The Rolls-Royce RB108 was one of the first aero-engines to be manufactured using composites technology. Designed in the early 1950’s, the engine had glass fiber compressor rotor blades and casings.
By the 1970’s designers had turned to composites for the weight-savings necessary for the large nacelles required by the new generation of large high power turbofans.
Today, engine nacelles and thrust reversers include so many major composite components that carbon fiber epoxy Prepregs account for typically half the volume of the entire nacelle structure.
The next step for aero-engine designers has been to apply composites technology to more complex structures within the engine itself. The GE90 is the first large commercial turbofan to use epoxy/carbon composite first stage compressor blades. Other components within the engine, such as guide vanes and fairings, are also converting to composites. For higher temperature applications Bismaleimide (BMI) resin systems are increasingly being used.
Virtually all that can be seen externally of a modern civil aero-engine is composite, and composite materials represent some ten percent of an engine’s total weight.
1 Electronic Control Unit Casing: Epoxy carbon Prepregs
2 Acoustic Lining Panels: Carbon/glass Prepregs, high temperature adhesives, aluminum honeycomb
3 Fan Blades: Epoxy carbon Prepregs or Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) construction
4 Nose Cone: Epoxy glass Prepreg, or RTM
5 Nose Cowl: Epoxy glass Prepreg or RTM construction
6 Engine Access Doors: Woven and UD carbon/glass Prepregs, honeycomb and adhesives
7 Thrust Reverser Buckets: Epoxy woven carbon Prepregs or RTM materials, and adhesives
8 Compressor Fairing: BMI/epoxy carbon Prepreg. Honeycomb and adhesives
9 Bypass Duct: Epoxy carbon Prepreg, non-metallic honeycomb and adhesives
10 Guide Vanes: Epoxy carbon RFI/RTM construction
11 Fan Containment Ring: Woven aramid fabric
12 Nacelle Cowling: Carbon/glass Prepregs and honeycomb
This drawing is generic, to allow the maximum number of potential composite applications to be identified. The drawing is not intended to represent a specific aero-engine.