June 18, 2014

Structural Optimization of
Turbine Engine Components
for a Competitive Advantage
Don Holcomb, Ph.D., MBB
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Outline
Honeywell - overview
The design problem
Optimize subject to ever changing constraints

Turbine engine design

The process
The opportunity

Example of component optimization

Bypass duct
Frame

Implication for improved system design

Conclusion:

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Optimization provides a
competitive advantage.
2014 Honeywell International Inc.

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Honeywell International Overview

$40.3-40.7B
in Sales*

54%
Sales Outside U.S.

1,300 sites, 70 countries

132,000 employees
22,000 engineers

Morristown, NJ
headquarters
Fortune 100

Aerospace

Performance
Materials and
Technologies

Automation and
Control Solutions

Transportation
Systems

*2014 guidance, April 2013

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Honeywells Businesses
Aerospace

Automation and
Control Solutions

Performance
Materials and
Technologies

Transportation
Systems

Phoenix, AZ
Headquarters

Minneapolis, MN
Headquarters

Morristown, NJ
Headquarters

Rolle, Switzerland
Headquarters

$12.1-12.3 billion
sales*

$16.4-16.6 billion
sales*

$6.9-7.0 billion
sales*

$3.6-3.7 billion
sales*
*2013 guidance, April 2013

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Design: Matches Requirements to Capability

Our product development
philosophy attempts to produce a
design that
matches production feasibility
with customer expectation.

CUSTOMER
REQUIREMENTS

DESIGN

PRODUCTION
CAPABILITY

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Design as an Optimization Problem

The design problem:
Max: Earning = value - cost
Subject To: Constraints
(customer, regulatory, internal)
Constraints change as the
design evolves.
Internal and external constraints
Customers perception of value changes
Identifying feasible designs of a complex system is
difficult.
Designs that may appear to be feasible, may be
infeasible upon closer review.
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Now, on to Aircraft Engines Design

HTF7000

Highly Successful 14-year Old Design, but a 2014

Engine Design Must Have Greater Power Density
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How Does a New Engine Design Evolve?

Gas turbine concept design can be viewed as a
hierarchical process
1) Thermodynamics
2) Flowpath generation
3) Airfoils
4) Disks

Rotating components,
internal and external
flowpaths

5) Shafts
6) Cases
7) Frames

Static features

8) Nacelles
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Current State of Component Design

Due to fewer constraints, structures often take the
unbounded left-over space

Tightly constrained design space.

Adding mass may hurt
Small changes to the optimal design
may result in an infeasible design.
Design established and set in early
design phases.

Usually adding more material solves

design issues.
Changes are common in late stages to
accommodate requirement changes
and issues with other components.

Historical design process has lead to

sub-optimized designs for weight.
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Honeywell / Altair Example: Outer Fan Ducts

Frame Flange
Aft Mount

Aft Outer Fan Duct

Flange

Complex Load
Cases
Forward Outer Bypass
Duct (FOBD)

Aft Outer Fan

Duct Ring

Aft Outer Bypass Duct (AOBD)

View From Above, Aft, Inboard

Initial: > 500 lb of Aluminum forgings

Final: ~53 lb Hogouts
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FOBD & AOBD Topology Optimization

Topology Results View 1

Original Design
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Topology Load Paths

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FOBD & AOBD Topology Optimization

Topology Results View 2

Topology Load Paths

Original Design
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FOBD & AOBD Topology Optimization

Topology Results and Interpretation

Topology Interpretation
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Topology Load Paths

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FOBD and AOBD Optimization Final Results

Optimization Weight Results

% Reduction
FOBD

27.0%

AOBD

29.5%

Total Weight

28.6%

Weight Reduction Results Very Significant

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HTF7000 Investment Cast Front Frame

Complexity Is Everywhere

Front Perspective
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Back Perspective
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Front Frame Structural Requirements

Primary engine to aircraft mount structure
Loads generated from:
Engine in flight maneuvers (complex matrix)
Fan blade-out dynamic event
Enormously complex event; major damage allowed

Large, medium, and small bird ingestion event

Very complex events, major damage allowed; 2 minute engine operation;
no damage

Fan blade ice shed scenarios

Post-blade-out windmilling fly home loads

Discrete source damage events e.g., fire, rotor burst, etc.

Provide proper placement and stiffness for rotor bearings
Plus many non-structural requirements:
Guides airflow and supports many external components
Provide oil carrying sumps and services
DFx: x assembly, reparability, cost, manufacture
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Honeywell Front Frame

OptiStruct Optimized Frame Geometry
Mid-ring Stiffeners Were
Scalloped to Lower
Mass and Help Reduce
Stresses in Outer Struts
Forward
Frame Part

% Weight
Savings

Outer Ring

0.3%

Mid Ring

11.5%

Inner Cone

31.0%

Struts

0.0%

Total

9.7%

Weight Reduction Results

Very Significant
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Optimized System from Optimized Components

Establish performance and feasible region boundaries
Predicted performance before production.
Each performance curve is a loci of optimal points.
Impeller Clearance vs Duct Stiffness

Duct Stiffness vs Weight

Stiffness
Stiffness

Component

Clearance
Clearance

Lose

Stiff

System

Tight

Soft

Light

Soft
Weight

Weight

Heavy

Stiff
Stiffness
Stiffness

Topological optimization of components

provides for a more optimal system design.
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Summary and Final Thoughts

Gas turbine industry is rapidly moving towards
sophisticated structural optimization
What is possible?
Emergence of tools, such as OptiStruct, and processes to use the
power of new tools will enable dramatically improved structures
design

What is the new business mind-set and expectation?

Growing awareness of the low hanging fruit of structure weight
reduction potential is driving the efforts and trend

How will we fully leverage non-conventional geometries?

New manufacturing processes take advantage of arbitrary
geometries (e.g., additive manufacturing)

Topological optimization creates greater product value

and may reduce cost

Enables more competitive product offering.

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