Composite manufacturing method and apparatus
AssigneeSpirit AeroSystems, Inc.
InventorKerrick Dando
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for use in composite manufacturing, to facilitate cooling of composite parts. The methods and apparatus disclosed are of particular use in thermal joining methods. A magnetic field is applied to a magnetocaloric material to induce a magnetic phase change. Heat is exhausting heat from the magnetocaloric material while the magnetic field is applied and, when the magnetic field is disapplied, heat is flowed from the composite assembly to the magnetocaloric material, reversing the magnetic phase change and cooling the composite part. An induction coil for inductively heating the composite part may be used to apply the magnetic field.
Claims21
1-29. (canceled)
A method of cooling a composite part, comprising:
- providing a magnetocaloric material;
- applying a magnetic field to the magnetocaloric material to induce a magnetic phase change of the magnetocaloric material;
- exhausting heat from the magnetocaloric material while the magnetic field is applied;
- disapplying the magnetic field from the magnetocaloric material;
- and
- flowing heat from the composite part to the magnetocaloric material;
- to at least partially reverse the magnetic phase change and to cool the composite part.
An apparatus for use in cooling a composite part;
- the apparatus comprising an end effector comprising:
- a magnetocaloric body comprising a magnetocaloric material;
- an arrangement for applying and disapplying a magnetic field to the magnetocaloric material;
- and
- a cooling arrangement for exhausting heat from the magnetocaloric material.
An apparatus for use in cooling a composite part;
- the apparatus comprising:
- a work station having a work surface for supporting a composite part:
- at least one magnetocaloric body comprising a magnetocaloric material, in thermal contact with at least a region of the work surface;
- an arrangement for applying and disapplying a magnetic field to the magnetocaloric material;
- and
- a cooling arrangement for exhausting heat from the magnetocaloric material.
The apparatus of any one of claim 17, wherein the work station comprises an electromagnet, positioned and configured to apply an disapply the magnetic field to the magnetocaloric material of the or each magnetocaloric body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.