Gas turbine engine support structure with internal lattice
A manufacturing method is provided during which a body is additively manufactured. The body includes an engine case for a gas turbine engine, a support structure and an aperture. The support structure projects out from the engine case. The support structure includes a lattice, a wall and an internal volume. The wall surrounds the lattice. The internal volume is within the support structure along the lattice. The internal volume is filled with powder. The aperture is at an intersection between the engine case and the support structure. The powder is extracted from the internal volume through the aperture.
1. An apparatus for an aerial vehicle, comprising:
an engine case of a gas turbine engine, the engine case extending circumferentially around and axially along an axial centerline; and
a support structure projecting out from the engine case, the support structure including a lattice, an exterior wall, an internal volume, an aperture, a first member and a second member, the exterior wall surrounding the lattice, the internal volume formed by interstices within the lattice and by interstices between the lattice and the exterior wall, the aperture fluidly coupling the internal volume with a plenum outside of the support structure, the first member projecting out from the engine case along a first trajectory, the second member projecting out from the engine case along a second trajectory that is angularly offset from the first trajectory, and the internal volume within the first member and the second member;
the engine case and the support structure included in a monolithic body.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lattice comprises a triply periodic minimal surface structure.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a section of a vehicle body circumscribing the engine case;
the support structure extending between and connecting the engine case and the section of the vehicle body; and
the section of the vehicle body further included in the monolithic body.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein
the monolithic body further includes a combustor; and
the engine case extends axially along and circumferentially around the combustor.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the monolithic body is configured to house a compressor rotor and a turbine rotor within an interior volume of the monolithic body.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the monolithic body forms a stationary structure of the gas turbine engine.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the aperture is arranged at a gravitational bottom of the internal volume.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the aperture projects through the exterior wall.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the aperture is disposed outside of a fillet between the support structure and the engine case.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the internal volume comprises interstices within the lattice.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the internal volume comprises interstices between the exterior wall and the lattice.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the internal volume comprises a plurality of passages.
13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first member diverges away from the second member as the first member extends along the first trajectory.
14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first member converges towards the second member as the first member extends along the first trajectory.
15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an intersection between the first member and the second member is located at the engine case.
16. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an intersection between the first member and the second member is located away from the engine case.
17. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein
a bore extends within the lattice; and
the bore is fluidly decoupled from the internal volume.
18. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein
the monolithic body further includes at least a section of a vehicle body; and
the support structure extends between and connects the engine case and the section of the vehicle body.
19. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the monolithic body further includes an actuator mount spaced outboard from the engine case.
20. An apparatus for an aerial vehicle, comprising:
an engine case of a gas turbine engine, the engine case extending circumferentially around and axially along an axial centerline;
a section of a vehicle body circumscribing the engine case; and
a support structure extending between and connecting the engine case and the section of the vehicle body, the support structure including a lattice, an exterior wall, an internal volume, a first member and a second member, the exterior wall surrounding the lattice, the internal volume formed by interstices within the lattice and by interstices between the lattice and the exterior wall, the volume extending in the first member and the second member, the first member projecting along a first trajectory away from the engine case towards the section of the vehicle body, the second member projecting along a second trajectory away from the engine case towards the section of the vehicle body, and the second trajectory angularly offset from the first trajectory;
the engine case, the support structure and the section of the vehicle body included in a monolithic body.