Turbomachine Oil Collection Cap with Tangential Deflection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in developing an effective oil collection system for turbomachine equipment, such as power gear boxes, lies in controlling the radial component of oil jets leaving orifices, which leads to unstable oil recovery and potential clogging due to oversized orifices and unpredictable jet direction, especially in high lubrication flow rate applications.
Innovation Solution
An annular cap with deflecting means, such as covers or bent parts, is designed to orient oil jets tangentially at the orifice outlets, eliminating the radial component and enhancing the tangential impulse, ensuring better oil collection and reduced splashes by rotating the oil jets in a controlled manner against the enclosure wall.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If oversized orifices are used in the planet gear support to avoid oil accumulation, then oil flow rate increases, but the radial component of the jet becomes unpredictable and difficult to control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a deflecting element that redirects the oil jet from a primarily radial direction to include a significant tangential component. This dimensional change in jet direction allows the system to maintain oversized orifices for high flow rate while controlling the effective discharge direction through the deflecting geometry, resolving the contradiction between quantity and directional precision.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the oil jet radial component is not controlled, then oil recovery stability decreases and splashes increase, but adding control mechanisms increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The deflecting element is integrated directly into the orifice structure itself, allowing the system to control jet direction through its own geometry rather than requiring separate external control mechanisms. The deflecting element passively redirects the jet using the existing oil flow momentum, achieving stable oil recovery without adding complex active control systems.
3Productivity
If tangential impulse of oil spray is increased to improve overall rotation against enclosure wall, then oil collection efficiency improves, but jet direction control becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the jet direction parameters by introducing a deflecting element that changes the angle and components of the jet velocity vector. By adjusting the deflecting geometry, the system optimizes the tangential component of the jet to maximize rotational impulse and collection efficiency while maintaining manufacturable precision through geometric design rather than complex control.
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 directs oil jets tangentially, improving oil collection efficiency and reducing splashes within the enclosure, thereby stabilizing the oil recovery process and preventing clogging, even in high lubrication flow rate scenarios.
Implementation Method 1
The oil injected continuously into the PGB lubricates and cools the rolling bearings and gears before being sprayed by centrifugation against the planet gears support
Data Source
AI summary
An annular cap for collecting lubricating oil for turbomachine equipment is configured to extend around the equipment and to rotate about an axis. The cap includes through-orifices through which the oil can pass radially under the effect of spinning. The cap further includes means of deflecting the oil leaving the orifices in a direction substantially transverse to the axis and substantially tangential to the cap.