This disclosure relates to sealing for adjacent components of a gas turbine engine.
A gas turbine engine typically includes at least a compressor section, a combustor section and a turbine section. The compressor section pressurizes air into the combustion section where the air is mixed with fuel and ignited to generate an exhaust gas flow. The exhaust gas flow expands through the turbine section to drive the compressor section and, if the engine is designed for propulsion, a fan section.
The turbine section may include multiple stages of rotatable blades and static vanes. An annular shroud or blade outer air seal may be provided around the blades in close radial proximity to the tips of the blades to reduce the amount of gas flow that escapes around the blades. The shroud typically includes a plurality of arc segments that are circumferentially arranged in an array. The arc segments are exposed to relatively hot gases in the gas flow path and may be configured to receive cooling airflow to cool portions of the shrouds.
A seal assembly for a gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes a seal that has a main body extending circumferentially between opposed mate faces. The main body has a sealing portion and an engagement portion extending outwardly from sealing portion along at least one of the mate faces. The main body includes one or more braided core plies having a first fiber construction and arranged to establish an internal cavity. An overwrap having one or more braided overwrap plies follows a perimeter of the one or more braided core plies to establish the engagement portion and the sealing portion. The one or more braided overwrap plies have a second fiber construction differing from the first fiber construction.
In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments, the one or more core and overwrap plies include silicon carbide fibers embedded in a silicon carbide matrix.
In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments, the one or more core plies are triaxially braided.
In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments, the one or more core plies include axial tows interlaced with bias tows, and a bias angle of each of the bias tows is greater than or equal to approximately 45 degrees, absolute.
In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments, the one or more overwrap plies are biaxially braided.
In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments, the one or more overwrap plies include a first set of bias tows interlaced with a second set of bias tows, and a bias angle of each of the first and second sets of bias tows is less than or equal to approximately 45 degrees, absolute.
In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments, the internal cavity extends circumferentially between the mate faces.
In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments, the overwrap surrounds the perimeter of the one or more braided core plies.
A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments includes at least one mounting block including an interface portion extending from a mounting portion. The engagement portion includes a pair of openings along respective ones of the mate faces, and the interface portion is dimensioned to be inserted into one of the openings and abut the engagement portion to limit relative movement.
In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments, the sealing portion includes a seal face that extends circumferentially between the mate faces. The engagement portion includes a backside face opposite the seal face. The backside face has an elongated slot extending between the backside and the internal cavity.
In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments, the engagement portion includes ramped surfaces extending transversely from internal surfaces bounding the internal cavity, and the one or more core plies establish the ramped surfaces.
In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments, the internal cavity spans between the openings. The one or more overwrap plies include a plurality of biaxially braided plies in stacked relation. The one or more core plies include a plurality of triaxially braided plies in stacked relation such that the plurality of biaxially braided plies are spaced apart from the internal cavity. The plurality of biaxially and triaxially braided plies span between the mate faces. The one or more core plies include axial tows interlaced with bias tows, and a bias angle of each of the bias tows is between approximately 60 degrees and approximately 70 degrees, absolute. The one or more overwrap plies include a first set of bias tows interlaced with a second set of bias tows, and a bias angle of each of the first and second sets of bias tows is between approximately 30 degrees and approximately 40 degrees, absolute.
In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments, the seal is a blade outer air seal (BOAS).
A gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes an engine case extending along an engine axis, an array of blades rotatable about the engine axis, and an array of blade outer air seals distributed about the array of blades to bound a gas path. Each of the seals have a sealing portion extending circumferentially between opposed mate faces and an engagement portion extending outwardly from the sealing portion. The mate faces are arranged to define an intersegment gap with the mate faces of adjacent seals. Braided core plies have a first fiber construction are arranged to establish an internal cavity spanning between openings along the mate faces. An overwrap having braided overwrap plies follows a perimeter of the core plies to establish the engagement portion and the sealing portion. The overwrap plies have a second fiber construction differing from the first fiber construction. An array of circumferentially spaced apart mounting blocks are each arranged between the engagement portion of adjacent pairs of the seals.
In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments, the core and overwrap plies include silicon carbide fibers embedded in a silicon carbide matrix.
