Composite Gas Turbine Airfoil Structure for Strength-Weight Balance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing airfoils for gas turbine engines face challenges in achieving a balance between mechanical robustness, efficiency, and weight reduction, particularly under conditions such as bird strikes, while maintaining performance and structural integrity.
Innovation Solution
The use of composite materials with tailored properties, including a hollow fiber composite inner portion, a solid carbon fiber and solid glass fiber composite surface portion, and a spar structure, enhances mechanical properties and efficiency by reducing weight and improving structural integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional solid fiber composite materials are used throughout the airfoil structure, then mechanical robustness and strength are improved, but weight increases and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The airfoil structure implements local quality by using hollow fiber composite material specifically in the inner portion where weight reduction is most beneficial, while using solid fiber composite material in the surface portion where mechanical robustness and structural integrity are critical. This spatial differentiation of material properties resolves the contradiction between weight reduction and strength maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite materials consisting of both hollow fiber composite and solid fiber composite portions within a single airfoil structure. This composite approach allows the structure to simultaneously achieve weight reduction through the hollow fibers and mechanical strength through the solid fibers, resolving the contradiction between these two opposing requirements.
2Weight of moving object
If hollow fiber composite material is used in the inner portion, then weight is reduced and efficiency is improved, but structural integrity may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The structure applies local quality by positioning hollow fiber composite material specifically in the inner portion where weight reduction is prioritized, while maintaining solid fiber composite material in the surface portion where structural integrity is most critical. This localized material assignment resolves the contradiction by ensuring each region has the appropriate material properties for its functional requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The airfoil is segmented into distinct inner and surface portions with different material compositions. The hollow fiber composite inner portion provides weight reduction, while the solid fiber composite surface portion provides structural integrity. This segmentation allows each segment to optimize its material properties independently, resolving the contradiction between weight and strength.
3Strength
If composite materials with tailored properties are used, then mechanical properties and efficiency are enhanced, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing process is segmented into distinct steps for forming the hollow fiber composite inner portion and the solid fiber composite surface portion. This segmentation allows each material type to be manufactured and processed independently using optimized techniques, reducing the overall manufacturing complexity despite the use of tailored composite materials.
Data Source
AI summary
An airfoil for a gas turbine engine. The airfoil includes an inner portion including a hollow fiber composite, and a surface portion including a solid fiber composite. The surface portion at least partially surrounds the inner portion. The hollow fiber composite of the inner portion can be a woven composite with at least one of a warp fiber or a weft fiber including a hollow carbon fiber. The hollow fiber composite of the inner portion also can be a braided composite with at least one strand including a hollow carbon fiber.