Component having an erosion resistant layer
AssigneeROLLS-ROYCE plc
InventorDavid A. WILLIAMS
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A composite component such as a blade or vane of a gas turbine engine includes a body and an erosion-resistant layer. The body includes a fibre reinforcement in a resin matrix, and the erosion-resistant layer includes a 3-D woven fabric element which is also resin-impregnated. The woven fabric element is made from a thermoplastics material such as PEEK, and may be thicker at the leading edge of the component than at pressure and suction surfaces. The component may be manufactured in a laying-up process in which the woven fabric element of the erosion-resistant layer is placed in a mould with the resin-impregnated fibre reinforcement of the body so that the resin of the body migrates into the woven fabric element of the erosion-resistant layer.
Claims13
An aerofoil component comprising a body of a composite material provided with an external erosion-resistant layer extending over at least part of the surface of the body, wherein the erosion-resistant layer comprising a resin-impregnated woven fabric element formed from fibres of a thermoplastics material.
A method of manufacturing an aerofoil component comprising:
- (i) laying-up a fibre reinforcement and a woven fabric element, the woven fabric element being made from a thermoplastics material and being situated at the outside of the fibre reinforcement to provide an external surface;
- (ii) impregnating the fibre reinforcement and the woven fabric element with a curable resin;
- and
- (iii) causing or allowing the resin to cure.
An aerofoil component having:
- a body of a composite material having a convex surface a concave surface and an edge through which the convex surface transfers into the concave surface;
- and
- an external erosion-resistant layer that extends over the edge and at least part of the concave and convex surfaces of the body;
- wherein the erosion-resistant layer comprises a resin-impregnated woven fabric element formed from fibres of a thermoplastics material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.