General Electric Company

Peter De Diego

John McConnell Delvaux

James Zhang

Matthew Troy Hafner

Glenn Curtis Taxacher

Jacob John Kittleson

John Ellington Greene

James Joseph Murray, Iii

David Randall Hobart

Stanley Kevin Widener

Andres Jose Garcia-Crespo

Herbert Chidsey Roberts, Iii

Joseph Anthony Weber

Jeffrey Clarence Jones

Frederic Woodrow Roberts, Jr

Michael Anthony Wondrasek

Paul Edward Gray

Andrew Clifford Hart

Philip Harold Monaghan

Markus Feigl

An article, such as a turbine blade, includes an airfoil. The airfoil includes a body, the body having an elongated internal cavity extending from a tip of the body. The cavity is defined an internal wall within the body. At least one elongated damping element is disposed in the elongated internal cavity and frictionally engages the internal wall. Thus, the least one elongated damping element is capable of damping vibrations in the article.

Airfoil with cavity damping

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.

A gas turbine that includes a rotor blade that includes an airfoil. The airfoil may include non-integral base and top portions. The airfoil may include a pin connector connecting the top portion to the base portion. The pin connector may include: a tab extending from the top portion; a complimentary slot for receiving the tab formed in the base portion; an elongated pin cavity formed through an interior region of the airfoil, where the pin cavity intersects the slot to divide the pin cavity into first and second pin cavity segments; a tab aperture formed through the tab, where the tab aperture is positioned so align with the pin cavity upon the tab being received within the slot; and a locking pin that extends continuously through the first segment of the pin cavity, the tab aperture, and the second segment of the pin cavity.

Hybrid rotor blades for turbine engines

A gas turbine that includes a rotor blade that includes an airfoil. The airfoil is defined between a pressure face and a laterally opposed suction face, the pressure face and the suction face extending axially between opposite leading and trailing edges and radially between an outboard tip and a connection with a root of the rotor blade. The airfoil may include non-integral portions in which: a base portion of the airfoil is made from a first material; and a top portion of the airfoil is made from a second material. The airfoil may include a dovetail joint connecting the top portion to the base portion. The dovetail joint may include a dovetail extending from the top portion being received within a complementary dovetail groove formed in the base portion.

A gas turbine that includes a rotor blade that includes an airfoil. The airfoil may include non-integral portions in which: a base portion is made from a first material; and a top portion is made from a second material. The airfoil may include a connector securing the base portion to the top portion of the airfoil, wherein the connector comprises a wire-lock connector that includes: a tab extending from one of the base portion and the top portion; a complimentary slot for receiving the tab formed in the other one of the base portion and the top portion; a first groove formed in a side of the tab; a second groove formed in a side of the slot; a retaining aperture formed cooperatively via an alignment of the first and second grooves upon the tab being received into the slot; and a retaining wire housed within the retaining aperture.

A ceramic matrix composite (CMC) turbine blade includes a root region, a narrowed neck region extending from the root region, and a hub region extending from the narrowed neck region. At least one central CMC ply extending from the root region is interwoven with at least one insert extending toward the narrowed neck region from the hub region. A method of forming a CMC turbine blade includes interweaving at least one central CMC ply extending from the root region with at least one insert extending toward the narrowed neck region from the hub region. The CMC turbine blade includes a root region, a narrowed neck region extending from the root region, and a hub region extending from the narrowed neck region.

Ceramic matrix composite (CMC) turbine blades and methods of forming CMC turbine blades

A ceramic matrix composite (CMC) hollow blade includes a CMC airfoil, which includes at least one airfoil CMC ply, at least one cavity CMC ply, and an insert. The airfoil CMC ply defines the contour of the CMC airfoil including a first edge, a second edge opposite the first edge, a first side extending from the first edge to the second edge, and a second side opposite the first side. The cavity CMC ply defines a cavity within the CMC airfoil. The insert is located between the first edge and the cavity. The insert is wrapped by a CMC ply such that the CMC ply extends along the insert from the first side of the CMC airfoil across the mean camber line of the CMC airfoil and to the second side of the CMC airfoil. The CMC ply terminates on the second side of the CMC airfoil.

