CERAMIC MATRIX COMPOSITE AND METAL ATTACHMENT CONFIGURATIONS

A ceramic matrix composite (CMC) and metal attachment configuration is provided. The CMC and metal attachment may include a metal plate, a CMC plate, a spacer, a metal bolt and a nut. Metal plate may include metal plate aperture. CMC plate may be adjacent metal plate and may include CMC plate aperture aligned with metal plate aperture. Spacer may be adjacent to CMC, and spacer may include spacer aperture aligned with metal plate and CMC apertures. Metal bolt may have first and second ends, second end may be operable to fit into aligned spacer, CMC plate, and metal apertures, to attach spacer, CMC plate and metal plate. Nut may be adjacent to metal plate and may be operable to receive second end of bolt. Spacer may allow metal plate, having a high coefficient of thermal expansion, to be attached to CMC plate, having a low coefficient of thermal expansion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Provided are ceramic matrix composite and metal attachment configurations to attach ceramic matrix composites to metal components having different coefficients of thermal expansions.

One advantage of an embodiment of the present disclosure includes providing an attachment configuration for attaching CMC components that have a low thermal expansion coefficient (αCMC) to metal component that have a high thermal expansion coefficient (αmetal) relative to CMC components.

According to one embodiment a ceramic matrix composite and metal attachment configuration including a metal plate and a ceramic matrix composite plate is provided. For example,FIG. 1is a schematic section view of a ceramic matrix composite and metal attachment configuration100. Ceramic matrix composite and metal attachment configuration100may include a metal plate140having a metal plate aperture142. Metal plate may have a high coefficient of thermal expansion (αmetal), relative to CMC components. Ceramic matrix composite and metal attachment configuration100may include a ceramic matrix composite plate130adjacent metal plate140. Ceramic matrix composite plate130may have a ceramic matrix composite plate aperture132aligned with metal plate aperture142. Ceramic matrix composite may have a low coefficient of thermal expansion (αCMC), which is generally less than the coefficient of thermal expansion of metal components. Ceramic matrix composite and metal attachment configuration100may include a spacer120adjacent to ceramic matrix composite130. Spacer120may include a spacer aperture122aligned with metal plate aperture142and ceramic matrix composite aperture132. Ceramic matrix composite and metal attachment configuration100may include a metal bolt110. Metal bolt110may have a first end112and a second end114, second end114may be operable to fit into aligned spacer aperture122, ceramic matrix composite plate aperture132, and metal aperture142to attach spacer120, ceramic matrix composite plate130and metal plate140. Ceramic matrix composite and metal attachment configuration100may include a nut150adjacent to metal plate140, nut150may be operable to receive second end114of metal bolt110. For example, in one embodiment, spacer120may allow metal plate140having a high coefficient of thermal expansion to be attached to ceramic matrix composite plate130having a low coefficient of thermal expansion.

According to one embodiment, spacer may be a metal and have a coefficient of thermal expansion that is the same or different from the metal bolt or metal plate. For example, inFIG. 1, spacer120may be a metal and may have the same coefficient of thermal expansion as metal bolt110. In an alternative embodiment, spacer120may be a metal and have the same coefficient of thermal expansion as metal plate140. Suitable materials for spacer120, bolt110, and metal plate140may include, but are not limited to, metal, metal alloys, and combinations thereof, for example metal alloys may include nickel-based superalloys, cobalt-based superalloys, or combinations thereof. Thickness210of spacer120will be larger than the thickness220of ceramic matric composite plate130.

According to one embodiment, ceramic matrix composite and metal attachment configuration may include metal plate, ceramic matrix composite plate, spacer, metal bolt, and nut. For example, as shown inFIG. 2, ceramic matrix composite and metal attachment configuration100may include metal plate140, ceramic matrix composite plate130, spacer120, metal bolt110and nut150. In this embodiment, spacer120may have a coefficient of thermal expansion greater than that of metal bolt110. Spacer120may have a thickness210. Ceramic matrix composite plate130has a thickness220. Thickness210of spacer120may be about 2.5 times greater than thickness220of ceramic matrix composite plate130.

According to one embodiment ceramic matrix composite and metal attachment configuration may include a metal plate, a ceramic matrix composite plate, a metal bolt, a nut, and a spring. For example, inFIG. 3, ceramic matrix composite and metal attachment configuration100may include metal plate140, ceramic matrix composite plate130, metal bolt110and nut150. In this embodiment, bolt110may include a spring400attached to first end112of metal bolt110. Spring400may be a metal, including but not limited to, metals, metal alloys, for example, metal alloys may include, but are not limited to nickel-based superalloys, cobalt-based superalloys and combinations thereof. The coefficient of thermal expansion of spring (αspring) may be similar to the coefficients of thermal expansion of metal plate (αmetal) or bolt (αbolt). In an alternative embodiment, coefficient of thermal expansion of spring (αspring) may be greater than the coefficients of thermal expansion of metal plate (αmetal) or bolt (αbolt). As shown inFIG. 3, spring400may be a joint spring. In an alternative embodiment, spring400may be a coil spring, Bellville spring, wave spring, or leaf spring. In operation, spring400cooperates with ceramic matrix composite plate130.

According to one embodiment, a ceramic matrix composite and metal attachment configuration is provided. For example as shown inFIG. 4ceramic matrix composite and metal attachment configuration100may include a metal plate140having a metal plate aperture142. Ceramic matrix composite and metal attachment configuration100may include a ceramic matrix composite plate130adjacent metal plate140. Ceramic matrix composite plate130may include a ceramic matrix composite plate aperture132aligned with metal plate aperture142. Ceramic matrix composite and metal attachment configuration100may include a metal bolt110having a first end112, a second end114, and a channel300running therethrough. Second end114of metal bolt110may be operable to fit into the aligned ceramic matrix composite plate aperture132, and metal aperture142to attach ceramic matrix composite plate130and metal plate140. Ceramic matrix composite and metal attachment configuration100may include a nut150adjacent to metal plate140and operable to receive second end114of metal bolt110. Channel300of metal bolt110may minimize growth of bolt110due to mismatch of coefficient of thermal expansion between the metal bolt110and metal plate140and ceramic matrix composite plate130. For example, as shown inFIG. 4, channel300of bolt allows cooling air310to flow through bolt110. Channel300of bolt110may provide a cooler bolt temperature than a bolt not having a channel. The cooler bolt will grow less relative to the ceramic matrix composite plate130.

According to one embodiment, a zero CMC thickness joint may be obtained. For example, as shown inFIGS. 5-7, CMC hook600and stop710may be created such that metal components can be wrapped around CMC plate130. Zero point thickness may be illustrated by line500inFIGS. 5 and 6. Metal140may pull and may push on CMC130at the same datum location. This method may eliminate CMC from the bolted joint alpha mismatch because all length of metal that may be clamping may be matched with length of metal that may be clamped.