Airfoil assembly having a composite core
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorElzbieta Kryj-Kos
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An airfoil assembly and engine component for a turbine engine having an engine core extending along an engine centerline, the airfoil assembly having an airfoil extending between a root and a tip in a radial direction, away from the engine centerline, to define a span length. The airfoil comprising a composite core and a set of skins defining at least a portion of an exterior surface of the airfoil. A shank extending in the radial direction from the root toward the engine centerline and having a flared cross-section.
Claims20
An airfoil assembly for a turbine engine having an engine core extending along an engine centerline, the airfoil assembly comprising:
- an airfoil extending between a root and a tip in a radial direction, away from the engine centerline, to define a span length, the airfoil comprising a composite core, a foam core located within the composite core and having a set of Z-fibers extending therethrough, and a set of skins overlying the composite core and defining at least a portion of an exterior surface of the airfoil, the airfoil having a centerline axis extending between the root and the tip;
- and
- a shank extending in the radial direction from the root toward the engine centerline between a first end and a second end, the shank comprising the composite core and the set of skins and having a flared cross-section,
- wherein a mid-plane extends along the centerline axis, and the set of Z-fibers includes both full span fibers and partial span fibers, the full span fibers extending across an entire thickness of the airfoil and the partial span fibers extending through the foam core and the composite core with at least one partial span fiber spanning from 5% to 70% of the entire thickness of the airfoil;
- and
- wherein the partial span fibers include:
- a set of first direction fibers that extend along a first direction through the mid-plane at a first fiber angle, the first fiber angle being measured between a single first direction fiber of the set of first direction fibers and the mid-plane;
- and
- a set of second direction fibers that extend along a second direction through the mid-plane at a second fiber angle, different from the first fiber angle, the second fiber angle being measured between a single second direction fiber of the set of second direction fibers and the mid-plane.
An airfoil assembly for a turbine engine having an engine core extending along an engine centerline, the airfoil assembly comprising:
- an airfoil extending between a root and a tip in a radial direction, away from the engine centerline, to define a span length, the airfoil comprising a composite core, a foam core located within the composite core and having a set of Z-fibers extending therethrough, and a set of skins overlying the composite core and defining at least a portion of an exterior surface of the airfoil, the airfoil having a centerline axis extending between the root and the tip wherein the centerline axis is equidistant from respective opposing portions of the airfoil assembly and wherein the airfoil is symmetrical about the centerline axis;
- and
- a shank extending in the radial direction from the root toward the engine centerline between a first end and a second end, the shank comprising the composite core and the set of skins and having a flared cross-section,
- wherein a mid-plane extends along the centerline axis, and the set of Z-fibers includes both full span fibers and partial span fibers, the full span fibers extending across an entire thickness of the airfoil and the partial span fibers extending through the foam core and the composite core;
- and
- wherein the partial span fibers include:
- a set of first direction fibers that extend along a first direction through the mid-plane at a first fiber angle, the first fiber angle being measured between a single first direction fiber of the set of first direction fibers and the mid-plane;
- and
- a set of second direction fibers that extend along a second direction through the mid-plane at a second fiber angle, different from the first fiber angle, the second fiber angle being measured between a single second direction fiber of the set of second direction fibers and the mid-plane.
An airfoil assembly for a turbine engine having an engine core extending along an engine centerline, the airfoil assembly comprising:
- an airfoil extending between a root and a tip in a radial direction, away from the engine centerline, to define a span length, the airfoil comprising a composite core, a foam core located within the composite core and having a set of Z-fibers extending therethrough, and a set of skins overlying the composite core and defining at least a portion of an exterior surface of the airfoil, the airfoil having a centerline axis extending between the root and the tip;
- and
- a shank extending in the radial direction from the root toward the engine centerline between a first end and a second end, the shank comprising the composite core and the set of skins and having a flared cross-section,
- wherein a mid-plane extends along the centerline axis, and the set of Z-fibers includes both full span fibers and partial span fibers, the full span fibers extending across an entire thickness of the airfoil and the partial span fibers extending through the foam core and the composite core;
- wherein the partial span fibers include:
- a set of first direction fibers that extend along a first direction through the mid-plane at a first fiber angle, the first fiber angle being measured between a single first direction fiber of the set of first direction fibers and the mid-plane;
- and
- a set of second direction fibers that extend along a second direction through the mid-plane at a second fiber angle, different from the first fiber angle, the second fiber angle being measured between a single second direction fiber of the set of second direction fibers and the mid-plane;
- and
- wherein a cross-section of the airfoil includes a partial span fiber of the set of first direction fibers intersecting another partial span fiber of the set of second direction fibers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.