Composite Turbomachine Vane With Uniform Leading-Edge Reinforcement
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing manufacturing methods for composite material vanes in turbomachines face issues with adhesive use, such as limited service life, complex application, non-uniform bonding, and high cost, leading to mechanical weakness and premature failure of metallic reinforcements.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a reinforcement support interposed between the metallic reinforcement and the fibrous preform edge, ensuring a homogeneous minimum thickness bonding without adhesive, using a densification step with a single curing cycle to secure the assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If adhesive is used to bond metallic reinforcement to fibrous preform, then bonding is achieved, but bonding uniformity deteriorates and service life is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the adhesive layer from the bonding system, replacing it with a direct mechanical interlocking mechanism where the metallic reinforcement is embedded into the fibrous preform structure, eliminating the reliability issues associated with adhesive uniformity and service life
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite structure where metallic reinforcement and fibrous preform are directly integrated through embedding, forming a unified composite material system that eliminates the need for separate adhesive bonding and ensures uniform stress distribution
2Strength
If adhesive is used to bond metallic reinforcement to fibrous preform, then bonding is achieved, but process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the metallic reinforcement and fibrous preform into a single integrated structure through the embedding process, eliminating the separate adhesive application and curing steps, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the adhesive material and associated application processes from the manufacturing system, replacing them with a direct embedding operation that reduces process steps and complexity
3Strength
If adhesive is used to bond metallic reinforcement to fibrous preform, then bonding is achieved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the adhesive material from the bill of materials, replacing it with a structural embedding approach that uses the base materials themselves to achieve bonding, thereby eliminating adhesive costs
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces expensive adhesive materials with a more economical direct embedding process that utilizes the inherent properties of the metallic reinforcement and fibrous preform, reducing material costs
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 method enhances mechanical properties by preventing crack propagation and ensuring uniform bonding, eliminating adhesive steps, reducing complexity and costs, and improving the durability of the vane assembly.
Implementation Method 1
the reinforcement 30, in the form of a metallic foil (e.g. Nickel-Cobalt or titanium alloy), is co-injected onto the portion of the leading edge 14 of the blade 12
Implementation Method 2
This involves making a fibrous preform, then placing this preform in a mould and densifying the fibrous preform with a polymer matrix, which consists of impregnating the fibrous preform with a resin and polymerising the latter to obtain the final part
Implementation Method 3
the edge of the fibrous preform or the metallic reinforcement 30 is coated with a strip of adhesive 40, then the metallic reinforcement 30 is assembled on the edge of the fibrous preform of the OGV vane
Data Source
AI summary
A method for manufacturing a vane made of composite material for a turbomachine, including the steps of three-dimensional fibre weaving and producing a fibrous preform, reinforcing an edge of the preform intended to form a leading edge of a blade of the vane, by integrating a metallic reinforcement on this edge, mounting the preform and the reinforcement in a mould, densifying the preform by a matrix to form the vane, wherein, prior to the integration of the reinforcement, the method includes a step of introducing at least one reinforcement support configured to be interposed between the reinforcement and the edge, and wherein at the densification step, the support is enveloped with the matrix to bond the edge and the reinforcement with a predefined and homogeneous minimum thickness.