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A ceramic ring segment for a turbine engine that may be used as a replacement for one or more metal components. The ceramic ring segment may be formed from a plurality of ceramic plates, such as ceramic matrix composite plates, that are joined together using a strengthening mechanism to reinforce th

A ceramic ring segment for a turbine engine that may be used as a replacement for one or more metal components. The ceramic ring segment may be formed from a plurality of ceramic plates, such as ceramic matrix composite plates, that are joined together using a strengthening mechanism to reinforce the ceramic plates while permitting the resulting ceramic article to be used as a replacement for components for turbine systems that are typically metal, thereby taking advantage of the properties provided by ceramic materials. The strengthening mechanism may include a bolt or a plurality of bolts designed to prevent delamination of the ceramic plates when in use by keeping the ceramic plates in compression.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. A ceramic article for a turbine engine, comprising: at least one ceramic plate forming an inner sealing surface; wherein the at least one ceramic plate is formed from a plurality of layers of fibers, wherein the layers are positioned generally orthogonal to the inner scaling surface; w

We claim: 1. A ceramic article for a turbine engine, comprising: at least one ceramic plate forming an inner sealing surface; wherein the at least one ceramic plate is formed from a plurality of layers of fibers, wherein the layers are positioned generally orthogonal to the inner scaling surface; wherein the ceramic article is a ring segment for a turbine engine and further comprising at least one strengthening mechanism attached to the at least one ceramic plate, wherein the at least one strengthening mechanism places the at least one ceramic plate under compression in a direction generally orthogonal to the side surfaces of the plates and in a direction that is generally parallel to the inner sealing surface; wherein the at least one ceramic plate comprises a plurality of ceramic plates; wherein the plurality of ceramic plates are coupled together with at least one strengthening mechanism extending through an orifice in each of the ceramic plates. 2. The ceramic article of claim 1, wherein the strengthening mechanism comprises at least one bolt extending through the orifice in each of the ceramic plates and a releasable connector tightened onto the bolt to place the plurality of ceramic plates in compression. 3. The ceramic article of claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of ceramic plates comprises a first orifice proximate to a first end of the ceramic plate and a second orifice proximate to a second end of the ceramic plate generally opposite to the first end, wherein the orifices in each of the plates may be aligned, and wherein the at least one strengthening mechanism comprises a first bolt extending through the first orifice in each of the ceramic plates and a releasable connector tightened onto the first bolt to place the plurality of ceramic plates in compression and a second bolt extending through the second orifice in each of the ceramic plates and a releasable connector tightened onto the second bolt to place the plurality of ceramic plates in compression. 4. The ceramic article of claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of ceramic plates includes a first foot extending from a backside of the ceramic plate opposite to the inner sealing surface and at the first end, and a second foot extending from a backside of the ceramic plate opposite to the inner sealing surface and at the second end, wherein the first orifice is positioned in the first foot, and the second orifice is positioned in the second foot. 5. The ceramic article of claim 1, wherein the strengthening mechanism comprises two compression plates, wherein a first compression plate has a first side engagement surface at a first end that extends in a first direction from the first compression plate for engaging a first outer side surface of one of the plurality of ceramic plates and a first coupling flange that extends in a second direction from the first compression plate that is generally opposite to the first direction and at a second end that is generally opposite to the first end, and a second compression plate has a second side engagement surface at a first end that extends in a first direction from the second compression plate for engaging a second outer side surface of one of the plurality of ceramic plates opposite to the first outer side surface and a second coupling flange that extends in a second direction from the second compression plate that is generally opposite to the first direction and at a second end that is generally opposite to the first end, and a releasable connector coupling the first and second compression plates together. 6. The ceramic article of claim 5, wherein the first compression plate includes at least one orifice in the first coupling flange and the second compression plate includes at least one orifice in the second coupling flange aligned with the at least one orifice in the first coupling flange, and wherein the releasable connector extends through the at least one orifice in the first and second coupling flanges. 7. The ceramic article of claim 6, wherein the releasable connector comprises a bolt, and further comprising at least one spring on the bolt. 8. The ceramic article of claim 5, wherein the first compression plate includes at least two orifices in the first coupling flange and the second compression plate includes at least two orifices in the second coupling flange aligned with the at least two orifices in the first coupling flange, and wherein the releasable connector comprises bolts extending through the orifices in the first and second coupling flanges. 9. The ceramic article of claim 1, further comprising an abradable coating on the inner sealing surface. 10. A ring segment for a turbine engine, comprising: a plurality of ceramic plates positioned such that side surfaces of the plates contact side surfaces of adjacent plates forming an inner sealing surface for turbine blade tips in a turbine engine; wherein each of the plurality of ceramic plates includes a first foot extending from a backside of the ceramic plate opposite to the inner sealing surface and at the first end, and a second foot extending from a backside of the ceramic plate opposite to the inner sealing surface and at the second end; wherein each of the plurality of ceramic plates comprises a first orifice proximate to a first end of the ceramic plate in the first foot and a second orifice proximate to a second end of the ceramic plate generally opposite to the first end in the second foot; wherein the orifices in each of the plates may be aligned; and at least one strengthening mechanism comprising a first bolt extending through the first orifice in each of the ceramic plates and a releasable connector tightened onto the first bolt to place the plurality of ceramic plates in compression and a second bolt extending through the second orifice in each of the ceramic plates and a releasable connector tightened onto the second bolt to place the plurality of ceramic plates in compression in a direction generally orthogonal to the side surfaces of the plates and in a direction that is generally parallel to the inner sealing surface. 11. The ring segment of claim 10, further comprising an abradable coating on the inner sealing surface. 12. A method of forming a ring segment for a turbine engine, comprising: attaching side surfaces of a plurality of ceramic plates together to form the ring segment with an inner sealing surface for turbine blade tips, wherein each of the plurality of ceramic plates includes at least one orifice such that when the ceramic plates are attached together, the orifices align to form a channel; and inserting at least one strengthening mechanism through the orifices in the plurality of ceramic plates and attaching a releasable connector tightened onto the bolt to place the ceramic plates under compression in a direction generally orthogonal to the side surfaces of the plates and in a direction that is generally parallel to the inner sealing surface. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein inserting at least one strengthening mechanism further comprises each of the plurality of ceramic plates includes a first orifice proximate to a first end of the ceramic plate and a second orifice proximate to a second end of the ceramic plate generally opposite to the first end, wherein the orifices in each of the plates may be aligned, and wherein the at least one strengthening mechanism comprises a first bolt extending through the first orifice in each of the ceramic plates and a releasable connector tightened onto the first bolt to place the plurality of ceramic plates in compression and a second bolt extending through the second orifice in each of the ceramic plates and a releasable connector tightened onto the second bolt to place the plurality of ceramic plates in compression. 14. The method of claim 12, wherein inserting at least one strengthening mechanism further comprises each of the plurality of ceramic plates including a first foot extending from a backside of the ceramic plate opposite to the inner scaling surface and at the first end, and a second foot extending from a backside of the ceramic plate opposite to the inner sealing surface and at the second end, wherein the first orifice is positioned in the first foot, and the second orifice is positioned in the second foot. 15. The method of claim 12, wherein inserting at least one strengthening mechanism further comprises at least one bolt composed of a material selected from the group consisting of a metal and a composite. 16. The method of claim 12, further comprising attaching an abradable coating on the inner sealing surface.