Module for an aircraft turbine engine

Abstract

The invention relates to a module (10) for an aircraft turbine engine, this module (10) comprising a casing (16) and a plurality of items of equipment which are located in a plurality of housings (12) of the casing (16) and which are connected to one another by connecting elements (14), characterized in that the casing (16) is formed by additive manufacturing and comprises as a single unit: - a frame (18) delimiting the casing (16), and - a lattice (20) of intersecting ribs which is located in the frame (18) and which is connected to the frame (18), the housings (12) and the connecting elements (14) being located in the frame (18) and encompassed in the lattice of ribs (20) which is connected to at least some housings (12) and / or connecting elements (14) for holding them.

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] TITLE: MODULE FOR AN AIRCRAFT TURBOMACHINE

[0003] Technical field of the invention

[0004] The present invention relates to a module for an aircraft turbomachine, this module comprising several interconnected pieces of equipment.

[0005] Technical background

[0006] The technical background includes documents US-A1-2022 / 231556, FR-A1-3 118 892, CN-A-114 382 594, and US-A1-2016 / 023272. A turbomachine module comprises a housing and various components located in different housings within the housing and connected to each other by linkages. To minimize the module's size and weight, it is important to optimize the relative positions of the components within the housing and to design a housing that is both robust and compact.

[0007] One solution to optimize the shape and dimensions of the housing is to produce it by additive manufacturing.

[0008] The design process for a module using additive manufacturing is extensive and time-consuming. First, the internal equipment housings are defined and positioned. Next comes the construction of the casing, with material added around the equipment housings and their connecting elements. This is followed by an architectural phase that connects the components to ensure proper function and maximizes the overall compactness. Figure 1 shows an example of such a module 10 with its equipment housings 12 and connecting elements 14. As you can see, the module is very compact (Note: the reference points do not correspond in Fig. 1). Finally, based on this functional model, the casing is "clad" with additional material or structural reinforcements to make the assembly manufacturable, control deformation, and withstand environmental and operational stresses.This last step is the subject of the proposed invention.

[0009] If we perform a topological optimization simulation to create the housing 16, we obtain several results visible in figures 2a-2c depending on the mass of the housing.

[0010] In all cases, the results show a relatively massive housing with complex shapes depending on the target mass, not really suited to additive manufacturing. A conventional design would have required considerable design time to create the 3D model of the housing using this method.

[0011] One of the objectives of the present invention is therefore to design a casing that can be manufactured by additive manufacturing while avoiding all or part of the disadvantages of the prior art.

[0012] Summary of the invention

[0013] The invention relates to a module for an aircraft turbomachine, this module comprising a housing and several pieces of equipment located in several housings within the housing and connected to each other by connecting elements, characterized in that the housing is formed by additive manufacturing and comprises, in a single block:

[0014] - a frame delimiting the casing, and

[0015] - a lattice of intersecting ribs which is located in the frame and which is connected to the frame, the housings and connecting elements being located in the frame and encompassed in the lattice of ribs which is connected to at least some housings and / or connecting elements to ensure their retention.

[0016] The housing can thus be designed and drawn precisely around the internal components (equipment housings and connecting elements). The frame can externally delineate the housing and the rib lattice, allowing the module to be manufactured using additive manufacturing, controlling deformations, resisting environmental and operational stresses, etc.

[0017] The advantages compared to a traditional design are numerous:

[0018] - faster and editable modeling,

[0019] - The cells between the ribs of the lattice allow for a reduction in the length of the fusion supports.

[0020] - The lattice meets the structural need to fix the components in space,

[0021] - Mechanical resistance is ensured in particular by the lattice,

[0022] - the casing is less massive than the topological optimization: reduced mass and quantity of material,

[0023] - improved heat dissipation (by reducing thermal inertia),

[0024] - reducing additive manufacturing time

[0025] - thermal deformations are better controlled compared to the “custom-made local reinforcements” version, etc.

[0026] The module according to the invention may comprise one or more of the following features, taken individually or in combination with each other:

[0027] - at least some housings or at least some parts of the housings, and / or at least some connecting elements or some parts of the connecting elements, are formed by additive manufacturing and made in one piece with the casing;

[0028] - the frame has a general L-shape and comprises two walls perpendicular to each other, or a U-shape and comprises two parallel side walls connected to each other by a median wall perpendicular to the side walls;

[0029] - the lattice extends between the walls and is connected to these walls; - the frame delimits the external periphery of the module and has a general parallelepiped shape;

[0030] - the rib lattice is formed by a spatial distribution of three-dimensional geometric patterns;

[0031] - the geometric pattern has an X shape;

[0032] - the casing is made of a material suitable for its function, it could be made of plastic for an electrical box for example or preferably metal for this application;

[0033] - at least part of the equipment is fluidic or hydraulic, but could alternatively be used to pass electrical cables as part of the construction of an electrical box as mentioned above;

[0034] -- at least some of the equipment is electrical,

[0035] - the module is a fluidic module, at least some of the equipment being fluidic and at least some of the connecting elements being fluidic connecting elements between the fluidic equipment;

[0036] - the module is an electrical module, at least some of the equipment being electrical and at least some of the connecting elements being electrical connecting elements between the electrical equipment.

