The present invention relates to the field of parts made of composite material from a fibrous reinforcement densified by a matrix, in particular turbomachine parts. It is aimed in particular at the parts comprising a cellular structure.
It is known that various turbomachine parts, in particular aircraft turbomachine parts, can be made of a composite material in order to improve their thermomechanical resistance capacities and reduce their mass.
Some composite materials are usually composed of a fibrous reinforcement and a matrix. Examples of parts made of composite material are described in the documents US-A1-2005/258575, DE-A1-102013226017, U.S. Pat. No. 3,676,258, EP-A-244120 and EP-A1-2819838.
The cellular structures can constitute separate parts such as thrust reverser grids or stationary blading wheels. They can also be used in the manufacture of a part to constitute, for example, acoustic functions such as acoustic panels, thrust reverser flaps, etc. or mechanical functions such as self-stiffening panels. An example of a thrust reverser is described in the document EP-A2-2944452.
Several technologies have been identified for manufacturing parts made of composite material, including RTM (Resin Transfer Molding), thermoplastic injection and thermocompression. The RTM injection requires a fibrous reinforcement with in most cases continuous fibres. This technique requires a manual work and is best suited to medium-sized production runs. The thermoplastic injection of a fibrous reinforcement with long or short fibres (fibres in the resin and empty mould beforehand) allow to manufacture parts very quickly and at a high rate of output. However, in the scope of the cellular structures, the mechanical performance of the final parts obtained is limited. The manufacture of cellular structures using this technique creates a difficulty in managing the recollement lines (junction of the material flows that meet). It can be considered for lightly loaded applications. Thermocompression moulding allow to densify a fibrous reinforcement already pre-impregnated with a matrix by applying a pressure and carrying out a thermal treatment at high temperature. In the case of a fibrous reinforcement of the laminated preform type (stacking of plies according to a determined sequence) made up of continuous fibres, the thermocompression is limited by the shape of the parts and it is necessary to drape each cell individually, which is time-consuming and costly. In the case of a discontinuous long fibre lap in combination with thermocompression, significant manufacturing cost savings and the manufacture of more complex shapes can be achieved. However, this technique implies a greater variability in material properties, in particular in the case of the low thickness laps. In particular, the material properties drop with a discontinuous long fibre lap thickness of less than 2.3 mm. Finally, depending on the draping strategy, problems of pull-out or delamination may occur at the level of the junctions of the cell walls, which may weaken the mechanical strength of the final part.
The objective of the present invention is to provide a solution allowing for improving the manufacturing method of a part, in particular of a turbomachine, made of composite material with a cellular structure whose thickness of the walls is low while having the best aerodynamic and mechanical performances.
This is achieved in accordance with the invention by means of a method for manufacturing a composite material part comprising a cellular structure, in particular of a turbomachine, the cellular structure comprising at least one cell delimited by walls, the method comprising the following steps:
Thus, this solution allows to achieve the above-mentioned objective. In particular, with such a continuous hollow braided sock, it is sufficient to pass a core with the shape of the part to be produced. The braided sock provides a continuity of fibres on the walls of the cell, which will then be very fine (of the order of a millimetre, which is not negligible in the aeronautical field, for example) because of the braiding of the sock. The combination of a braided sock and the strip of a discontinuous long fibre lap allows to reduce the dispersion of the mechanical properties. Such a combination also allows for a continuity of the fibres at the level of the junctions of the walls of a cell and even of an adjacent cell. This improves the pull-out strength (mechanical performance) and improves the stiffness of the junction, which reduces the vibrations and therefore improves the aerodynamic performances. In addition, the method is simple and economical, as it allows to avoid the need for extensive handling of plies on a support mandrel, for example.
The method also comprises one or more of the following characteristics and/or steps, taken alone or in combination:
The invention also relates to a turbomachine part made of composite material comprising at least one fibrous reinforcement densified by a matrix, the turbomachine part being produced by the method having any of the preceding characteristics and comprising a cellular structure with at least one cell delimited and separated by walls.
The turbomachine part may be a thrust reverser grid or a thrust reverser flap. The part may also be a pair of vanes connected by a radially internal platform and a radially external platform, the cell separating the pair of vanes in a circumferential direction, a multiplet comprising at least three vanes spaced apart by cells or a turbomachine wheel.
The invention further relates to a turbomachine comprising a composite material part as mentioned above.
