Metallurgically Bonded Blade Containment Ring for Lower Engine Mass
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas turbine engine blade containment systems face challenges in balancing increased resilience to foreign object damage with reduced mass and maintaining efficiency at elevated temperatures, as thicker casings for improved resilience increase engine weight and offset temperature efficiency gains.
Innovation Solution
A gas turbine engine blade containment system comprising a cylindrical casing made of a first material with a coaxially surrounding cylindrical ring made of a second material, where at least some portion of the ring is metallurgically bonded to the casing, and optionally including additional features like a gap, sheet metal core, rib, or metallic foam to enhance resilience and heat transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the thickness of the casing is increased to improve resilience to foreign object damage, then the resilience is improved, but the mass of the engine increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining a casing made of a first material with a ring made of a second material that has different properties. The ring is metallurgically bonded to the casing to form a composite structure that provides enhanced resilience to foreign object damage while maintaining lower mass compared to a uniformly thick casing. The composite structure allows optimization of material distribution based on stress patterns and damage resistance requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by providing a ring structure that is metallurgically bonded to specific portions of the casing where enhanced strength is needed. Rather than uniformly increasing casing thickness throughout, the reinforcement is localized to the ring structure that surrounds and strengthens the casing in critical areas, providing targeted damage resistance while minimizing overall mass addition.
2Reliability
If the thickness of the casing is increased to improve blade containment capability, then the containment capability is improved, but the mass of the engine increases
Solution Approach 1:
The composite structure of a casing with a metallurgically bonded ring provides enhanced blade containment capability through the combined properties of two different materials. The ring structure, made of a second material with different characteristics than the casing material, contributes to containment strength while the composite architecture allows for optimized material usage that reduces overall mass compared to a solid thick-walled casing.
Solution Approach 2:
The blade containment structure is segmented into two distinct components: the original casing and the added ring structure. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently for its specific function, with the ring providing additional containment capability through metallurgical bonding to the casing, achieving high reliability without the mass penalty of a uniformly thickened structure.
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
The solution effectively increases the engine's blade containment capability while minimizing weight, allowing the engine to operate at higher temperatures with improved resilience to foreign object damage and efficient heat management.
Implementation Method 1
At least some portion of the ring may be metallurgically bonded to the casing
Data Source
AI summary
A gas turbine engine blade containment system is disclosed. The blade containment system may include a generally cylindrical casing being made of a first material, and a generally cylindrical ring being made of a second material coaxially surrounding the casing, at least some portion of the ring metallurgically bonded to the casing.