Fluent material handling – with receiver or receiver coacting mea – Diverse fluid containing pressure filling systems involving... – Gas condition control in housing for receiver
Reexamination Certificate
2003-08-27
2004-12-14
Douglas, Steven O. (Department: 3751)
Fluent material handling, with receiver or receiver coacting mea
Diverse fluid containing pressure filling systems involving...
Gas condition control in housing for receiver
C141S008000, C141S065000, C164S061000, C164S065000, C264S101000, C264S102000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06830079
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
The present invention is directed to an integrated apparatus and method for filling a porous composite preform with a slurry or resin.
The filling of a porous composite preform with particulate slurries or resins has until now been done in separate steps with separated pieces of equipment. As a result, such conventional systems and methodologies have been time consuming and expensive both to operate and construct.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention involves the provision of and use of three separate chambers interconnected by one common vacuum system. A tank holding slurry is preferably disposed above an autoclave with the tank and autoclave being connected to the common vacuum system. With this arrangement, slurry can be easily and efficiently transferred between the tank and autoclave by the use of the vacuum and gravity.
In addition, since the uninfiltrated slurry/resin remains viable, it can be drained, again by the vacuum and gravity into a holding tank. The slurry/resin in the holding tank can then be pumped up to the feed tank, but since the vacuum level of all tanks are the same, the slurry/resin has not degraded due to atmospheric effects, nor has it gained entrapped air.
A similar process is used in the polymer composites industry, whereby polymers are infiltrated into organic fiber or glass fiber preforms. However, a differential vacuum is used to transport polymer from one tank to the other.
This invention integrates the operations of 1) slurry/resin preparation, 2) preform preparation, 3) slurry/resin transfer to preform, 4) slurry/resin removal from preform, 5) recycling of slurry/resin, 6) initial drying of slurry/resin. It also allows pressure application during preform filling if required.
Aside from the conventional ball mill that will be used to batch the slurry/resin, all operations are performed in different chambers or containers that are connected to the same vacuum system. This allows the transfer of slurry/resin between containers to be done with the use of the vacuum and gravity. When pressure is needed in the filling step, the main chamber will be isolated from the vacuum system and then pressurized.
The inventive apparatus and method are especially suited for filling turbine shrouds, turbine engine liners, and for other SiC products.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5111871 (1992-05-01), Cook
patent: 5299619 (1994-04-01), Chandley et al.
patent: 5551979 (1996-09-01), Shealey
patent: 6099906 (2000-08-01), Palmer et al.
patent: 6360809 (2002-03-01), Cornie et al.
Ahrens James M.
Brenner Troy Frederick
Domanski Daniel
Hornor John A.
Hughes Ruth
Douglas Steven O.
General Electric Company
Nixon & Vanderhye PC
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