[0037] The present invention further relates to an aircraft turbomachine comprising a module as described above.

[0038] The invention also relates to a method for producing a module as described above, in which it includes the additive manufacturing of the housing and simultaneously at least part of the equipment and / or at least part of the connecting elements.

[0039] Brief description of the figures

[0040] Other features and advantages will become apparent from the following description of a non-limiting embodiment of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: [Fig. 1] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of the equipment housings and the connecting elements of these housings and equipment, which are contained in a module as defined in the invention,

[0041] [Fig. 2a-2c] Figures 2a-2c are schematic perspective views of several housing designs for the equipment housings and connecting elements of Figure 1,

[0042] [Fig. 3] Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of a module according to one embodiment of the invention,

[0043] [Fig.4] Figure 4 illustrates several variations in the creation of geometric patterns for the construction of the rib lattice,

[0044] [Fig.5a-5e] Figures 5a-5e are schematic views of several rib lattice designs for a module according to the invention, and [Fig.6a-6f] Figures 6a-6f are schematic views of several other rib lattice designs for a module according to the invention.

[0045] Detailed description of the invention

[0046] Figures 1 and 2a-2c have been described above.

[0047] The invention relates to a module 10 for an aircraft turbomachine, this module 10 comprising a housing 16 and several pieces of equipment which are located in several housings 12 of the housing and which are connected to each other by connecting elements 14 of the housing 16.

[0048] The distinctive feature of crankcase 16 is that it is formed by additive manufacturing and comprises a single block:

[0049] - a frame 18 delimiting the crankcase, and

[0050] - a lattice 20 of intersecting ribs which is located in frame 18 and which is connected to frame 18.

[0051] The housings 12 and the connecting elements 14 are located within the frame 18 and are enclosed within the rib lattice 20, which is connected to at least some of the housings 12 and / or connecting elements 14 to ensure their retention. Advantageously, for this purpose, at least some of the housings 12, or at least some parts of the housings 12, and / or at least some of the connecting elements 14, or some parts of the connecting elements 14, are formed by additive manufacturing and produced as a single unit with the housing 16.

[0052] The frame 18 can have a simple geometric shape, for example in L or U. In the example shown, the frame 18 comprises two parallel side walls 18a, 18b connected to each other by a median wall 18c perpendicular to the side walls 18a, 18b.

[0053] The lattice 20 preferably extends between the walls 18a, 18b, 18c and is connected to these walls.

[0054] Frame 18 can delimit the external periphery of the module and has a general parallelepiped shape in the example shown.

[0055] The rib lattice 20 is preferably formed by a spatial distribution of three-dimensional geometric patterns. Figure 4 and the following figures show that the geometric pattern can have an X shape. It can be seen that the thicknesses, particularly of the ribs, can vary.

[0056] These different patterns are studied to determine the optimum pattern for a module, the optimum allowing the best compromise between the following parameters:

[0057] - mechanical resistance,

[0058] - the mass,

[0059] - thermal deformation, etc.

[0060] The housing 16 is preferably made of metal.

[0061] The present invention further relates to an aircraft turbomachine comprising a module as described above.

[0062] The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing the module, comprising the additive manufacturing of the housing 16 and simultaneously at least part of the housings 12 and / or at least part of the connecting elements 14. An example of application of the invention is a fluidic module, that is to say a module of which at least some equipment installed on said module is of the fluidic or hydraulic type.

Claims

DEMANDS 1. Module (10) for an aircraft turbomachine, this module (10) comprising a housing (16) and several pieces of equipment which are located in several housings (12) of the housing (16) and which are connected to each other by connecting elements (14), characterized in that the housing (16) is formed by additive manufacturing and comprises in a single block: - a frame (18) delimiting the casing (16), and - a lattice (20) of intersecting ribs which is located in the frame (18) and which is connected to the frame (18), the housings (12) and the connecting elements (14) being located in the frame (18) and encompassed in the lattice of ribs (20) which is connected to at least some housings (12) and / or connecting elements (14) to ensure their retention.

2. Module (10) according to claim 1, wherein at least some housings (12) or at least some parts of the housings (12), and / or at least some connecting elements (14) or some parts of the connecting elements (14), are formed by additive manufacturing and made as a single unit with the housing (16).

3. Module (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the frame (18) has a general L-shape and comprises two walls perpendicular to each other, or a U-shape and comprises two parallel side walls (18a, 18b) connected to each other by a median wall (18c) perpendicular to the side walls.

4. Module (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein the rib lattice (20) extends between the walls (18a, 18b, 18c) and is connected to these walls.

5. Module (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the frame (18) delimits the external periphery of the module and has a general parallelepiped shape.

6. Module (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the rib lattice (20) is formed by a spatial distribution of three-dimensional geometric patterns.

7. Module (10) according to claim 6, wherein the geometric pattern has an X shape.

8. Module (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing (16) is metallic.

9. Module (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least part of the equipment is fluidic or hydraulic.

10. Aircraft turbomachine, comprising a module (10) according to any one of the preceding claims.

11. Method of making a module (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein it comprises the additive manufacturing of the housing (16) and simultaneously at least a part of the housings (12) and / or at least a part of the connecting elements (14).

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