Gas Turbine Fan Blade Diffusion Bonding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Solid titanium fan blades for large diameter gas turbine engines are often too heavy, necessitating a reduction in weight while maintaining structural integrity.
Innovation Solution
A method of manufacturing a fan blade that involves positioning a first member with a concave or convex surface against a second member with a convex or concave surface, bonding them to create a structural configuration with a root core and ribs, and using diffusion bonding to seal cavities between ribs, allowing for a lightweight yet robust design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If solid titanium fan blades are used, then structural integrity is maintained, but weight becomes too heavy for large diameter installations
Solution Approach 1:
The fan blade is divided into multiple segments including a root core, multiple ribs, and skin panels. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the root core provides structural integrity while the skin panels can be made thinner and lighter, achieving weight reduction without compromising overall strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The fan blade employs a composite structure combining titanium root core and ribs with metal skin panels. This composite approach allows different regions of the blade to use materials and thicknesses optimized for their specific functional requirements, reducing overall weight while maintaining structural integrity through the coordinated design of different material components.
2Strength
If multiple ribs are added to strengthen the blade, then structural integrity improves, but stress concentrations increase at rib intersections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by positioning ribs at specific locations where they are most needed for structural support, rather than uniformly distributing them. The ribs are strategically placed to provide local reinforcement at high-stress areas while leaving other areas lighter, thereby improving overall structural integrity without creating excessive stress concentrations at multiple intersection points.
3Manufacturing precision
If complex part alignment is required for manufacturing, then structural precision improves, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The skin panels are pre-formed with matching contours and attachment features before assembly. The root core and ribs are also prepared in advance with precisely positioned attachment surfaces. This preliminary preparation of components ensures that when assembly occurs, the parts align correctly with minimal complex adjustment, achieving high manufacturing precision while reducing the complexity of the actual assembly process.
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 method results in a lightweight fan blade with enhanced structural integrity and reduced stress concentrations, offering cost savings by simplifying the manufacturing process and eliminating the need for complex part alignment.
Implementation Method 1
bonding them to create a structural configuration with a root core and ribs, and using diffusion bonding to seal cavities between ribs
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~3C
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A fan blade for a gas turbine engine, includes a first member (102) and a second member (110). The first member has a first surface and the second member has a second surface, wherein each of the first surface and the second surface extends from a leading edge to a trailing edge of the fan blade and from a tip edge (128) to, or proximate to, a root (130) of the fan blade. The first surface is externally facing and one of concave or convex between the leading edge and the trailing edge and the second surface is externally facing and another of convex or concave between the leading edge and the trailing edge. The second member includes structural ribs (114) extending to the first member, and the first member is bonded to the second member at free edges of the structural ribs and about a perimeter of the fan blade. A method of manufacturing a fan blade (100) for a gas turbine engine, comprises positioning a first member (102) against a second member (110), the first member having a first surface and the second member having a second surface, each of the first surface and the second surface extending from a leading edge (106) to a trailing edge (108) of the fan blade and from a tip (128) edge to or proximate to a root (130) of the fan blade, wherein the second member includes structural ribs (114) extending to the first member; and bonding the second member to the first member at free edges of the structural ribs and about a perimeter of the fan blade.