Woven-Core Turbine Airfoil for Stiffness Transition and Weight Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing manufacturing methods for turbine engine components, such as airfoils, face challenges in achieving optimal stiffness transition and weight reduction while maintaining structural integrity under extreme loading conditions.
Innovation Solution
The use of a woven core geometry in composite materials, combined with a laminate skin and coatings, provides improved stiffness and elasticity transitions, enhancing the structural performance and durability of airfoils.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional casting methods are used to manufacture airfoils, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but stiffness transition and weight optimization are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials consisting of a woven core and laminate skin to manufacture airfoils. The woven core provides structural support and stiffness, while the laminate skin offers surface integrity and aerodynamic properties. This composite structure enables optimized stiffness transition and weight reduction compared to traditional monolithic casting methods, while maintaining manufacturability through established composite fabrication processes.
2Weight of moving object
If composite materials are used to reduce weight, then weight reduction is achieved, but structural integrity under extreme loading may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by creating a non-uniform composite structure where the woven core and laminate skin are strategically positioned and configured in different regions of the airfoil. This allows optimization of material properties and thickness distributions to match local stress and loading conditions, ensuring structural integrity under extreme loading while minimizing overall weight through targeted material placement rather than uniform thickening throughout the component.
Data Source
AI summary
A gas turbine engine includes a fan section, a compressor section, combustor section, and turbine section in serial flow arrangement, and defining an engine longitudinal axis. Sets of blades can be rotatably driven about the longitudinal axis in the fan section, the compressor section, and the turbine section. The airfoil structure defining one or more of the blades or vanes can include a structure which includes a woven or foam core, with a laminate skin, and an exterior coating.