In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments, the core plies are triaxially braided, and the overwrap plies are biaxially braided.
In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments, the mounting blocks are mechanically attached to the engine case. The mounting blocks span across the intersegment gap established by the mate faces of the respective pair of seals. Each of the mounting blocks includes an interface portion having a dovetail geometry that extends through a respective one of the openings to mate with ramped surfaces of the internal cavity and limit movement of the respective seal relative to the engine case.
A method of fabricating a seal for a gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes forming a core of a main body including triaxially braided core plies along at least one mandrel, forming an overwrap including biaxially braided overwrap plies that establish a passageway, and inserting the core plies at least partially into the passageway such that the core plies and the overwrap cooperate to establish a sealing portion extending circumferentially between opposed mate faces and to establish an engagement portion having an opening along each of the opposed mate faces dimensioned to receive a mounting block.
In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments, the core plies and the overwrap plies comprise silicon carbide fibers. The method includes embedding the silicon carbide fibers in a silicon carbide matrix.
In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments, the at least one mandrel is a pair of mandrels arranged in an opposed relationship. The method includes removing the pair of mandrels from the main body to establish an internal cavity spanning circumferentially between the openings along the mate faces. The steps of forming the core and the overwrap occur such that the biaxially and triaxially braided plies span between the mate faces. The step of forming the core occurs such that a bias angle of bias tows in the respective core plies is between 60 degrees and 70 degrees, absolute. The step of forming the overwrap occurs such that a bias angle of bias tows in the respective overwrap plies is between 30 degrees and 40 degrees, absolute.
The various features and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of an embodiment. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows.
The exemplary engine 20 generally includes a low speed spool 30 and a high speed spool 32 mounted for rotation about an engine central longitudinal axis A relative to an engine static structure 36 via several bearing systems 38. It should be understood that various bearing systems 38 at various locations may alternatively or additionally be provided, and the location of bearing systems 38 may be varied as appropriate to the application.
The low speed spool 30 generally includes an inner shaft 40 that interconnects a fan 42, a first (or low) pressure compressor 44 and a first (or low) pressure turbine 46. The inner shaft 40 is connected to the fan 42 through a speed change mechanism, which in exemplary gas turbine engine 20 is illustrated as a geared architecture 48 to drive the fan 42 at a lower speed than the low speed spool 30. The high speed spool 32 includes an outer shaft 50 that interconnects a second (or high) pressure compressor 52 and a second (or high) pressure turbine 54. A combustor 56 is arranged in exemplary gas turbine 20 between the high pressure compressor 52 and the high pressure turbine 54. A mid-turbine frame 57 of the engine static structure 36 is arranged generally between the high pressure turbine 54 and the low pressure turbine 46. The mid-turbine frame 57 further supports bearing systems 38 in the turbine section 28. The inner shaft 40 and the outer shaft 50 are concentric and rotate via bearing systems 38 about the engine central longitudinal axis A which is collinear with their longitudinal axes.
The core airflow is compressed by the low pressure compressor 44 then the high pressure compressor 52, mixed and burned with fuel in the combustor 56, then expanded over the high pressure turbine 54 and low pressure turbine 46. The mid-turbine frame 57 includes airfoils 59 which are in the core airflow path C. The turbines 46, 54 rotationally drive the respective low speed spool 30 and high speed spool 32 in response to the expansion. It will be appreciated that each of the positions of the fan section 22, compressor section 24, combustor section 26, turbine section 28, and fan drive gear system 48 may be varied. For example, gear system 48 may be located aft of combustor section 26 or even aft of turbine section 28, and fan section 22 may be positioned forward or aft of the location of gear system 48.
