Composite Fibre Connector Structure for Thermal Expansion Matching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional connectors for fluid transfer conduits, especially those made of metal, face issues with material wastage, galvanic corrosion, and thermal expansion mismatches when used with composite materials, leading to inefficiencies in strength, weight, and temperature tolerance.
Innovation Solution
The development of composite fibre-reinforced polymer connectors with continuous fibre reinforcement, where the hub and flange portions are secured by stitching to a common support layer, allowing for tailored fibre orientation to enhance strength, reduce material usage, and match thermal expansion coefficients with the conduit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If connectors are machined from a single block of metal, then the connectors can withstand large circumferential loads and provide requisite strength, but a large amount of material is wasted resulting in a high buy-to-fly ratio
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining continuous fibre reinforcement (such as carbon, glass, or aramid fibres) with a thermoplastic matrix material to create fibre-reinforced polymer connectors. This composite structure provides the necessary strength to withstand circumferential loads while using significantly less material compared to conventional metal connectors, thereby reducing material waste and achieving a lower buy-to-fly ratio.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameters by transitioning from solid metal to fibre-reinforced polymer composites. This parameter change allows the connector to maintain structural integrity and load-bearing capacity while dramatically reducing material consumption. The continuous fibres are strategically oriented to provide strength where needed, eliminating the need for excessive material used in metal machining.
2Weight of moving object
If composite fluid transfer conduits are used to save weight, then weight is reduced, but galvanic corrosion and reduced temperature operating window occur due to unequal thermal expansion with metallic connectors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies homogeneity by making both the fluid transfer conduit and the connector from fibre-reinforced polymer composite materials with matched thermal expansion coefficients. This material homogeneity eliminates galvanic corrosion issues between dissimilar metals and composites, and ensures compatible thermal expansion behavior across the temperature operating range, thereby expanding the reliable temperature window for operation.
3Loss of substance
If chopped-fibre reinforced composite connectors are produced by injection moulding, then material waste is reduced and weight is saved, but the potential strength of reinforcing fibres is not fully exploited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies continuity by using continuous fibre reinforcement instead of chopped fibres. The continuous fibres run throughout the connector structure, maintaining their load-bearing capacity and fully exploiting their tensile strength potential. This continuous fibre architecture allows the fibres to effectively transfer and distribute loads throughout the connector, maximizing the strength contribution of the reinforcement while still using an additive manufacturing process that minimizes material waste.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of manufacturing a composite (e.g. fibre-reinforced polymer) connector for a fluid transfer conduit includes: manufacturing a continuous fibre pre-form net 150 that is shaped to comprise a hub-forming portion 156 and a flange-forming portion 158, the continuous fibre pre-form net comprising continuous fibre reinforcement 110 and a common support layer 151 to which the continuous fibre reinforcement 110 is secured by being stitched thereto; placing the continuous fibre pre-form net 150 into a mould, the mould being shaped such that the hub-forming portion 156 forms a tubular hub portion which extends along a central axis and the flange-forming portion 158 forms a flange portion which extends from the hub portion at an angle to the central axis; and introducing polymer into the mould so as to form a composite connector comprising the flange portion and the hub portion.