Method of manufacturing a turbomachine component made of composite material with reinforced zones

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a turbomachine component made of composite material, said method comprising the following steps: - manufacturing a fibrous preform by three-dimensional weaving of filaments to manufacture a fibrous fabric, the fibrous fabric being wound in the form of a plurality of superimposed layers on a mandrel having a profile corresponding to the profile of the component to be manufactured, to obtain a fibrous preform having a shape corresponding to the shape of the component to be manufactured, the filaments being divided into warp filaments (120) and weft filaments (122), the warp filaments being interwoven with the weft filaments in the form of a three-dimensional weave, - manufacturing a reinforcement zone in the fibrous preform, said reinforcement zone being formed from at least one layer of warp filaments (124) that are not interwoven with the weft filaments, the at least one layer of warp filaments being inserted between the interwoven warp filaments and weft filaments.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to integrating reinforcing regions into turbine components made of composite materials by three-dimensional (3D) yarn weaving, such as a housing, intermediate housing shell (VCI), or outlet guide vane (OGV). Background Technology

[0002] Prior art includes documents FR 3 085 299 A1, US2019 / 160765 A1, and DE 100 25 628A1.

[0003] Turbine components (such as fan housings, VCI, and OGV) can be made of composite materials.

[0004] More specifically, the composite component is manufactured by forming and weaving and consists of a three-dimensional (3D) woven preform having, for example, four layers of warp yarns (arranged longitudinally) and four layers of weft yarns (arranged transversely), in which the warp yarns are connected by the weft yarns.

[0005] To reinforce these turbine components, the 3D braided preforms can be thickened. For example, the fineness (titre) of the warp yarns can be increased.

[0006] If the thickening is insufficient, the number of warp yarn layers can be increased, and thus the number of weft yarn layers, for example, to eight warp yarn layers and eight weft yarn layers. However, this results in an increased component thickness because these layers of weft yarn are distributed along the entire length of the component, not just locally in the area where the desired thickening is needed. This also increases the component's mass. Furthermore, this affects the entire component, not just the area requiring reinforcement.

[0007] Increasing the stiffness of a component (e.g., a housing) can be achieved by adding reinforcements (i.e., reinforcements that locally increase the thickness of the component). Reinforcements are additional components, for example, made of composite materials, and are attached to the turbine component, for example, by gluing. Due to these reinforcements, the component maintains a uniform thickness outside the reinforced area.

[0008] like Figure 1AAs shown, the reinforcement can be manufactured by gluing the reinforcement 10 (in the form of an omega) to the turbine component 12. However, this reinforcement is specifically manufactured separately by drapage and polymerization, and then glued to the component 12 after machining. The gluing operation may also require the use of an autoclave, which is an expensive piece of equipment.

[0009] Reinforcing sections can also be manufactured by locally thickening and weaving them into the component. However, especially when the component is made by shaped weaving, this thickening affects adjacent areas of the component. To increase the thickness of the component, one or more warp yarns need to be added, and therefore one or more weft yarns need to be added. This affects areas of the component other than the area where the reinforcement is located.

[0010] The object of this invention is to provide a solution that can overcome at least some of these disadvantages. Summary of the Invention

[0011] Therefore, the present invention proposes a method for manufacturing turbine components with localized reinforcement thickening, which is obtained by forming and weaving, without affecting the region adjacent to the reinforcement area, and maximizing the circumferential Young's modulus of the turbine component.

[0012] Therefore, the present invention relates to a method for manufacturing turbine components made of composite materials, the method comprising the following steps:

[0013] - Fiber preforms are manufactured by three-dimensionally weaving fibrous threads to create a fibrous fabric. The fibrous fabric is wound in multiple overlapping layers on a mandrel with a contour corresponding to the outline of the part to be manufactured, resulting in a fibrous preform with a shape corresponding to the shape of the part to be manufactured. The threads are separated into warp and weft threads, which are interwoven in a three-dimensional weaving manner.

[0014] - Forming a reinforcing region in the fiber preform.

[0015] According to the present invention, the reinforcing region is formed by at least one layer of warp yarns that are not interwoven with the weft yarns, and the at least one layer of warp yarns is inserted between the interwoven warp yarns and the weft yarns.

