Method of composing a sleeve assembly for containment purposes in high centrifugal applications

Abstract

This invention relates to a method for composing a sleeve assembly suitable for use in containment purposes in high-speed machine that are subjected to high operational temperatures. The method has the steps of providing a composite sleeve and winding at least two layers of woven fabric on top of the composite sleeve and each other, where the woven fabric is impregnated with a thermoset resin. The method additionally has the step of optionally winding a perforated layer on top of an outermost layer of the layers of woven fabric to remove excess resin when the woven fabric is wound over the composite sleeve. The method also includes the steps of wrapping an absorption layer over the composite sleeve for absorbing the excess resin, curing the thermoset resin, and removing the absorption layer and the perforated layer after the curing.

Claims

1. A method of composing a sleeve assembly used for containment purposes in high-speed machines that is subjected to high operational temperatures, said method consisting of the steps of: providing a composite sleeve comprising a thermally stable polymer; winding at least two layers of woven fabric on top of said composite sleeve and each other, said woven fabric being impregnated with a thermoset resin and at least one of the at least two layers of woven fabric comprises bidirectional fibers; winding a perforated plastic layer on top of an outermost layer of said layers of woven fabric to remove excess resin from the woven fabric when the woven fabric is wound over the composite sleeve, said perforated plastic layer being configured to provide an exit path for excess resin, wherein said perforated plastic layer comprises a perforated shrink tape; wrapping an absorption layer over the composite sleeve for absorbing said excess resin from the exit path of the perforated plastic layer; applying a pressure layer on top of said absorption layer to create a pressure on an outer surface of the composite sleeve, wherein said pressure layer comprises one or more layers of shrink tape or elastic tape; curing said thermoset resin while maintaining a pressure on said woven fabric and said absorption layer using the pressure layer, wherein the composite sleeve upon which the layers of woven fabric are applied, comprises a wet composite sleeve that has not yet or only partially been cured, and wherein said wet composite sleeve and the resin in said layers of woven fabric are cured together; removing said pressure layer, said absorption layer, and said perforated plastic layer after said curing; and providing said cured composite sleeve around permanent magnets on a rotor in a high-speed permanent magnet motor so that the permanent magnets are kept in a precompressed state at all speeds of the high-speed machines.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of said layers of woven fabric are pre-impregnated with a semi-cured thermoset resin.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of said layers of woven fabric is impregnated with the same type of resin as the one used during winding of the composite sleeve.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said perforated plastic layer consists of a pre-perforated layer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of applying said perforated plastic layer comprises the substeps of applying a layer on top of said layers of woven fabric, and subsequently providing perforations in said layer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said absorption layer comprises at least one layer of a peel-ply.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the pressure on the layers of woven fabric during curing, is provided by the pre-tension of the one or more layers of a peel-ply.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the bidirectional fibers comprise a first plurality of fibres making part of said woven fabric extend in respective plane extending perpendicularly to a longitudinal central axis of said composite sleeve and wherein a second plurality of fibres making part of said woven fabric extend crosswise with respect to said first plurality of fibres.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the composite sleeve is obtained by filament winding.

10. A method of composing a sleeve assembly used for containment purposes in high-speed machines that is subjected to high operational temperatures, said method consisting of the steps of: providing a composite sleeve by filament winding, said composite sleeve comprising a thermally stable polymer; winding at least two layers of woven fabric on top of said composite sleeve and each other, said woven fabric being impregnated with a thermoset resin and at least one of the at least two layers of woven fabric comprises bidirectional fiber; winding a perforated plastic layer on top of an outermost layer of said layers of woven fabric to remove excess resin from the woven fabric when the woven fabric is wound over the composite sleeve, said perforated layer being configured to provide an exit path for excess resin, wherein said perforated layer comprises a perforated shrink tape or a layer of perforated plastic; wrapping an absorption layer over the composite sleeve for absorbing said excess resin from the exit path of the perforated layer; applying a pressure layer on top of said absorption layer to create a pressure on an outer surface of the composite sleeve, wherein said pressure layer comprises one or more layers of shrink tape or elastic tape; curing said thermoset resin while maintaining a pressure on said woven fabric and said absorption layer using the pressure layer, wherein the composite sleeve upon which the layers of woven fabric are applied, comprises a wet composite sleeve that has not yet or only partially been cured, and wherein said wet composite sleeve and the resin in said layers of woven fabric are cured together; removing said pressure layer, said absorption layer, and said perforated layer after said curing; and providing said cured composite sleeve around permanent magnets on a rotor in a high-speed permanent magnet motor so that the permanent magnets are kept in a precompressed state at all speeds of the high-speed machines.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of said layers of woven fabric is pre-impregnated with a semi-cured thermoset resin.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of said layers of woven fabric is impregnated with the same type of resin as the one used during winding of the composite sleeve.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein said perforated plastic layer consists of a pre-perforated layer.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein said absorption layer comprises at least one layer of a peel-ply.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the pressure on the layers of woven fabric during curing, is provided by a pre-tension of one or more layers of a peel-ply.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention is illustrated with the intention of better showing the characteristics of the invention, as an example without being limitative in any way, to describe a method for composing a sleeve assembly with reference to the accompanying figures:

(2) FIG. 1 schematically represents a perspective view of a sleeve assembly during its manufacturing process.

(3) FIG. 2 schematically represents the process for composing a sleeve assembly used for containment purposes in high-speed machines.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(4) FIG. 1 shows a composite sleeve 1, for example, obtained through filament winding.

(5) On top of said composite sleeve 1 are provided two layers of woven fabric 2. According to a preferred characteristic of the invention, at least one of said layers of woven fabric 2 comprises bidirectional woven fabric. The invention, however, is not limited as such to include the bidirectional woven fabric.

(6) Preferably, each of a first plurality of fibres making part of said woven fabric extends in a respective plane extending perpendicularly to a longitudinal central axis of said composite sleeve 1. A second plurality of fibres making part of said woven fabric 2 preferably extends crosswise with respect to the direction of said first plurality of fibres.

(7) In case use is made of a bidirectional woven fabric 2, the angle between the directions of said first and second plurality of fibres is preferably 90, however, also other angles are possible, such as for example an angle of approximately 60.

(8) According to the invention, as seen in FIG. 2, while carrying out the composition method, a perforated layer 3, for example perforated plastic film or shrink tape, is provided on top of the outermost surface of said layers of woven fabric 2.

(9) Additionally, an absorption layer 4 is provided on said perforated layer 3. The absorption layer 4 preferably, but not necessarily comprises a peel-ply.

(10) Advantageously, an external pressure layer 5, for example a layer of shrink tape or elastic tape, can further be provided on said absorption layer 4 to create a pressure on the outer surface of the composite sleeve.

(11) After the resin in the layers of woven fabric 2 has been cured and set, the pressure layer 5, absorption layer 4 and perforated layer 3 are removed and the sleeve assembly is provided.

(12) The present invention is by no way limited to the forms of embodiment described above and depicted in the drawings. A method according to the invention of composing a sleeve assembly, and a sleeve assembly obtained by such method, can realized in different ways, without departure from the scope of the invention.