Gearbox Deoiler Synchronizer Reduces Pressure Drop
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gearbox deoilers face challenges in minimizing pressure drop across the separator unit, leading to increased size and weight, which complicates air-oil separation and pressure balancing in gas turbine engines.
Innovation Solution
A gearbox design incorporating a synchronizer coupled to the shaft, which accelerates the air-oil mixture to match the rotational speed of the separator unit, reducing the pressure drop and enabling smaller, lighter deoiler components by synchronizing the rotational motion of the inlet flow with the separator unit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If the separator unit is made larger to reduce pressure drop, then pressure drop performance is improved, but device size and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The synchronizer accelerates the air-oil mixture to match the rotational speed of the separator unit before the mixture enters the separator. This preliminary acceleration reduces the pressure drop across the separator by minimizing the speed difference between incoming flow and rotating separator, thereby reducing the size and weight requirements of the separator unit while maintaining effective separation performance
2Stress or pressure
If the separator unit is made larger to reduce pressure drop, then pressure drop performance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The synchronizer performs preliminary acceleration of the air-oil mixture to match the separator's rotational speed before entry. This action simplifies the overall deoiler design by reducing the pressure drop that would otherwise require a larger, more complex separator unit, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining pressure drop performance
3Productivity
If the rotational speed of the separator unit is increased to improve separation, then separation efficiency is improved, but pressure drop increases
Solution Approach 1:
The synchronizer accelerates the air-oil mixture to match the high rotational speed of the separator unit before the mixture enters. This preliminary acceleration allows the separator to rotate at higher speeds for improved separation efficiency without creating excessive pressure drop, as the incoming flow is already synchronized with the separator's rotational speed
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
This approach minimizes the overall system pressure drop, allowing for efficient oil separation with reduced deoiler size and weight, thereby balancing pressures within the gearbox and bearing compartments effectively.
Implementation Method 1
the deoiler includes a separator unit that utilizes centrifugal forces to separate the heavier oil from the lighter air
Implementation Method 2
accelerating the mixture in a rotational direction with a synchronizer coupled to the shaft and located proximate an inlet to the unit
Data Source
AI summary
A gearbox that includes an inlet configured to receive a mixture of air and oil from an external source and a deoiler. The deoiler includes a shaft including an outlet passage formed on an inner portion of the shaft, a separator unit coupled to and surrounding a portion of the shaft and including an inlet port, and a synchronizer including one or more blades and that is coupled to the shaft proximate the inlet port.