Cellular Metal Filtering Baffle for Aircraft Engine Air

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Solution Overview

Problem

Aircraft engine cooling air passages become clogged by fine particulate matter and chemical contaminants, leading to overheating and potential engine failure, as existing solutions are insufficient in high contamination environments.

Innovation Solution

A secondary air system with a filtering baffle featuring a monolithic body made of cellular metal with a non-stochastic lattice structure, designed to trap particulate matter using additive manufacturing, ensuring effective filtration and maintaining airflow.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If narrow cooling passages are used to minimize cooling air consumption, then fuel efficiency is improved, but the passages become clogged by fine particulate matter reducing cooling effectiveness

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefuel efficiencyVSAvoidcooling effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The filter is positioned upstream in the air flow path to remove particulate matter before the air enters the narrow cooling passages. This preliminary filtration action prevents clogging while allowing the passages to remain narrow for fuel efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The filter acts as an intermediary component between the contaminated air source and the cooling passages. It mediates by capturing fine particulate matter through its porous structure, allowing clean air to pass through to the cooling passages.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Use of energy by moving object

If cooling air quantity is reduced to improve fuel efficiency, then energy consumption is reduced, but the engine components are more susceptible to overheating in contaminated environments

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling air consumptionVSAvoidcomponent temperature

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The filter performs preliminary cleaning of the cooling air before it reaches the engine components. This ensures that even with reduced cooling air quantity, the air that does reach the components is free of particulate matter that could cause overheating or blockage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The filter changes the quality parameter of the cooling air by removing particulate matter. This allows the system to maintain effective cooling with reduced air quantity, as the filtered air has higher cleaning effectiveness per unit volume.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If centrifugal separation is used to remove particles, then large particles are removed, but fine suspended particles and chemical contaminants continue into the engine core

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveparticle removal efficiencyVSAvoidfine particulate contamination

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The filter utilizes a porous material structure with controlled pore sizes that can capture fine suspended particles and chemical contaminants. The porous structure provides a large surface area for particle capture while maintaining airflow throughput.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The filter may employ composite material construction combining different layers or materials with complementary filtration properties. This enhances the ability to remove both fine particles and chemical contaminants that centrifugal separation cannot capture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

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 solution effectively removes particulate matter and chemical contaminants, preventing airflow blockages and reducing the risk of engine overheating, thereby enhancing engine reliability and performance in contaminated environments.

Implementation Method 1

the cellular material including a non-stochastic lattice structure having a plurality of cells arranged in an ordered, repeating manner for trapping particulate matter contained in a flow of contaminated air

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhysical filtration: Filter (physical)

Data Source

PatentUS11326516B2Removal of contaminants from air for use in aircraft engines

Publication Date: 2022.05.10 PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP

AI summary

A secondary air system for an aircraft engine comprises an air flow path communicating between a source of pressurized cooling air and an air consuming component. A filtering baffle is disposed in the air flow path upstream from the air consuming component. The filtering baffle has a monolithic body at least partly made of a cellular material, the cellular material including a non-stochastic lattice structure having a plurality of cells arranged in an ordered, repeating manner for trapping particulate matter contained in a flow of contaminated air.