Honeywell International Inc.

Alliedsignal Inc.

Milton Ortiz

Mark C Morris

Dave Narasimhan

Steve Halfmann

Kin Poon

Alexander S Kozlov

Margaret Eagan

Thomas E Strangman

Derek Raybould

Ardeshir Riahi

Malak Fouad Malak

David R Waldman

Chien-Wei Li

Yong Weon Kim

Vincent Chung

Vikram Ramesh Jamalabad

Charles J Gasdaska

George E Zurmehly

Craig A Wilson

James Kroeger

Michael Vinup

David R Pack

A vane assembly includes first and second annular metal rings configured to accept a compressed gas flow therebetween. The first and second annular rings each include a cutout portion. The assembly further includes a ceramic matrix composite vane configured as an airfoil having a blunt rounded nose and a flattened and tapered tail. A first radial end of the vane is rigidly disposed on the first annular ring and a second radial end of the vane is slidably disposed within the cutout portion of the second annular ring such that the vane is encompassed by the first and second annular rings. The vane includes a hollow through opening portion extending radially therethrough. Still further, the assembly includes a metallic elongated member disposed within and extending through the hollow portion of vane and through the cutout portion of the first annular ring.

Turbine engines with ceramic vanes and methods for manufacturing the same

A bi-cast turbine rotor disk and method of forming the same are provided. The disk includes a ring and a blade. The ring comprises a superalloy that includes a plurality of elements, and the blade extends from the ring. The blade comprises a non-metallic ceramic matrix composite, and at least one element from the superalloy of the ring is diffused into the non-metallic ceramic matrix composite of the blade.

Bi-cast turbine rotor disks and methods of forming same

Spacers and turbines are provided. In an embodiment, and by way of example only, a spacer includes a strip, a first retention flange, and a second retention flange. The strip has a first edge, a second edge, and an impingement surface, and the impingement surface extends axially along the strip between the first edge and the second edge and is substantially flat. The first retention flange is recessed relative to the impingement surface and extends away from the first edge of the strip. The second retention flange is recessed relative to the impingement surface and extends away from the second edge of the strip.

Spacers and turbines

Methods for rapid prototype casting metal components, wherein the metal components are cast in a secondary ceramic mold, the secondary ceramic mold is cast in a primary mold, and the primary mold is formed by rapid prototyping or rapid manufacturing. The secondary ceramic mold may comprise a one-piece integral shell and core(s), and the metal components may have at least one hollow portion or void therein, such as a hollow airfoil for a gas turbine engine.

Rapid prototype casting

A robust multiple-walled, multi-pass, high cooling effectiveness cooled turbine vane or blade designed for ease of manufacturability, minimizes cooling flows on highly loaded turbine rotors. The vane or blade design allows the turbine inlet temperature to increase over current technology levels while simultaneously reducing turbine cooling to low levels. A multi-wall cooling system is described, which meets the inherent conflict to maximize the flow area of the cooling passages while retaining the required section thickness to meet the structural requirements. Independent cooling circuits for the vane or blade's pressure and suction surfaces allow the cooling of the airfoil surfaces to be tailored to specific heat load distributions (that is, the pressure surface circuit is an independent forward flowing serpentine while the suction surface is an independent rearward flowing serpentine). The cooling air for the independent circuits is supplied through separate passages at the base of the vane or blade. The cooling air follows intricate passages to feed the serpentine thin outer wall passages, which incorporate pin fins, turbulators, etc. These passages, while satisfying the aero/thermal/stress requirements, are of a manufacturing configuration that may be cast with single crystal materials using conventional casting techniques.

High effectiveness cooled turbine vane or blade

A nickel base single crystal compliant layer on a ceramic blade has the capability to sustain high stresses and high operating temperature. Layers of nickel and platinum bonded on a single crystal superalloy over a sputtered gold-chromium layer support the high stress levels at elevated temperature without extrusion of the soft platinum or nickel layer and without destruction of an NiO compliant surface. The compliant layers have survived stress and temperature conditions without failure to the ceramic blade and the system can be stressed/heated and unloaded/cooled repeatedly without damage to the ceramic blades. A single crystal nickel base superalloy (i.e., SC180) has high strength properties at elevated temperature. Thin layers of chromium followed by gold are e-beam evaporated on one side of a polished surface of the alloy. Pure nickel is electroplated over this e-beam gold-chromium layer. Platinum is either electroplated or plated electrolessly over the nickel layer. The structure is annealed in vacuum or inert atmosphere to allow the diffusion of gold-chromium alloy into the superalloy and permit the nickel layer and diffusion of nickel into platinum to form a multilayer structure which is metallurgically bonded. The sheet is oxidized in air to allow diffusion of the nickel layer through the platinum to come to the surface and oxidize forming nickel oxide. This nickel oxide layer acts as the load distribution layer which does not extrude and the structural integrity of the compliant layer is maintained by the high-strength single crystal superalloy.

Ceramic turbine blade attachment having high temperature, high stress compliant layers and method of fabrication thereof

Methods for improving layered manufacturing techniques to improve an objects' surface properties and shorten manufacturing time for support structures. One aspect of the invention forms surfaces having reduced or no concavities between layers having improved crack resistance. One method deposits alternate, surface improvement material on each layer near the future location of the main material surface, followed by deposition of the main material, the edges of which conform to the previously deposited and solidified alternate material. In this method, the center of the main material layers can be concave rather than the interlayer regions. Another aspect of the invention provides removable structures to support the deposition of main material. The support structures provide support over main material cavities for depositing the material to form the cavity ceilings, while minimizing the time and material required to build the support structures. Minimized support structures include structures formed as columns supported by the cavity floor and angle braces to supported by the cavity walls. Some supports are supported by the side wall but not the floor, and other by the floor and not the side walls.

Procedures for rapid build and improved surface characteristics in layered manufacture

A turbomachine component includes a silicon nitride substrate and a multi-layer coating bonded to the substrate. The coating includes an interlayer of porous fibrous silicon nitride having a density of between 85-98%. The coating also includes an outer layer formed of an oxide compound, preferably tantalum oxide, that is applied by Electron Beam-Physical Vapor Deposition. The combination of the silicon nitride interlayer and tantalum oxide outer layer serves to protect the substrate from the adverse affects of oxidation, impact by foreign objects and extreme operating temperatures.

Silicon nitride components with protective coating

A thin wall cooling system has multiple in-wall channels traversing a thin wall structure such as the wall of a gas turbine engine blade or vane. The blade has a hollow interior that may be divided into multiple cavities. Coolant is introduced into an entry opening of each in-wall channel and then discharged through exit openings into the vane cavities. The coolant then exits the cavities by through wall channels to discharge the coolant to form a cool air film on the external surface of the blade. This combination allows improved cooling control for structures that experience an elevated temperature environment, as for example, the flow of hot gas across the exterior surface of a gas turbine engine blade.

Growing community of inventors

Scottsdale, AZ, United States of America

Milton Ortiz