Geared Turbine Engine Gutter Layout for Low-Air Oil Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid collection gutters in turbine engines have low oil capture efficiencies, leading to reduced power transfer efficiency and lubrication oil availability, particularly during negative g maneuvers.
Innovation Solution
A turbine engine system with a gutter that has a channel with a cross-sectional area less than two percent of the bore area, and a channel outlet area between fifty-five and seventy-five percent of the channel area, designed to improve fluid capture efficiency by optimizing the geometry and dimensions of the gutter to reduce gas-to-fluid ratio and air choking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the channel cross-sectional area is increased to capture more lubrication oil, then the oil capture efficiency improves, but the gas-to-fluid ratio increases causing air choking that reduces capture efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the channel cross-sectional area to a specific parameter range (0.5-2.0 inches²) and sets the outlet area ratio (55-75% of channel area) to balance oil capture quantity with maintaining acceptable gas-to-fluid ratio, preventing air choking while maximizing lubrication oil collection
2Quantity of substance
If a larger channel is used to collect more lubrication oil, then the oil availability for auxiliary systems improves, but the power transfer efficiency of the gear train decreases due to oil re-contact
Solution Approach 1:
The gutter channel extracts lubrication oil from the gear train environment and directs it away through a controlled outlet, preventing the oil from re-contacting the gear train and causing power loss, while making the extracted oil available for auxiliary lubrication systems during negative g maneuvers
3Quantity of substance
If the channel outlet area is increased to improve oil flow to auxiliary systems, then the lubrication availability improves, but the channel geometry becomes less effective at capturing oil from the gear train
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes an optimal parameter relationship where the outlet area is 55-75% of the channel cross-sectional area, and the channel area itself is 0.5-2.0 inches², creating a balanced geometry that maintains effective oil capture from the gear train while ensuring adequate flow capacity to auxiliary lubrication systems
Data Source
AI summary
A turbine engine system includes a gutter and a gear train with an axial centerline. The gutter is disposed radially outside of the axial centerline. The gutter includes an inner surface and a channel that receives fluid directed out of the gear train. The inner surface at least partially defines a bore in which the gear train is arranged. The channel extends radially into the gutter from the inner surface, and circumferentially to a channel outlet. The bore has a cross-sectional bore area, and the channel has a cross-sectional channel area that is substantially equal to or less than about two percent of the bore area.