Tear-away composite fan stator vane
First Claim
1. In a gas turbine engine having a rotary primary fan and a stationary fan stator vane assembly disposed downstream of said fan, said assembly comprising:
- an annular outer shroud having openings therein;
an annular inner hub having openings therein and disposed concentrically to and radially inwardly of said shroud to define a radial space therebetween;
a plurality of unitary stator vanes comprised of a nonmetallic composite material extending across said radial space and through said openings in said shroud and hub, each of said vanes havinga radial inner end extending through the associated one of said openings in the hub, andan axially and circumferentially extending foot on the opposite radial outer end, said foot disposed radially outside said shroud, andan aerodynamically configured airfoil section disposed radially across said space, anda smoothly contoured transition section interconnecting said foot and said airfoil section,said composite material comprising a plurality of compression molded, heat cured plies, said plies including a plurality of centrally located internal plies of reinforcement material of continuous yarns of para-aramid fibers, and a plurality of plies of resin impregnated graphite fiber material on each side of said centrally located plies of reinforcement material, substantially all of said para-aramid fibers being broken proximate said transition section between said airfoil section and said foot.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A unitary composite stator vane for a gas turbine engine comprising an aerodynamically configured airfoil section, a foot extending substantially perpendicularly from one end of the airfoil section, and a smoothly contoured transition section interconnecting the airfoil section with the foot. The stator vane is comprised of a composite material including a plurality of compression molded, heat cured plies. The plies include a plurality of centrally located internal plies of reinforcement material of continuous yarns of para-aramid fibers. On each side of the internal plies are plies of resin impregnated graphite fiber material. The graphite fibers are protected by an external steel wire mesh ply covering the leading edges of the vanes. Substantially all of the internal para-aramid reinforcement fibers are discontinuous proximate the transition section between the airfoil section and foot.
71 Citations
11 Claims
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1. In a gas turbine engine having a rotary primary fan and a stationary fan stator vane assembly disposed downstream of said fan, said assembly comprising:
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an annular outer shroud having openings therein; an annular inner hub having openings therein and disposed concentrically to and radially inwardly of said shroud to define a radial space therebetween; a plurality of unitary stator vanes comprised of a nonmetallic composite material extending across said radial space and through said openings in said shroud and hub, each of said vanes having a radial inner end extending through the associated one of said openings in the hub, and an axially and circumferentially extending foot on the opposite radial outer end, said foot disposed radially outside said shroud, and an aerodynamically configured airfoil section disposed radially across said space, and a smoothly contoured transition section interconnecting said foot and said airfoil section, said composite material comprising a plurality of compression molded, heat cured plies, said plies including a plurality of centrally located internal plies of reinforcement material of continuous yarns of para-aramid fibers, and a plurality of plies of resin impregnated graphite fiber material on each side of said centrally located plies of reinforcement material, substantially all of said para-aramid fibers being broken proximate said transition section between said airfoil section and said foot. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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- 3. A unitary composite stator vane for a gas turbine engine comprising an aerodynamically configured airfoil section, a foot extending substantially perpendicularly from one end of said airfoil section, and a smoothly contoured transition section interconnecting said foot and said airfoil section, said stator vane comprised of a composite material including a plurality of compression molded, heat cured plies, said plies including a plurality of centrally located internal plies of reinforcement material of unidirectional yarns of para-aramid fibers, a plurality of plies of resin impregnated graphite fiber material on each side of said centrally located plies of reinforcement material, and an external steel wire mesh ply on the leading edges of said vanes, substantially all of said para-aramid fibers being broken proximate said transition section between said airfoil section and said foot.
Specification