Ceramic Matrix Composite Turbine Vanes for Gas Turbine Engines

Abstract

Ceramic matrix composite (CMC) turbine vanes, due to their high temperature capability, allow significantly higher firing temperatures with minimal cooling. Turbine vanes were designed for a gas turbine engine with special attention to attachment methods that minimize thermal stresses due to large differences in coefficients of thermal expansion between the CMC airfoil and metal platforms. Detailed aerodynamic, thermal and structural analyses were performed to ensure component reliability. The paper describes the component design, analysis, fabrication, and rig testing of a silicon carbide fiber reinforced silicon carbide matrix (SiC/SiC) turbine vane.

XCT damage evaluation and analysis of SiC/SiC turbine guide vanes after thermal shocks

“…The turbine parts work in a very harsh environment, that is, high temperature, thermal fatigue, thermal shock, and susception to oxidation and thermal corrosion 8 . Under the support of NASA's Ultra Efficient Engine Technology (UEET) program, Pratt & Whitney (P&W) and United Technologies Research Center (UTRC) designed and developed SiC/SiC turbine guide vanes (TGVs), which consisted of six plies of Sylramic SiC fiber cloth reinforced with chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) and melt‐infiltrated SiC matrix 9 . Steady‐state tests for 6 h at T = 1316°C and N = 100 thermal cycles tests between elevated temperatures of T max = 1316°C and T min = 482°C were conducted.…”

“…8 Under the support of NASA's Ultra Efficient Engine Technology (UEET) program, Pratt & Whitney (P&W) and United Technologies Research Center (UTRC) designed and developed SiC/SiC turbine guide vanes (TGVs), which consisted of six plies of Sylramic SiC fiber cloth reinforced with chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) and melt-infiltrated SiC matrix. 9 Steady-state tests for 6 h at T = 1316 • C and N = 100 thermal cycles tests between elevated temperatures of T max = 1316 • C and T min = 482 • C were conducted. After the duration tests and thermal cycles tests, the porosity and delamination were found at the leading edge.…”

Stress Analysis and Life Prediction of a Ceramic Matrix Composite Vane Using a Micromechanics-Based Approach

“…Uses of CMCs however add complexities in part fabrication [5]. Considerable advances have been made since the 1980s in using CMCs to make combustor liners [6][7][8], nozzle flaps [7,9], vanes [8,[10][11][12][13], blades [14], bladed disks [15], and shrouds [16,17], though a number of these applications remain experimental. Commercially, the major aircraft engine companies have made significant investments in the development and manufacture of CMC hot-section components for use in turbine engines [18,19] and, in some cases, CMC parts are currently being flown on civilian aircrafts [20].…”

Thermodynamics of CMC bladed marine gas turbine-LM 2500: Effect of cycle operating parameters

“…CMCs have been identified as a good candidate for vanes and blades because of their high-temperature endurance capability (over 1200°C). 28 This could directly influence the TIT and eliminate the blade cooling air bled from the compressor. Compared to superalloys, SiC/SiC CMC material merely weighs about one-third that could significantly reduce the centrifugal loads acting on the blades.…”