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A Fully Non-Metallic Gas Turbine Engine Enabled by Additive Manufacturing

GRC-E-DAA-TN25404 · NASA (NTRS) · 2015

Public domain · NASA (NTRS)Technical Reports

Overview

In a NASA Aeronautics Research Institute (NARI) sponsored program entitled "A Fully Non-Metallic Gas Turbine Engine Enabled by Additive Manufacturing," evaluation of emerging materials and additive manufacturing technologies was carried out. These technologies may enable fully non-metallic gas…

Publisher
NASA (NTRS)
Document
GRC-E-DAA-TN25404
Year
2015
Pages
21

Key points

  • The project aims to develop a fully non-metallic gas turbine engine using polymer and ceramic matrix composites.
  • Additive manufacturing processes are expected to reduce emissions by 8%, fuel burn by 5%, and engine weight by 15% for business jet size engines.
  • Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) is utilized for fabricating high temperature polymer matrix composites, enhancing mechanical properties through fiber reinforcement.
  • Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs) are being developed using Binder Jet printing, which allows for optimized material properties through iterative processing.
  • The project includes testing prototype components under engine operating conditions to evaluate performance improvements.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main objective of the project?

The main objective is to assess the feasibility of using additive manufacturing technologies to fabricate gas turbine engine components from polymer and ceramic matrix composites.

How does the use of composite materials benefit gas turbine engines?

The use of composite materials is expected to reduce emissions, fuel burn, and engine weight, leading to improved efficiency.

What manufacturing process is used for polymer matrix composites?

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) is used for fabricating polymer matrix composites, allowing for quick production and reduced costs.

What are the next steps in the project?

Next steps include optimizing processing techniques, testing components in relevant operating conditions, and investigating fiber coatings to improve bond strength.

What is the significance of the ceramic matrix composites being developed?

Ceramic matrix composites are significant as they represent the first turbine engine components fabricated by additive manufacturing, potentially enhancing performance and durability.

Document

in Phoenix, Arizona

Mrityunjay Singh

October 25–30, 2015 for presentation at the

Cleveland, OH, USA

Ohio Aerospace Institute

NASA Glenn Research Center

International Symposium on Air Breathing Engines

Joseph E. Grady and Michael C. Halbig

nd

Enabled by Additive Manufacturing

A Fully Non-Metallic Gas Turbine Engine

Presentation Outline

for composite materials

• Project Background • Development of Additive Manufacturing processes • Component applications • Next Steps exhaust components & nozzles turbine shroud compressor vanes stator fan bypass fan duct Use of these materials & manufacturing technologies in critical components will Business Jet size turbofan engine reduce emissions (8%), fuel burn (5%), engine weight (15%) for business jet size engines

Lightweight, high temperature composite materials improve engine efficiency

Project Summary

: to fabricate gas turbine engine components from polymer and ceramic matrix composites.

Assess the feasibility of using additive manufacturing technologies Fabricate and test prototype components in engine operating conditions Conduct engine system studies to estimate the benefits of a fully non- metallic gas turbine engine design in terms of reduced emissions, fuel burn and cost Conduct the first comprehensive evaluation of emerging materials and manufacturing technologies that will enable fully non-metallic gas turbine engines for reduced aircraft emissions, fuel burn and noise.

• • • Objective Approach: Jones Chao Lao (Cal Poly), (Acoustic testing): Mike Project Team (Engine Systems & Components): (Additive Manufacturing): Tom Santelle, Clark Patterson Polymer characterization: Eugene Shin - Mike Vinup, Natalie Wali, Don Weir - Engine Systems Analysis: Bill Haller, Sydney Schnulo, Bob Plencner - Materials Characterization: Kathy Chuang, Mike Halbig, Bob Draper - Component Rig Testing: Phil Poinsatte, Doug Thurman - Ceramic Processing: Mrityunjay Singh - Jeremy Mehl (Princeton), Morgan Rhein (Purdue) RP+M Honeywell Aerospace Ohio Aerospace Institute NASA Glenn Research Center NASA Langley Research Center NASA Aeronautics Academy Students: • • • • • •

Fabrication Process Material Characterization Component Demonstrations

• • •

Polymer Matrix Composites

Fused Deposition Modeling Quick turn around time for complex parts Shorter component production and testing cycle Reduced cost of low production volume components • Chopped-fiber reinforcement • Moisture reduction in FDM filament • Versatile printing pattern design Benefits: • • • Fabrication of high temperature PMC was enable by: Melts polymer filament and deposits it layer-by-layer following CAD files

Fused Deposition Modeling for Polymer Matrix Composites

fracture surface fibers are visible in composite neat matrix Addition of 10% chopped fiber (AS4) increased modulus 40% chopped fiber composite

