Stacked oil filter assembly with reduced fuel temperature rise

Abstract

The application provides a stack type oil filter assembly for reducing fuel temperature rise, belonging to the technical field of aero-engines, comprising an oil storage cavity, a fuel storage cavity, an oil filter, a fuel filter, a heat exchanger, a bypass oil path, a valve assembly and a temperature sensing element, the oil storage cavity is communicated with the oil filter through the bypass oil path; the valve assembly is arranged on the bypass oil path, the valve assembly is connected with an elastic element, the temperature sensing element is connected with the valve assembly, and the temperature sensing element can drive the valve assembly to overcome the elastic force to open the bypass oil path through deformation under the action of the fuel temperature. The temperature sensing element detects the temperature of the fuel, when the fuel temperature exceeds the standard, the temperature sensing element drives the valve assembly to open the bypass oil path through deformation under the action of the fuel temperature, and the high-temperature oil flows into the oil filter through the bypass oil path for filtration, so that the purpose of reducing the fuel temperature is achieved, the service life of the fuel pump and various fuel control elements is prevented from being shortened due to the excessively high heating temperature rise of the oil, and the reliability is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of aero-engine technology, and more specifically to a stacked oil filter assembly for reducing fuel temperature rise. Background Technology

[0002] The oil filter assembly is an important component of the accessory drive system, which is a crucial part of the aero-engine. The design of the accessory drive system must not only meet the overall functional requirements but also demand higher reliability, smaller size, and better maintainability.

[0003] An oil filter assembly is an integrated structural component that centrally realizes the functions of fuel and lubricating oil pressurization, filtration, and heat exchange in the engine's fuel and lubricating oil system. It typically includes accessories such as a fuel filter, lubricating oil filter, lubricating oil filter bypass valve, heat exchanger, and fuel and lubricating oil pressure and temperature measuring sensors to realize the functions of the oil filter assembly. Filtration is achieved through the fuel and lubricating oil filter element, and the fuel and lubricating oil flow inside and outside the heat exchanger to achieve heat exchange between the fuel and lubricating oil.

[0004] In existing aircraft engine oil filter assemblies, lubricating oil and fuel circulate inside and outside the heat exchanger. After the fuel is heated by the lubricating oil, its temperature rises. The heat exchanger structure design of each oil filter assembly is different, resulting in different fuel temperature rises. However, the internal structure of the fuel pump and various fuel control components have limited capacity to withstand fuel temperature rises. Excessive fuel temperature rise will shorten the service life of the fuel pump and various fuel control components, thereby affecting the safety and service life of the entire engine. In addition, existing oil filter assemblies all adopt a flat structure with the lubricating oil filter and fuel filter side by side, which occupies more space during installation and is not conducive to improving the compactness of the structural layout. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the defect in the prior art that excessive fuel temperature rise will shorten the service life of fuel pump and various fuel control components, thereby affecting the safety and working life of the entire engine, and thus provide a stacked oil filter assembly to reduce fuel temperature rise.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides a stacked oil filter assembly for reducing fuel temperature rise, comprising: an oil storage chamber, a fuel storage chamber, an oil filter, a fuel filter, and a heat exchanger, wherein the oil passage of the heat exchanger is connected to the oil filter through an oil passage, the fuel passage of the heat exchanger is connected to the fuel storage chamber through an oil passage, and the fuel storage chamber is connected to the fuel filter through an oil passage.

[0007] A bypass oil passage connects the lubricating oil storage chamber to the lubricating oil filter.

[0008] A valve assembly is disposed on the bypass oil passage, and an elastic element is connected to the valve assembly. The elastic element has an elastic force that causes the valve assembly to block the bypass oil passage.

[0009] A temperature sensing element is connected to the valve assembly. Under the influence of fuel temperature, the temperature sensing element can drive the valve assembly to overcome the elastic force and open the bypass oil passage by deformation.

[0010] Optionally, the lubricating oil storage chamber, the bypass oil passage, and the fuel storage chamber are stacked sequentially. After the valve assembly passes through the bypass oil passage, one end of the valve assembly extends into the lubricating oil storage chamber, and the other end of the valve assembly extends into the fuel storage chamber.

[0011] Optionally, the valve assembly includes:

[0012] A valve core is disposed in the lubricating oil storage cavity. The valve core is connected to the elastic element and blocks the connection between the lubricating oil storage cavity and the bypass oil passage through the valve core.

[0013] The valve stem is connected to the valve core, and the valve stem passes through the bypass oil passage and is connected to the temperature sensing element.