[0016] According to the invention, warp yarns that do not interweave with the weft yarns, constituting the reinforcing region, are inserted into the core, approximately at the midpoint of the preform's thickness. These additional warp yarns are woven in a pattern that minimizes their shortening, while the other warp and weft yarns maintain paths that result in a shortening equal to the shortening they would have without these additional warp yarns. Shortening is the ratio of the curve length within the fabric to the length of the fabric itself. This maximizes the circumferential Young's modulus. Interwoven warp and weft yarns form a junction where additional warp yarns that do not interweave with the weft yarns are woven. Because the additional warp yarns do not interweave with the weft yarns, shortening is kept to a minimum.

[0017] Therefore, the method according to the invention enables the manufacture of reinforcements by forming localized thickenings on the component without affecting adjacent areas of the component. The reinforcements according to the invention are more effective than prior art reinforcements, which can be obtained by simply weaving thickenings with the same weave (and therefore having the same shortening), i.e., without any gain in Young's modulus. The reinforcements according to the invention enable an increase in the circumferential stiffness of turbine components, thus maximizing the circumferential Young's modulus of the component.

[0018] The reinforcement is formed directly into the component, thereby reducing manufacturing costs. There is no need to separately manufacture the reinforcement and then integrate it into the component.

[0019] Preferably, the reinforced area does not extend along the entire length of the component. In other words, preferably, the extent of the reinforcement is minimized to limit the impact of the reinforcement on the quality of the component.

[0020] Advantageously, the thickened area is relatively small compared to the size of the component, thus not increasing the thickness of the component across its entire surface. For example, the thickened area is less than 10% of the component's surface. Limiting the extent of the thickening allows for a return to the basic weave (i.e., the weave outside the reinforced area), in which all warp yarns interweave with the weft yarns, thus allowing the additional warp yarns, which do not interweave with the weft yarns, to be confined to a dedicated area for these additional warp yarns (i.e., the reinforced area).

[0021] In one embodiment, the reinforcing region is formed by at least one layer of warp yarns that are not interwoven with the weft yarns, wherein the mass per unit length (i.e., the amount of material per unit length) of the warp yarns in this non-interwoven layer is greater than the mass per unit length of the interwoven warp and weft yarns. For example, the mass per unit length of the non-interwoven warp yarns is twice the mass per unit length of the interwoven warp and weft yarns.

[0022] In another embodiment, the reinforcing region is formed by multiple layers of warp yarns that are not interwoven with the weft yarns. These warp yarns that are not interwoven with the weft yarns have a mass per unit length that is approximately equal to the mass per unit length of the interwoven warp and weft yarns.

[0023] The number of additional warp yarns that do not interweave with the weft yarns depends on the final thickness of the desired component. This number of additional warp yarns differs from the number of interwoven warp and weft yarns. The ratio between the number of additional warp yarns that do not interweave with the weft yarns and the number of interwoven warp and weft yarns can range from 0.25 to 4.

[0024] The fiber preform may include N layers of interwoven warp yarns and M layers of interwoven weft yarns, where N and M are integers greater than or equal to three. A reinforcing region is located between a first skin and a second skin. The first skin is formed by N1 layers of interwoven warp yarns and M1 layers of interwoven weft yarns, where N1 and M1 are integers less than N and M, respectively. The second skin is formed by another N-N1 layers of interwoven warp yarns and another M-M1 layers of interwoven weft yarns.

[0025] In other words, one or more warp yarns that do not interweave with the weft yarns and form the reinforcing zone are arranged in the middle of the thickness of the fiber preform.

[0026] In one embodiment, integers N and M are equal, for example, integers N and M are each equal to four, so the fiber preform comprises four interlaced layers of warp yarns and four interlaced layers of weft yarns. Preferably, the reinforcing region is located between the first skin and the second skin, the first skin being formed by two interlaced layers of warp yarns and two interlaced layers of weft yarns, and the second skin being formed by two more interlaced layers of warp yarns and two more interlaced layers of weft yarns.

[0027] In another embodiment, integers N and M are equal, for example, integers N and M are each equal to eight, so the fiber preform comprises eight interlaced warp yarns and eight interlaced weft yarns. Preferably, the reinforcing region is located between a first skin and a second skin, the first skin being formed by four interlaced warp yarns and four interlaced weft yarns, and the second skin being formed by another four interlaced warp yarns and four interlaced weft yarns.

[0028] The present invention also relates to a turbine component obtained by a manufacturing method according to the invention, the component comprising a reinforcing region integrated into a fiber preform, the reinforcing region being formed by at least one layer of warp yarns not interwoven with weft yarns, the at least one layer of warp yarns being inserted between the interwoven warp and weft yarns of the fiber preform.

[0029] The reinforced area is thickened to strengthen the component.

