Method for manufacturing a part of revolution made of composite material with a reduced-toughness inter-ply portion
A three-dimensional weaving method with reduced-toughness portions in fibrous texture for gas turbine blower housings effectively distributes stress, reducing deformation and maintaining structural integrity without increasing mass.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- FR · FR
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES SAS
- Filing Date
- 2024-05-13
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-22
AI Technical Summary
Existing composite material gas turbine blower housings suffer from deformation on their outer faces due to non-penetrating impacts, with prior solutions either increasing mass or concentrating stress, and existing methods do not effectively distribute stress to maintain structural integrity.
A manufacturing process involving three-dimensional weaving of a fibrous texture with reduced-toughness portions, where warp strands have a smaller diameter, is used to create delamination zones that distribute stress and reduce deformation without increasing overall mass.
The process reduces deformation on the external face while maintaining structural integrity and improves mechanical properties without increasing the housing's mass.
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Abstract
Description
Title of the invention: Method for manufacturing a part of revolution made of composite material with a reduced-toughness inter-ply portion technical field
[0001] The present invention relates to the general field of manufacturing parts of revolution exposed to impacts and more particularly, but not exclusively, to gas turbine blower housings for aircraft engines. Prior art
[0002] In a gas turbine aircraft engine, the fan casing performs several functions. It defines the air intake duct into the engine, supports an abradable material opposite the fan blade tips, supports an optional sound-wave absorption structure for acoustic treatment at the engine inlet, and incorporates a retention shield. The retention shield acts as a debris trap, retaining debris, such as ingested objects or fragments of damaged blades, ejected by centrifugal force, to prevent them from passing through the casing and reaching other parts of the aircraft.
[0003] Previously made of metallic material, housings, such as the blower housing, are now made of composite material, that is to say from a fibrous preform densified by an organic matrix, which makes it possible to produce parts with a lower overall mass than the same parts when made of metallic material while having at least equivalent or even greater mechanical resistance.
[0004] The manufacture of a blower housing from an organic matrix composite material is described in particular in US patent 8,322,971. In the housing disclosed in US patent 8,322,971, the retention shield is formed by an excess thickness obtained in the housing's fibrous reinforcement, which has a progressively increasing thickness. The fibrous reinforcement is obtained by winding a 3D woven fibrous texture, which has an excess thickness suitable for forming a retention shield. The housing thus obtained exhibits good mechanical properties at the retention shield, both in terms of puncture resistance (retention) and dynamic behavior.
[0005] However, since the structural zones outside the retention zone are thinner, they offer less resistance to non-penetrating impacts. Consequently, deformation of the outer face of the housing may occur when the housing is subjected to non-penetrating forces.
[0006] Prior art solutions exist that aim to improve the resistance to deformation of the outer face of the housing. In this regard, document FR3109180 describes a housing with a metal strip on its outer surface. However, this solution results in a significant increase in the overall mass of the housing, particularly for a blower housing with a large diameter.
[0007] Other solutions consist of improving the impact resistance of the housing by using different materials in the weaving of the 3D fibrous texture. In this regard, documents EP3827118 and EP3827119 describe the placement of the glass fiber yarns among the carbon fiber yarns or strands at certain locations in the fibrous texture.
[0008] Prior art solutions have the disadvantage of concentrating stresses on the outer face of the housing when it is subjected to non-penetrating impacts. Indeed, the structure of prior art housings consists of a single piece or several layers bonded together. Thus, when the housing is subjected to a non-penetrating impact, maximum stress or deformation is generated on the face opposite the force, namely the outer face of the housing. Description of the invention
[0009] The main purpose of the present invention is therefore to propose a solution for the manufacture of a blower housing which does not have the aforementioned disadvantages.
[0010] To this end, the invention proposes a method for manufacturing a part of revolution (100) made of composite material for a gas turbine, comprising the following steps:
[0011] - the three-dimensional weaving of a fibrous texture in the form of a strip between a plurality of warp strand layers and plurality of weft strand layers, the fibrous texture extending over a determined length between a proximal part and a distal part along a longitudinal direction corresponding to the direction of the warp strands and over a determined width between first and second lateral edges along a lateral direction corresponding to the direction of the weft strands, said fibrous texture comprising first and second faces along a thickness direction,
[0012] - winding the fibrous texture onto several superimposed turns on a mandrel in order to obtain a fibrous preform of a shape of revolution corresponding to that of the part of revolution to be manufactured, said preform extending in width along an axial direction, in thickness along a radial direction, and in length along a circumferential direction,
[0013] - the densification of the fibrous preform by a matrix,
[0014] characterized in that the process further comprises, during the weaving of the fibrous texture, the creation on at least one of the first and second faces of the texture fibrous of a portion with reduced tenacity having warp strands having a diameter less than the diameter of the warp strands of the other portions present on said first and second faces, said at least one portion with reduced tenacity extending in the longitudinal direction along the length of the fibrous texture and in the lateral direction over a width less than the width of the fibrous texture, said at least one portion with reduced tenacity being present at at least one interface between adjacent turns of the fibrous preform.