[0014] Optionally, the temperature sensing element is detachably connected to the fuel storage chamber.

[0015] Optionally, the oil filter assembly further includes a main housing, wherein the lubricating oil storage chamber, the fuel storage chamber, the lubricating oil filter, the fuel filter, the heat exchanger, and the bypass oil passage are all disposed in the main housing.

[0016] Optionally, the fuel filter and the lubricating oil filter are stacked in a direction perpendicular to the mounting surface (91) of the main housing (9).

[0017] Optionally, a passage for installing the temperature sensing element is provided between the lubricating oil storage chamber and the fuel storage chamber, and a sealing element is provided between the inner wall of the passage and the temperature sensing element.

[0018] The technical solution of this invention has the following advantages:

[0019] 1. This invention provides a stacked oil filter assembly for reducing fuel temperature rise. A temperature sensing element detects the fuel temperature. When the fuel temperature exceeds the standard, the temperature sensing element, under the influence of the fuel temperature, deforms and drives a valve assembly to overcome the elastic force of the elastic element and open a bypass oil passage. Due to the presence of heat exchange fins in the heat exchanger, the lubricating oil encounters significant resistance when entering the heat exchanger. With the bypass oil passage open, most of the high-temperature lubricating oil entering from the lubricating oil inlet flows directly into the lubricating oil filter for filtration without passing through the heat exchanger. This reduces the fuel temperature, prevents the fuel from overheating due to lubricating oil, thus shortening the service life of the fuel pump and various fuel control components, and improves reliability.

[0020] When the fuel temperature is within the normal range, the valve assembly blocks the bypass oil passage under the action of the elastic element, and the lubricating oil no longer enters the bypass oil passage. All the lubricating oil enters the heat exchanger to participate in heat exchange, thus ensuring the fuel temperature.

[0021] 2. The lubricating oil storage chamber, bypass oil passage, and fuel storage chamber provided by the present invention are arranged in a sequentially stacked manner. The valve assembly passes through the bypass oil passage, with one end extending into the lubricating oil storage chamber and the other end extending into the fuel storage chamber. The stacked arrangement is compact and the space is reasonably set. Furthermore, the valve assembly extends into the lubricating oil storage chamber and the fuel storage chamber at both ends, respectively, directly linking the temperature of the fuel with the opening and closing of the bypass oil passage, resulting in better control.

[0022] 3. The valve assembly provided by the present invention includes a valve core and a valve stem. The valve core is located at the connection between the lubricating oil storage chamber and the bypass oil passage. The temperature sensing element acts on the valve stem by sensing temperature deformation. The movement of the valve stem drives the valve core to open and close the bypass oil passage, realizing the entry of lubricating oil into the bypass oil passage. The valve stem acts as a bridge between the fuel temperature and the opening and closing of the bypass oil passage. The structure is simple and the control is convenient and quick.

[0023] 4. The temperature sensing element provided by the present invention can be detachably connected to the fuel storage chamber, making installation convenient. According to the set fuel temperature, it is easy to replace the temperature sensing element with different sensing levels.

[0024] 5. The lubricating oil storage chamber, fuel storage chamber, lubricating oil filter, fuel filter, bypass oil passage and heat exchanger provided by the present invention are all located in the main unit box, integrating each chamber into one unit, eliminating the need for external pipelines and reducing the number of parts.

[0025] 6. The fuel filter and lubricating oil filter provided by the present invention are stacked in a direction perpendicular to the mounting surface of the main casing. The layout is compact and the space is reasonably set, which reduces the overall outline size, minimizes the installation space, and achieves a smaller size and better maintainability.

[0026] 7. The present invention provides a through cavity for installing a temperature sensing element between the lubricating oil storage cavity and the fuel storage cavity. A sealing element is provided between the temperature sensing element and the inner wall of the through cavity. The sealing element prevents the fuel and lubricating oil from mixing, thus ensuring the quality of the fuel and lubricating oil. Attached Figure Description

[0027] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the path of lubricating oil and fuel in a specific embodiment of the stacked oil filter assembly for reducing fuel temperature rise provided in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A top view of a stacked oil filter assembly that reduces fuel temperature rise;

[0030] Figure 3 for Figure 2 BB section view in the middle;

[0031] Figure 4 for Figure 2 A partial structural cross-sectional view of AA in the image;

[0032] Figure 5 for Figure 2 A partial structural cross-sectional view of AA in the image;

[0033] Figure 6 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the valve assembly.

