Lubricating Oil Deflector Channels for Gearbox Ventilation Loss Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current aircraft turbomachines with high dilution ratio fans face significant ventilation losses and efficiency degradation due to excessive oil recirculation and heating in the gearbox, which can compromise the safety and performance of the turbojet engine.
Innovation Solution
A lubricating oil deflector is introduced, positioned to collect and redirect oil from the sun pinion to a distant end, reducing recirculation and ventilation losses by utilizing gravity to guide the oil flow through a curved, elongated body with internal channels, thereby enhancing the efficiency of the gearbox.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cold lubricating oil is conveyed through oil distribution channels to lubricate the teeth of planetary pinion, crown wheel and satellite pinions, then proper lubrication is ensured, but ventilation losses increase and efficiency degrades due to large amount of oil recirculation around the planetary pinion groove
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the recirculating oil from the harmful ventilation path by introducing a deflector that intercepts oil at the first end (near planetary pinion groove) and redirects it through internal channels to the second end, removing it from the recirculation loop that causes ventilation losses
Solution Approach 2:
The deflector acts as an intermediary element between the oil supply system and the gear teeth, providing an alternative path for oil flow that prevents direct recirculation while still ensuring lubrication reaches the necessary components
2Reliability
If high oil flow rate is used to ensure lubrication and cooling of gears and bearings, then proper operation and safety are ensured, but temperature increase in reducer occurs due to heating from resistive torque applied by air
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the harmful effect of oil recirculation (which causes ventilation losses and heating) into a beneficial controlled flow path, where oil is deliberately redirected through the deflector's internal channels to reach cooling zones away from the planetary pinion groove, thus reducing overall temperature increase
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 lubricating oil deflector effectively reduces oil recirculation and ventilation losses, improving the efficiency and safety of the gearbox by ensuring proper lubrication and cooling while minimizing temperature increases within the gearbox.
Implementation Method 1
when the latter is arranged in such a way that the first end is at a level situated above the level of the second end, under the effect of the Earth's gravity, to collect lubricating oil present at the first end and to transfer it inside the body, to convey it at a distance from the first end and to evacuate it, at the second distant end
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a lubricating oil deflector (20) for a speed reducer of a turbomachine, the deflector comprising a body (22) having a first end (24) intended to be disposed opposite a solar pinion of the reducer, the first end being configured to receive oil from the solar pinion and a second opposite end (26) configured to evacuate the oil out of the body (22), the body (22) having two lateral faces each intended to be disposed opposite a planetary pinion of the reducer and which each connect the first and second ends (24, 26) to each other, the body (22) having at least one internal oil guidance channel which opens at the first end (24) and at the second end (26) and is configured to evacuate the oil by gravity through the second end (26).