Rolls-royce Corporation

Jeff Higbie

Robert W Heeter

Benedict N Hodgson

Ben Hodgson

Jon Rivers

The disclosure describes acoustic panels (such as for gas turbine engines) and techniques for forming acoustic panels. In some examples, the acoustic panel comprises a coversheet comprising an outer face, an inner face, and a plurality of apertures extend from the outer face to the inner face. The acoustic panel also comprises a 3D printed support layer comprising a polymer and defining a plurality of cell openings, wherein a first side of the support layer opposite the cell openings is coincident with the inner face of the coversheet, and wherein the 3D printed support layer is 3D printed directly onto the inner face of the coversheet.

Acoustic panel with 3D printed cell structure support layer

In some examples, acoustic panels (such as for gas turbine engines) and techniques for forming acoustic panels. In some examples, the acoustic panel including a coversheet including an outer face, an inner face, and a plurality of apertures extend from the outer face to the inner face. The acoustic panel also includes a 3D-printed support layer including a lattice structure formed at least partially of a polymer, the lattice structure defining a plurality of cells of the support layer, wherein a first side of the support layer is coincident with the inner face of the coversheet.

3D printed acoustic panel with lattice structure support layer

Systems and methods are presented for dampening noise in a rotating machine having a rotatable shaft defining an axis of rotation. An acoustic panel assembly may comprise an annular casing, a hook, and an acoustic panel carried by the hook. The acoustic panel comprises a radially inner skin, a radially outer skin, and an acoustic treatment member having a plurality of walls extending between the radially inner skin and the radially outer skin thereby defining a plurality of radially oriented cells. A portion of the cells adjacent a first axial edge of the acoustic panel are filled with a reinforcement material and shaped to form a lip having sufficient strength to support a portion of the acoustic panel. The panel is positioned so that the lip is axially and radially retained by the hook.

Acoustic panel with reinforced lip

Systems and methods are presented for acoustic dampening in a rotating machine. The rotating machine has a rotatable shaft defining an axis of rotation and a gas flowpath. A system comprises an acoustic panel affixed to an annular casing. The acoustic panel comprises an acoustic treatment member extending between a radially inner skin and radially outer skin. The radially inner skin extends the full axial and circumferential dimensions of the acoustic panel, and the acoustic treatment member overlays the entirety of the radially inner skin. The acoustic panel is positioned so that the radially outer skin abuts the casing, the abutting surfaces being configured to effect relative axial movement between the surfaces while maintaining contact between the surfaces. The acoustic panel is affixed in position to the casing by one or more fasteners passing through the casing and a portion of the radially outer skin.

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Indianapolis, IN, United States of America

Jeff Higbie