Liner assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9951954-B2
Application number	US-201514640640-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2015
Priority date	Mar 27, 2014
Publication date	Apr 24, 2018
Grant date	Apr 24, 2018

Abstract

A method of lining a turbofan casing ( 30 ) with an array ( 32 ) of liner modules ( 34 ), including the steps of: providing a liner module ( 34 ); and providing a coupling element ( 48 ) on the casing for interlocking engagement with the liner module to maintain the liner module in position relative to the casing; and interlockingly engaging the liner module ( 34 ) and coupling element ( 48 ) by progressive movement of the liner module relative to the coupling element.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A liner assembly for lining a fan casing of a turbofan, the liner assembly comprising:
a liner module, the liner module comprising (i) a front wall oriented toward a front of the fan casing, (ii) a rear wall oriented toward a rear of the fan casing, (iii) an arcuate first side wall that extends between the front wall and the rear wall, and (iv) an arcuate second side wall that extends between the front wall and the rear wall, the arcuate second side wall having a curvature matching a curvature of the arcuate first side wall, wherein the respective curvature of the first and second arcuate sidewalls is such that the first and second arcuate sidewalls extend partly in the circumferential direction with respect to a longitudinal axis of the fan casing; and
a coupling element provided on the fan casing interlockingly engaged with the liner module to maintain the liner module in position relative to the fan casing, the coupling element comprising an arcuate elongate rail arranged to project radially inwards from the fan casing, the arcuate elongate rail curving such that the arcuate elongate rail follows the respective curvature of the first and second arcuate side walls;
wherein the liner module is configured to be interlockingly engaged with the arcuate elongate rail by sliding movement of the liner module along the arcuate elongate rail.

2. The liner assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the liner module further comprises a coupling portion suitably shaped for interlocking engagement with the arcuate elongate rail.

3. The liner assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the interlocking engagement between the rail and the coupling portion is achieved by an interference fit wherein the rail and the coupling portion are formed respectively to include a projection and a complementary shaped recess for mutual interlocking engagement.

4. The liner assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the arcuate elongate rail comprises a plurality of the arcuate elongate rails arranged in series internally around the fan casing; and the liner module comprises a plurality of the liner modules interlockingly engaged with the plurality of the arcuate elongate rails.

5. The liner assembly according to claim 4 , wherein a respective one of the arcuate elongate rails is provided between each circumferentially adjacent pair of the liner modules.

6. The liner assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the liner module further comprises an acoustic damping body.

7. The liner assembly according to claim 6 , wherein the liner module is formed of an integral housing containing the acoustic damping body.

8. The liner assembly according to claim 7 , wherein the acoustic damping body is integrally formed with the integral housing.

9. A method of lining a fan casing of a turbofan, comprising the steps of:
providing a liner module, the liner module comprising (i) a front wall oriented toward a front of the fan casing, (ii) a rear wall oriented toward a rear of the fan casing, (iii) an arcuate first side wall that extends between the front wall and the rear wall, and (iv) an arcuate second side wall that extends between the front wall and the rear wall, the arcuate second side wall having a curvature matching a curvature of the arcuate first side wall, wherein the respective curvature of the first and second arcuate sidewalls is such that the first and second arcuate side walls extend partly in the circumferential direction with respect to a longitudinal axis of the fan casing; and
providing a coupling element on the fan casing for interlocking engagement with the liner module to maintain the liner module in position relative to the fan casing, the coupling element comprising an arcuate elongate rail arranged to project inwards from the fan casing, the arcuate elongate rail curving such that the arcuate elongate rail follows the respective curvature of the first and second arcuate side walls, and the liner module further comprising an elongate recess for receiving at least a portion of the arcuate elongate rail such that the liner module is slidable along the arcuate elongate rail; and
interlockingly engaging the liner module and the arcuate elongate rail by progressive sliding of the liner module along the arcuate elongate rail.

10. The method of lining the fan casing of the turbofan according to claim 9 , wherein the liner module further comprises a coupling portion suitably shaped for interlocking engagement with the rail; and wherein the rail and the coupling portion are respectively formed to include a projection and a complementary shaped recess for mutual interlocking engagement.

11. The method of lining the fan casing of the turbofan according to claim 9 , wherein a progressive movement of the liner module to interlockingly engage the liner module and the arcuate elongate rail corresponds to the curvature of the arcuate elongate rail.

12. The method of lining the fan casing of the turbofan according claim 9 , further comprising the steps of:
providing a plurality of the arcuate elongate rails attached to the fan casing and arranged in series internally around the fan casing;
providing a plurality of the liner modules; and
for each liner module, interlockingly engaging the liner module with a respective one of the arcuate elongate rails, by progressive movement of the liner module relative to the respective rail.

13. The method of lining the fan casing of the turbofan according to claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises the step of interlockingly engaging each liner module with a pair of circumferentially adjacent arcuate elongate rails of the plurality of arcuate elongate rails to be located therebetween.

14. A fan casing of a turbofan configured to surround a propulsive fan, the fan casing comprising:
a liner assembly for lining the fan casing at a position upstream of a position corresponding to the propulsive fan, the liner assembly comprising:
a liner module, wherein the liner module comprises an acoustic damping body, (i) a front wall oriented toward a front of the fan casing, (ii) a rear wall oriented toward a rear of the fan casing, (iii) an arcuate first side wall that extends between the front wall and the rear wall, and (iv) an arcuate second side wall that extends between the front wall and the rear wall, the arcuate second side wall having a curvature matching a curvature of the first side wall, wherein the respective curvature of the first and second arcuate sidewalls is such that the first and second arcuate side walls extend partly in the circumferential direction with respect to a longitudinal axis of the fan casing; and
a coupling element provided on the fan casing interlockingly engaged with the liner module to maintain the liner module in position relative to the fan casing; wherein the liner module is configured to be interlockingly engaged with the coupling element by movement of the liner module relative to the coupling element.

15. The liner assembly according to claim 14 , wherein the liner module is formed of an integral housing containing the acoustic damping body.

16. The liner assembly according to claim 15 , wherein the acoustic damping body is integrally formed with the integral housing.

Assignees

• Rolls Royce Plc

Inventors

• Benson Christopher
• Hoyland Matthew Ashley Charles

Classifications

• F23R2900/00017

  Assembling combustion chamber liners or subparts · CPC title

• F04D29/663

  Sound attenuation · CPC title

• F04D29/668

  damping or preventing mechanical vibrations · CPC title

• F04D29/664

  by means of sound absorbing material · CPC title

• F02K3/00

  Plants including a gas turbine driving a compressor or a ducted fan · CPC title