Aerofoils for gas turbine engines
AssigneeROLLS-ROYCE plc
InventorsSimon Read, Peter R Beckford
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An aerofoil 26 for a gas turbine engine (10, FIG. 1) comprises a cavity 38, a cellular material 42 located in the cavity 38 for stiffening the aerofoil 26, and a vibration damping medium 44 located in the cavity 38 for damping the aerofoil. The cellular material 42 is preferably a metal foam bonded to the inner surface 34a, 36a of the hollow aerofoil 26, and the vibration damping medium 44 is preferably a viscoelastic material. Various methods for fabricating the aerofoil 26 are also described.
Claims32
An aerofoil for a gas turbine engine, the aerofoil defining a cavity and comprising:
- a cellular material located in the cavity for stiffening the aerofoil, the cellular material comprising a plurality of open cells which form an open cell structure, wherein the cellular material is distributed throughout the cavity;
- and
- a vibration damping medium located in the cavity for damping the aerofoil, the vibration damping medium is dispensed throughout the cellular material in the cavity, wherein said vibration damping medium is arranged within said cells of said cellular material.
A method for fabricating an aerofoil for a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:
- forming an aerofoil having a cavity;
- providing a cellular material comprising a plurality of open cells which form an open cell structure inside the cavity, the cellular material being distributed throughout the cavity;
- and
- introducing a vibration damping medium into the cavity, the vibration damping medium being dispensed throughout the cellular material in the cavity, wherein said vibration damping medium is arranged within said cells of said cellular material.
An aerofoil for a gas turbine engine, the aerofoil defining a cavity and comprising:
- a cellular material located in the cavity for stiffening the aerofoil, the cellular material being distributed throughout the cavity, the cellular material comprising metal foam in a form of a plurality of open cells which together form an open cell structure;
- and
- a vibration damping medium located in the cavity for damping the aerofoil, the vibration damping medium being dispersed throughout the cellular material in the cavity, wherein said vibration damping medium is arranged within said cells of said cellular material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.