Composite Propeller Blade Root With 3D-Woven Branched Structure
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing turboprop engine blades made of composite materials face challenges in achieving a compact root design with sufficient mechanical resistance, particularly under centrifugal and compression loads, and are difficult to manufacture using 3D weaving.
Innovation Solution
A method involving 3D weaving of a fiber blank with non-interlinkings to form a compact root with branches, followed by densification with a matrix to create a composite blade with integrated branches, providing mechanical strength and compatibility with pitch change systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a compact axisymmetric root shape is used to reduce bulk and enable pitch change, then the blade can be incorporated lower on the disc and pivot about its vertical axis, but the root becomes more difficult to manufacture using 3D weaving
Solution Approach 1:
The root is divided into multiple woven portions separated by non-interlinkings, with each portion oriented in different directions to form a branched structure (cross-shaped or star-shaped). This segmentation allows the complex 3D geometry to be constructed from simpler woven sections that can be more easily manufactured using 3D weaving technology.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from traditional extended root geometry to a compact axisymmetric shape by utilizing three-dimensional weaving techniques. The root preform is created with branches extending in multiple spatial directions, then densified in the third dimension to achieve the compact final geometry that enables lower incorporation on the disc.
2Reliability
If new-generation roots are incorporated into the rotor disc using metallic shells, then the blade can be securely mounted, but additional mechanical circumferential compression load is imposed on the root
Solution Approach 1:
The root is constructed using composite materials with fiber reinforcement densified by a matrix, providing both the strength to withstand circumferential compression loads from metallic shell incorporation and the reduced weight compared to fully metallic roots. The composite structure maintains reliability while resisting the additional compression stresses.
3Strength
If metallic material is used for blades, then good mechanical resistance is achieved, but the blade mass becomes relatively large
Solution Approach 1:
The blade is constructed from composite materials consisting of fiber reinforcement densified by a matrix, which provide mechanical resistance comparable to or exceeding metallic materials while significantly reducing the overall mass. This allows the blade to maintain structural integrity while achieving the weight reduction necessary for improved engine performance.
Data Source
AI summary
A turboprop engine blade or propeller airfoil made of composite material includes a fiber reinforcement densified by a matrix, the blade or propeller airfoil including, along a span direction, a root and an aerodynamic profile. The fiber reinforcement includes a fiber preform having a three-dimensional weave with a root preform part located in the root and an aerodynamic profile part located in the aerodynamic profile, the root preform and aerodynamic profile preform parts being connected to one another by three-dimensional weaving. The root includes a plurality of branches. The root preform part of the fiber preform includes a plurality of branches each extending in a branch of the root.