초록 ▼

A method of manufacturing a composite structure uses a layer of an insulating material (22) as a mold for forming a substrate of a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) material (24). The insulating material may be formed in the shape of a cylinder (10) with the CMC material wound on an outer surface (14)

A method of manufacturing a composite structure uses a layer of an insulating material (22) as a mold for forming a substrate of a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) material (24). The insulating material may be formed in the shape of a cylinder (10) with the CMC material wound on an outer surface (14) of the cylinder to form a gas turbine combustor liner (20). Alternatively, the insulating material may be formed in the shape of an airfoil section (32) with the CMC material formed on an inside surface (36) of the insulating material. The airfoil section may be formed of a plurality of halves (42, 44) 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 (102) defining a hot gas flow passage (98) is manufactured by forming insulating material in the shape of opposed airfoil halves (104) joined at respective opposed ends by platform members (109). A layer of CMC material (107) 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 (100) for a gas turbine engine.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim as our invention: 1. A method of manufacturing a composite structure, the method comprising; forming a layer of porous thermally insulating material; using the layer of porous thermally insulating material as a mold for receiving ceramic fibers and a matrix material in a wet state to form

We claim as our invention: 1. A method of manufacturing a composite structure, the method comprising; forming a layer of porous thermally insulating material; using the layer of porous thermally insulating material as a mold for receiving ceramic fibers and a matrix material in a wet state to form a layer of wet ceramic matrix composite material, and further comprising; allowing the matrix material of the layer of wet ceramic matrix composite material to penetrate pores of the porous layer of thermally insulating material to form a continuous matrix across an interface between the respective layers; and curing the matrix material to form an integral composite structure. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising only partially curing the layer of thermally insulating material prior to the step of using the layer of thermally insulating material as a mold to form the layer of ceramic matrix composite material. 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising curing the layer of thermally insulating material and the layer of ceramic matrix composite material simultaneously to form a bond there between. 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising: partially curing the layer of thermally insulating material prior to the step of using the layer of thermally insulating material as a mold to form the layer of ceramic matrix composite material; and curing the layer of thermally insulating material and the layer of ceramic matrix composite material to a fully stabilized state simultaneously to form a bond there between. 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: forming the layer of thermally insulating material in the shape of a cylinder; and forming the layer of ceramic matrix composite material on an outside surface of the cylinder. 6. The method of claim 5, further comprising only partially curing the layer of thermally insulating material prior to the step of forming the layer of ceramic matrix composite material. 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising: forming the layer of porous thermally insulating material in the shape of a cylinder; and wet filament winding reinforcing fibers of the layer of ceramic matrix composite material on an outside surface of the cylinder. 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising: forming the layer of thermally insulating material to have an outside surface defining an airfoil shape and to have an inside surface; and forming the layer of ceramic matrix composite material on the inside surface. 9. The method of claim 1, further comprising: forming the layer of thermally insulating material as a plurality of split airfoil shell portions, each shell portion comprising an accessible inside surface; forming a respective layer of wet ceramic matrix composite material on the accessible inside surface of each of the split airfoil shell portions; and joining the split airfoil shell portions together to define a composite airfoil having the thermally insulating material as its outside layer and the ceramic matrix composite material as its inside layer. 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising curing the layer of thermally insulating material of each respective airfoil shell portion together with its respective layer of ceramic matrix composite material to form a bond there between. 11. The method of claim 9, further comprising: forming mating locking members in the respective layers of ceramic matrix composite material; and joining the respective mating locking members together during the step of joining the airfoil shell portions together. 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising: forming a generally U-shaped locking member of ceramic matrix composite material; and joining the respective mating locking members together with the generally U-shaped locking member. 13. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of joining the shell portions together further comprises: attaching each shell portion and its respective layer of ceramic matrix composite material to a respective metal core member; and joining the respective metal core members together. 14. The method of claim 1, further comprising: forming the layer of thermally insulating material to the shape of a box structure comprising a pair of opposed split airfoil portions joined at respective ends by an opposed pair of platform members and defining a hot combustion gas passage there between; and forming the layer of ceramic matrix composite material on an outside surface of the box structure. 15. A method of manufacturing a composite structure, the method comprising: forming a layer of porous ceramic thermally insulating material; applying a layer of wet ceramic matrix composite material to a surface of the layer of porous ceramic thermally insulating material so that the wet matrix material penetrates the pores of the insulating material to form a continuous matrix across an interface between the respective layers; and curing the matrix material to form to form an integral composite structure; wherein an extent of matrix material penetration into the pores of the insulating material is controlled with a surface treatment of the insulating material.