Gas-Liquid Separation Passage with Air Tube and Venturi Stages
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems, such as gas turbine engines, face challenges in efficiently separating air from oil due to incomplete separation in deaerator systems, leading to suboptimal performance in intermediate functions where high air concentrations can cause issues.
Innovation Solution
A gas and liquid separation system with an air separation tube that obstructs the mixed flow, causing gas separation, and a liquid tube connected downstream, utilizing a venturi for further oil entrainment, effectively addressing the incomplete separation by ensuring a higher oil concentration for downstream applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a deaerator system is used to separate air from oil, then air separation is provided, but incomplete separation occurs leading to high air concentrations in intermediate functions
Solution Approach 1:
The deaerator system is segmented into multiple functional zones: a first deaeration zone with an air separation tube that creates obstruction to separate gas, followed by a second deaeration zone with a venturi that further separates and entrains oil. This multi-stage segmentation achieves complete separation (95%+ oil concentration) rather than the incomplete separation of single-stage systems, resolving the contradiction between separation effectiveness and intermediate function performance.
Solution Approach 2:
A venturi is introduced as an intermediary device between the air separation tube and the output. The venturi uses its unique flow characteristics to further separate air from oil and entrain additional oil, acting as a mediator that enhances the separation process. This intermediary component enables the system to achieve the required separation completeness for intermediate functions while maintaining reliable air separation.
2Device complexity
If a single-stage deaerator is used, then the system is simple, but air concentration remains too high for intermediate functions
Solution Approach 1:
The deaerator is divided into two functional segments: a first deaeration zone with an air separation tube extending into the passage to create obstruction and separate gas, and a second deaeration zone with a venturi connected downstream to further separate and entrain oil. This segmentation achieves complete separation (95%+ oil concentration) required for intermediate functions while keeping each segment relatively simple in structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The venturi is positioned within the passage downstream of the air separation tube, with the air separation tube extending into the passage at a location downstream of where the inlet is connected. The nested arrangement of the air separation tube within the passage and the venturi downstream creates a compact multi-stage system that achieves high separation completeness without excessive complexity.
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 system achieves a more efficient separation of air and oil, with approximately 80% oil and 20% air in the liquid tube, improving the functionality of intermediate systems by reducing air concentration, thereby enhancing the performance of lubrication and control systems.
Implementation Method 1
The upstream tube end provides an obstruction to the mixed gas and liquid flow, to cause separation of the gas from the mixed gas and liquid flow
Implementation Method 2
The liquid tube is connected to a venturi pump for providing a driving pressurized fluid through a venturi nozzle
Data Source
AI summary
A gas and liquid separation system could be said to have a passage with an inlet connected to receive a mixed gas and liquid flow. An air separation tube extends into the passage at a location downstream of where the inlet is connected with an upstream tube end upstream in the passage relative to a downstream tube end. The upstream tube end provides an obstruction to the mixed gas and liquid flow, to cause separation of the gas from the mixed gas and liquid flow. A liquid tube is connected to the passage at a location downstream of the air separation tube.