[0015] Thus, the manufacturing process makes it possible to obtain a part of revolution with a delamination zone, which promotes the distribution of stresses within the fibrous reinforcement of said part when it is subjected to non-penetrating impacts. The presence in the reduced-toughness portion of warp strands with a diameter smaller than the diameter of the warp strands in the other portions makes it possible to reduce the roughness and toughness in this portion, which promotes delamination. In this way, it is possible to reduce the deformation generated on the external face of the part while maintaining its overall structural integrity. Furthermore, the process makes it possible to obtain a composite material part with improved mechanical properties without increasing the overall mass.
[0016] The term “delamination” refers to a phenomenon which includes the at least partial dissociation of several layers in the fibrous reinforcement of the part.
[0017] According to a particular feature of the process of the invention, the width of said portion with reduced toughness can be between 2% and 20% of the width of the preform.
[0018] According to a particular feature of the process of the invention, the diameter of the chain strands of said reduced toughness portion is between 0.3 and 0.9 mm.
[0019] The invention also relates to a part of revolution made of composite material for a gas turbine, comprising fibrous reinforcement densified by a matrix, the fibrous reinforcement comprising a fibrous texture having a three-dimensional weave in the form of a band, said fibrous texture being wound on itself in several turns, said part extending in width along an axial direction, in thickness along a radial direction between a first and a second opposite face, and in length along a circumferential direction characterized in that the fibrous reinforcement comprises on at least one of the first and second faces of the fibrous texture a portion with reduced toughness having warp strands having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the warp strands of the other portions present on said first and second faces,said at least a portion with reduced toughness extending along the longitudinal direction along the length of the fibrous texture and along the lateral direction over a width less than the width of the fibrous texture, said at least, a portion with reduced toughness being present at at least one interface between adjacent turns of the fibrous preform.
[0020] Thus, it is possible to redistribute the stresses within the fibrous reinforcement when the part is subjected to non-penetrating impacts. It is therefore possible to reduce the deformation generated on the external face of said part while maintaining its overall structural integrity. Furthermore, the composite material part according to the invention has the advantage of having improved mechanical properties without increasing its overall mass.
[0021] According to a particular feature of the part of the invention, the width of said portion with reduced toughness can be between 2% and 20% of the width of the preform.
[0022] According to a particular feature of the part of the invention, the diameter of the chain strands of said reduced-toughness portion is between 0.3 and 0.9 mm. Brief description of the drawings
[0023] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the description given below, with reference to the attached drawings which illustrate examples of embodiment without any limiting character.
[0024] [Fig.1] Figure [Fig.1] schematically represents a turbomachine housing in one embodiment of the invention,
[0025] [Fig.2] The [Fig.2] is a cross-sectional view along plane ILII of the housing of the [Fig.l], showing the stacking of superimposed towers of the crankcase embodiment in the crankcase delamination zone,
[0026] [Fig.3] Fig.3 is a perspective view showing the shaping of a texture fibrous and a portion with reduced toughness intended to form the reinforcement of the blower housing of the [Fig.1],
[0027] [Fig.4] Fig.4 is a schematic perspective view of a loom showing the weaving of a fibrous texture used for the formation of the fibrous reinforcement of the casing of the [Fig.1],
[0028] [Fig. 5] Fig. 5 is a schematic view, showing the portion with reduced toughness of the the housing of [Fig. 1] according to a first embodiment,
[0029] [Fig.6] Fig.6 is a schematic view, showing the portion with reduced toughness of the the housing of [Fig. 1] according to a second embodiment,
[0030] [Fig.7] Fig.7 is a cross-sectional view showing the profile of the fibrous preform obtained after winding the fibrous structure of the [Fig.3],
[0031] [Fig.8] Fig.8 is a schematic view showing a tooling for densify with a matrix the fibrous preform obtained at the end of the winding. Description of the implementation methods
[0032] The invention applies generally to any gas turbine composite material part of revolution comprising a retention shield.