The invention will be better understood, and other purposes, details, characteristics and advantages thereof will become clearer upon reading the following detailed explanatory description of embodiments of the invention given as purely illustrative and non-limiting examples, with reference to the appended schematic drawings in which:
The turbomachine 1 in
The part made of composite material with a cellular structure as above is composed of a first fibrous reinforcement with discontinuous long fibres and a second fibrous reinforcement with continuous long fibres. The fibrous reinforcements are intended to provide strength to the final part 20 obtained in particular at the level of the walls or junctions of the part. The cells of the part are obtained by removable cores around which the fibrous reinforcements are placed. The fibrous reinforcements are densified by a matrix to obtain the final rigid part with the cells (whose respective shapes are obtained by the cores).
We will now describe in detail the manufacturing method 100 of such a cellular part. This method is shown in
The method 100 comprises a step 120 of providing a lap 50 of the first fibrous reinforcement as shown in
The DLF lap 50 itself is manufactured from a number of “chips” or coupons comprising oriented fibres. More specifically, the manufacture of the DLF lap 50 comprises cutting a number of coupons from an original lap which comprises unidirectional fibres impregnated with a matrix. Each coupon (of unidirectional pre-impregnated fibres) is approximately 50 mm long and 10 mm wide. Each coupon is also approximately 0.15 mm thick. The manufacture of the DLF lap 50 also comprises the random layering of several coupons. This implies that the fibres of the DLF lap 50 are also randomly (and in all directions) oriented in the plane. The DLF lap is considered isotropic in the plane (same mechanical properties in all directions in the plane of the DLF lap) and is assimilated to an orthotropic material (three planes of orthogonal symmetry).
The manufacturing method 100 of the part comprises a step 130 of producing at least one strip 50a of the DLF lap 50, hereinafter referred to as DLF strip 50a. An example of a DLF strip 50a is shown in
The fibres are advantageously pre-impregnated with a polymeric impregnation matrix. The latter comprises in particular a thermoplastic or thermosetting resin. An example of a thermoplastic resin is a polyamide, polyetheretherketone, polyetherketoneketone, polyphenylene sulfide or polyaryl etherketone. The thermosetting resin comprises, for example, an epoxide or a polyimide. The fibres are mineral, metallic, thermoplastic polymer or thermosetting polymer fibres or a mixture of these fibres. An example of fibre is carbon, glass or aramid fibre.
Preferably, but not restrictively, the DLF lap 50 is of the type marketed under the name HexMC®. The matrix or resin can be an epoxy resin such as 8552® and the fibres are carbon.
With reference to
The threads or strands used to produce the sock 30 comprise mineral, metallic, thermoplastic polymer or thermosetting polymer fibres or a mixture of these fibres. As mineral fibres we have carbon, glass, ceramic, silica, silicon carbide. Thermoplastic or thermosetting polymer fibres can be made of aramid, polyamide or alumina. The metal fibres may comprise steel, titanium, Inconel®, bronze or else copper.
Advantageously, the second fibrous reinforcement of the sock 30 consists of continuous long fibres.
Advantageously, the braiding of the fibrous reinforcement (forming the sock) is a triaxial or biaxial type braiding. A triaxial braiding allows the braid to have a perimeter that does not deform when it is pulled or, conversely, to have a constant height when the perimeter is compressed. This is because it provides stiffness in the longitudinal direction of the braid, which corresponds to the braiding direction. In triaxial braiding, the fibres extend in the preform in three directions, a first direction parallel to the longitudinal direction (forming an angle of 0°) and a second and third direction each forming an angle of between 0° and 90° to the longitudinal direction. The biaxial braiding allows to facilitate the deformation prior to the densification with a matrix.
With reference to
With reference to
The method comprises a step 170 of draping at least one DLF strip 50a of the first fibrous reinforcement over (around) the sock 30. The DLF strip 50a is arranged so as to produce the walls or junctions that separate the cells from the final part. Several DLF strips are arranged and/or stacked around the sock (opposite the draping surfaces) and overlap all or part of the draping surfaces 41, 42. Alternatively, a single and unique DLF strip 50a surrounds the sock segment 37.
