A method of detecting conversion quality includes the steps of providing an article having a green material and a semiconductor material, processing the green material and the semiconductor material to produce a matrix composite, and detecting a matrix composite conversion quality with the semiconductor material.

A turbine component comprises a platform and an airfoil extending radially away from the platform and extending from a leading edge to a trailing edge. A leading edge portion defines the leading edge of the airfoil and a trailing edge portion including the trailing edge. One of the leading and trailing edge portions also includes the platform. The leading edge portion is formed of a first material distinct from a second material forming the trailing edge portion. The first material has an operating temperature capability at least 100 F. higher than that of the second material. A gas turbine engine is also disclosed.

A system according to various embodiments can include: a coating system configured to apply a thermal coating material to a component, the component having a plurality of cooling holes; an airflow system coupled with the coating system, the airflow system configured to force air through the component; and a control system coupled with the airflow system and the coating system, the control system configured to: detect coating instructions for the coating system, the coating instructions instructing the coating system to apply the thermal coating material to a subset of the plurality of cooling holes; and instruct the airflow system to force air through the subset of the plurality of cooling holes during application of the thermal coating material to the component in response to detecting the coating instructions.

A thermal barrier coating includes a highly porous layer and a dense layer. The highly porous layer is formed on a heat-resistant base, is made of ceramic, has pores, has a layer thickness of equal to or larger than 0.3 mm and equal to or smaller than 1.0 mm, and has a pore ratio of equal to or higher than 1 vol % and equal to or lower than 30 vol %. The dense layer is formed on the highly porous layer, is made of ceramic, has a pore ratio of equal to or lower than 0.9 vol % that is equal to or lower than the pore ratio of the highly porous layer, and has a layer thickness of equal to or smaller than 0.05 mm.

Thermal barrier coatings, which may be used in gas turbine engines, comprise or consist of a tantala-niobia-zirconia mixture that is stabilized with two or more stabilizers. An exemplary thermal barrier coating comprises or consists of, by mole percent: about 2% to about 30% YO.sub.1.5; about 8% to about 30% YbO.sub.1.5 or GdO.sub.1.5 or combination thereof; about 6% to about 30% TaO.sub.2.5; about 0.1% to about 10% NbO.sub.2.5; about 0% to about 10% HfO.sub.2; and a balance of ZrO.sub.2.

An energy storage system is disclosed. The energy storage system includes a turbo train drive, a hot heat sink, and a reservoir. The turbo train drive is in mechanical communication with a compressor and an expander. The hot heat sink is in thermal communication between an output of the compressor and an input of the expander. The reservoir is in thermal communication between an output of the expander and an input of the compressor. The compressor and the expander, via the turbo train drive, are operable between a charging function for charging the hot heat sink and a discharging function for discharging the hot heat sink.

The present invention relates to a process of storing energy through the conversion of thermal energy and subsequent power generation by means of a gas turbine set with compressor, expander and power generator, with at least one and with a second low-temperature reservoir, and a high-temperature reservoir with bulk material as the heat storage medium, the electric energy is stored in the form of high-temperature heat above the turbine outlet temperature in a thermal reservoir, that during the power generation phase a compressed gas from the compressor is heated in a low-temperature reservoir to a temperature near the turbine outlet temperature and subsequently heated in a high-temperature reservoir with stored heat from electric power to a temperature level of at least the turbine inlet temperature, and that the ratio between the bed height in flow direction and the mean particle diameter of the bulk material in the high-temperature reservoir is at least 10.

A control ring for use in a gas turbine engine includes a control ring segment defining a centerline axis. The control ring segment includes an inner diameter surface and an outer diameter surface. A thermally isolating contact is operatively connected to at least one of the inner diameter surface and the outer diameter surface. The thermally isolating contact has lower thermal conductivity than the control ring.

A seal system for a gas turbine vane includes a first seal layer and an optional second seal layer. Each first seal layer includes multiple seal segments, each of which includes a first leg, a second leg, and an intermediate portion between the first leg and the second leg. Each adjacent pair of seal segments of the first seal is separated by a gap. The seal segments define a substantially complete perimeter of a seal slot in which the first seal is installed. The second seal, which is also segmented, may or may not define the substantially complete perimeter of the seal slot. If present, the second seal segments are circumferentially offset from the first seal segments to block the gaps between the first seal segments. A turbine vane including the present seal system is also disclosed.

An article includes a substrate, a ceramic barrier coating, and a layer of networked ceramic nanofibers. The ceramic barrier coating is disposed on the substrate and has a porous columnar microstructure. The layer of networked ceramic nanofibers is disposed on the ceramic barrier layer and seals the pores of the porous columnar microstructure.