[0034] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0035] 1. Lubricating oil storage chamber; 2. Fuel storage chamber; 3. Lubricating oil filter; 4. Fuel filter; 5. Heat exchanger; 6. Bypass oil passage; 7. Valve assembly; 71. Elastic element; 72. Valve core; 73. Valve stem; 8. Temperature sensing element; 9. Main housing; 91. Mounting surface; 10. Seal. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The technical solution of the present invention will now be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0037] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0038] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0039] Furthermore, the technical features involved in the different embodiments of the present invention described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0040] The stacked oil filter assembly for reducing fuel temperature rise provided in this embodiment is used in aircraft engines to realize functions such as fuel and lubricating oil pressurization, filtration, and heat exchange in the engine's fuel and lubricating oil system.

[0041] like Figure 1-5The diagram illustrates a specific embodiment of the stacked oil filter assembly for reducing fuel temperature rise provided in this example. It includes: an oil storage chamber 1, a fuel storage chamber 2, an oil filter 3, a fuel filter 4, a heat exchanger 5, a bypass oil passage 6, a valve assembly 7, and a temperature sensing element 8. The oil passage of the heat exchanger 5 is connected to the oil filter 3 via an oil passage, and the fuel passage of the heat exchanger 5 is connected to the fuel storage chamber 2 via an oil passage. The fuel storage chamber 2 is connected to the fuel filter 4 via an oil passage, and the oil storage chamber 1 is connected to the oil filter 3 via the bypass oil passage 6. The valve assembly 7 is disposed on the bypass oil passage 6, and an elastic element 71 is connected to the valve assembly 7. The elastic element 71 has an elastic force that causes the valve assembly 7 to block the bypass oil passage 6. The temperature sensing element 8 is connected to the valve assembly 7, and under the influence of fuel temperature, the temperature sensing element 8 can deform to drive the valve assembly 7 to overcome the elastic force and open the bypass oil passage 6. The elastic element 71 can be a helical spring or the like, and the temperature sensing element 8 can be a temperature-sensitive bimetallic strip. When the temperature rises, the temperature-sensitive bimetallic strip expands and can push the valve assembly 7 to move, opening the bypass oil passage 6. Alternatively, as an alternative implementation, the elastic element 71 can be other structural components with elastic force, and the temperature sensing element 8 can be other temperature-sensitive structures that have deformation characteristics according to temperature changes.

[0042] The flow process of fuel oil and lubricating oil is analyzed as follows:

[0043] The flow path of fuel in the oil filter assembly is as follows: fuel enters the fuel passage of heat exchanger 5 through the fuel inlet on the oil filter assembly, and is heated after exchanging heat with lubricating oil in heat exchanger 5. The heated fuel enters the fuel storage chamber 2 through the fuel passage of heat exchanger 5 via the oil passage. Then the fuel in fuel storage chamber 2 enters the fuel filter 4 through the oil passage for filtration. The filtered fuel flows out from the fuel outlet of the oil filter assembly.

[0044] The flow path of lubricating oil in the oil filter assembly is as follows: the lubricating oil enters the lubricating oil passage of the heat exchanger 5 through the lubricating oil inlet on the oil filter assembly, exchanges heat with the fuel in the heat exchanger 5 to heat the fuel, and the lubricating oil after heat exchange enters the lubricating oil filter 3 through the oil passage of the heat exchanger 5 for filtration. The filtered lubricating oil flows out from the lubricating oil outlet of the oil filter assembly.

[0045] The bypass route of the lubricating oil in the oil filter assembly is as follows: the lubricating oil enters the lubricating oil storage chamber 1 through the lubricating oil inlet on the oil filter assembly, the lubricating oil in the lubricating oil storage chamber 1 enters the lubricating oil filter 3 through the bypass oil passage 6 for filtration, and the filtered lubricating oil flows out from the lubricating oil outlet of the oil filter assembly.

[0046] The temperature sensor 8 detects the temperature of the fuel in the fuel storage chamber 2. When the fuel temperature exceeds the standard, the temperature sensor 8, under the influence of the fuel temperature, deforms and drives the valve assembly 7 to overcome the elastic force of the elastic element 71, opening the bypass oil passage 6. Due to the presence of the heat exchange fins in the heat exchanger 5, the lubricating oil encounters significant resistance when entering the heat exchanger 5. At this time, most of the high-temperature lubricating oil flows directly into the lubricating oil filter 3 without passing through the heat exchanger 5 through the unobstructed bypass oil passage 6, thereby reducing the fuel temperature and preventing the fuel from shortening the service life of the fuel pump and various fuel control components due to excessive fuel heating, thus improving reliability. When the fuel temperature is within the normal range, the temperature sensor 8 returns to its original position, and the valve assembly 7, under the action of the elastic element 71, blocks the bypass oil passage 6. Lubricating oil no longer enters the bypass oil passage 6, and all lubricating oil enters the heat exchanger 5 to participate in heat exchange, ensuring the fuel temperature.

