Composite Airfoil Ply Balancing for Gas Turbine Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing composite airfoils in gas turbine engines often suffer from unbalanced mass distribution, leading to potential rotational imbalances that can affect engine performance and stability.
Innovation Solution
A woven core with a specific mass distribution is used to create a composite airfoil, which is then balanced by adding layers of plies to align the center of mass and center of rotation with a balanced distribution, ensuring proper alignment and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If composite materials are used to create airfoils, then strength to weight ratio is improved, but mass distribution balance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by varying the ply arrangement, material composition, and thickness in specific regions of the airfoil to achieve balanced mass distribution. Different sections of the airfoil have tailored composite structures that collectively balance the overall mass distribution while maintaining high strength-to-weight ratio.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes composite materials with carefully selected fiber orientations, material types, and layer configurations to simultaneously achieve high strength-to-weight ratio and balanced mass distribution. The composite structure allows precise control over mass distribution through strategic placement of different material layers.
2Stability of the object's composition
If complex composite structures are used to balance mass distribution, then rotational balance is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs preliminary action by pre-calculating and pre-designing the ply arrangement and material distribution before manufacturing. The mass distribution balance is built into the design phase through computational analysis, allowing the complex composite structure to be manufactured using standardized processes without requiring complex real-time adjustments.
Data Source
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AI summary
A gas turbine engine (10) includes a fan section (18), a compressor section (22), combustor section (28), and turbine section (32) in serial flow arrangement, and defines an engine centerline (12) extending from a forward (14) to an aft (16). A composite airfoil (100), provided in one of the fan section (18), the compressor section (22), or the turbine section (32) can have a balanced mass distribution. A woven core (150) defines a first mass distribution. A set of plies (154) coupled to the woven core (150) collectively defines a second mass distribution, where the second mass distribution is nearer to the balanced mass distribution than the first mass distribution.