Rolls-royce High Temperature Composites Inc.

Rolls-royce Corporation

Rolls-royce North American Technologies Inc.

The Boeing Company

Steffan Brown

Ted Joseph Freeman

Robert J Shinavski

Kevin Mark Lukhard

Thomas Tran

Jun Shi

Richard Philip Topf

Leanne L Lehman

Kaia Elena David

Mary Margaret Litwinski

Chris Barrett

A turbine vane comprising ceramic matrix composite materials includes a vane support core, an airfoil, and an end wall that at least partially defines a gas path. The turbine vane is formed from a plurality of ceramic plies or preforms that are infiltrated with ceramic matrix material to form a one-piece ceramic matrix composite turbine vane.

Ceramic matrix composite turbine vane and method for making

A bladed disk preform system is provided. Multiple sheets are formed or provided. Each of the sheets may include multiple ceramic fibers. Slots may be cut in each of the sheets before or after forming. The slots extend from an outer edge of the sheets inward toward a center of the sheets. The sheets are stacked on top of each other to form a bladed disk preform. The bladed disk preform is porous. The bladed disk preform may include a plurality of blade portions extending outward from a root portion. Each of the slots is positioned between adjacent blade portions.

Preforms system for CMC blades

A turbine vane comprising ceramic matrix composite materials. The turbine vane includes an vane support core, an airfoil, and a pair of end walls that are spaced apart from one another to define a gas path. The turbine vane is formed from a plurality of ceramic plies or preforms that are infiltrated with ceramic matrix material to form a one-piece ceramic matrix composite turbine vane.

A ceramic matrix composite (CMC) is formed using a three-dimensional (3-D) woven preform by removing the set of sacrificial fibers from the 3-D woven preform and allowing a metal or metal alloy infiltrate the 3-D woven preform. The 3-D woven preform is formed by a method that includes providing a woven layer comprising a first set of ceramic fibers oriented in a first (x) direction woven with a second set of ceramic fibers oriented in a second (y) direction; stacking a plurality of woven layers on top of each other, said woven layers providing a two-dimensional (2-D) preform; weaving a set of sacrificial fibers in a third (z) direction with the 2-D preform, said weaving providing the 3-D woven preform; and shaping the 3-D woven preform into a predetermined shape.

Sacrificial 3-dimensional weaving method and ceramic matrix composites formed therefrom

A continuous ceramic matrix composite strip is produced by passing a dry ceramic fiber strip through a ceramic slurry bath. Impregnation wheels within the bath guide the fiber strip through the bath and force the ceramic slurry into the fiber strip, thereby impregnating the strip. The impregnation wheels stir the ceramic slurry to maintain a homogeneous mixture. Air knives remove excess slurry from the strip. Thickness and width controls squeeze the impregnated strip to desired thickness and width dimensions.

Growing community of inventors

Long Beach, CA, United States of America

Steffan Brown