3D Woven Composite Turbomachine Blade with Integrated Platform

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing turbomachine blades and vanes made of composite materials face challenges in achieving complex shapes and required mechanical properties while maintaining structural integrity, especially under high-temperature conditions, where conventional metallic components are heavy and polluting.

Innovation Solution

A method of fabricating turbomachine blades and vanes using three-dimensional weaving to create a one-piece fiber blank with interlaced portions for inner and outer platforms, densified by a matrix, allowing for mutual interlacing of fiber reinforcement to enhance mechanical properties without cutting linking yarns, which could reduce strength.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Weight of moving object

If conventional metallic components are used for turbine blades and vanes, then mechanical strength and structural integrity are ensured, but weight increases and polluting emissions increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveweight of turbine blades and vanesVSAvoidmechanical strength and structural integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs composite material construction for turbine blades and vanes, combining multiple materials to achieve both weight reduction and maintained structural integrity. The composite structure allows optimization of mechanical properties while significantly reducing component weight compared to conventional metallic alternatives.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Strength

If composite material blades and vanes are fabricated with integrated platforms, then mechanical properties and complex shapes are enhanced, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemechanical properties of integrated platformsVSAvoidmanufacturing process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the platforms and airfoils into a single integrated component structure. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate manufacturing and assembly processes for platforms and airfoils, reducing overall manufacturing complexity despite the enhanced mechanical properties and complex geometries achieved through integration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The manufacturing method performs preliminary shaping of the fiber blank to include platform portions before final densification. By pre-forming the integrated structure in the green state, the complex geometry is established early in the process, simplifying subsequent manufacturing steps and reducing overall process complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Strength

If three-dimensional weaving is used to create one-piece fiber blanks, then mutual interlacing of fiber reinforcement is achieved, but manufacturing process complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemechanical properties through fiber interlacingVSAvoidease of manufacturing fiber preform

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The three-dimensional weaving process creates the fiber blank with preliminary interlacing patterns before densification. This pre-established fiber architecture ensures mechanical properties are built into the structure itself, making the subsequent densification and finishing processes simpler and more straightforward.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This method enables the production of composite material blades and vanes with integrated inner and outer platforms, providing enhanced mechanical properties and complex shapes, reducing weight and pollution, suitable for high-temperature applications in aeroengines and industrial turbines.

Implementation Method 1

densifying the preform with a matrix to obtain a composite material blade or vane having fiber reinforcement constituted by the preform and densified by the matrix

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDensification:

Data Source

PatentUS9062562B2Composite material turbomachine engine blade or vane, compressor stator segment or turbine nozzle segment incorporating such vanes and method for manufacturing same

Publication Date: 2015.06.23 SAFRAN CERAMICS SA

AI summary

A method for fabricating a turbomachine blade or vane of composite material including fiber reinforcement densified by a matrix is disclosed. The method includes: making a one-piece fiber blank by three-dimensional weaving; shaping the fiber blank to obtain a one-piece fiber preform having a first portion forming a blade airfoil and root preform and at least one second portion forming a blade platform preform; and densifying the preform with a matrix to obtain a composite material blade or vane having fiber reinforcement constituted by the preform and densified by the matrix, forming a single part with at least one incorporated platform.