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Gas Turbines (Aircraft Engine)In aircraft engines the lighter weight of CMC components compared to metallic components can also help reduce fuel consumption allowing longer range or increased payload of the aircraft. |
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Gas Turbines (Power Generation)CMCs offer significant advantages over metallic hot gas path components in turbine engine applications. CMC components have a higher temperature capability, allowing them to operate with significantly reduced cooling flow. This can increase power, reduce emissions, improve efficiency and extend life, depending on how the component is used in the turbine duty cycle. |
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AerostructuresCMCs have the high-temperature strength and durability to serve both as heat shields and hot structure control surfaces for re-entry vehicles. Various thermal protection system and hot structure control surface subcomponents are being evaluated for the NASP, X-33, NGLT and X-37 programs. In combined thermal and mechanical testing, a CMC C/SiC body flap successfully met 100 percent design load; it is the first CMC C/SiC HSCS tested this way. Testing is currently underway on a Flaperon HSCS subcomponent. |
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Rocket PropulsionCMC Novoltex/SiC components are used for a variety of rocket propulsion applications. The two primary component applications are hot gas valve components and exhaust nozzles for small rocket motors for divert and attitude control systems. In excess of 1,000 Novoltex/SiC rocket propulsion components have been fabricated over the past decade. Novoltex/SiC exhibits the following positive attributes for these applications: high temperature capability (3,500 to 4,500 °F [1,927 to 2,482 °C] for component life ranging from 10 to 1,000 seconds), low density, low thermal conductivity, erosion resistance and the ability to achieve complex features and tight tolerances. |
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Industrial & Other ApplicationsCeramic research and development encompasses a number of potential applications including radiant gas heaters, hot gas filters, piping and more recently optics. |