Composite Load-Bearing Rotating Ring for Gas Turbine Fan Sections
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Solution Overview
Problem
The fabrication of load-bearing components for gas turbine engines using traditional metal materials is costly and heavy, while existing composite materials face challenges in achieving the necessary structural performance and geometry for such applications.
Innovation Solution
The development of composite load-bearing rotating rings with a laminate architecture, featuring a polymer matrix material and fibrous reinforcement, oriented predominantly in a circumferential direction to carry both circumferential and radial loads, along with integral abutment surfaces and flanges for hardware retention and support, fabricated using processes like resin transfer molding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional metal materials are used for load-bearing components, then structural strength and reliability are ensured, but manufacturing cost and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials consisting of polymer matrix material combined with fibrous reinforcement material (such as carbon fibers, glass fibers, or aramid fibers) to create load-bearing rotating rings. The fibrous reinforcement material is oriented predominantly in the circumferential direction to carry both circumferential and radial loads during rotation, providing metal-level strength while significantly reducing weight compared to traditional metal components.
2Strength
If traditional metal materials are used for load-bearing components, then structural strength is ensured, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials that can be manufactured through resin transfer molding or other composite fabrication processes, which are generally more cost-effective than metal machining for complex geometries. The laminate architecture with fiber layers oriented in specific directions provides structural strength while reducing material and manufacturing costs compared to traditional metal components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the laminate architecture by varying the orientation, thickness, and type of fiber layers to achieve the required structural performance at minimal cost. By changing the parameters of the composite structure (fiber orientation, layer stacking sequence), the design achieves cost-effective load-bearing capability.
3Weight of moving object
If composite materials are used, then weight is reduced, but achieving necessary structural performance and geometry becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite materials with specifically oriented fibrous reinforcement material that provides the necessary structural performance. The fibers are oriented predominantly in the circumferential direction to carry both circumferential and radial loads during rotation, ensuring reliability comparable to or exceeding metal components while achieving weight reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different fiber orientations and laminate architectures to different regions of the rotating ring based on local stress requirements. The fibrous reinforcement material is oriented predominantly in the circumferential direction in load-critical areas, while other regions may have different configurations, optimizing both weight reduction and structural performance.
4Weight of moving object
If composite materials are used, then weight is reduced, but fabricating required geometry becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials that can be formed into complex geometries through resin transfer molding or similar processes, enabling the fabrication of integral abutment surfaces and flanges with precise geometry. The laminate architecture allows for complex shapes to be molded in a single operation, achieving both weight reduction and manufacturing precision.
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
This approach allows for reduced manufacturing and material costs while maintaining or improving load-bearing functionality, offering potential weight reductions and enhanced structural performance compared to traditional metal components.
Implementation Method 1
The polymer matrix materials of the first and second preforms are then cured to bond the multiple preforms together
Data Source
AI summary
Composite load-bearing rotating rings suitable for use in fan sections of gas turbine engines, and processes for their fabrication. Such a ring has at least a first portion defining an integral abutment surface adapted to abut and retain hardware of a rotating machine, at least a second portion defining an integral flange adapted to secure the ring to a support structure of the rotating machine, and an insert. Each of the first and second portions and the insert contains a polymer matrix material and a fibrous reinforcement material, and the fibrous reinforcement material within the insert is oriented predominantly in a circumferential direction of the ring for carrying both circumferential and radial loads during rotation of the ring.