Probabilistic/Reliability Software Tool for Ceramic Matrix Composite/Environmental Barrier Coating Interface Modeling

One potential way to achieve N+3 goals is the introduction of ceramic matrix composite (CMC) materials into turbine engines. The introduction of CMC vanes and/or blades into turbine engines lead to gains in specific fuel consumption (SFC) by allowing higher operating temperatures, reductions in required cooling, and reductions in vehicle weight. Thermal barrier and environmental barrier coatings (TBCs and EBCs) will play a crucial role in future advanced gas turbine engines because of their ability to significantly extend the temperature capability of the CMC engine components in harsh combustion environments. Due to the inherent scatter in both EBCs and CMCs, one needs to analyze the CMC/EBC interface with a probabilistic methodology. The proposed work will develop a software tool that will facilitate the probabilistic/reliability analysis of the CMC/EBC interface. This software tool will compute input sensitivities of the CMC/EBC interface and propagate uncertainties to component models of turbomachinery parts (vanes/blades) with complex geometries.

SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) are the most promising material system that has the temperature and the structural capability to meet the needs of next generation gas turbine engines that will result in higher efficiency, higher thrust, reduced emissions, and reduced weight. One major barrier to the implementation of CMCs is the lack of environmental durability in the combustion environment. A robust EBC system is an enabling technology for the successful implementation of CMCs in the hot engine sections.

Any applications that use the advanced CMCs such as the land based gas turbines for power generation, require the development of a robust EBC system. The DOD is also researching the CMC/EBC interface.

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