Composite Containment Ring Structure for Gas Turbine Blade Failure
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas turbine engine blade containment systems face challenges in efficiently managing blade failure, with hard wall designs experiencing high concentrated forces and soft wall designs causing significant bulge and design complications, while long fiber composites exhibit brittle failure and energy absorption issues.
Innovation Solution
A composite containment belt with a central portion of fibers angled at 45/−45 degrees and forward/aft portions at 0 degrees, integrated with a honeycomb or foam layer and metal rings, enhances energy absorption and trajectory control, forming a single unitary structure to manage blade failure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hard wall containment designs are used, then blade containment is achieved, but high concentrated forces are experienced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible composite containment belt made of woven fabric layers with varying fiber angles (45/-45 degrees in central portion, 0 degrees in forward/aft portions) that can deform and absorb impact energy. This flexible membrane approach distributes the concentrated blade impact forces across a larger area and time duration, preventing the high concentrated forces experienced in rigid hard wall designs while maintaining reliable blade containment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the mechanical parameters of the containment structure by using composite materials with specific fiber orientations and varying thickness. The woven fabric composition with different fiber angles creates a structure that can dynamically adjust its stiffness and strength characteristics during blade impact, absorbing energy through material deformation rather than rigid resistance, thus reducing peak forces while maintaining containment reliability.
2Reliability
If soft wall containment designs are used, then blade containment is achieved, but significant bulge and design complications occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by varying the fiber orientation and thickness of the containment belt at different locations. The central portion uses 45/-45 degree fiber angles for energy absorption, while the forward and aft portions use 0 degree fiber angles for structural stability. This localized optimization prevents excessive bulging in critical areas while maintaining the necessary flexibility for blade containment, resolving the shape distortion issue of soft wall designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials consisting of multiple woven fabric layers with different fiber orientations and material properties. This composite structure combines the energy absorption characteristics of angled fibers with the dimensional stability of longitudinally oriented fibers, achieving blade containment without the significant bulge and design complications associated with traditional soft wall designs.
3Strength
If long fiber composites are used, then containment strength is improved, but brittle failure and energy absorption issues occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs flexible woven fabric composite layers that can undergo significant deformation during blade impact. The flexible membrane structure allows for energy absorption through material stretching and fiber reorientation, preventing the brittle failure characteristic of rigid long fiber composites. This flexible approach maintains containment strength while dramatically improving energy absorption capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the mechanical behavior parameters of the composite containment by using woven fabric constructions with specific fiber angle distributions. The 45/-45 degree fiber orientation in the central portion creates a structure that deforms plastically to absorb energy, while the 0 degree fibers in forward/aft portions provide structural integrity. This parameter optimization eliminates brittle failure modes while enhancing energy absorption through controlled material deformation.
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 provides a robust, efficient containment system that absorbs energy effectively, reduces peak forces, and minimizes structural impact, allowing for lighter and more predictable blade containment with reduced design complexity.
Implementation Method 1
an intermediate layer of honeycomb and/or foam secured to a radially outward surface of the inner ring portion
Implementation Method 2
intermediate layer of honeycomb and foam
Implementation Method 3
a composite containment belt secured to a radially outward surface of the outer ring portion, the composite containment belt having a central portion integrally formed with a forward ring portion and an aft ring portion, the composite containment belt formed from at least one single woven belt wound about the outer ring portion, the at least one single woven belt including a plurality of continuous fibers, wherein a first portion of the plurality of continuous fibers are at arranged at an angle of 45/−45 degrees or greater with respect to a circumferential direction of the composite containment belt in the central portion and a second portion of the plurality of continuous fibers are at arranged at an angle of less than 45/−45 degrees with respect to the circumferential direction of the composite containment belt in the forward ring portion and the aft ring portion
Data Source
AI summary
A casing for a gas turbine engine, including: an inner ring portion; an intermediate layer of honeycomb and/or foam secured to a radially outward surface of the inner ring portion; an outer ring portion secured to a radially outward surface of the layer of honeycomb and/or foam; and a composite containment belt secured to a radially outward surface of the outer ring portion, the composite containment belt having a central portion integrally formed with a forward ring portion and an aft ring portion, the composite containment belt including at least one single woven belt wound about the outer ring portion, the at least one single woven belt including a plurality of continuous fibers, wherein a first portion of the plurality of continuous fibers are at arranged at an angle of 45/−45 degrees or greater with respect to a circumferential direction of the composite containment belt in the central portion and a second portion of the plurality of continuous fibers are at arranged at an angle of less than 45/−45 degrees with respect to the circumferential direction of the composite containment belt in the forward ring portion and the aft ring portion.