Composite components and methods of densifying composite components
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsJoseph John Shiang, Jared Hogg Weaver
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Composite components and methods of densifying composite components are provided. For example, a composite component includes a first ply having a first plurality of unidirectional arrays of fiber tows extending in a first direction and a second ply having a second plurality of unidirectional arrays of fiber tows extending in a second direction. A first fluid pathway is defined in the first ply that has a first length greater than a first width, and a second fluid pathway is defined in the second ply that has a second length greater than a second width. The first and second fluid pathways may improve densification of the composite component by improving penetration of a densification fluid in the composite component.
Claims19
A composite component, comprising:
- a first ply having a first plurality of unidirectional arrays of fiber tows extending in a first direction;
- a second ply having a second plurality of unidirectional arrays of fiber tows extending in a second direction;
- a first fluid pathway defined in the first ply, the first fluid pathway having a first length in a first length direction and a first width in a first width direction normal to the first length direction, the first length greater than the first width;
- and
- a second fluid pathway defined in the second ply, the second fluid pathway having a second length in a second length direction and a second width in a second width direction normal to the second length direction, the second length greater than the second width.
A composite component, comprising:
- a first ply having a first plurality of unidirectional arrays of fiber tows, the first ply defining a plurality of first fluid pathways, each first fluid pathway of the plurality of first fluid pathways having a first length greater than a first width;
- and
- a second ply having a second plurality of unidirectional arrays of fiber tows, the second ply defining a plurality of second fluid pathways, each second fluid pathway of the plurality of second fluid pathways having a second length greater than a second width,
- wherein a respective one first fluid pathway of the plurality of first fluid pathways is fluidly connected to at least one second fluid pathway of the plurality of second fluid pathways,
- wherein the first ply has a first ply thickness t1 and the plurality of first fluid pathways are laterally spaced apart from one another by a distance m, and
- wherein a ratio of the distance m to the first ply thickness t1 is within a range of 0.25:1 to 10:1.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.