SBIR Phase I:Robust Ceramic Turbine Blades for Gas Turbines

This SBIR Phase I project will design and construct ceramic blades for use in gas turbine engines to allow the gas turbines to operate at higher temperatures thereby increasing their efficiencies. The project will measure distributed power generation, peak shaving, renewable back-up, CHP, and propulsion. The broader/commercial impact and the novelty of the approach of the project will be that the unusual geometry of the turbine, which would allow the blades to be held in compression and all cooling of the assembly accomplished with a low-pressure fan rather than the compressor, thereby further increasing system efficiency. In addition, the ceramic turbine blades have the potential to increase gas turbine efficiency thus conserving fuel usage and providing a reduction in exhaust emissions.