Composite blade with uni-tape airfoil spars

Abstract

A gas turbine engine composite blade includes an airfoil having pressure and suction sides extending outwardly in a spanwise direction from a blade root along a span to a blade tip. A core section of the blade including composite quasi-isotropic plies extends spanwise outwardly through the blade. One or more spars including a stack of uni-tape plies having predominately a 0 degree fiber orientation with respect to the span and extending spanwise outwardly through the root and a portion of the airfoil towards the tip. Spars may include pressure and suction side spars sandwiching a chordwise extending portion of the core section in the airfoil and which be located near or along the pressure and suction sides respectively. Chordwise extending portion may be centered about a maximum thickness location of the airfoil. Spars may have height, width, and thickness that avoids flexural airfoil modes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A gas turbine engine composite blade comprising:
 an airfoil having pressure and suction sides extending outwardly in a spanwise direction from a blade root of the blade along a span to a blade tip,   a core section of the blade including composite quasi-isotropic plies extending spanwise outwardly through the blade including the root and the airfoil towards the tip,   one or more spars including a stack of uni-tape plies having predominately a 0 degree fiber orientation with respect to the span, and   the one or more spars extending spanwise outwardly through the root and through a portion of the airfoil towards the tip.   
     
     
         2 . The blade as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising the one or more spars including pressure and suction side spars sandwiching a chordwise extending portion of the core section in the airfoil. 
     
     
         3 . The blade as claimed in  claim 2  further comprising the chordwise extending portion of the core section located near or along the pressure and suction sides respectively. 
     
     
         4 . The blade as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising the chordwise extending portion of the core section centered about a maximum thickness location of the airfoil. 
     
     
         5 . The blade as claimed in  claim 4  further comprising the one or more spars including pressure and suction side spars sandwiching a chordwise extending portion of the core section in the airfoil. 
     
     
         6 . The blade as claimed in  claim 5  further comprising the chordwise extending portion of the core section located near or along the pressure and suction sides respectively. 
     
     
         7 . The blade as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising the spars having a spanwise height, chordwise width, and spar thickness that avoids flexural airfoil modes. 
     
     
         8 . The blade as claimed in  claim 7  further comprising the flexural airfoil modes including first and second flexural airfoil modes. 
     
     
         9 . The blade as claimed in  claim 8  further comprising the one or more spars including pressure and suction side spars sandwiching a chordwise extending portion of the core section in the airfoil. 
     
     
         10 . The blade as claimed in  claim 9  further comprising the chordwise extending portion of the core section located near or along the pressure and suction sides respectively. 
     
     
         11 . The blade as claimed in  claim 8  further comprising the chordwise extending portion of the core section centered about a maximum thickness location of the airfoil. 
     
     
         12 . The blade as claimed in  claim 11  further comprising the one or more spars including pressure and suction side spars sandwiching a chordwise extending portion of the core section in the airfoil. 
     
     
         13 . The blade as claimed in  claim 12  further comprising the chordwise extending portion of the core section located near or along the pressure and suction sides respectively. 
     
     
         14 . The blade as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising the one or more spars including chordwise spaced apart upstream and downstream pressure side spars and chordwise spaced apart upstream and downstream suction side spars sandwiching a chordwise extending portion of the core section in the airfoil. 
     
     
         15 . The blade as claimed in  claim 14  further comprising the chordwise extending portion of the core section located near or along the pressure and suction sides respectively. 
     
     
         16 . The blade as claimed in  claim 15  further comprising the chordwise extending portion of the core section centered about a maximum thickness location of the airfoil. 
     
     
         17 . The blade as claimed in  claim 16  further comprising the upstream and downstream pressure side spars and the chordwise spaced apart upstream and downstream suction side spars having a spanwise height, chordwise width, and spar thickness that avoids flexural airfoil modes. 
     
     
         18 . The blade as claimed in  claim 17  further comprising the flexural airfoil modes including first and second flexural airfoil modes. 
     
     
         19 . The blade as claimed in  claim 17  further comprising the chordwise extending portion of the core section located near or along the pressure and suction sides respectively. 
     
     
         20 . The blade as claimed in  claim 19  further comprising the flexural airfoil modes including first and second flexural airfoil modes. 
     
     
         21 . The blade as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising:
 the root includes an integral dovetail, 
 one or more outer cover plies around the core section, and 
 a leading edge metallic shield bonded around the leading edge. 
 
     
     
         22 . The blade as claimed in  claim 21  further comprising the spars having a spanwise height, chordwise width, and spar thickness that avoids flexural airfoil modes. 
     
     
         23 . The blade as claimed in  claim 22  further comprising the flexural airfoil modes including first and second flexural airfoil modes. 
     
     
         24 . The blade as claimed in  claim 23  further comprising the one or more spars including pressure and suction side spars sandwiching a chordwise extending portion of the core section in the airfoil. 
     
     
         25 . The blade as claimed in  claim 24  further comprising the chordwise extending portion of the core section centered about a maximum thickness location of the airfoil. 
     
     
         26 . The blade as claimed in  claim 25  further comprising the chordwise extending portion of the core section located near or along the pressure and suction sides respectively.