Aircraft Fan Rotor Platform Honeycomb Structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft turbomachine fan rotor platforms face challenges in combining stiffness to resist centrifugal forces with the need for reduced thickness due to aerodynamic considerations, while also requiring impact resistance and maintaining structural integrity under various operating conditions.
Innovation Solution
A platform with a honeycomb structure sandwiched between composite material skins, where the external skin is three-dimensionally woven and the internal skin is laminated, allowing for adjustable thickness to enhance resistance to centrifugal forces and impact, while maintaining reduced density and bulk.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the wall thickness of the platform is increased to resist centrifugal forces, then the stiffness and strength improve, but the mass and volume increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a honeycomb structure within the platform wall, which is a porous material configuration. This honeycomb structure provides high stiffness and strength-to-weight ratio, allowing the platform to resist centrifugal forces effectively while maintaining reduced mass compared to solid wall constructions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes composite materials consisting of multiple skins (outer skin, inner skin) bonded to the honeycomb core. This composite construction combines different material properties to achieve superior mechanical performance, including enhanced stiffness and strength while keeping the overall mass low.
2Weight of moving object
If the wall thickness is reduced to decrease mass and volume, then the aerodynamic section improves, but the stiffness and resistance to centrifugal forces decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The honeycomb porous structure enables the wall to maintain adequate thickness for stiffness while actually reducing the material volume and mass. The cellular structure provides structural support with minimal material usage, satisfying both the mass reduction goal and the stiffness requirement.
Solution Approach 2:
The honeycomb structure introduces a three-dimensional cellular architecture instead of a simple flat wall. This dimensional transformation creates voids within the wall thickness, reducing mass while the cellular geometry itself provides structural rigidity through its three-dimensional framework.
3Strength
If a solid wall structure is used to ensure strength, then the resistance to centrifugal forces improves, but the density and bulk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The honeycomb porous structure replaces the solid wall, dramatically reducing the quantity of material (density) while maintaining or improving the resistance to centrifugal forces. The porous architecture distributes stresses effectively throughout the cellular structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts material from the solid wall to create the honeycomb structure, removing unnecessary mass while retaining the essential load-bearing function. This extraction of material creates the porous configuration that achieves strength with reduced quantity of substance.
4Volume of moving object
If the platform wall is made thinner to reduce space occupation, then the aerodynamic performance improves, but the impact resistance decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The composite construction with outer skin, honeycomb core, and inner skin creates a sandwich structure that provides enhanced impact resistance despite reduced overall thickness. The multiple layers and bonding interfaces distribute impact loads effectively, improving resistance to harmful factors.
Solution Approach 2:
The honeycomb porous structure absorbs impact energy through controlled deformation of the cellular walls. This porous architecture provides impact resistance by dissipating energy through the crushing and deformation of the honeycomb cells, protecting the platform while maintaining thin overall dimensions.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
Platform (4) for an aircraft turbomachine fan rotor, said platform (4) being configured to be secured to a fan disc between two adjacent fan blades, and the platform (4) further comprising a longitudinal wall (5) defining an aerodynamic external face (6). According to the invention, said wall (5) comprises a honeycomb structure (20) interposed between two skins (7; 8) which are respectively an internal skin (7) and an external skin (8), with the external skin (8) defining the aerodynamic external face (6).