The assembly (first assembly) “first sock segment 37 (cut out) containing the first core 40a and a strip 50a draped around the sock 30” is placed (step 180) in a mould 60, which is shown in
These last steps are repeated several times with the same continuous hose sock. That is, a second core 40b is inserted into the same sock 30 which is cut to form a second sock segment 37b (see
Alternatively, as shown in
In the scope of producing the part 20b, the method 100 may comprise, prior to the step 180, a step 190 of arranging a layer of a third fibrous reinforcement on the bottom wall 62 of the mould 60. This third fibrous reinforcement may be a segment of the DLF lap or a continuous long fibre laminate. The various assemblies are placed in the mould on this third reinforcement layer.
The method further comprises a step 200 of polymerising the preform so as to densify the fibrous reinforcements. Advantageously, the polymerisation is a thermocompression. The thermocompression is the application of a predetermined pressure and temperature cycle. The mould 60 is installed in an oven which will be heated. In particular, the polymerisation temperature is between 150° C. and 400° C. The temperature can be stationary or variable during the cycle. During the polymerisation, the pressure applied is between 0.1 and 200 bar. In the case of thermocompression, a force is exerted, for example, on the surface of the sock or by the outer surfaces of the mould. The pressure is applied to the surfaces/faces of each core (in each sock segment) in at least two directions. Advantageously, the pressure is applied in several directions. The pressure can be produced by means of pistons. In the case of a sock produced by triaxial braiding, the height of the sock does not change and the perimeter of the sock is fixed after the polymerisation.
Advantageously, each sock, core, DLF strip or strips assembly may undergo a partial polymerisation or pre-cure step 210. This is a first thermal treatment that starts the polymerisation of the resin or matrix to adapt the minimum viscosity and avoid that the resin is too fluid when pressure is applied while still being malleable. We understand that this step takes place before the polymerisation step 200. Advantageously, this step 210 is carried out before the step 180 of placing in the mould. Such partial polymerisation allows to prevent the migration of too much resin through the sock and the DLF strips. Also, if the resin is too fluid, the resin can flow faster than the fibres, which can cause the resin to be ejected. In this way, the uniform migration of the resin during this partial polymerisation step is controlled and allows the reduction of the porosity areas so as to achieve the expected mechanical performance.
A partial polymerisation step 210 may take place for the ply 51 before the polymerisation step 200. Advantageously, this step 210 is carried out before the ply 51 is placed in the mould 60.
Similarly, in the step 210, the resin is heated to a temperature of between 50° and 150° C. and for a period of between 1 min and 60 min. This temperature depends on the nature of the impregnating resin. The partial polymerisation rate of the impregnating resin is preferably between 10% and 60%. At the end of this step, the sock or socks 30 and the DLF strip or strips 50a are relatively stiff, dry and not sticky.
The solidified part after polymerisation (step 200) is then unmoulded. In the present example, in order to facilitate demoulding, each core 40, 40a, 40b is made of a meltable material such as salt or a eutectic material. Other examples of fusible materials are of course possible. Alternatively, each core 40, 40a, 40b consists of several blocks to facilitate subsequent demoulding. In other words, each core is rigid.
With reference to
In particular, the cell is made by means of a core 40 which is inserted (step 150) into a sock 30 which will be cut (step 160) into a sock segment 38 at the height of the core. The braiding of the sock could be carried out directly on the core which would act as a support mandrel. The sock segment 38 will allow to at least partly delimit the intrados and extrados surfaces of each blade, which are connected upstream by the leading edge and downstream by the trailing edge for each blade. Each blade is made from one or more DLF strips 50a to form a preform 70 of vane blade. To this end, one or more DLF strips 50a are then draped (step 170) around the sock segment containing the core, and in particular on either side of the core (in a direction perpendicular to the face 45). This assembly is then placed (step 180) in the mould 60. The face 45 of the core is arranged so as to be substantially parallel to the bottom wall 62 of the mould. A polymerisation (thermocompression) step 200 is performed to densify the assembly (which is placed in the mould as described above). As in the previous embodiments, a partial polymerisation step 210 may be carried out prior to the polymerisation step. These steps are repeated several times for each pair of vanes spaced by one cell to form a complete wheel.
The method can also allow to manufacture the complete (360°) turbomachine wheel, a multiplet or a sector of a turbomachine wheel. The multiplet or wheel sector comprises at least three vanes (OGV or IGV) spaced by at least two cells. As with the doublet, the multiplet is made integral and in one-piece. To manufacture this multiplet or sector, the same steps described in connection with
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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FR2009424 | Sep 2020 | FR | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/FR2021/051544 | 9/9/2021 | WO |