High-modulus coating for local stiffening of airfoil trailing edges

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10227704-B2
Application number	US-201414903856-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 9, 2014
Priority date	Jul 9, 2013
Publication date	Mar 12, 2019
Grant date	Mar 12, 2019

Abstract

An airfoil is disclosed. The airfoil may comprise a leading edge, a body portion and a trailing edge formed from a high-modulus plating. The body portion of the airfoil may be formed from a material having a lower elastic modulus than the high-modulus plating. The high-modulus plating may improve the stiffness of the trailing edge, allowing for thinner trailing edges with improved fatigue life to be formed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An airfoil, comprising:
a leading edge;
a body portion; and
a trailing edge formed from a high-modulus plating, the body portion being formed from a material that has a lower elastic modulus than the high-modulus plating, wherein the body portion is truncated at a backside prior to the trailing edge, and wherein the high-modulus plating is applied to a back surface of the back side to form the trailing edge.

2. The airfoil of claim 1 , wherein the material forming the body portion is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, titanium, and a composite material.

3. The airfoil of claim 2 , wherein the high-modulus plating is formed from one or more layers of a metal or a metal allow selected from the group consisting of nickel, iron, cobalt, and an alloy of any of the foregoing elements comprising at least 50 wt. % of the alloy.

4. The airfoil of claim 1 , wherein the high-modulus plating is applied to the back surface of the body portion by a method selected from the group consisting of electrolytic plating, electroless plating, brush plating, spray metal deposition, chemical vapor deposition, plasma vapor deposition, and a powder spray deposition process.

5. The airfoil of claim 1 , wherein the high-modulus plating has a thickness of about 1.3 mm near the back surface of the body portion, and a thickness of about 0.025 mm near a tip of the trailing edge.

6. The airfoil of claim 1 , wherein at least one surface of the body portion is plated with the high-modulus plating.

7. The airfoil of claim 6 , further comprising an insulating layer between the body portion and the high-modulus plating.

8. The airfoil of claim 7 , wherein the insulating layer is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of an adhesive, an epoxy material, and a ceramic.

9. An airfoil, comprising:
a body portion forming a leading edge and an intact trailing edge; and
a high-modulus plating applied to and forming an extension of the intact trailing edge, wherein the body portion is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of titanium and a composite material and wherein the high-modulus plating is applied to the intact trailing edge by a method selected from the group consisting of electrolytic plating, electroless plating, brush plating, spray metal deposition, chemical vapor deposition, plasma vapor deposition, and a powder spray deposition process.

10. The airfoil of claim 9 , wherein the high-modulus plating is formed from one or more layers of a metal or metal alloy selected from the group consisting of nickel, iron, cobalt, and an alloy of any of the foregoing elements comprising at least 50 wt. % of the alloy.

11. The airfoil of claim 9 , wherein at least one surface of the body portion is plated with the high-modulus plating.

12. The airfoil of claim 11 , further comprising an insulating layer between the body portion and the high-modulus plating.

13. A method for fabricating an airfoil, comprising:
forming a body portion of the airfoil; and
applying a high-modulus plating to the body portion to form a trailing edge, the body portion of the airfoil being formed from a material having a lower elastic modulus than the high-modulus plating, wherein the material forming the body portion is selected from the group consisting of titanium and a composite material, and wherein the high-modulus plating is formed from one or more layers of a metal or a metal alloy selected from the group consisting of nickel, iron, cobalt, and an alloy of any of the foregoing elements comprising at least 50 wt. % of the alloy.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein forming the body portion of the airfoil comprises forming an airfoil that is truncated at a back side prior to the trailing edge, and wherein applying the high-modulus plating to the body portion to form the trailing edge comprises applying the high-modulus plating to a back surface of the back side.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein forming the body portion of the airfoil comprises forming an airfoil with an intact trailing edge, wherein applying the high-modulus plating to the body portion to form the trailing edge comprises applying the high-modulus plating to the intact trailing edge to form an extension of the intact trailing edge.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising shaping the high-modulus plating by machining or abrasive grinding.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Twelves Wendell V
• Cook Iii Grant O

Classifications

• B64U30/00

  Means for producing lift; Empennages; Arrangements thereof · CPC title

• B05D5/00

  Processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces to obtain special surface effects, finishes or structures · CPC title

• F05D2300/133

  Titanium · CPC title

• C04B35/76

  Fibres, filaments, whiskers, platelets, or the like · CPC title

• B32B2255/10

  on synthetic resin layer or on natural or synthetic rubber layer · CPC title