Fan casing for a gas turbine engine

Abstract

The present invention relates to a fire resistant fan casing for a gas turbine engine. The casing has a projection such as a reinforcing rib or a mounting pad. The projection comprises at least one shell portion formed of a fiber/plastic composite material encasing a core of fire resistant material such as a metallic material or a ceramic matrix composite material.

Claims

1. A gas turbine casing comprising: a radially-outwardly-extending projection, wherein the radially-outwardly-extending projection comprises at least one shell portion formed of a fibre/plastic composite material encasing a core of fire resistant material so as to maintain structural strength of the projection while improving fire resistance of the gas turbine casing.

2. The gas turbine casing according to claim 1 wherein the casing is an annular casing with the projection at least partly circumscribing the annular casing.

3. The gas turbine casing according to claim 1 wherein the fire resistant core is a metallic, metallic matrix composite, ceramic or a ceramic matrix composite core.

4. The gas turbine casing according to claim 3 wherein the fire resistant core is a titanium core.

5. The gas turbine casing according to claim 1 wherein the fibre/plastic composite material comprises carbon, glass, aramid or boron fibres and a bismaleimide (8MI), polyimide or epoxy resin.

6. The gas turbine casing according to claim 1 wherein the projection comprises a spacer portion spacing the shell portion from the casing.

7. The gas turbine casing according to claim 1 wherein the projection is a reinforcing rib.

8. The gas turbine casing according to claim 1 wherein the projection is a mounting pad.

9. A gas turbine engine comprising the gas turbine casing according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a cross section through a ducted fan gas turbine engine incorporating the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 shows an axial cross section through a first embodiment of the invention;

(4) FIG. 2b shows an axial cross section through a second embodiment of the invention;

(5) FIG. 3 shows an axial cross section through a third embodiment of the present invention;

(6) FIGS. 4 and 4b show axial cross sections through a fourth embodiment of the invention;

(7) FIG. 5 shows an axial cross section through a fifth embodiment of the present invention;

(8) FIG. 5b shows an axial cross-section through a sixth embodiment of the present invention; and

(9) FIG. 5c shows a radial cross-section through the fifth and sixth embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION AND FURTHER OPTIONAL FEATURES OF THE INVENTION

(10) With reference to FIG. 1, a ducted fan gas turbine engine incorporating the invention is generally indicated at 10 and has a principal and rotational axis X-X. The engine comprises, in axial flow series, an air intake 11, a propulsive fan 12, an intermediate pressure compressor 13, a high-pressure compressor 14, combustion equipment 15, a high-pressure turbine 16, an intermediate pressure turbine 17, a low-pressure turbine 18 and a core engine exhaust nozzle 19. A nacelle 21 generally surrounds the engine 10 and defines the intake 11, a bypass duct 22 and a bypass exhaust nozzle 23.

(11) During operation, air entering the intake 11 is accelerated by the fan 12 to produce two air flows: a first air flow A into the intermediate pressure compressor 13 and a second air flow B which passes through the bypass duct 22 to provide propulsive thrust. The intermediate pressure compressor 13 compresses the air flow A directed into it before delivering that air to the high pressure compressor 14 where further compression takes place.

(12) The compressed air exhausted from the high-pressure compressor 14 is directed into the combustion equipment 15 where it is mixed with fuel and the mixture combusted. The resultant hot combustion products then expand through, and thereby drive the high, intermediate and low-pressure turbines 16, 17, 18 before being exhausted through the nozzle 19 to provide additional propulsive thrust. The high, intermediate and low-pressure turbines respectively drive the high and intermediate pressure compressors 14, 13 and the fan 12 by suitable interconnecting shafts.

(13) The engine is surrounded by an annular fan case 24 formed of carbon fibre-reinforced bismaleimide resin. A projection 25 is provided extending radially outwardly from the annular fan case 24.

(14) Further detail of the annular projection 25 is shown in the remaining Figures. FIGS. 2 to 4 show an annular reinforcing rib which circumscribes the fan casing 24 whilst FIGS. 5 and 5b show a mounting pad.

(15) As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the reinforcing rib 25′ comprises a shell portion 26. In the embodiments, shown in FIGS. 2, 2b and 3, the shell portion 26 is spaced from the fan casing 24 by a spacer portion 27. The spacer portion 27 is connected to an adjacent titanium mating ring 28 through a bolt 30.

(16) In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, there is no spacer portion and the shell portion 26 extends to the fan casing 24. In addition to functioning as a reinforcing rib, this embodiment can be used to mount an accessory 31 via an axial bolt 30 through the core 29 (as shown in FIG. 4b).

(17) The fan case 24 and shell portion 26 (and spacer portion 27 when present) are all formed of carbon fibre-reinforced bismaleimide resin in this example. The carbon fibres form a woven fibrous network infused with the resin. The fibrous network of the fan case 24 and shell portion 26 (and spacer portion 27 when present) are integrated such that the rib 25′ is integral with the fan case 24.

(18) FIGS. 5 and 5b shows an embodiment having a mounting pad 25″ onto which accessories can be bolted to secure them to the fan casing 24. The mounting pad 25″ has a shell portion 26 which is integral with the fan casing 24. In this example, the fan casing 24 and shell portion are formed of carbon fibre-reinforced bismaleimide resin.

(19) In all embodiments, the shell portion 26 encases a core 29 formed of titanium metal. The surface of the titanium core is machined to form grooves to help intimate bonding between the core and the shell portion.

(20) The embodiments shown in FIGS. 2, 2b and 3 differ in that, in FIG. 2, the core 29 has a square cross-sectional profile, in FIG. 2b, the core 29 has a rectangular cross-sectional profile (with the major axis of the rectangular core axially aligned with the casing), and, in FIG. 3, the core 29 has a T-shaped cross-sectional profile.

(21) The embodiments shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 have a rectangular cross-sectional profile.

(22) The embodiment shown in FIG. 5b has a wedge-shaped cross-sectional profile. A wedge-shaped core is useful for maintaining a cylindrical mounting surface on a conical annular casing.

(23) As can be seen from FIG. 5c, the radial cross-sectional profile of the core 29 can vary circumferentially for the mounting pad according to the fifth and sixth embodiments.

(24) To form the projection 25, the fibrous network of carbon fibres of the shell portion is formed around the grooved titanium core and placed in a mould. Using the known resin transfer moulding (RTM) process, bismaleimide resin is introduced into the mould under high pressure and the resin infuses and keys with the fibrous network and with grooves on the titanium core.

(25) Although only a single shell portion 26 and core 29 are shown in each of FIGS. 2 to 4, the reinforcing rib 25′ comprises a plurality of shell portions/cores circumferentially spaced around the annular rib 25′, each shell portion/core circumscribing a portion of the annular casing 24.

(26) The titanium core maintains the structural strength of the reinforcing projection/mounting pad without the need for a large thickness of composite material which leads to prolonged burning during fire resistant tests. The thickness of the composite material in the shell portion is typically less than 6 mm such that rapid burn-off of the resin may occur.

(27) While the invention has been described in conjunction with the exemplary embodiments described above, many equivalent modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art when given this disclosure. Accordingly, the exemplary embodiments of the invention set forth above are considered to be illustrative and not limiting. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

(28) All references referred to above are hereby incorporated by reference.