Composite guide vane with insert
AssigneePratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
InventorBarry Barnett
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Composite guide vanes for gas turbine engines are described together with methods of manufacturing such composite guide vanes. A composite guide vane comprises a body having a longitudinal axis and including a composite laminate made of an assembly of layers of a first fibrous composite material. The composite laminate defines a mid portion of the body for interacting with a fluid and an end portion of the body disposed axially of the mid portion of the body. A composite insert is disposed inside the composite laminate and made of a second fibrous composite material. The composite insert extends axially from the end portion of the body to a second location in the mid portion of the body. A head or foot of the composite guide vane envelops the end portion of the body.
Claims17
A composite guide vane for a gas turbine engine, the composite guide vane comprising:
- a body having a longitudinal axis, the body including:
- a composite laminate made of an assembly of layers of a first fibrous composite material, the composite laminate defining a mid portion of the body for interacting with a fluid and an end portion of the body disposed axially of the mid portion of the body;
- and
- a composite insert disposed inside the composite laminate and made of a second fibrous composite material, the composite insert extending axially from the end portion of the body into the mid portion of the body and terminating in the mid portion of the body;
- and
- a head or foot overmolded onto the end portion of the body so that the head or foot is fused with the composite laminate,
- wherein:
- the composite laminate includes a first matrix material;
- the composite insert includes a second matrix material fused with the first matrix material of the composite laminate;
- and
- the head or foot is made of a third fibrous composite material including a third matrix material directly fused with the first matrix material of the composite laminate and with the second matrix material of the composite insert.
A gas turbine engine comprising:
- an air inlet for receiving air;
- a compressor for pressurizing the air;
- a combustor in which the air is received from the compressor, mixed with fuel and ignited for generating a stream of combustion gas;
- a turbine for extracting energy from the combustion gas;
- and
- a composite guide vane for interacting with the air, the composite guide vane including:
- a body having a longitudinal axis, the body including:
- a composite laminate made of an assembly of layers of a fibrous composite material, the composite laminate defining a mid portion of the body for interacting with a fluid and an end portion of the body disposed axially of the mid portion;
- and
- an insert sandwiched between two of the layers of the composite laminate and fused with the composite laminate, the insert extending axially from the end portion into the mid portion and terminating in the mid portion of the body;
- and
- a head or foot overmolded onto the end portion of the body, the head or foot being fused with the composite laminate and also directly fused with the insert.
A method of manufacturing a composite guide vane of a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:
- receiving a layup including fiber-reinforced composite sheets and a composite insert disposed between the fiber-reinforced composite sheets;
- consolidating the layup into a unified body using heat and pressure, the body having a longitudinal axis and including a mid portion for interacting with a fluid and an end portion disposed axially of the mid portion, the composite insert extending axially from a first location in the end portion to a second location in the mid portion;
- and
- injection overmolding a head or foot of the composite guide vane onto the end portion of the body so that the head or foot is fused with the end portion of the body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.