Fan inlet diffuser housing with conductive composite body

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10465694-B2
Application number	US-201715480009-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 5, 2017
Priority date	Apr 5, 2017
Publication date	Nov 5, 2019
Grant date	Nov 5, 2019

Abstract

A method and system to provide a fan inlet diffuser housing including a housing body formed from a composite material, wherein the composite material includes a base fiberglass material having a first conductivity, a conductive material having a second conductivity, wherein the second conductivity is greater than the first conductivity, and a binder that bonds the base fiberglass material and the conductive material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fan inlet diffuser housing, comprising:
a housing body formed from a composite material, wherein the composite material includes a base fiberglass material having a first electrical conductivity, a conductive material having a second electrical conductivity, wherein the second electrical conductivity is greater than the first electrical conductivity, and a binder that bonds the base fiberglass material and the conductive material, wherein the housing body includes a plurality of bolt holes.

2. The fan inlet diffuser housing of claim 1 , wherein the conductive material is a carbon fiber veil material.

3. The fan inlet diffuser housing of claim 2 , wherein the carbon veil material is a metal coated carbon fiber veil material.

4. The fan inlet diffuser housing of claim 1 , wherein the housing body is electrically bonded to a ground.

5. The fan inlet diffuser housing of claim 1 , wherein the conductive material is a metallic mesh.

6. The fan inlet diffuser housing of claim 1 , wherein the binder is epoxy, bismaleimide, or polyimide.

7. The fan inlet diffuser housing of claim 1 , wherein the housing body provides a conductive path to the plurality of bolt holes.

8. The fan inlet diffuser housing of claim 1 , wherein the housing body includes a flange.

9. The fan inlet diffuser housing of claim 1 , wherein the housing body provides a conductive path to the flange.

10. An air cycle machine system, comprising:
an air cycle machine; and
a fan inlet diffuser housing coupled to the air cycle machine, the fan inlet diffuser housing including:
a housing body formed from a composite material, wherein the composite material includes a base fiberglass material having a first electrical conductivity, a conductive material having a second electrical conductivity, wherein the second electrical conductivity is greater than the first electrical conductivity, and a binder that bonds the base fiberglass material and the conductive material, wherein the housing body includes a plurality of bolt holes.

11. The air cycle machine system of claim 10 , wherein the conductive material is a carbon fiber veil material.

12. The air cycle machine system of claim 11 , wherein the carbon veil material is a metal coated carbon fiber veil material.

13. The air cycle machine system of claim 10 , wherein the conductive material is a metallic mesh.

14. The air cycle machine system of claim 10 , wherein the housing body provides a conductive path to the air cycle machine.

15. The air cycle machine system of claim 10 , wherein the housing body provides a conductive path to the plurality of bolt holes.

16. The air cycle machine system of claim 10 , wherein the housing body includes a flange to couple the fan inlet diffuser housing to the air cycle machine.

17. The air cycle machine system of claim 16 , wherein the housing body provides a conductive path to the flange.

18. A method for forming a fan inlet diffuser housing, the method comprising:
introducing a conductive material having a second electrical conductivity to a base fiberglass material having a first electrical conductivity and a binder to form a composite material, wherein the second electrical conductivity is greater than the first electrical conductivity; and
forming a housing body of the fan inlet diffuser housing from the composite material,
wherein the forming of the housing body comprises forming the housing body to include a plurality of bolt holes.

Assignees

• Hamilton Sundstrand Corp

Inventors

• Chrabascz Eric
• Folsom Michael E
• Tucsa Georgina
• Lokhandwalla Murtuza

Classifications

• F01D9/00 Primary

  Stators · CPC title

• F01D25/14

  Casings modified therefor (double casings F01D25/26) · CPC title

• F05D2300/603

  Composites; e.g. fibre-reinforced · CPC title

• F01D25/24

  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 title

• F01D9/02

  Nozzles; Nozzle boxes; Stator blades; Guide conduits {, e.g. individual nozzles (nozzle boxes F01D9/047)} · CPC title