Turbomachine Blade Preform With Overlapping Fabric for Complex Deployment

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Solution Overview

Problem

The deployment of platforms, walls, and spoilers during the shaping of fiber blanks for turbomachine blades made of composite material with three-dimensional weaving is difficult due to the limitations of deployability and triple points at intersections, leading to increased stresses and tensions.

Innovation Solution

A method involving three-dimensional weaving to create unidirectional fabric portions in the fiber blank, allowing for the formation of preform parts with reduced stresses and tensions, facilitating the shaping of complex geometries by unfolding and folding these portions to form platforms, walls, and spoilers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If three-dimensional weaving is used to produce fiber blanks for turbomachine blades, then mechanical properties and resistance to delamination are improved, but the deployability of platforms, walls, and spoilers becomes difficult due to triple points at intersections

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresistance to delaminationVSAvoiddeployability of platforms, walls, and spoilers

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The fiber blank is divided into multiple layers with distinct functional zones: a first layer forming the blade airfoil and root, and second layers forming platforms, walls, and spoilers. Each layer can be independently shaped and deployed, allowing complex geometries to be formed without the constraints of triple points in fully three-dimensional woven structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention transitions from traditional three-dimensional weaving to a multi-layered structure where platforms, walls, and spoilers are formed in additional dimensional spaces above and below the main blade structure. This allows these features to be deployed without interfering with the structural integrity provided by the three-dimensional weave at the blade root and airfoil.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Adaptability or versatility

If complex geometries are formed by shaping fiber blanks, then blade functionality is improved, but stresses and tensions at connection points increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomplex geometriesVSAvoidstresses and tensions at connection points

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

Different regions of the fiber blank are assigned different structural qualities: the blade root and airfoil use dense three-dimensional weaving for structural strength, while platforms, walls, and spoilers use layered configurations that allow easy shaping. The connection zones between layers are designed with overlapping regions that distribute stresses, preventing concentration at single points.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The fiber blank is pre-shaped during the weaving process to include predetermined folds and configurations for platforms, walls, and spoilers. This preliminary shaping reduces the complexity of subsequent forming operations and minimizes stresses during final blade manufacturing, as the complex geometries are already partially established in the fiber structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20260009332A1One-piece blade preform incorporating overlapping unidirectional fabric portions

Publication Date: 2026.01.08 SAFRAN CERAMICS SA

AI summary

A blade fiber preform for a turbomachine has a three-dimensional or multi-layer weave including in one piece a root preform part, a shank preform part, first and second platform preform parts, upstream and downstream wall preform parts, upstream and downstream spoiler preform parts, and an airfoil part. The preform further includes unidirectional fabric portions folded down onto the shank preform part and third and fourth unidirectional fabric portions folded down onto the airfoil part.