The Phase I efforts aimed at establishing the feasibility of Air Film Damping for controlling vibration induced high-cycle fatigue (HCF) in gas turbine engine components. To establish this goal, current commercially available finite element software was utilized to develop a methodology for predicting the effects of Air Film Damping on dynamic response of simple components such as beams and plates as well as on a more complex component, namely the AADC GMA3007 fan blade. Test articles were fabricated according to the designs and experimental results were compared to the analysis with good correlation. The outcome is a step-by-step procedure for design of Damping Technologies, Incorporated Air Film Damping Systems (DTI/AFDS). The objective of the Phase II program is to apply this methodology to design suitable optimized Air Film Damping Systems for a selected engine component, verify that the predicted performance is achieved, determine and enhance the durability of the systems, and develop suitable manufacturing techniques for production purposes.
Benefits: The Phase II program is expected to yield component geometries and manufacturing processes which may be further developed and placed in production.