[0030] Warp and weft yarns can be fibers made of composite materials (such as carbon, glass, aramid, or ceramic).

[0031] In one embodiment, the reinforced region is formed by warp yarns that do not interweave with the weft yarns, and the unit length mass of the warp yarns that do not interweave with the weft yarns is greater than the unit length mass of the interwoven warp yarns and weft yarns.

[0032] In another embodiment, the reinforcing region is formed by a plurality of warp yarns that do not interweave with the weft yarns. The warp yarns that do not interweave with the weft yarns have the same mass per unit length as the interwoven warp and weft yarns.

[0033] The resulting turbine component can be any axisymmetric or rotating part manufactured by 3D yarn weaving and requiring circumferential reinforcement. For example, a turbine component can be a fan casing or VCI.

[0034] The resulting turbine components can also be OGV. Attached Figure Description

[0035] The invention will be better understood through the following description, which is by way of non-limiting example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, and other details, features, and advantages of the invention will become clearer, as illustrated in the drawings:

[0036] [ Figures 1A to 1B [Already described] Figure 1A A turbine component with an integrated reinforcement section according to the prior art is shown very schematically, while Figure 1B A turbine component having an integrated reinforcement according to the invention is shown very schematically;

[0037] [ Figure 2 ] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the weaving method for a turbine component without reinforcement areas manufactured by 3D yarn weaving is shown;

[0038] [ Figure 3 ] Figure 3 The diagram schematically illustrates the weaving method of a turbine component having a reinforced region according to an embodiment of the present invention, manufactured by 3D yarn weaving; and

[0039] [ Figures 4A to 4H ] Figures 4A to 4H Different planes of the weave of a turbine component having a reinforced region according to an embodiment of the invention, manufactured by 3D weaving of yarn, are schematically shown.

[0040] Elements having the same function in different embodiments have the same reference numerals in the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0041] like Figure 1B As shown, turbine component 14, made of composite material, includes a reinforced region 16.

[0042] The component can be tubular, such as a fan housing or VCI. The turbine component can be any other axisymmetric component manufactured using 3D yarn weaving and requiring circumferential reinforcement. The component can also be an OGV (Optical Gear Valves).

[0043] Turbine components are made from fiber-reinforced composite preforms densified by a matrix (e.g., a polymer).

[0044] This component is manufactured using the manufacturing method according to the invention described below.

[0045] The method includes the following steps: In this step, a fiber preform is manufactured by 3D yarn weaving to create a fiber fabric, the fiber fabric being wound on a mandrel in the form of multiple stacked layers, the mandrel having a contour corresponding to the contour of the part to be manufactured, to obtain a fiber preform having a shape corresponding to the shape of the part to be manufactured. The yarns are separated into warp yarns and weft yarns, which are interwoven in a 3D weaving manner.

[0046] The fiber fabric is woven onto a roller and then wound around a mandrel having a profile corresponding to the contour of the part to be manufactured, to obtain the desired fiber preform. More specifically, the fiber fabric is in the form of a strip made by 3D weaving of warp and weft yarns, which is wound around the mandrel multiple times to form the fiber preform. The mandrel has an outer surface whose contour corresponds to the contour of the inner surface of the part to be manufactured.

[0047] 3D weaving is performed by gathering warp yarns onto rollers, the profile of which is selected based on the part to be manufactured. In this way, the warp yarns can be gathered onto the rollers, and the fibrous fabric is wound onto the rollers as it is woven.

[0048] 3D weaving of fiber fabrics can be achieved using multiple layers of warp and weft yarns employing an interlocking weave. 3D weaving with an interlocking weave involves each warp yarn being interwoven with multiple layers of weft yarns. Of course, other weaving methods are also possible.

[0049] By winding around a mandrel, the fiber fabric follows the contour of the mandrel. The number of layers of the fiber fabric wound to form the fiber preform depends on the desired thickness of the component and the thickness of the fiber fabric. Preferably, the number of layers of the fiber fabric is greater than or equal to two.

[0050] When wound around a cylindrical mandrel, the fiber preform can be tubular in shape, allowing the formation of tubular components. The warp yarns of the fiber fabric are wound circumferentially, imparting mechanical strength to the component.

[0051] The fiber preform is held on a mandrel and then impregnated with resin, which is subsequently polymerized. More specifically, a die is arranged around the fiber preform held on the mandrel, and the fiber preform is sealed within the die. The entire assembly is then transported to an oven or kiln, where the preform is densified into a matrix. Densification of the fiber preform involves filling all or part of the volume of the preform's pores with the material constituting the matrix. The matrix is ​​obtained by injecting resin into the fiber preform and polymerizing the resin through heat treatment.

