Apparatus and method for producing a composite material aircraft component

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9415536-B2
Application number	US-201414466566-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 22, 2014
Priority date	Aug 26, 2013
Publication date	Aug 16, 2016
Grant date	Aug 16, 2016

Abstract

An apparatus for producing a composite material aircraft component comprises a mold having a receiving space adapted to accommodate a plastic material. A heating device is adapted to supply heat to the mold in order to heat the plastic material accommodated within the receiving space of the mold. The apparatus further comprises a plurality of heat pipes, each heat pipe having a first end which is in thermal contact with a heat source and a second end which is in thermal contact with the receiving space of the mold, such that the plastic material accommodated within the receiving space is supplied with heat transferred to the receiving space from the heat source via the plurality of heat pipes.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for producing a composite material aircraft component, the apparatus comprising:
a mold having a receiving space adapted to accommodate a plastic material,
a heating device adapted to supply heat to the mold in order to heat the plastic material accommodated within the receiving space of the mold,
a plurality of heat pipes, each heat pipe having a first end which is in thermal contact with a heat source and a second end which is in thermal contact with the receiving space of the mold, such that the plastic material accommodated within the receiving space is supplied with heat transferred to the receiving space from the heat source via the plurality of heat pipes, and
an additional heating device comprising a recuperation device being adapted to recover exhaust heat of the heating device and adapted to supply heat to the mold in order to heat the plastic material accommodated within the receiving space of the mold,
wherein the recuperation device comprises a heat exchanger which is adapted to be flown through with hot exhaust gas of the heating device.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the mold is disposed between press plates.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the mold is provided with an injection channel which allows the plastic material to be injected into the receiving space of the mold.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the mold is disposed in an autoclave or an oven.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the heat source being in thermal contact with the first end of each heat pipe comprises at least one of the heating device adapted to supply heat to the mold in order to heat the plastic material accommodated within the receiving space of the mold and the additional heating device.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the heat pipes extend through the mold between the heat source and the receiving space of the mold.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the heat pipes extend along an outer surface of the mold between the heat source and a cold spot region of the outer surface of the mold.

8. A method for producing a composite material aircraft component, the method comprising the steps:
accommodating a plastic material in a receiving space of a mold,
supplying heat generated by a heating device to the mold in order to heat the plastic material accommodated within the receiving space of the mold,
supplying heat to the plastic material accommodated within the receiving space of the mold, the heat being transferred to the receiving space from a heat source via a plurality of heat pipes, each heat pipe having a first end which is in thermal contact with the heat source and a second end which is in thermal contact with the receiving space,
wherein the heat source comprises an additional heating device comprising a recuperation device recovering exhaust heat of the heating device and being adapted to supply heat to the mold in order to heat the plastic material accommodated within the receiving space of the mold,
wherein the recuperation device comprises a heat exchanger which is flown through with hot exhaust gas of the heating device.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the plastic material is injected into the receiving space of the mold via an injection channel provided in the mold.

10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein pressure is applied to mold via press plates sandwiching the mold.

11. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the mold is disposed in an autoclave or an oven.

12. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the heat source being in thermal contact with the first end of each heat pipe comprises at least one of the heating device supplying heat to the mold in order to heat the plastic material accommodated within the receiving space of the mold.

13. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the heat pipes extend through the mold between the heat source and the receiving space of the mold.

14. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the heat pipes extend along an outer surface of the mold between the heat source and a cold spot region of the outer surface of the mold.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Gmbh

Inventors

• Fideu Paulin
• Seegel Hauke
• Fastert Claus

Classifications

• B29C45/7312 Primary

  Construction of heating or cooling fluid flow channels · CPC title

• B29C70/48 Primary

  and impregnating the reinforcements in the closed mould, e.g. resin transfer moulding [RTM] {, e.g. by vacuum} · CPC title

• B29C33/02

  with incorporated heating or cooling means · CPC title

• B29L2031/3076

  Aircrafts (blades, propellers B29L2031/08) · CPC title

• B29C35/007

  Tempering units for temperature control of moulds or cores, e.g. comprising heat exchangers, controlled valves, temperature-controlled circuits for fluids (B29C35/0294 takes precedence) · CPC title