Ceramic matrix composite (CMC) hollow blade and method of forming CMC hollow blade

A ceramic matrix composite article, method for forming the article, and perforated ply which may be incorporated therein are disclosed. The article includes at least one shell ply forming an exterior wall having first and second portions and defining a plenum. An annular brace formed of at least one structural support ply is disposed within the plenum, including a first integral portion integral with and part of the first portion of the exterior wall, a first curved portion extending from the first integral portion and curving across the article plenum to the second portion of the exterior wall, a second integral portion integral with and part of the second portion of the exterior wall, a second curved portion extending from the second integral portion and curving across the article plenum to the first curved portion, and an overlap in which the first and second curved portions are integral.

Perforated ceramic matrix composite ply, ceramic matrix composite article, and method for forming ceramic matrix composite article

A system includes a turbomachine blade segment including an airfoil with an exterior surface, and a platform coupled to the airfoil having a first side and a second side. The system also includes a concave fillet transition extending between the airfoil and the platform. The concave fillet transition includes one or more interface ply segments extending across the exterior surface of the airfoil and the first or the second side of the platform to form a continuous surface between the airfoil and the platform.

Systems and method for a composite blade with fillet transition

A process of producing a ceramic matrix composite turbine bucket, an insert for a ceramic matrix composite turbine bucket, and a ceramic matrix composite turbine bucket are disclosed. The process includes providing a bucket preform having a dovetail cavity, the dovetail cavity being enclosed within a dovetail shank of the bucket preform, positioning an insert within the dovetail cavity, then forming the ceramic matrix composite turbine bucket in a furnace. The insert includes a geometry configured to be fit within a dovetail cavity of the ceramic matrix composite turbine bucket, a bucket preform, or both. The insert is foam material or a plurality of ceramic matrix composite plies. The ceramic matrix composite turbine bucket includes a dovetail shank and a dovetail cavity enclosed within the dovetail shank. The dovetail cavity is arranged and disposed for receiving an insert.

Process of producing a ceramic matrix composite turbine bucket, insert for a ceramic matrix composite turbine bucket and ceramic matrix composite turbine bucket

Systems, methods and devices adapted to ease manufacture of composite articles (e.g., ceramic composite articles), particularly composite articles which include a hollow feature are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system includes: a consumable core formed to be disposed within an inner portion of a composite precursor, the consumable core adapted to convert into an infiltrant during a manufacturing process and infiltrate the composite precursor.

Consumable core for manufacture of composite articles and related method

A casing for a turbo-machine at least partially defines a flow path for a working fluid through or around one or more of a compressor section, a combustor assembly, or a turbine section. The casing defines an inner surface and the inner surface defines a plurality of debris routing channels. The plurality of debris routing channels are configured to route debris in a working fluid within the casing towards a debris collection mechanism.

Debris removal system

A hollow ceramic matrix composite (CMC) turbine bucket with an internal reinforcement lattice structure has improved vibration properties and stiffness. The lattice structure is formed of thin-walled plies made of CMC. The wall structures are arranged and located according to high stress areas within the hollow bucket. After the melt infiltration process, the mandrels melt away, leaving the wall structure to become the internal lattice reinforcement structure of the bucket.

Thin-walled reinforcement lattice structure for hollow CMC buckets

A method of forming a ceramic matrix composite component includes providing a formed ceramic member having a cavity, filling at least a portion of the cavity with a ceramic foam. The ceramic foam is deposited on a barrier layer covering at least one internal passage of the cavity. The method includes processing the formed ceramic member and ceramic foam to obtain a ceramic matrix composite component. Also provided is a method of forming a ceramic matrix composite blade and a ceramic matrix composite component.

Growing community of inventors

Zirconia, NC, United States of America

Peter De Diego