[0047] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in the stacked oil filter assembly for reducing fuel temperature rise provided in this embodiment, the lubricating oil storage chamber 1, the bypass oil passage 6, and the fuel storage chamber 2 are stacked sequentially. The valve assembly 7 passes through the bypass oil passage 6, with one end extending into the lubricating oil storage chamber 1 and the other end extending into the fuel storage chamber 2. This stacked arrangement not only creates a compact layout and a more reasonable spatial arrangement, minimizing installation space and achieving a smaller overall size, but also, with both ends of the valve assembly 7 extending into the lubricating oil storage chamber 1 and the fuel storage chamber 2 respectively, directly correlates the fuel temperature with the opening and closing of the bypass oil passage 6, resulting in better control. Alternatively, as an alternative implementation, the lubricating oil storage chamber 1, the bypass oil passage 6, and the fuel storage chamber 2 can also have other arrangements, such as a horizontal arrangement.

[0048] like Figure 6 As shown in the figure, in the stacked oil filter assembly for reducing fuel temperature rise provided in this embodiment, the valve assembly 7 includes a valve core 72 and a valve stem 73. The valve core 72 is disposed in the lubricating oil storage chamber 1 and is connected to the elastic element 71. The valve core 72 blocks the connection between the lubricating oil storage chamber 1 and the bypass oil passage 6. The valve stem 73 is connected to the valve core 72 and passes through the bypass oil passage 6 before connecting to the temperature sensing element 8. The temperature sensing element 8 acts on the valve stem 73 by sensing temperature deformation. For example, the temperature sensing element 8 is a temperature-sensitive bimetallic strip. When the temperature rises, the temperature-sensitive bimetallic strip expands, pushing the valve stem 73 connected to it to move. The movement of the valve stem 73 causes the valve core 72 to open and close the bypass oil passage 6, realizing the entry of lubricating oil into the bypass oil passage 6. The valve stem 73 acts as a bridge between fuel temperature and the opening and closing of the bypass oil passage. The structure is simple and the control is convenient and quick.

[0049] In the stacked oil filter assembly for reducing fuel temperature rise provided in this embodiment, the temperature sensing element 8 is detachably connected to the fuel storage chamber 2. Installation is convenient, and temperature sensing elements 8 with different sensitivity levels can be easily replaced according to the set fuel temperature.

[0050] like Figure 2-6 As shown in this embodiment, the stacked oil filter assembly for reducing fuel temperature rise further includes a main housing 9. The lubricating oil storage chamber 1, fuel storage chamber 2, lubricating oil filter 3, fuel filter 4, heat exchanger 5, and bypass oil passage 6 are all housed within the main housing 9. Integrating all chambers into one unit eliminates the need for external piping, reducing the number of parts. Furthermore, the fuel filter 4 and lubricating oil filter 3 are stacked perpendicular to the mounting surface 91 of the main housing 9, resulting in a compact layout, reduced overall dimensions, smaller size, and better maintainability.

[0051] like Figure 4-5 As shown in this embodiment, in the stacked oil filter assembly for reducing fuel temperature rise, there is a passage between the lubricating oil storage chamber 1 and the fuel storage chamber 2 for installing the temperature sensing element 8. A sealing element 10 is provided between the inner wall of the passage and the temperature sensing element 8. The sealing element 10 prevents fuel and lubricating oil from mixing, ensuring the quality of fuel and lubricating oil. The sealing element 10 can be a sealing ring or other sealing structure that isolates fuel.

[0052] Working process: When the fuel temperature is less than (27°C±5°C), the valve assembly 7 blocks the bypass oil passage 6. In this state, the working process of fuel and lubricating oil is as follows: Fuel enters the fuel passage of heat exchanger 5 through the fuel inlet on the oil filter assembly. After exchanging heat with lubricating oil in heat exchanger 5, the fuel is heated. The heated fuel enters the fuel storage chamber 2 through the oil passage of heat exchanger 5. Then, the fuel in fuel storage chamber 2 enters the fuel filter 4 through the oil passage for filtration. The filtered fuel flows out from the fuel outlet of the oil filter assembly. Lubricating oil enters the lubricating oil passage of heat exchanger 5 through the lubricating oil inlet on the oil filter assembly. It exchanges heat with fuel in heat exchanger 5 to heat the fuel. The lubricating oil after heat exchange enters the lubricating oil filter 3 through the oil passage of heat exchanger 5 for filtration. The filtered lubricating oil flows out from the lubricating oil outlet of the oil filter assembly.

