Method of manufacturing a thermal insulation article

1. A method of manufacturing a thermal insulation article comprising:

positioning, between opposing mold walls, a first layer comprising a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) material and a second layer comprising a plurality of tiles;

moving the opposing mold walls together to compress together the first and second layers to control pressure and placement of the second layer upon the first layer so as to set spacing between adjacent tiles; and

curing the compressed together first and second layers to produce the thermal insulation article with the set spacing between adjacent tiles.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein moving the opposing mold walls comprises moving an expandable inner mold wall toward a stationary outer mold wall.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the expandable inner mold wall comprises an inflatable bladder.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein positioning comprises positioning the first and second layers so that the plurality of tiles comprises a plurality of arcuate tiles arranged in overlapping fashion.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein positioning comprises positioning the first and second layers so that the plurality of tiles comprises a plurality of tiles arranged with gaps therebetween.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein positioning further comprises positioning the first and second layers so that the plurality of tiles comprises a plurality of tiles circumferentially spaced.

7. The method according to claim 5 wherein the CMC material is forced into the gaps upon moving the opposing mold walls together.

8. The method according to claim 5 further comprising filling the gaps with a refractory material after curing the compressed together first and second layers.

9. The method according to claim 1 further comprising removing the mold walls after curing the compressed together first and second layers.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of tiles comprises a plurality of friable grade insulative tiles.

11. A method of manufacturing a thermal insulation article comprising:

positioning, between an expandable inner mold wall and an opposing stationary outer mold wall, a first layer comprising a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) material and a second layer comprising a plurality of friable grade insulative (FGI) tiles;

moving the first expandable mold wall toward the second mold wall to compress together the first and second layers to control pressure and placement of the second layer upon the first layer so as to set spacing between adjacent tiles; and

curing the compressed together first and second layers to produce the thermal insulation article with the set spacing between adjacent tiles.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein positioning comprises positioning the first and second layers so that the plurality of FGI tiles comprises a plurality of arcuate FGI tiles arranged in overlapping fashion.

13. The method according to claim 11 wherein positioning comprises positioning the first and second layers so that the plurality of FGI tiles comprises a plurality of FGI tiles arranged with gaps therebetween.

14. The method according to claim 13 wherein positioning further comprises positioning the first and second layers so that the plurality of FGI tiles comprises a plurality of FGI tiles circumferentially spaced.

15. The method according to claim 13 wherein the CMC material is forced into the gaps upon moving the opposing mold walls together.

16. The method according to claim 13 further comprising filling the gaps with a refractory material after curing the compressed together first and second layers.

17. The method according to claim 11 further comprising removing the mold walls after curing the compressed together first and second layers.

18. The method according to claim 11 wherein the expandable inner mold wall comprises an inflatable bladder.