[0052] Fiber preforms can be densified using resin transfer molding (RTM). More specifically, the fiber preform is arranged in a mold having the shape of the part to be manufactured. Thermosetting resin is injected into an internal space defined between a mandrel and the mold, which includes the fiber preform. A pressure gradient is established within this internal space between the resin injection site and the resin discharge orifice to control and optimize the impregnation of the fiber preform with the resin.

[0053] The part is then removed from the mold and trimmed to remove excess resin. Thus, the turbine part is obtained after finishing.

[0054] Figure 2 The following weave pattern is shown, representing the interlacing or cross-weft pattern of the warp and weft yarns in the turbine component. Warp yarns 20 extend longitudinally along axis X, while weft yarns 22 extend longitudinally along axis Y. The warp and weft yarns 20 and 22 define yarn layers that are stacked along axis Z and define the thickness E of the fiber preform. Figure 2 There are eight layers of warp yarns 20 and eight layers of weft yarns 22. The warp yarns 20 and weft yarns 22 are interwoven in a three-dimensional weave. Figure 2 The diagram shows the interlacing pattern of warp and weft yarns outside the reinforced area.

[0055] The method further includes the step of forming reinforcing regions in the fiber preform. The reinforcing regions are formed by inserting at least one layer of warp yarns that are not interwoven with the weft yarns, the at least one layer of warp yarns being inserted between the interwoven warp and weft yarns. The fiber preform including one or more reinforcing regions is wound onto a mandrel to integrally form a turbine component having reinforcing regions.

[0056] Figure 3The diagram illustrates the weaving of a turbine component in a reinforced region according to the invention. As previously described, warp yarns 120 extend longitudinally along axis X, weft yarns 122 extend longitudinally along axis Y, and the warp yarns 120 and weft yarns 122 define yarn layers that are stacked along axis Z to define the thickness of the fiber preform. The warp yarns 120 and weft yarns 122 can be fibers made of a composite material such as carbon, such that the resulting component is made of carbon. In this figure, there are eight layers of warp yarns 120 and eight layers of weft yarns 122. Figure 3 It shows how the warp and weft yarns interweave in the reinforced area.

[0057] exist Figure 3 In the example shown, the reinforcing region is formed by multiple layers (four layers in the example) of warp yarns 124 that are not interwoven with the weft yarns. These warp yarns 124 that are not interwoven with the weft yarns have the same mass per unit length as the interwoven warp yarns 120 and weft yarns 122. The number, nature, and size of the warp yarns 124 that are not interwoven with the weft yarns depend on the required turbine components.

[0058] Typically, the fiber preform may include interlaced N layers of warp yarns 120 and M layers of weft yarns 122, where N and M are integers greater than or equal to three. A reinforcing region is located between the first skin and the second skin. The first skin is formed by interlaced N1 layers of warp yarns and M1 layers of weft yarns, where N1 and M1 are integers less than N and M, respectively. The second skin is formed by interlaced additional layers (equal to N-N1 layers) of warp yarns and additional layers (equal to M-M1 layers) of weft yarns.

[0059] Preferably, the integers N and M are equal, and preferably even such that the reinforcing region is integrated between two skins comprising the same number of interlaced warp and weft yarns.

[0060] exist Figure 3 In this context, N and M equal four. The reinforcing region is integrated between the first skin 128 and the second skin 130. The first skin 128 is formed by interlaced N / 2 (here, two) layers of warp yarns 120 and M / 2 (here, two) layers of weft yarns 122, and the second skin 130 is formed by interlaced another N / 2 layers of warp yarns 120 and another M / 2 layers of weft yarns 122.

[0061] The number of warp and weft yarn layers in each skin depends on the desired fiber preform. Specifically, in the case of a weave comprising four interlaced warp and four interlaced weft yarns, the yarn layer is divided into two skins, each skin comprising two interlaced warp and two interlaced weft yarn layers. However, in the case of a weave comprising eight interlaced warp and eight interlaced weft yarns, the yarn layer is divided into two skins, each skin comprising four interlaced warp and four interlaced weft yarn layers. Thus, one or more warp yarns 124 that are not interlaced with the weft yarns are arranged in the middle of the fiber preform's thickness. More precisely, the interlaced four layers of warp yarns 120 and four layers of weft yarns 122 are divided into two skins, each skin being formed by two interlaced layers of warp yarns 120 and two layers of weft yarns 122, which allows one or more additional warp yarns to be inserted between the two skins 128, 130 without the need for weft yarns.

