V-grooves in jet engine designs create an air seal between the engine fan case and the nacelle. V-grooves are commonly made from coated aluminum, which can corrode and suffer damage during prolonged use, resulting in poor sealing and air leakage.
V-groove wear strips made with Vespel® CP-0664 composite offer a durable, low-friction and wear-resistant alternative to coated aluminum in V-groove applications. Vespel® CP-0664 has a demonstrated ability to protect larger engine components and fan cases from damage that can require costly repairs and removal of engines from service.
Application
Jet engine designs utilize v-grooves to create air seals between the engine fan case and nacelle. V-grooves need to be durable to withstand corrosion and multiple impacts over the life of the engine.
Challenges
- Major seal components are typically coated aluminum.
- Coatings have to hold up to repeated impacts to avoid damage to primary metal.
- V-grooves must be treated to prevent corrosion from exposure to weather and operational environments.
- Components must be easily maintained in the field to maximize service time.
Solution
- Vespel® CP-0664 is a unique composite fabric coating used in a variety of aerospace applications up to 400°F/205°C.
- Material can be pre-formed to required geometries for bonding to critical surfaces.
- Fabric provides low friction and durable coating to aluminum surfaces while creating a corrosion barrier.
Features and Benefits
- Wear resistance
Vespel® CP-0664 has seen extensive use in jet engine fans and nacelles and proven itself with years of service. Wear testing has been conducted over a variety of test conditions and proven to survive from 7,500 to over 250,000 cycles. A transfer film is created on the mating metal surface which minimizes the wear on both the metal and composite surfaces.