The engine 20 in one example is a high-bypass geared aircraft engine. In a further example, the engine 20 bypass ratio is greater than about six (6), with an example embodiment being greater than about ten (10), the geared architecture 48 is an epicyclic gear train, such as a planetary gear system or other gear system, with a gear reduction ratio of greater than about 2.3 and the low pressure turbine 46 has a pressure ratio that is greater than about five. In one disclosed embodiment, the engine 20 bypass ratio is greater than about ten (10:1), the fan diameter is significantly larger than that of the low pressure compressor 44, and the low pressure turbine 46 has a pressure ratio that is greater than about five 5:1. Low pressure turbine 46 pressure ratio is pressure measured prior to inlet of low pressure turbine 46 as related to the pressure at the outlet of the low pressure turbine 46 prior to an exhaust nozzle. The geared architecture 48 may be an epicycle gear train, such as a planetary gear system or other gear system, with a gear reduction ratio of greater than about 2.3:1. It should be understood, however, that the above parameters are only exemplary of one embodiment of a geared architecture engine and that the present invention is applicable to other gas turbine engines including direct drive turbofans.
A significant amount of thrust is provided by the bypass flow B due to the high bypass ratio. The fan section 22 of the engine 20 is designed for a particular flight condition—typically cruise at about 0.8 Mach and about 35,000 feet. The flight condition of 0.8 Mach and 35,000 ft, with the engine at its best fuel consumption—also known as “bucket cruise Thrust Specific Fuel Consumption (‘TSFC’)”—is the industry standard parameter of lbm of fuel being burned divided by lbf of thrust the engine produces at that minimum point. “Low fan pressure ratio” is the pressure ratio across the fan blade alone, without a Fan Exit Guide Vane (“FEGV”) system. The low fan pressure ratio as disclosed herein according to one non-limiting embodiment is less than about 1.45. “Low corrected fan tip speed” is the actual fan tip speed in ft/sec divided by an industry standard temperature correction of [(Tram ° R)/(518.7° R)]{circumflex over ( )}0.5. The “Low corrected fan tip speed” as disclosed herein according to one non-limiting embodiment is less than about 1150 ft/second.
A vane 71 is positioned along the engine axis A and adjacent to the airfoil 61. The vane 71 includes an airfoil section 72A extending between an inner platform 72B and an outer platform 72C to define a portion of the core flow path C. The turbine section 28 includes an array of airfoils 61, vanes 70, and BOAS 69 arranged circumferentially about the engine axis A.
One or more cooling sources CS (one shown) are configured to provide cooling air to one or more cooling cavities or plenums 74 defined by an engine static structure such as the engine case 37 or another portion of the engine static structure 36 (
Referring to
Referring to
The seal 169 includes an internal cavity 184 established by the main body 170. The internal cavity 184 extends inwardly from a pair of openings 185 along each of the respective mate faces 178. The engagement portion 179 defines a portion of the internal cavity 184, as illustrated by
In the illustrative example of
Referring to
A cross-section of the mounting block 180 can have a generally trapezoidal geometry, as illustrated by
Each interface portion 181 can include an outwardly extending retention feature 187. The retention feature 187 is dimensioned to abut against surfaces of the engagement portion 179 to seat the seal 169 during assembly and limit circumferential and/or radial movement, as illustrated by the retention features 187 of
The mounting block 180 can be mechanically attached or otherwise secured to the engine case 137 using one or more fasteners 190 (one shown in
The seal assemblies 176A, 176B are arranged in close proximity such that the respective mate faces 178A, 178B establish an intersegment gap G that extends a distance in the circumferential direction T, as illustrated in
Each engagement portion 179A, 179B includes ramped surfaces 186A, 186B extending along the internal cavity 184A, 184B. The ramped surfaces 186A, 186B extend transversely from internal surfaces bounding the internal cavity 184A, 184B. Each interface portion 181 of the mounting block 180 is dimensioned to be inserted into or otherwise extend through a respective one of the openings 185A, 185B to abut against and mate with the ramped surfaces 186A, 186B to support the adjacent seals 169A, 169B and to limit or bound circumferential, radial and/or axial movement of the seals 169A, 169B relative to the engine case 137 and engine axis A.