[0033] A manufacturing process for a part of revolution of the invention is described below, applied according to a first example, to a blower housing for an aeronautical gas turbine engine.
[0034] Such an engine, as shown very schematically by [Fig.1], comprises, from upstream to downstream in the direction of the gas flow, a blower 1 disposed at the inlet of the engine, a compressor 2, a combustion chamber 3, a high-pressure turbine 4 and a low-pressure turbine 5.
[0035] The motor is housed inside a casing comprising several parts corresponding to different elements of the motor. Thus, the blower 1 is surrounded by a blower casing 10 having a shape of revolution.
[0036] The fan housing 10 is here made of an organic matrix composite material, that is to say, from a fiber reinforcement, for example, of carbon, glass, aramid, or ceramic, densified by a polymer matrix, for example, epoxy, bismaleimide, or polyimide. The manufacture of such a housing is described in particular in US patent 8,322,971. The internal surface 11 of the housing defines the engine's air intake duct.
[0037] The housing 10 extends in width along an axial direction DA between its upstream and downstream ends (from left to right in [Fig. 2]), which are here provided with external flanges 14, 15 to allow its assembly and connection with other elements. The housing extends in thickness along a radial direction and in length along a circumferential direction ([Fig. 1]).
[0038] The fibrous reinforcement can be formed by winding a fibrous texture 140 made by three-dimensional weaving onto a mandrel 200, the mandrel 200 having a profile corresponding to that of the housing to be made ([Fig.3]).
[0039] The fibrous reinforcement of the housing 10 can consist of a plurality of superimposed layers 141 to 144 of a fibrous texture 140 in the form of a strip having a three-dimensional or multi-layer weave, each layer 141 to 144 corresponding to a winding turn of the fibrous texture 140 ([Fig.2]).
[0040] In addition, a reduced toughness portion 150 can be formed at least on one of the faces of the fibrous texture 140. The length of said portion 150 along the circumferential direction can correspond to at least one winding turn of the fibrous texture 140. This reduced toughness portion 150 generally has a width li50 less than the width li40 of the fibrous texture 140 ([Fig.3]) and delimits the delamination zone of the housing 10.
[0041] In the example described in [Fig. 2], the portions with reduced toughness 151 to 153 may be present at the interfaces between the superimposed layers 141 to 144 of the fibrous texture 140, the length of each portion 151 to 153 corresponding to one turn winding of the fibrous texture 140. In general, the portion with reduced toughness 150 allowing to form a delamination portion may be present at an interface between two or more superimposed layers of fibrous texture 140, each corresponding to one winding turn of said fibrous texture 140.
[0042] The reduced toughness portion 150 can extend over a width of between 2% and 20% of the width of the preform 300.
[0043] The portion with reduced toughness 150 has chain strands 20 having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the chain strands 20 of the other portions present on said first and second faces (figures 5 and 6).
[0044] The diameter of the chain strands can be between 0.3 and 0.9 mm.
[0045] A manufacturing process for the blower housing 10 is now described.
[0046] As illustrated in the example in [Fig. 4], a fibrous texture 140 can be produced in a known manner by weaving using a jacquard type loom 100 on which a bundle of warp yarns or strands 20 has been arranged in a plurality of layers, the warp yarns being linked by weft yarns or strands 30. The fibrous texture 140 can be produced by three-dimensional weaving.
[0047] The term “three-dimensional weaving” or “3D weaving” refers to a weaving method in which at least some of the weft yarns interlock with warp yarns over several layers of warp yarns, or vice versa. An example of three-dimensional weaving is interlock weaving. Interlock weaving refers to a weave structure in which each layer of warp yarns interlocks with several layers of weft yarns, with all the yarns in the same warp column having the same movement within the plane of the weave.
[0048] The creation of the fibrous texture by 3D weaving makes it possible to obtain a bond between the layers, thus having good mechanical strength of the fibrous structure and of the part in composite material obtained, in a single textile operation.
[0049] As illustrated in the example on [Fig.4], the fibrous texture 140 has a band shape which extends lengthwise in a direction X corresponding to the direction of the warp yarns or strands 20 and widthwise or transversely in a direction Y corresponding to the direction of the weft yarns or strands 30.
[0050] As explained below, the fibrous reinforcement of the part of revolution, here the housing 10, can be formed by the fibrous texture 140 which is shaped by winding upon itself ([Fig.3]). Consequently, in the fibrous reinforcement of the final part, the warp yarns or strands 20 can extend along the circumferential direction Dc ([Fig.1]) while the weft yarns or strands 30 can extend along the axial direction DA ([Fig.1]).