[0062] Since one or more warp yarns 124 do not interweave with the weft yarns, the warp yarns are spared from shortening, and thus the warp yarns are equivalent to unidirectional yarns in the case of parts made of composite materials woven in two dimensions (2D).

[0063] Figures 4A to 4H It shows Figure 3 The diagrams depict different planes of the weave. These figures illustrate how the warp yarns 120 interweave with the weft yarns 122. Additional warp yarns 124, not interwoven with the weft yarns, are inserted into the core of the interwoven multi-layered warp and weft yarns 120 and 122. More precisely, the multi-layered warp and weft yarns 120 and 122 are divided into two skins 128 and 130, each skin comprising two interwoven layers of warp yarns 120 and two layers of weft yarns 122, with the multi-layered warp yarns 124, not interwoven with the weft yarns, inserted between these skins 128 and 130. In the example shown, four layers of warp yarns, not interwoven with the weft yarns, are inserted between the two skins 128 and 130. Therefore, the thickening forming the reinforcing region is created by these warp yarns 124, not interwoven with the weft yarns.

[0064] To maximize the circumferential Young's modulus in the direction of the warp yarns, the 3D weaving of the fiber preform is achieved by employing techniques such as... Figure 3 The weave pattern shown, and the basic weave pattern used for the parts outside the reinforced areas (and) Figure 2 The weave shown is similar, but it only has four layers of interlaced warp yarns and four layers of interlaced weft yarns, instead of... Figure 2The process is performed using eight layers of yarn (as shown in the diagram). In this way, the component maintains the same weave appearance both within the reinforced area and outside the stiffened area, while minimizing any shortening of one or more warp yarns 124 that are not interwoven with the weft yarns in the reinforced area.

[0065] Compared to 3D woven fiber preforms using a basic weave (with eight layers of interlaced warp and eight layers of weft yarns, each segment of yarn having 48k strands), the method based on... Figure 3 The circumferential Young's modulus of the 3D braided fiber preform exhibits a gain of at least 40% in the weave (which has two skins consisting of two interlaced layers of warp yarns and two layers of weft yarns, with each segment of yarn having 48k strands and two additional layers of 48k additional warp yarns that are not interlaced with the weft yarns).

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a turbine component made of composite materials, the method comprising the following steps: - A fiber preform is manufactured by three-dimensionally weaving filaments to create a fibrous fabric, the filaments being wound in multiple overlapping layers on a mandrel having a contour corresponding to the outline of the part to be manufactured, to obtain the fiber preform having a shape corresponding to the shape of the part to be manufactured, the filaments being divided into warp filaments (120) and weft filaments (122), the warp filaments and the weft filaments being interwoven in a three-dimensional weaving manner. - A reinforcing region is formed in the fiber preform. The characteristic feature is that the reinforcing region is formed by at least one layer of warp yarns (124) that are not interwoven with the weft yarns, and the at least one layer of warp yarns is inserted between the interwoven warp yarns and the weft yarns.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The reinforced region is formed by a layer of warp yarns (124) that are not interwoven with the weft yarns, wherein the unit length mass of the warp yarns in the layer of warp yarns that are not interwoven with the weft yarns is greater than the unit length mass of the interwoven warp yarns and the weft yarns.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The reinforced area is formed by multiple layers of warp yarns (124) that do not interweave with the weft yarns.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The fiber preform includes interwoven N layers of warp yarns (120) and M layers of weft yarns (122), where N and M are integers greater than or equal to three. The reinforcing region is located between the first skin (128) and the second skin (130). The first skin is formed by interwoven N1 layers of warp yarns and M1 layers of weft yarns, where N1 and M1 are integers less than N and M, respectively. The second skin is formed by interwoven additional N-N1 layers of warp yarns and additional M-M1 layers of weft yarns.

5. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The non-interlaced layer of yarn forming the reinforced region consists only of warp yarns.

6. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The reinforced area is in complete contact with the warp yarns interwoven with the weft yarns.

7. A turbine component obtained by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The turbine component according to claim 7, wherein, The reinforced region forms a thickening for reinforcing the component.

9. The turbine component according to claim 7 or 8, wherein, The warp yarns (120) and the weft yarns (122) are fibers made of composite materials.

10. The turbine component according to claim 7 or 8, wherein, The component is a housing, or an intermediate housing shell, or an outlet flow guide vane.

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