Fiber reinforcement increases modulus of high temperature polymers

composites ° for +/- 45 Process improvement reduced porosity 20% strength increase measured 27% modulus increase and 20% Initial composites were porous mechanical properties Porosity reductions improved and improved composite properties Reduction of moisture content in FDM polymer filament resulted in lower porosity Processing approach was refined to optimize properties of high temperature polymer composites

Compressor Guide Vane Acoustic Liner

• •

PMC Component Applications

7/23/2015 Attachment detail Ultem 1000 composite vane

= 423⁰F) with chopped carbon fiber

by fused deposition g First Stage Compressor Blade

Ultem 1000 (T First Polyetherimide composite fabricated

• •

F operating temperature ⁰ Vane Inlet Guide

Fabricated Compressor Inlet Guide Vanes with High Temperature Polymer Matrix Composites

350 275 200 Use Temperature (⁰F) ABS Ultem 1000 Ultem 9085 Matrix (+C fiber) Vane Configuration in Cascade Rig Other FDM composites being evaluated: Deformation Measurements NASA Glenn Cascade Rig Stress Analysis

Structural integrity of inlet guide vane was evaluated under aerodynamic loading

= 367⁰F) g Honeycomb complex geometries Bonded Structure F operating temperature ⁰ integral facesheet/honeycomb structure is fabricated in one step using Fused Deposition Modeling standard liner configuration Fabricated with monolithic Ultem 9085 thermoplastic (T Perforated Facesheet Current manufacturing approach requires metal forming, bonding and drilling

Fused Deposition Modeling Simplifies Acoustic Liner Fabrication

corner detail shows acoustic perforations panel location ″

Fabrication of full-scale engine access panel demonstrated

inner surface incorporates acoustic treatment liner LaRC acoustic measurements suggest that optimized concept could outperform current liner designs of advanced FDM sample Fabricated 16x2 inch test article Acoustically-tuned passages provide broadband noise attenuation

Fused Deposition Modeling enables fabrication of advanced acoustic liner concepts

Fabrication Process Material Characterization Component Demonstration

• • •

Ceramic Matrix Composites

7/23/2015 print machine tailored binders ExOne’s M-Flex for fabricating advanced ceramics chopped fiber reinforcements and Binder jet printing allows for powder bed processing with An inkjet-like printing head moves across a bed of ceramic powder depositing a liquid binding material in the shape of the object’s cross section

Binder Jet process was adapted for fabricating Ceramic Matrix Composites

SiC powder SiC powder SiC powder Materials, LLC) Si-TUFF SiC fibers (Advanced Composite SiC powder SiC powder loaded SMP-10 Phenolic infiltrant : SiC chopped fiber; 7 micron mean dia, : Carborex 220, 240, 360, and 600 powders SMP-10 (polycarbosilane), SMP-10 w/ SiC powder, (median grain sizes of 53, 45, 23, and 9 microns) Optical microscopy Scanning electron microscopy Material density (as-manufactured and after infiltration) Mechanical properties Processing, microstructure, and property correlations • • • • SiC powders Infiltrants: phenolic (C, Si, SiC powder loaded), pure silicon Fiber reinforcement 65-70 micron mean length, 350 GPa Modulus provide an iterative process for optimizing CMC materials optimization of powder spreading and bimodal distribution of powders is critical • • • Constituents Microstructure Properties

Powder composition is key to Binder Jet processing for structural ceramics and composites

Panels and test coupons fabricated for mechanical property measurements Infiltrations increased density 30% by optimizing composition of ceramic powders used multiple infiltrations with SiC powder-loaded polymers increase material density

Optimization of Binder Jet process for ceramics

first stage nozzle segments cooled doublet nozzle sections SiC/SiC CMCs have 20% chopped SiC fiber high pressure turbine nozzle segments

The first CMC turbine engine components by additive manufacturing

add carbon powder to utilize spherical shaped SiC powders for in polymers using higher temperature thermoplastic

Next Steps

investigate the effect of fiber coatings for optimization of fiber/matrix bond strength Constituent Optimization: improved packing Pursue Alternate Densification Approaches: powder bed for conversion to SiC during infiltration with molten silicon. Fiber Coatings: Reduce porosity filaments (FDM) or thermoset polymers (Selective Laser Sintering) Optimize fiber volume fraction based on property measurements Test components in relevant operating conditions to increase TRL • • • • • Optimize Processing & Improve Properties Thermomechanical Testing Turbine Engine Components •

Source & rights

Source: ntrs.nasa.gov. Public-domain U.S. Government work (17 USC §105) — freely reproducible.

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Document details

Doc number
GRC-E-DAA-TN25404
Publisher
NASA (NTRS)
Year
2015
Pages
21
File size
6.6 MB