Ceramic turbine volute

1. A gas turbine and nozzle system, comprising:

a radial inflow turbine rotor;

a radial turbine shroud; and

a volute comprising a shape conforming to a contour of the radial turbine shroud, the volute comprising at least first and second parts clamped between rings,

wherein the first and second parts comprise a ceramic material,

wherein the ceramic material has a thermal conductivity higher than first and second thermal barriers,

wherein the first and second parts and the first and second thermal barriers are stacked in an axial plane and share a first turbine axis,

wherein a mating surface between the first and second parts is aligned with a direction of an up-stream pressurized gas flow in the volute,

wherein the first and second parts operatively engage each other along a plane which is perpendicular to the first turbine axis,

wherein the volute provides a flow path to deliver a pressurized gas to a circumference of the radial turbine rotor.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mating surface between the first and second parts forms a closed volume around a tip of the radial inflow turbine rotor.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second thermal barriers correspond respectively to the first and second parts of the volute, wherein the first thermal barrier is positioned between the first part and a first bearing core, wherein the second thermal barrier is positioned between the second part and one or more of a clamp tube and a second bearing core, wherein the first thermal barrier has a lower thermal conductivity than one or more of the first part and the first bearing core, and wherein the second thermal barrier has a lower thermal conductivity than one or more of the second part and the one or more of the clamp tube and second bearing core.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein at least one of the first and second barriers comprises a channel feature to maintain an alignment of the first and second parts of the volute.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mating surface between the first and second parts comprises one or more holes, a dowel pin in each hole, and a slot to receive the dowel pin to enable thermal expansion and contraction of each of the first and second parts while substantially maintaining a gas seal between the first and second parts.

6. The system of claim 3 , wherein the first and second parts and the first and second thermal barriers are clamped together along the first turbine axis by the clamp tube and a bellows and wherein a plane of the mating surface between the first and second parts is perpendicular to the first turbine axis.

7. The system of claim 1 ,

wherein the first and second thermal barriers respectively engage the first and second parts of the volute; and

wherein the system further comprises a flexible corrugated bellows duct with a low internal pressure and a high outer pressure on an outer radius of the bellows duct, wherein a pressure differential between the low internal pressure and the high outer pressure generates a pneumatic pressure force which loads the first and second parts in compression between the first and second thermal barriers.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the volute has an internal surface and an external surface, wherein the internal surface defines a volume filled with the pressurized gas feeding the turbine rotor, and wherein the external surface experiences a higher static gas pressure than the internal surface, thereby loading the volute in compression.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ceramic material is silicon carbide, silicon nitride, or an oxide of aluminum, silicon, calcium, phosphorous, or lithium.

10. A gas turbine and nozzle system, comprising:

a radial inflow turbine rotor;

a radial turbine shroud;

a volute comprising a shape conforming to a contour of the radial turbine shroud, wherein the volute comprises at least first and second parts clamped between rings,

wherein the first and second parts comprise a ceramic material,

wherein the ceramic material has a thermal conductivity higher than first and second thermal barriers,

wherein the first and second parts and the first and second thermal barriers are stacked in an axial plane and share a first turbine axis,

wherein a mating surface between the first and second parts is aligned with a direction of an up-stream pressurized gas flow in the volute,

wherein the first and second parts operatively engage each other along a plane which is perpendicular to the first turbine axis,

wherein the volute provides a flow path to deliver a pressurized gas to a circumference of the radial turbine rotor,

wherein the first and second thermal barriers correspond respectively to the first and second parts of the volute, and

wherein the first thermal barrier is positioned between the first part and a first bearing core and the second thermal barrier is positioned between the second part and a second bearing core.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the ceramic material in the first and second parts is silicon carbide, silicon nitride, or an oxide of aluminum, silicon, calcium, phosphorous, or lithium.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the mating surface between the first and second parts forms a closed volume around a tip of the radial inflow turbine rotor.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first thermal barrier has a lower thermal conductivity one or more of the first part and the first bearing core and the second thermal barrier has a lower thermal conductivity lower than one or more of the second part and the second bearing core.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein at least one of the first and second barriers comprises a channel feature to maintain an alignment of the first and second parts.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the mating surface between the first and second parts comprises one or more holes, a dowel pin in each hole, and a slot on to receive the dowel pin to enable thermal expansion and contraction of each of the first and second parts while substantially maintaining a gas seal between the first and second parts.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the first and second parts and the first and second thermal barriers are clamped together along the first turbine axis by a clamp tube and a bellows and wherein a plane of the mating surface between the first and second parts is perpendicular to the first turbine axis.

17. The system of claim 10 , further comprising:

a flexible corrugated bellows duct with a low internal pressure and a high pressure on an outer radius of the bellows duct, wherein a pressure differential between the low internal pressure and the high outer pressure generates a pneumatic pressure force which loads the first and second parts in compression between the first and second thermal barriers.

18. The system of claim 10 , wherein the volute has an internal surface and an external surface, wherein the internal surface defines a volume filled with the pressurized gas feeding the turbine rotor, and wherein the external surface experiences a higher static gas pressure than the internal surface, thereby loading the volute in compression.

19. A method, comprising:

inserting a radial inflow turbine rotor through a turbine exit end of a pressure bearing housing and through a first part of a volute; and thereafter engaging the first part of the volute with a second part of the volute to enclose the radial inflow turbine rotor between the first and second parts of the volute,

wherein the volute comprises a shape conforming to a contour of a radial turbine shroud,

wherein the first and second parts are clamped between rings,

wherein the first and second parts comprise a ceramic material,

wherein the ceramic material has a thermal conductivity higher than first and second thermal barriers,

wherein the first and second parts and the first and second thermal barriers are stacked in an axial plane and share a first turbine axis,

wherein a mating surface between the first and second parts is aligned with a direction of an up-stream pressurized gas flow in the volute,

wherein the first and second parts operatively engage each other along a plane which is perpendicular to the first turbine axis,

wherein the volute provides a flow path to deliver a pressurized gas to a circumference of the radial turbine rotor.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the radial inflow turbine rotor is aligned with and in close proximity to an integral turbine back plate.