Annular Screen Plate for Compressor Air Bleed Homogenization

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The existing turbomachine compressors experience significant static pressure heterogeneities due to air bleed, which reduces performance, especially in critical situations like engine failure where increased air bleed is required, and multiplying suction ducts is not a feasible solution as it complicates the system and increases mass.

Innovation Solution

An annular screen plate is mounted inside the compressor casing to standardize air bleed over 360°, limiting air intake at the suction duct end and distributing air intake evenly, thus reducing static pressure heterogeneities and improving performance without structural modifications or additional air sources.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If air bleed is increased to meet demand in critical situations, then air supply capacity is improved, but static pressure heterogeneities around the compressor axis increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair supply capacityVSAvoidstatic pressure heterogeneities
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The invention segments the air bleed extraction process by introducing multiple suction ducts distributed around the compressor axis, each extracting air from different angular positions. This segmentation allows the total air bleed requirement to be met while distributing the pressure impact across multiple locations rather than concentrating it at a single point, thereby reducing static pressure heterogeneities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention applies local quality by positioning suction ducts at specific angular locations around the compressor axis where local air pressure conditions are favorable. Each suction duct is strategically placed to extract air from a localized region, creating a pattern of localized extraction that collectively meets the total air bleed demand while minimizing overall pressure heterogeneities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Stress or pressure

If multiple suction ducts are used to distribute air intake, then static pressure homogeneity is improved, but device complexity and mass increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestatic pressure homogeneityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stress or pressureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges multiple suction ducts into a unified air bleed system where the ducts are integrated with the compressor casing and rectifier stages. The suction ducts share common structural elements and mounting arrangements, allowing the system to achieve distributed air intake for pressure homogeneity while minimizing the increase in overall system complexity through shared components and streamlined integration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Productivity

If air intake is concentrated at the suction duct end, then air bleed efficiency is improved, but static pressure drop increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair bleed efficiencyVSAvoidstatic pressure drop
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The invention transitions from a single-point air intake approach to a distributed spatial arrangement of suction ducts around the compressor axis. This dimensional change from one location to multiple locations allows the system to maintain high air bleed efficiency by extracting air from various angular positions simultaneously, while reducing the static pressure drop at any single suction duct entry point through load distribution across multiple ducts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The screen plate effectively reduces static pressure variations around the compressor axis, maintaining average static pressure and air intake capacity, thereby enhancing turbomachine performance without increasing fuel consumption or system complexity.

Implementation Method 1

an annular screen plate is mounted radially inside the casing facing part of the suction end of the duct so as to standardize air bleed over 360° around the axis of the compressor

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluid flow distribution:

Data Source

PatentEP2071192B1Device for taking an air sample in a turbomachine compressor
Publication Date: 2018.01.03 SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES SAS
  • EP2071192B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2071192B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2071192B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The compressor (10) has air bleed units including a duct (58) whose suction end is emerged in an external casing (14) of the compressor at the level of a movable wheel (18) and a rectifier stage (24) of the compressor. An annular shaped screen sheet (62) is radially mounted inside the casing with respect to a part of the suction end of the duct in order to homogenize the air bleed at 360 degrees around an axis (12) of the compressor.