[0053] When the fuel temperature exceeds (40°C ± 5°C), the temperature sensing element 8 deforms, pushing the valve stem 73 to move, which in turn moves the valve core 72, thus opening the bypass oil passage 6. The lubricating oil in the lubricating oil storage chamber 1 enters the lubricating oil filter 3 through the bypass oil passage 6 for filtration. The filtered lubricating oil flows out from the lubricating oil outlet of the oil filter assembly. Due to the resistance in the heat exchanger 5, most of the high-temperature lubricating oil flows directly into the lubricating oil filter 3 through the bypass oil passage 6 without passing through the heat exchanger 5, thereby achieving the purpose of reducing fuel temperature. This prevents the fuel from shortening the service life of the fuel pump and various fuel control components due to excessive temperature rise caused by lubricating oil heating, improving reliability.

[0054] Obviously, the above embodiments are merely illustrative examples for clear explanation and are not intended to limit the implementation. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other variations or modifications can be made based on the above description. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively list all possible implementations here. However, obvious variations or modifications derived therefrom are still within the scope of protection of this invention.

Claims

1. A stacked oil filter assembly for reducing fuel temperature rise, characterized in that, include: The heat exchanger includes an oil storage chamber (1), a fuel storage chamber (2), an oil filter (3), a fuel filter (4), and a heat exchanger (5). The oil passage of the heat exchanger (5) is connected to the oil filter (3) via an oil passage, the fuel passage of the heat exchanger (5) is connected to the fuel storage chamber (2) via an oil passage, and the fuel storage chamber (2) is connected to the fuel filter (4) via an oil passage. Bypass oil passage (6), the lubricating oil storage chamber (1) is connected to the lubricating oil filter (3) through the bypass oil passage (6); A valve assembly (7) is disposed on the bypass oil passage (6). An elastic element (71) is connected to the valve assembly (7). The elastic element (71) has an elastic force that causes the valve assembly (7) to block the bypass oil passage (6). The lubricating oil storage chamber (1), the bypass oil passage (6), and the fuel storage chamber (2) are stacked in sequence. After the valve assembly (7) passes through the bypass oil passage (6), one end of the valve assembly (7) extends into the lubricating oil storage chamber (1), and the other end of the valve assembly (7) extends into the fuel storage chamber (2). The temperature sensing element (8) is connected to the valve assembly (7). Under the influence of fuel temperature, the temperature sensing element (8) can drive the valve assembly (7) to overcome the elastic force and open the bypass oil passage (6) by deformation.

2. The stacked oil filter assembly for reducing fuel temperature rise according to claim 1, characterized in that, The valve assembly (7) includes: A valve core (72) is disposed in the lubricating oil storage chamber (1). The valve core (72) is connected to the elastic element (71). The valve core (72) blocks the connection between the lubricating oil storage chamber (1) and the bypass oil passage (6). The valve stem (73) is connected to the valve core (72), and the valve stem (73) passes through the bypass oil passage (6) and is connected to the temperature sensing element (8).

3. The stacked oil filter assembly for reducing fuel temperature rise according to claim 2, characterized in that, The temperature sensing element (8) is detachably connected to the fuel storage chamber (2).

4. The stacked oil filter assembly for reducing fuel temperature rise according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The oil filter assembly further includes a main housing (9), and the lubricating oil storage chamber (1), fuel storage chamber (2), lubricating oil filter (3), fuel filter (4), heat exchanger (5) and bypass oil passage (6) are all located in the main housing (9).

5. The stacked oil filter assembly for reducing fuel temperature rise according to claim 4, characterized in that, The fuel filter (4) and the lubricating oil filter (3) are stacked in a direction perpendicular to the mounting surface (91) of the main housing (9).

6. The stacked oil filter assembly for reducing fuel temperature rise according to claim 5, characterized in that, There is a passage between the lubricating oil storage chamber (1) and the fuel storage chamber (2) for installing the temperature sensing element (8), and a sealing element (10) is provided between the inner wall of the passage and the temperature sensing element (8).

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