Patent ID: 8292580
Filing Date: 2012-10-23
Classification: F01D,F05D,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A vane assembly for a gas turbine, comprising: first and second metal backing plates; a metal vane strut spanning between the backing plates, a first end of the vane strut formed integrally with the first backing plate; a cooling channel extending medially through the vane strut; a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) or superalloy airfoil mounted as a sheath over the vane strut and defining a spring chamber there between extending peripherally along a length of the vane strut; a spring installed in the spring chamber, wherein the spring is compressed between an inner surface of the CMC or superalloy airfoil and an outer surface of the vane strut; the second backing plate releasably attached to a second end of the vane strut; and first and second CMC shroud covers that cover facing surfaces of the respective first and second backing plates to protect the backing plates from a working gas flow; wherein a first portion of a cooling gas flows through a network of outer shroud coolant passages in the first backing plate between the first backing plate and the first shroud cover, and a second portion of the cooling gas flows through a network of inner shroud coolant passages in the second backing plate between the second backing plate and the second shroud cover.