[0051] According to a particular feature of the invention, the width li40 can correspond to one winding turn of the fibrous texture 140.
[0052] The fibrous texture 140 can in particular be woven from fiber yarns of carbon type, ceramic such as silicon carbide, glass, or aramid.
[0053] During the weaving of the fibrous texture 140, the reduced-tenacity portion 150 is also produced. By way of example, the production of the reduced-tenacity portion 150 is shown only for one of the superimposed layers of the fibrous texture 140. However, it does not depart from the scope of the invention when the reduced-tenacity portion 150 is produced on several layers of the fibrous texture 140.
[0054] Figure 5 illustrates a first embodiment of said reduced-toughness portion 150. In this example, layer 142 of the fibrous texture 140 has a first face 242 and a second face 342. The second face 342 has a reduced-tenacity portion 150 that extends over a width li50 less than the width li40 of layer 142 of the fibrous texture 140. The reduced-tenacity portion 150 has warp strands 20 having a diameter Di50 smaller than the diameter D20 of the warp strands of the rest of layer 142 of the fibrous texture 140. Here, the reduced-tenacity portion 150 is present on the second face 342 of layer 142 of the fibrous texture 140.
[0055] The reduced toughness portion 150 constitutes a delamination zone between layers 142 and 143 of the housing 10. It allows for the creation of a locally decoupled layer 142 within the structure of the housing 10. When the housing is subjected to a non-penetrating impact, layer 142 will deform and dissipate energy before transmitting the stress to the adjacent layer 143. The stress can therefore be distributed within the fibrous reinforcement of the housing 10. It is thus possible to reduce the deformation generated on the external face 144 of the housing 10 while maintaining its overall structural integrity.
[0056] The portion with a tenacity of 150 can be present on the first and second faces of the fibrous texture 140. In this regard, [Fig. 6] illustrates a layer 142 of the fibrous texture 140 in which the first face 242 and the second face 342 each have a portion with reduced tenacity 150. Thus, it is possible to create a delamination zone at the interface between layers 142 and 143 and at the interface between layers 141 and 142. During a non-penetrating impact, layer 141 will deform and dissipate the energy before transmitting the stress to layer 142. Layer 142 will in turn deform and dissipate the energy before transmitting the stress to layer 143.
[0057] As illustrated in [Fig. 3], a fibrous preform is formed by winding the fibrous texture 140, produced by three-dimensional weaving, onto a mandrel 200. The mandrel has a profile corresponding to that of the housing to be produced. According to the invention, a reduced-toughness portion 150 is present on the second face 241 of the first layer 141 of the texture 140. This layer 141 is wound onto the mandrel 200 so as to position the reduced-toughness portion 150 between two adjacent layers of fibrous texture 140 of greater width corresponding to two turns of winding of the fibrous texture 140. The portion with reduced toughness 150 is made at a location on the fibrous texture 140 corresponding to the axial delamination zone to be formed in the part.
[0058] The mandrel 200 has an external surface 201 whose profile corresponds to the internal surface of the housing to be produced. By winding onto the mandrel 200, the fibrous texture 140 conforms to its profile. The mandrel 200 also includes two flanges 220 and 230 to form portions of the fibrous preform corresponding to the flanges 14 and 15 of the housing 10 ([Fig. 3]).
[0059] Figure 7 shows a cross-sectional view of the fibrous preform 300 obtained after winding of the fibrous texture 140 in several layers on the mandrel 200. In the example described here, the preform 300 comprises 4 layers 141 to 144 of fibrous texture 140 and 3 portions with reduced toughness 151 to 153 present at the interface respectively between the adjacent layers 141 and 142, 142 and 143, and 143 and 144.
[0060] The fibrous preform 300 is then densified by a matrix.
[0061] The densification of the fibrous preform consists of filling the porosity of the preforms, in all or part of its volume, by the material constituting the matrix.
[0062] The matrix can be obtained in a manner known per se by the liquid method.
[0063] The liquid process consists of impregnating the preform with a liquid composition containing an organic precursor of the matrix material. The organic precursor is usually in the form of a polymer, such as a resin, possibly diluted in a solvent. The fibrous preform is placed in a mold that can be hermetically sealed with a cavity having the shape of the final molded part. As illustrated in [Fig. 8], the fibrous preform 300 is placed between a plurality of sectors 240 forming a counter-mold and the mandrel 200 forming a support, these elements having respectively the external and internal shapes of the housing to be produced. Then, the liquid matrix precursor, for example a resin, is injected throughout the cavity to impregnate the entire fibrous portion of the preform.
