Fan Track Liner Triply Periodic Minimal Surface Reinforcement
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Designing fan track liners for gas turbine engines that balance energy absorption during blade-off events with structural integrity and ease of serviceability, while overcoming challenges such as blade tip rubs, bird impacts, and ice shedding, is difficult due to competing constraints like cyclic pressure fluctuations and the need for accurate containment.
Innovation Solution
The fan track liner incorporates a triply periodic minimal surface geometry with variable density, increasing in the radially outward and axially aft directions, combined with an abradable section and a composite septum section, to absorb energy during blade-off events, and is coupled to an annular case using fasteners or direct bonding, allowing for efficient energy dissipation and containment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the fan track liner uses a dense uniform structure to provide high structural integrity, then the containment strength is improved, but the energy absorption capability during blade-off events deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The fan track liner employs variable density foam material where the density varies through the thickness of the liner. The forward surface has lower density to allow blade penetration with low resistance, while the aft surface has higher density to provide containment strength and energy absorption during blade-off events. This local quality variation resolves the contradiction between containment strength and energy absorption.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the density parameter of the foam material from uniform to variable through the thickness direction. This parameter change enables the liner to provide both low resistance for blade penetration at the forward surface and high energy absorption at the aft surface, resolving the contradiction between structural integrity and energy absorption.
2Reliability
If the fan track liner uses a solid dense structure to capture fan blades during blade-off events, then the containment function is improved, but the initial impact resistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The fan track liner uses variable density foam material with lower density at the forward surface to reduce initial impact resistance and allow blade penetration, while maintaining higher density at the aft surface to ensure reliable containment function during blade-off events. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction between containment reliability and initial impact resistance.
3Strength
If the fan track liner uses high density material throughout to ensure structural integrity, then the containment strength is improved, but the weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fan track liner employs variable density foam material that is lighter overall than uniform high-density material, while still providing adequate containment strength through higher density at the aft surface. This local quality variation resolves the contradiction between containment strength and weight reduction.
4Ease of manufacture
If the fan track liner uses a simple uniform structure for ease of manufacture, then the manufacturing complexity is reduced, but the energy absorption performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the density parameter of the foam material from uniform to variable through the thickness direction, enabling superior energy absorption performance while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through established foam casting or molding techniques. This parameter change resolves the contradiction between energy absorption performance and manufacturing simplicity.
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 triply periodic minimal surface geometry enables effective energy absorption and containment during blade-off events, providing enhanced structural integrity and ease of serviceability by allowing low resistance initial impact with increasing resistance to capture the fan blade, thus addressing the challenges of blade-off events and cyclic pressure fluctuations.
Implementation Method 1
The core section may be bonded to the septum section and configured to dissipate energy of a fan blade during a blade off event
Implementation Method 2
The triply periodic minimal surface geometry may have a variable density that increases in at least one of a radially outward direction and an axially aft direction
Implementation Method 3
The fan track liner may include an abradable section comprising an abradable material that extends between the forward end and the aft end
Implementation Method 4
The plurality of fasteners may extend through the fan track liner into the annular case to couple the fan track liner to the annular case
Implementation Method 5
Liners may be coupled to metallic shrouds by hanger features that extend from the metallic shrouds, by adhesives that provide a permanent bond to the metallic shrouds
Data Source
AI summary
A fan case assembly adapted for use with a gas turbine engine includes a fan case and a fan track liner. The fan case that extends circumferentially about an axis. The fan track liner extends circumferentially at least partway about the axis and is coupled with the fan case. The fan track liner includes an abradable section and a core section located radially outward of the abradable section. The core section defines a triply periodic minimal surface geometry.