Metal Ceramic Guide Vanes New Design Concept

Abstract

With the aim of achieving a considerable reduction in the cooling air requirement of HPT nozzles of jet engines, a new guide vane concept which utilizes the high service temperature capability (≈1900 K) of sintered silicon carbide was proposed. In this concept, the load bearing structure of the vane is formed by the metallic shrouds and metallic core. The uncooled vane shell in SSiC, which floats in recesses in the shrouds, surrounds the vane core and projects the major metallic areas from direct contact with the hot gas. Straight cascades with 4 vanes of metal-ceramic construction were designed, manufactured and successfully rig-tested at 1800 and 1900 K.