The Boeing Company

Michael Jeffrey Graves

Kenneth Harlan Griess

Derek Paul Vetter

Michael Robert Chapman

Mostafa Rassaian

Lyle Ray Deobald

Jonathan Henry Gosse

Thomas S Luhman

Madhavadas Ramnath

Aaron N Rinn

Ying Shan

Harlow G Ahlstrom

Paul D Nedervelt

Thomas D Martin

Andrew E Parrish

Lyle R Deobald

Interlaminar features of a composite structure are laid up by placing and steering individual chopped fiber pre-preg segments onto a substrate.

Forming composite features using steered discontinuous fiber pre-preg

A method of predicting the strength characteristics of a composite laminate may include loading a structural model of a composite laminate formed of a material system. The method may additionally include comparing strain invariants from loading the composite laminate to critical strain invariant values of the material system. The method may also include identifying as a first significant event (FSE) a strain invariant of the matrix and/or the fibers reaching a critical strain invariant value.

Strength prediction system and method for composite laminates

A composite structure having a base charge and an outer channel charge is provided. The outer channel charge has an inner radius and an outer radius. A charge of plies adjacent to the inner radius reduces the inner radius.

Composite structures having reduced area radius fillers and methods of forming the same

There is provided in an embodiment a method of making a composite structure. The method includes the step of applying chopped fiber material in varying thicknesses onto a first ply surface of a first composite charge to form a layered composite charge. The method further includes the step of folding the layered composite charge. The method further includes the step of assembling a second composite charge and the folded layered composite charge to form a composite structure. The chopped fiber material forms a gap filler in the composite structure. The gap filler conforms to a shape of the composite structure surrounding the gap filler. The method further includes processing the composite structure.

Method and system of making composite structures having gap fillers with chopped fiber material

A flywheel system suitable for storing energy when demand for energy from a power plant is low, and from which energy can be retrieved when energy demand increases. The flywheel includes (a) a circular composite or metallic glass ring with a radial width limited to less than about 30 percent of the ring's outer radius, and (b) at least one spoke extending along a diameter of the ring, and attached to the ring at either end. The spoke has sufficient radial extendability due to either bending and elastic radial elongation, or only elastic elongation so that, when the flywheel rotates at operating speed, the spoke extends radially to match the radial growth of the ring, without subjecting the flywheel to significant tension at points of attachment of the spoke to the ring. In one embodiment, both flywheel ring and spoke are made of oriented high strength fibers embedded in a thermoplastic resin. Also provided are a magnetic bearing and motor/generator system that are of an axial-gap design so that magnets are held in a substantially fixed position relative to each other, as the flywheel expands radially under centrifugal forces. Further, both motor/generator and flywheel bearings utilize a system of permanent magnets alternating with a high magnetic permeability composition in order to produce highly uniform magnetic fields in the bearing to reduce magnetic drag and improve efficiency, and to produce high torque in the motor generator. The flywheel bearing assembly includes a bulk high temperature superconductive magnet that provides lateral stability to the flywheel.

Flywheels for energy storage

Growing community of inventors

Seattle, WA, United States of America

Michael Jeffrey Graves