axis of a welding torch to extract image information pertaining to the interface of the weld pool with a workpiece to control the welding parameters.

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Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America

Michael Anthony Burke