General Electric Company
Frangible Gas Turbine Engine Airfoil

Abstract:

An airfoil including a plurality of spanwise fibers extending between the root and the tip and arranged between the leading edge and the trailing edge. The airfoil includes a matrix material surrounding and securing the plurality of spanwise fibers. The airfoil includes a residual airfoil portion extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge and extending between the root and a frangible line along the span. The residual airfoil portion includes a first portion of the plurality spanwise fibers including a first stiffness. The airfoil further includes a frangible airfoil portion extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge and extending between the tip and the frangible line. The frangible airfoil portion includes a second portion of the plurality of spanwise fibers including a second stiffness less than the first stiffness. The residual airfoil portion meets the frangible airfoil portion at the frangible line.