Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation

Siemens Power Generation, Inc.

Scott M Widrig

Jay Alan Morrison

Yevgeniy P Shteyman

Harry A Albrecht

Gregg P Wagner

Steven C Butner

Ronald J Rudolph

Gary Brian Merrill

Jay Edgar Lane

A method of manufacturing a composite structure uses a layer of an insulating material () as a mold for forming a substrate of a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) material (). The insulating material may be formed in the shape of a cylinder () with the CMC material wound on an outer surface () of the cylinder to form a gas turbine combustor liner (). Alternatively, the insulating material may be formed in the shape of an airfoil section () with the CMC material formed on an inside surface () of the insulating material. The airfoil section may be formed of a plurality of halves () to facilitate the lay-up of the CMC material onto an easily accessible surface, with the halves then joined together to form the complete composite airfoil. In another embodiment, a box structure () defining a hot gas flow passage () is manufactured by forming insulating material in the shape of opposed airfoil halves () joined at respective opposed ends by platform members (). A layer of CMC material () is then formed on an outside surface of the insulating material. A number of such composite material box structures are then joined together to form a vane ring () for a gas turbine engine.

Composite structure formed by CMC-on-insulation process

An airfoil, a method of manufacturing an airfoil, and a system for cooling an airfoil is provided. The cooling system can be used with an airfoil located in the first stages of a combustion turbine within a combined cycle power generation plant and involves flowing closed loop steam through a pin array set within an airfoil. The airfoil can comprise a cavity having a cooling chamber bounded by an interior wall and an exterior wall so that steam can enter the cavity, pass through the pin array, and then return to the cavity to thereby cool the airfoil. The method of manufacturing an airfoil can include a type of lost wax investment casting process in which a pin array is cast into an airfoil to form a cooling chamber.

Closed loop steam cooled airfoil

A ceramic matrix composite material (CMC) vane for a gas turbine engine wherein the airfoil member ( ) and the platform member ( ) are formed separately and are then bonded together to form an integral vane component ( ). Airfoil member and the platform member may be bonded together by an adhesive ( ) after being fully cured. Alternatively, respective joint surfaces ( ) of the green body state airfoil member and platform member may be co-fired together to form a sinter bond ( ). A mechanical fastener ( ) and/or a CMC doubler ( ) may be utilized to reinforce the bonded joint ( ). A matrix infiltration process ( ) may be used to create or to further strengthen the bond.

Ceramic matrix composite turbine vane

Growing community of inventors

Hobe Sound, FL, United States of America

Scott M Widrig