Composite Fairing Assembly Saddle Mount for Gas Turbine Engine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional fairing assemblies for gas turbine engines are expensive and time-consuming to manufacture due to their construction from alloy materials, and they require complex tooling designs and molding processes, which complicates the sealing of gaps between fan blades and increases fluid flow leakage.
Innovation Solution
A fairing assembly design featuring saddles that mount to a pin and hub, allowing for a self-supporting structure with a hollow interior, reducing weight and simplifying the manufacturing process, and using composite materials like epoxy reinforced with carbon fiber for reduced complexity and cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If fairing assemblies are constructed from alloy materials, then strength and durability are improved, but manufacturing cost and time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from traditional alloys to composite materials (fiberglass-reinforced plastic or carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic), fundamentally altering the manufacturing approach from machining to molding, thereby dramatically improving productivity while maintaining structural integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials (fiberglass or carbon fiber reinforced plastic) to replace traditional alloy materials, achieving both the required strength and durability while enabling more efficient molding-based manufacturing processes that reduce production time and cost
2Ease of manufacture
If complex tooling designs and molding processes are used for composite fairing assemblies, then manufacturing flexibility is improved, but device complexity and sealing effectiveness worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The fairing assembly is divided into multiple modular segments or panels that can be manufactured separately using standardized tooling and then assembled together, reducing the complexity of individual tooling designs while maintaining manufacturing flexibility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent integrates the sealing function directly into the fairing assembly structure itself rather than requiring separate sealing components, simplifying the overall device complexity while maintaining effective sealing of the gaps between fan blades
3Strength
If traditional alloy fairing assemblies are used, then structural integrity is maintained, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials (fiberglass or carbon fiber reinforced plastic) that provide high strength-to-weight ratio, maintaining the structural integrity required for fairing assemblies while significantly reducing the overall weight compared to traditional alloy constructions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material density parameter by transitioning from dense alloy materials to lighter composite materials, achieving weight reduction while compensating for any strength differences through optimized structural design and material reinforcement
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A fairing assembly includes an outer wall, a first side wall, a second side wall, and a saddle. The first side wall and the second side wall extend from opposing sides of the outer wall. Together the first side wall, the second side wall, and the outer wall form a cavity within the fairing assembly. The saddle is positioned within the cavity and extends between the first side wall and the second side wall. The saddle has a first rib adapted to connect to the first side wall and a second rib adapted to connect to the second side wall. The first rib and the second rib connect together at a central hub.