COMPOSITE FAN CONTAINMENT CASE FOR TURBINE ENGINES

• US 20070081887A1
• Filed: 12/23/2004
• Published: 04/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Xie, Ming, Worthoff, Frank, Crall, David, Blanton, Lee, Price, Richard, Mitchell, Stephen, LaChapelle, Donald
• Granted Patent: US 7,246,990 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 415/9
• CPC Class Codes: D04C 1/02 made from particular materials
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2505/02 Reinforcing materials; Prepregs
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 21/045 special arrangements in stators or in rotors dealing with breaking-off of part of rotor
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/24 Casings modified for heating or cooling F01D25/14; Casing parts, e.g. diaphragms, casing fastenings casings for rotary machines or engines in general F16M ; special arrangements in stators dealing with breaking-off of part of rotor F01D21/045
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2300/44 Resins
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2300/603 Composites; e.g. fibre-reinforced
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2300/702 Reinforcement
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A composite fan casing for a gas turbine engine is provided includes, in an exemplary embodiment, a core having a plurality of core layers of reinforcing fiber bonded together with a thermosetting polymeric resin. Each core layer includes a plurality of braided reinforcing fibers with the braids of reinforcing fibers aligned in a circumferential direction.

Claims

1. A composite fan casing for a gas turbine engine, said casing comprising:

a core having a plurality of core layers of reinforcing fiber bonded together with a thennosetting polymeric resin, each said core layer comprising a plurality of braided reinforcing fibers, said braids of reinforcing fibers aligned in a circumferential direction; and

at least one stiffener bonded to an outer surface of said core.

2. A composite fan casing in accordance with claim 1 wherein each said core layer comprises a mat of braided reinforcing fibers.

3. A composite fan casing in accordance with claim 1 further comprising at least one buildup layer bonded to at least one of an inner surface of said core and said outer surface of said core, each said build-up layer comprising a plurality of braided reinforcing fibers, said braided fibers wound in a spiral pattern and bonded together with said thermosetting resin.

5. A composite fan casing in accordance with claim 1 wherein said reinforcing fibers comprise at least one of carbon fibers, graphite fibers, glass fibers, ceramic fibers, and aromatic polyamid fibers.

6. A composite fan casing in accordance with claim 1 wherein said thermosetting polymeric resin comprises at least one of vinyl ester resins, polyester resins, acrylic resins, epoxy resins, and polyurethane resins.

4. (canceled)

7. A method of fabricating a composite fan casing for a gas turbine engine, said method comprises:

forming a core having a plurality of core layers of reinforcing fiber bonded together with a thermosetting polymeric resin, each core layer comprising a plurality of braided reinforcing fibers formed from tows of fibers, the braids of reinforcing fibers aligned in a circumferential direction; and

bonding at least one stiffener to an outer surface of the core.

8. A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein forming a core comprises forming a core having a plurality of core layers of braided reinforcing fiber mats bonded together with a thermosetting polymeric resin.

9. A method in accordance with claim 7 further comprising:

forming at least one buildup layer comprising a plurality of braided reinforcing fibers, the braided fibers wound in a spiral pattern and bonded together with the thermosetting resin; and

bonding the at least one build-up layer to at least one of an inner surface of the core and said outer surface of the core.

11. A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein the reinforcing fibers comprise at least one of carbon fibers, graphite fibers, glass fibers, ceramic fibers, and aromatic polyamid fibers.

12. A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein the thermosetting polymeric resin comprises at least one of vinyl ester resins, polyester resins, acrylic resins, epoxy resins, and polyurethane resins.

10. (canceled)

13. A method of fabricating a composite fan casing for a gas turbine engine, said method comprises:

forming a core having a plurality of core layers of reinforcing fiber bonded together with a thermosetting polymeric resin, each core layer comprising a plurality of braided reinforcing fibers formed from tows of fibers, the braids of reinforcing fibers aligned in a circumferential direction;

bonding at least one build-up layer to at least one of an inner surface of the core and an outer surface of the core; and

bonding at least one stiffener to said outer surface of the core.

14. A method in accordance with claim 13 wherein forming a core comprises forming a core having a plurality of core layers of braided reinforcing fiber mats bonded together with a thermosetting polymeric resin.

15. A method in accordance with claim 13 wherein bonding at least one build-up layer comprises forming at least one buildup layer comprising a plurality of braided reinforcing fibers, the braided fibers wound in a spiral pattern and bonded together with the thermosetting resin.

17. A method in accordance with claim 13 wherein the reinforcing fibers comprise at least one of carbon fibers, graphite fibers, glass fibers, ceramic fibers, and aromatic polyamid fibers.

18. A method in accordance with claim 13 wherein the thermosetting polymeric resin comprises at least one of vinyl ester resins, polyester resins, acrylic resins, epoxy resins, and polyurethane resins.

16. (canceled)