Compression molded fiber reinforced fan case ice panel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016245175-A1
Application number	US-201415029465-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 23, 2014
Priority date	Oct 15, 2013
Publication date	Aug 25, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An ice panel for a fan case of a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The ice panel may comprise a facesheet located on an inner surface of the fan case and it may comprise a chopped prepreg tape that is cured. The chopped prepreg tape may comprise randomly oriented chips of fibers impregnated with a resin matrix.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . An ice panel for a fan case of a gas turbine engine, comprising:
a facesheet formed of a chopped prepreg tape that is cured, the chopped prepreg tape comprising randomly oriented chips of fibers; and a resin matrix impregnated in the randomly oriented chips of fibers.

2 . The ice panel of claim 1 , wherein the chopped prepreg tape is cured by compression molding.

3 . The ice panel of claim 2 , wherein the facesheet comprises a plurality of plies of the chopped prepreg tape.

4 . The ice panel of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of plies further comprises at least one ply of a prepreg fabric.

5 . The ice panel of claim 4 , wherein the prepreg fabric comprises continuous woven aramid fibers in an epoxy resin.

6 . The ice panel of claim 3 , wherein the chopped prepreg tape has a thickness of at least about 0.5 mm.

7 . The ice panel of claim 3 , wherein the fibers in the chopped prepreg tape are non-continuous unidirectional fibers.

8 . The ice panel of claim 7 , wherein the non-continuous unidirectional fibers are carbon fibers.

9 . The ice panel of claim 7 , wherein the non-continuous unidirectional fibers comprise fibers selected from the group consisting of carbon fibers, glass fibers, aramid fibers, boron fibers, ceramic fibers, and polymeric fibers.

10 . The ice panel of claim 7 , wherein the resin matrix in the chopped prepreg tape is a thermoset resin.

11 . The ice panel of claim 10 , wherein the thermoset resin is an epoxy resin.

12 . The ice panel of claim 3 , wherein the ice panel is located aft of a fan surrounded by the fan case and on an inner surface of the fan case.

13 . The ice panel of claim 12 , wherein the ice panel further comprises a honeycomb core beneath the facesheet, the honeycomb core and the facesheet being bonded to and inner surface of the fan case with an adhesive.

14 . A gas turbine engine, comprising:
a fan; a fan case surrounding the fan; a compressor section located downstream of the fan; a combustor located downstream of the compressor section; a turbine section located downstream of the combustor; and an ice panel located aft of the fan on an inner surface of the fan case, the ice panel comprising a facesheet comprising a chopped prepreg tape that is cured, the chopped prepreg tape comprising randomly oriented chips of fibers impregnated with a resin matrix.

15 . The gas turbine engine of claim 14 , wherein the chopped prepreg tape is cured by compression molding.

16 . The gas turbine engine of claim 15 , wherein the facesheet comprises a plurality of plies of the chopped prepreg tape.

17 . The gas turbine engine of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of plies further comprises at least one ply of a prepreg fabric.

18 . The gas turbine engine of claim 16 , wherein the fibers in the chopped prepreg tape comprise non-continuous unidirectional fibers.

19 . The gas turbine engine of claim 18 , wherein the non-continuous unidirectional fibers comprise fibers selected from the group consisting of carbon fibers, glass fibers, aramid fibers, boron fibers, ceramic fibers, and polymeric fibers.

20 . A method for fabricating a facesheet for an ice panel for a fan case of a gas turbine engine, comprising:
stacking a plurality of plies of a chopped prepreg tape to a desired thickness; placing the plurality of plies between two mold surfaces; and curing the plurality of plies into a shape of the facesheet by compression molding.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Clarkson Steven
• Robertson Thomas J

Classifications

• F02K1/82

  Jet pipe walls, e.g. liners · CPC title

• F01D21/045

  special arrangements in stators or in rotors dealing with breaking-off of part of rotor · CPC title

• B29C67/02

  Moulding by agglomerating {(B29C67/20 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B29C70/12

  using fibres of short length, e.g. in the form of a mat {(non-woven fabrics per se D04H1/00)} · CPC title

• B29D24/005

  the structure having joined ribs, e.g. honeycomb · CPC title