Containment case and method of manufacture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9248612-B2
Application number	US-201113326455-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 15, 2011
Priority date	Dec 15, 2011
Publication date	Feb 2, 2016
Grant date	Feb 2, 2016

Abstract

A containment case comprises a composite core, with an inner and outer surface, at least one puncture resistant layer bonded to the inner surface of the composite core and at least one energy capture layer bonded to the outer surface of the composite core. The puncture resistant layer having a high through-thickness shear strength and high interlaminar toughness at impact. The energy capture layer having a high in-plane tensile strength and low resistance to delamination and fiber-matrix debonding at impact. A method of fabricating a containment case includes the steps of disposing one or more layers of a puncture resistant material on a layup mandrel, disposing one more layers of a structural composite material on an exterior surface of the puncture resistant material, disposing one or more layers of an energy capture material on an exterior surface of the structural material and curing a resin in the plurality of layers.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A blade containment case in a gas turbine engine of an aircraft housing therein a fan assembly, including a fan blade, the blade containment case comprising:
a primary impact region;
a composite core having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the composite core extends over the primary impact region;
at least one puncture resistant layer integrated with the composite core at least in the primary impact region, wherein the at least one puncture resistant layer includes a resin to bond the at least one puncture resistant layer to the inner surface of the composite core, the at least one puncture resistant layer comprising a fiber and resin material having a through-thickness shear strength and an interlaminar toughness configured to provide resistance to through-thickness shear and resistance to delamination at an interior surface of the blade containment case upon an impact with at least one of a released fan blade or a released fan blade part of the fan assembly and wherein the puncture resistant layer is configured to contain the released fan blade or the released fan blade part of the fan assembly within the blade containment case; and
at least one energy capture layer integrated with the composite core at least in the primary impact region, the at least one energy capture layer comprising a fiber and resin material having an in-plane tensile strength and an interlaminar toughness less than the interlaminar toughness of the at least one puncture resistant layer and wherein the resin has a porosity level of greater than 5% of the total composite volume, thus configured to resist tension while providing delamination and debonding between the fiber and the resin at an exterior surface of the blade containment case upon said impact of the at least one puncture resistant layer with at least one of the released fan blade or the released fan blade part of the fan assembly.

2. The containment case of claim 1 , wherein the at least one puncture resistant layer comprises at least one of a nonwoven fabric, a wrap, a blanket, a winding, a woven fabric, a knitted fabric, a carded non-woven fabric, or a braided fabric.

3. The containment case of claim 2 , wherein the at least one puncture resistant layer comprises fibers comprised of at least one of S2 glass, E-glass, quartz, alumina, silica, boron oxide, or carbon and a dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) resin.

4. The containment case of claim 3 , wherein the at least one puncture resistant layer comprises S2 glass fibers and a dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) resin.

5. The containment case of claim 1 , wherein the at least one energy capture layer comprises at least one of a nonwoven fabric, a wrap, a blanket, a winding, a woven fabric, a knitted fabric, a carded non-woven fabric, or a braided fabric.

6. The containment case of claim 5 , wherein the at least one energy capture layer comprises fibers comprised of at least one of graphite, carbon, polyimide, aromatic polyamide, or ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene and a dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) resin.

7. The containment case of claim 6 , wherein the at least one energy capture layer further comprises at least one of a fiber sizing or surface treatment for minimizing fiber-to-resin adhesion.

8. The containment case of claim 6 , wherein the at least one energy capture layer comprises carbon fibers and a dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) resin.

9. The containment case of claim 1 , wherein the at least one puncture resistant layer comprises S2 glass fibers and a dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) resin and the at least one energy capture layer comprises carbon fibers and a dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) resin.

10. The containment case of claim 1 , wherein the composite core comprises a reinforcing fabric.

11. The containment case of claim 10 , wherein the composite core further includes reinforcement stitching to control delamination upon impact.

12. A blade containment case in a gas turbine engine of an aircraft housing therein a fan assembly, including a fan blade, the blade containment case comprising:
a primary impact region;
a composite core with an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the composite core extends over the primary impact region;
at least one puncture resistant layer disposed in the primary impact region and integrated with the composite core, wherein the at least one puncture resistant layer is configured coextensive with a length of the composite core and includes a dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) resin to bond the at least one puncture resistant layer to the inner surface of the composite core, the at least one puncture resistant layer comprising a fiber and resin material having a through-thickness shear strength and an interlaminar toughness configured to provide resistance to through-thickness shear and resistance to delamination at an interior surface of the blade containment case upon an impact with at least one of a released fan blade or a released fan blade part of the fan assembly and wherein the puncture resistant layer is configured to contain the released fan blade or the released fan blade part of the fan assembly within the blade containment case; and
at least one energy capture layer disposed in the primary impact region and integrated with the composite core, wherein the at least one energy capture layer comprises a fiber and resin material configured coextensive with a length of the composite core, wherein the resin includes a dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) resin to bond the at least one energy capture layer to the outer surface of the composite core, the at least one energy capture layer having an in-plane tensile strength and an interlaminar toughness less than the interlaminar toughness of the at least one puncture resistant layer and wherein the resin has a porosity level of greater than 5% of the total composite volume, thus configured to resist tension while providing delamination and debonding between the fiber and the resin at an exterior surface of the blade containment case upon said impact of the at least one puncture resistant layer with at least one of the released fan blade or the released fan blade part of the fan assembly.

13. The containment case of claim 12 , wherein the at least one puncture resistant layer comprises fibers comprised of S2 glass, E-glass, quartz, alumina, silica, boron oxide, or carbon fibers and the dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) resin.

14. The containment case of claim 13 , wherein the at least one puncture resistant layer comprises S2 glass fibers and a dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) resin.

15. The containment case of claim 12 , wherein the at least one energy capture layer comprises fibers comprised of at least one of graphite, carbon, polyimide, aromatic polyamide, or ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene and a resin that does not bond well with the fibers to facilitate delamination and fiber-matrix debonding.

16. The containment case of claim 15 , wherein the at least one energy capture layer comprises carbon fibers and a dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) resin.

17. The containment case of claim 12 , wherein the at least one puncture resistant layer comprises S2 glass fibers and a dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) resin and the at least one energy capture layer comprises carbon fibers and a dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) resin.

Assignees

• Zhu Qi
• Finn Scott Roger
• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Zhu Qi
• Finn Scott Roger

Classifications

• B29L2031/7504

  Turbines · CPC title

• F01D5/282

  Selecting composite materials, e.g. blades with reinforcing filaments · CPC title

• F01D5/28

  Selecting particular materials; {Particular measures relating thereto;} Measures against erosion or corrosion · CPC title

• B29C70/08 Primary

  comprising combinations of different forms of fibrous reinforcements incorporated in matrix material, forming one or more layers, and with or without non-reinforced layers · 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