Process for manufacturing a turbine or compressor wheel made of composite material and wheel thus obtained

• US 4,751,123 A
• Filed: 08/24/1987
• Issued: 06/14/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Societe Europeenne de Propulsion
• Original Assignee: Societe Europeenne de Propulsion
• Inventors: Etienne, Jacques, Broquere, Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomas, Alexander S.
• Application Number:
  US07/088,562
• Time in Patent Office: 295 Days
• Field of Search: 428/64, 428/65, 428/371
• US Class Current: 428/64.1
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 15/006 turbine wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 11/04 by assembling preformed material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/347 combined with compressing after the winding of lay-ups having a non-circular cross-section, e.g. flat spiral windings
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/282 Selecting composite materials, e.g. blades with reinforcing filaments
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/02 Selection of particular materials for handling specific liquids F04D7/00 F04D23/001
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4932 Turbomachine making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49325 Shaping integrally bladed rotor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49337 Composite blade
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49881 of separate helix [e.g., screw thread]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/21 Circular sheet or circular blank
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2925 Helical or coiled

Abstract

This invention relates to a process for manufacturing a turbine or compressor wheel made of composite material, comprising the following steps of:

making at least two helicoidal textures each formed by weaving a spiral band with helicoidal warp yarns and weft yarns which are substantially perpendicular to the axis of the texture,

assembling the helicoidal textures by "screwing" them in each other and stacking them by mutually approaching their interlaced turns, and

densifying the stack thus made to obtain a preform of a turbine or compressor wheel.

Claims

1. A turbine or compressor wheel made of composite material, characterized in that it comprises a reinforcing structure formed by the stacking of a plurality of helicoidal textures "screwed" one in the other, each texture being formed by a spirally woven band with helicoidal warp yarns and weft yarns substantially perpendicular to axis of the textures.

2. A turbine or compressor wheel made of composite material, said wheel comprising:

a reinforcing structure formed by a plurality of stacked helicoidal textures, with the turns of said textures being in contiguous relationship, each texture being formed by a spirally woven band with helicoidal warp yarns and weft yarns which extend substantially perpendicularly to the axis of the texture; and

a matrix material infiltrated within said reinforcing structure.

3. A turbine or compressor wheel as claimed in claim 2, wherein said helicoidal textures are formed by bands of different widths.

4. A turbine or compressor wheel as claimed in claim 3, wherein said helicoidal textures have the same inner diameter.

5. A turbine or compressor wheel as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least one of said helicoidal textures has a non-uniform weight per square meter.

6. A turbine or compressor wheel as claimed in claim 5, wherein said at least one helicoidal texture has a weight per square meter which varies from its inner diameter to its outer diameter.

7. A turbine or compressor wheel as claimed in claim 6, wherein said at least one helicoidal texture shows a higher density of helicoidal warp yarns on its small diameter side portion.