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U.S. Department of Energy
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Brittle materials design, high-temperature gas turbine. Semi-annual technical report No. 4, 1 Jan--10 Jun 1973

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:7310881

The Brittle Materials Design, High Temperature Gas Turbine program is to demonstrate successful use of brittle materials in demanding high temperature structural applications. A small vehicular gas turbine and a large stationary gas turbine, each utilizing uncooled ceramic components, will be used in this iterative design and materials development program. In the vehicular turbine project, a more refined heat transfer and stress analysis was performed for the monolithic hot-pressed silicon nitride rotor. Methods of fabricating duo-density silicon nitride rotors were evaluated, with several rotors being made; the best of these failed at 50,500 rpm during spin testing. Revised design stators demonstrated improved durability, although cracking has not been completely eliminated. Creep resistance of reaction-sintered silicon nitride has been considerably improved by decreasing calcium-containing impurities. The strength of reaction-sintered silicon nitride has been increased by the use of small amounts of hydrogen added to the nitrogen atmosphere. In the stationary turbine project, stress and heat transfer analyses were completed for the stator vane assembly system. The three dimensional stress analysis program has been expanded to steady state and transient heat transfer capability. Additional information about the properties of hot-presses silicon nitride and silicon carbide has been determined and the microstructure of hot-presses silicon carbide was studied in detail.

Research Organization:
Ford Motor Co., Dearborn, MI (USA)
OSTI ID:
7310881
Report Number(s):
AD-914451
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English