Analysis of Silicon Nitride (Si3N4) for Use in a Small Recuperated Turboshaft Engine

Abstract

This analysis was performed to determine whether silicon nitride (Si3N4) could be used as a material for fabrication of the Small Recuperated Turboshaft Heavy Fuel Engine (SMART-HFE). Oxidation and volatilization of silicon nitride in the presence of water vapor has proven to be an issue under the conditions of turbine combustion. Through the use of previous research, the recession rates of Si3N4 were predicted for various operating conditions. The volatilization rate required by the SMART engine was chosen to be 1/4 mm per kilo-hour, the equivalent of the rotor blade tip clearance. The calculations made showed that Si3N4 is an acceptable material for use in the SMART-HFE combustion chamber and turbine.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 21, 2009
Accession Number
ADA507235

Entities

People

  • Michael J. Vick
  • Richard L. Stark Jr.

Organizations

  • United States Naval Research Laboratory

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Ceramic Materials
  • Chambers
  • Combustion
  • Combustion Chambers
  • Electronic Warfare
  • Engines
  • Fuels
  • Heavy Fuel Engines
  • Heavy Fuels
  • Humidity
  • Jet Engine Fuels
  • Materials
  • Military Research
  • Steady State
  • Turbines
  • Turboshaft Engines
  • Water Vapor

Readers

  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Materials Science and Engineering.
  • Reinforced Composite Materials