The seal 169 can include slots 183 along the respective mate faces 178, as illustrated by
Various materials can be utilized to form the seal 169 and mounting block 180. The seal 169 is made of a first material, and the mounting block 180 is made of a second material, which can be the same or can differ from the first material. For example, the first material can include a ceramic or ceramic matrix composite (CMC) material such as silicon carbide (SiC) fibers in a silicon carbide (SiC) matrix. The seal 169 can be formed from one or more layers L (
In the illustrative example of
The core 192 includes one or more core plies or layers CL. The overwrap 194 includes one or more overwrap plies or layers OL. The layers L of the seal 169 comprise the core and overwrap layers CL, OL. In the illustrative example of
The core and overwrap plies CL, OL are arranged in stacked relation to establish the main body 170 of the seal 169. The core plies CL are arranged to establish an inner, generally tubular shaped box. The overwrap plies OL are arranged to establish an outer, generally tubular shaped box that substantially encloses the inner box to establish a double box architecture. The inner box established by the core plies CL can serve to provide structural support, and the outer box established by the overwrap plies OL can serve to provide additional structural support and enclose other features such as the intermediate layer(s) 193 and filler(s) 195 to establish a cross-sectional profile of the seal 169.
The core and/or overwrap plies CL, OL are dimensioned to extend from, and span circumferentially between, the mate faces 178. The continuous inner and outer box arrangement can reduce a likelihood of delamination of the plies CL, OL. The core plies CL are arranged to establish the internal cavity 184. The overwrap plies OL of the overwrap 194 are arranged to follow a perimeter P of the core 192 comprising the core plies CL to establish the sealing portion 177 and engagement portion 179. The overwrap 194 can be dimensioned to surround the perimeter P of the core plies CL at circumferential positions along the internal cavity 184, as illustrated by
Various materials can be utilized to form the core and overwrap plies CL, OL. The plies CL, OL can be constructed from fibers made of the same material or different materials. In examples, the core and/or overwrap plies CL, OL include silicon-based fibers in a silicon-based ceramic matrix such as silicon carbide fibers (SiC) in a silicon carbide (SiC) matrix to establish a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) component. Other materials can be utilized to construct the core and/or overwrap plies CL, OL, and corresponding matrix materials, such as oxide-based chemistries.
Various fiber constructions can be utilized for the core and overwrap plies CL, OL. The core plies CL have a first fiber construction. The overwrap plies OL have a second fiber construction, which can be the same or can differ from the first fiber construction.
In examples, the core and/or overwrap plies CL, OL are constructed from braided plies including a plurality of braided yarns. For example, the overwrap plies OL can include a plurality of biaxially braids 189A (shown in
Referring to
Referring to
The biaxial braid 189A and triaxial braid 189B can include different fiber types in the braid axial and braid bias directions to tailor the strength and stiffness of the core and/or overwrap plies CL, OL. For example, higher modulus fibers may be used in conjunction with lower modulus fibers.
Other fiber constructions can be utilized to form the core and/or overwrap plies CL, OL. Example fabrics include a three-dimensional woven fabric 189C (
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
The component is consolidated at step 296F. Step 296F can include embedding the fibers of the seal 269 in a matrix material, such as carbon-based fibers in a carbon-based ceramic matrix, including silicon carbide (SiC) fibers in a silicon carbide (SiC) matrix. Step 296F includes removing the mandrels M-1, M-2 from the main body 270 to establish an internal cavity spanning circumferentially between openings along the mate faces 278 (see, e.g., the cavity 184 of
One or more finishing operations can be performed on the component at step 296G. Step 296G can include machining one or more surfaces of the component. Step 296G can include forming one or more features in the component such as an elongated opening or slot (see, e.g., slot 191′ of
It should be understood that relative positional terms such as “forward,” “aft,” “upper,” “lower,” “above,” “below,” and the like are with reference to the normal operational attitude of the vehicle and should not be considered otherwise limiting.
Although the different examples have the specific components shown in the illustrations, embodiments of this disclosure are not limited to those particular combinations. It is possible to use some of the components or features from one of the examples in combination with features or components from another one of the examples.
Although particular step sequences are shown, described, and claimed, it should be understood that steps may be performed in any order, separated or combined unless otherwise indicated and will still benefit from the present disclosure.
The foregoing description is exemplary rather than defined by the limitations within. Various non-limiting embodiments are disclosed herein, however, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that various modifications and variations in light of the above teachings will fall within the scope of the appended claims. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the disclosure may be practiced other than as specifically described. For that reason the appended claims should be studied to determine true scope and content.
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