Rolls-royce Corporation

Rolls-royce High Temperature Composites Inc.

Aistemos Limited

Stephen Harris

Michael J Whittle

Sungbo Shim

James Kell

Steven Hillier

Keith C Sadler

Andrew D Norton

Ian M Edmonds

Matthew D Thomason

Timothy Western

Christopher Whitmore

A turbine vane assembly adapted for use in a gas turbine engine includes a support and a turbine vane arranged around the support. The support is made of metallic materials. The turbine vane is made of ceramic matrix composite materials to insulate the metallic materials of the support.

Ceramic matrix composite airfoil with heat transfer augmentation

A method of altering a surface of a ceramic matrix composite to aid in nodule removal is described. A fiber preform comprising a framework of ceramic fibers is heated to a temperature at or above a melting temperature of silicon. During the heating, the fiber preform is infiltrated with a molten material comprising silicon. After the infiltration, the fiber preform is cooled, and the infiltrated fiber preform is exposed to a gas comprising nitrogen during cooling. Silicon nitride may be formed by a reaction of free (unreacted) silicon at or near the surface of the infiltrated fiber preform with the nitrogen. Thus, a ceramic matrix composite having a surface configured for easy nodule removal is formed. Any silicon nodules formed on the surface during cooling may be removed without machining or heat treatment.

Method of altering a surface of a ceramic matrix composite to aid in nodule removal

An airfoil assembly for a gas turbine engine includes an airfoil extending radially relative to a central reference axis. A spar is located within the airfoil and spaced from the airfoil at all radial locations along the airfoil such that a gap is maintained between the airfoil and the spar. A foam is located between the airfoil and the spar.

Gas turbine engine components with foam filler for impact resistance

A turbine vane assembly adapted for use in a gas turbine engine includes a spar, a turbine vane, and load transfer pins. The spar comprises metallic materials and is configured to support other components of the turbine vane assembly relative to an associated turbine case. The turbine vane comprises ceramic matrix composite materials and is shaped to include an airfoil configured to direct the flow of hot gasses through a primary gas path of the turbine vane assembly.

Ceramic matrix composite vane assembly with shaped load transfer features

A gas turbine engine system includes an engine component comprising ceramic matrix composite materials, at least one control system configured to control at least a temperature of the engine component, and a controller. The controller includes a degradation map stored therein. The degradation map includes degradation fields, each field defined by a unique range of temperatures and stresses of the component and correlated to different types of degradation of the component. The controller is configured to determine a first temperature and stress of the component and a first field based on the first temperature and stress, determine a second field different from the first and a second temperature and stress that would locate the component in the second field, and instruct the control system to change the temperature of the component from the first to the second temperature to locate the component in the second field.

Gas turbine engine operating schedules for optimizing ceramic matrix composite component life

A method comprises inspecting a ceramic matrix composite component assembled in a gas turbine engine to determine an extent of damage to the ceramic matrix composite component, determining a repair technique to repair the damage to the ceramic matrix composite component based on the extent of damage to the ceramic matrix composite component, and repairing the ceramic matrix composite component using the repair technique.

Methods for health monitoring of ceramic matrix composite components in gas turbine engines

A computer system is provided comprising one or more processors, one or more memories and one or more programs stored in one or more of the memories for execution by one or more of the processors, the system updating a database that links organizations with intellectual property rights to create associations between related organizations, and being programmed to carry out the process of: performing a search, using an internet search engine, for a first entry from the database containing data indicative of the name of an organization associated with one or more rights to produce a first set of web page results for the first entry; performing a search, using an internet search engine, for a second entry from the database containing data indicative of the name of an organization associated with one or more rights to produce a second set of web page results for the second entry; comparing the first set of results and the second set of results to identify matches between the first set of results and the second set of results and determining whether there is at least one match between the first set of results and the second set of results. If there is at least one match between the first set of results and the second set of results, input data is requested confirming whether the first and second entries relate to a common organisation. If the received input data confirms that the first and second entries relate to a common organisation, an association between the organization indicated by the first entry and the organization indicated by the second entry is stored in a memory. A corresponding computer implemented method and computer program are also provided.

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London, United Kingdom

Stephen Harris