[0064] The transformation of the precursor into an organic matrix, namely its polymerization, is carried out by heat treatment, generally by heating the mold, after removal of any solvent and crosslinking of the polymer, the preform always being held in the mold, which has a shape corresponding to that of the part to be produced. The organic matrix can be obtained, in particular, from epoxy resins, such as, for example, a commercially available high-performance epoxy resin, or from liquid precursors of carbon or ceramic matrices.
[0065] According to one aspect of the invention, the densification of the fibrous preform can be achieved by the well-known resin transfer molding (RTM) process. According to the RTM process, the fibrous preform is placed in a mold having the shape of the housing to be produced. A thermosetting resin is injected into the internal space defined between the mandrel 200 and the counter-molds 240, which includes the fibrous preform. A pressure gradient is generally established in this internal space between the point where the resin is injected and the resin discharge ports in order to control and optimize the impregnation of the preform by the resin.
[0066] The resin used can be, for example, an epoxy resin. Resins suitable for RTM processes are well known. They preferably have a low viscosity to facilitate their injection into the fibers. The choice of temperature class and / or the chemical nature of the resin is determined according to the thermomechanical stresses to which the part must be subjected. Once the resin has been injected throughout the reinforcement, it is polymerized by heat treatment in accordance with the RTM process.
[0067] After injection and polymerization, the part is demolded. Finally, the part is trimmed to remove excess resin and the chamfers are machined to obtain the housing 10 illustrated in [Fig.1].
Claims
Demands
1. A method for manufacturing a part of revolution (100) made of composite material for a gas turbine, comprising the following steps: - three-dimensional weaving of a fibrous texture (140) in the form of a strip between a plurality of layers of warp strands (20) and a plurality of layers of weft strands (30), the fibrous texture extending over a determined length between a proximal portion (110) and a distal portion (120) along a longitudinal direction (X) corresponding to the direction of the warp strands and over a determined width between first and second lateral edges along a lateral direction corresponding to the direction of the weft strands, said fibrous texture having first and second faces along a thickness direction, - winding the fibrous texture (140) onto several superimposed turns (141, 142, 143,144) on a mandrel (200) in order to obtain a fibrous preform (300) of a shape of revolution corresponding to that of the part of revolution to be manufactured, said preform (300) extending in width along an axial direction (DA), in thickness along a radial direction (DR), and in length along a circumferential direction (Dc), - the densification of the fibrous preform (300) by a matrix, characterized in that, the process further comprises, during the weaving of the fibrous texture, the creation on at least one of the first and second faces of the fibrous texture of a portion with reduced tenacity (150) having warp strands having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the warp strands of the other portions present on said first and second faces,said at least one portion with reduced toughness (150) extending along the longitudinal direction along the length of the fibrous texture and along the lateral direction over a width less than the width of the fibrous texture, said at least one portion with reduced toughness being present at at least one interface between adjacent turns of the fibrous preform.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the width (li50) of said reduced toughness portion (150) is between 2% and 20% of the width (h 4 0) of the preform (300).
3. A method according to claims 1 or 2, wherein the diameter (Di50) of the chain strands (20) of said reduced toughness portion (150) is between 0.3 and 0.9 mm.
4. A composite material part of revolution for a gas turbine, comprising a matrix-densified fibrous reinforcement, the fibrous reinforcement comprising a fibrous texture having a three-dimensional, band-like weave, said fibrous texture being wound upon itself in several turns, said part extending in width along an axial direction (DA), in thickness along a radial direction (DR) between a first and a second opposite face, and in length along a circumferential direction (Dc), characterized in that the fibrous reinforcement comprises on at least one of the first and second faces of the fibrous texture (140) a portion with reduced toughness (150) having warp strands (20) having a diameter (Di50) smaller than the diameter (D20) of the warp strands (20) of the other portions present on said first and second faces,said at least one portion with reduced toughness (150) extending along the longitudinal direction along the length of the fibrous texture and along the lateral direction over a width less than (1150) the width (1M0) of the fibrous texture, said at least one portion with reduced toughness (150) being present at at least one interface between adjacent turns of the fibrous preform.
5. Part according to claim 4, wherein the width (1150) of said reduced toughness portion (150) is between 2% and 20% of the width (1M0) of the preform (300).
6. Part according to claims 4 or 5, wherein the diameter (DI50) of the chain strands (20) of said reduced toughness portion (150) is between 0.3 and 0.9 mm.