Development Progress on Ceramic Turbine Stators and Rotors

Abstract

This paper presents progress in the development of silicon nitride ceramic turbine stators and rotors as part of the ARPA/Ford program to apply ceramics to a small vehicular gas turbine engine. It reviews the benefits of increasing engine operating temperature by adopting ceramics. Design of ceramic stators and rotors is discussed, together with results of stress and heat transfer analyses. Progress in fabrication methods is reviewed and pertinent silicon nitride property data are presented. Methods of thermal testing ceramic turbine stators are discussed, as well as how this testing has influenced interations in stator design. Results of testing stators in a high temperature turbine engine are reported. Spin testing of ceramic turbine wheels is reviewed with special reference to the importance of flaw detection and the types of rigs used for cold and hot spin testing.