Aircraft Engine De-oiler Speed Decoupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current de-oiler systems in aircraft engines are inefficient in separating oil from air, leading to increased oil consumption due to the natural speed of rotation of the centrifugal de-oiler being determined by the hollow rotary shaft, resulting in a suboptimal oil separation rate.
Innovation Solution
A de-oiler system with a hollow rotary axle and a centrifugal de-oiler structure that rotates at a speed greater than the hollow rotary shaft, utilizing a transmission mechanism with pinions to optimize oil separation, and featuring a labyrinth gasket for sealing, allowing for improved air-oil separation without altering the existing bearing enclosure structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the de-oiler structure rotates at the speed of the hollow rotary shaft, then the structure is simple, but the oil separation rate is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The de-oiler structure is made dynamically independent from the hollow rotary shaft by introducing a separate hollow rotary axle. This allows the de-oiler to rotate at an optimized speed for maximum oil separation efficiency while the shaft maintains its structural function. The dynamic decoupling enables each component to operate at its optimal rotational speed without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The hollow rotary axle serves as an intermediary component between the hollow rotary shaft and the de-oiler structure. It transmits rotational motion from the shaft to the de-oiler while allowing independent speed control. This intermediary enables the system to achieve both structural simplicity and optimized separation performance by mediating between the shaft's structural role and the de-oiler's separation function.
2Productivity
If the de-oiler structure is made more powerful to increase oil separation, then the separation efficiency improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the oil separation process by changing the rotational speed parameter of the de-oiler structure. By rotating the de-oiler at a speed optimized for oil droplet separation rather than at shaft speed, the system achieves higher oil recycling rates. This parameter optimization allows effective separation without requiring additional complex separation mechanisms.
3Productivity
If the hollow rotary shaft speed is increased to improve oil separation, then the separation rate increases, but the bearing enclosure structure must be altered
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into two independent rotational systems: the hollow rotary shaft and the hollow rotary axle with de-oiler structure. This segmentation allows the de-oiler to rotate at optimal speed for separation while the shaft maintains its structural integration with the bearing enclosure. The segmentation eliminates the need to modify the bearing enclosure structure to achieve optimized separation speeds.
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
Enhances the rate of oil recycling and reduces oil consumption by optimizing the de-oiler structure's speed of rotation, thereby improving the efficiency of oil separation from air within the engine's lubrication circuit.
Implementation Method 1
the de-oiler structure rotating together with the hollow rotary axle... whereby the oil droplets contained in the air inside the casing are moved apart towards a casing of the inlet first face of said de-oiler structure
Data Source
AI summary
A de-oiler system for an aircraft engine including a casing defining a volume containing a rotary shaft and a mixture of air and oil for processing is disclosed. The system includes a hollow rotary axle; a de-oiler structure fastened to the hollow rotary axle and rotating together with the hollow rotary axle, the de-oiler structure having an inlet first face communicating with the volume and an outlet second face connected to a passage formed in the hollow rotary axle; and a transmission device between the hollow rotary axle and the rotary shaft for communicating to the hollow rotary axle a speed of rotation V about its axis in such a manner that the speed of rotation V is greater than a speed of rotation v of the rotary shaft.