Fan Case Reinforcement in a Gas Turbine Jet Engine
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- encircling an outer circumferential surface of one of a containment ring and a fan case of a gas turbine jet engine, using an inner circumferential surface of the other of the containment ring and the fan case of a gas turbine jet engine; and
applying radially compressive forces to said outer circumferential surface along the length of the circumference of said inner circumferential surface using said encircling inner circumferential surface.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Described is reinforcement of a fan case in a gas turbine jet engine. In one embodiment, a containment ring and a heat resistance ring are shrink interference fit on the inside diameter of the fan case, the containment ring where the large fan blades turn, and the heat resistance ring where heated air from backfiring heats up the fan case. In one example, the containment ring is made of a super alloy to provide added strength to the fan case should a fan blade break, containing the fan blade within the fan case. The heat resistance ring is made of titanium or other suitable material. Additionally, one or more stiffener rings may be shrink interference fit on the outside diameter of the fan case. The containment ring and stiffener rings can reduce the flight weight of the fan case and lower the material costs, while increasing the containment strength of the fan case. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
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Citations
89 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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encircling an outer circumferential surface of one of a containment ring and a fan case of a gas turbine jet engine, using an inner circumferential surface of the other of the containment ring and the fan case of a gas turbine jet engine; and applying radially compressive forces to said outer circumferential surface along the length of the circumference of said inner circumferential surface using said encircling inner circumferential surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An apparatus for use in a gas turbine jet engine, the apparatus comprising:
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a fan case having a front end and an inner surface and an outer surface towards said front end of the fan case wherein one of said inner and outer surfaces defines a containment ring notch machined circumferentially into said one fan case surface; and a containment ring adapted to be seated in said containment ring notch to provide radially compressive forces applied from one of said fan case and said containment ring to the other of said fan case and said containment ring. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A method, comprising:
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encircling an outer circumferential surface of a heat resistance ring using an inner circumferential surface of a fan case of a gas turbine jet engine; and applying radially compressive forces to said outer circumferential surface along the length of the circumference of said inner circumferential surface using said encircling inner circumferential surface. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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63. An apparatus for use in a gas turbine jet engine, the apparatus comprising:
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a fan case having a middle portion having an inner surface which defines a heat resistance ring notch machined circumferentially into said fan case surface; and a heat resistance ring adapted to be seated in said heat resistance ring notch to provide radially compressive forces applied from said fan case to said heat resistance ring. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77)
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78. A gas turbine jet engine, comprising:
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a fan case having an inner circumferential surface; a turbine case having a turbine adapted to rotate along an axis of rotation within said fan case; a fan having fan blades coupled to said turbine and adapted to rotate along an axis of rotation within said fan case; and a containment ring having an outer circumferential surface, said containment ring being positioned around said fan to contain said fan blades in the event said fan blades become separated from said fan; wherein said fan case is adapted to apply radially compressive forces to said outer circumferential surface of said containment ring, along the length of the circumference of said inner circumferential surface. - View Dependent Claims (79, 80, 81, 82)
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83. A method of retrofitting a gas turbine jet engine, comprising:
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removing a fan case from the jet engine; and installing a substitute fan case on said jet engine, wherein said substitute fan case has a containment ring seated in an inner circumferential surface of the substitute fan case through a shrink interference fit. - View Dependent Claims (84)
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85. A method of operating a gas turbine jet engine, comprising:
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rotating a fan using a turbine within a fan case along an axis of rotation to provide air intake and thrust; and applying radially compressive forces to an outer circumferential surface of one of a containment ring and the fan case using an inner circumferential surface of the other of the containment ring and the fan case encircling said outer circumferential surface, said radially compressive forces being applied along the length of the circumference of the inner circumferential surface and directed to a center positioned on said axis of rotation. - View Dependent Claims (86, 87)
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88. An apparatus for use in a gas turbine jet engine, the apparatus comprising:
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a fan case having a front end and an inner surface and an outer surface towards said front end of the fan case wherein said inner surface defines a containment ring notch machined circumferentially into said fan case inner surface and wherein said fan case outer surface defines at least one stiffening ring notch machined circumferentially into said outer surface of the fan case, wherein said fan case further has a middle portion having an inner surface which defines a heat resistance ring notch machined circumferentially into said fan case middle inner surface and wherein said fan case is made of a first material having a first containment strength and a first heat resistance; a containment ring adapted to be seated in said containment ring notch to provide radially compressive forces applied from said fan case front inner surface to said containment ring wherein said containment ring is made of a second material having a second containment strength higher than that of the first material; a stiffening ring adapted to be seated in said at least one stiffening ring notch to provide radially compressive forces applied from said stiffening ring to said fan case outer surface and wherein said stiffener ring is made of a material having a strength higher than that of the first material; and a heat resistance ring adapted to be seated in said heat resistance ring notch to provide radially compressive forces applied from said fan case middle inner surface to said heat resistance ring and wherein said heat resistance ring is made of a third material having a second heat resistance higher than that of the first material. - View Dependent Claims (89)
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Specification