Integrated Pump-Separators for Gas Turbine Oil-Air Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas turbine engines face challenges in efficiently separating air and oil mixtures within lubrication systems, particularly during engine startup and operation, which can affect lubrication efficiency and component performance.
Innovation Solution
A pump assembly with integrated stages and a separator mechanism, utilizing vanes and paddles to separate oil from air mixtures, is coupled to a rotatable shaft and driven by an electric motor, allowing for efficient lubricant distribution and separation through a gearbox-controlled system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a separator is added to separate air and oil mixtures, then lubrication efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The separator is integrated onto the same rotatable shaft as the pump, combining two separate functions (pumping and separating) into a single rotational assembly. This merging reduces overall system complexity while maintaining the lubrication efficiency benefit of air-oil separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotatable shaft serves multiple functions simultaneously: it drives the pump for lubricant delivery and drives the separator for air-oil separation. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate drive mechanisms, reducing device complexity while achieving both lubrication and separation objectives.
2Reliability
If multiple pump stages are used for lubricant communication, then lubrication coverage is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple pump stages are combined into a single integrated pump assembly that rotates on one shaft. The first stage handles supply oil delivery while the second stage handles scavenge oil return, merging multiple functional stages into one compact unit that maintains comprehensive lubrication coverage without proportionally increasing complexity.
3Reliability
If the separator rotates at a different speed than the pump, then separation efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A gearbox is introduced as an intermediary mechanism between the pump and separator, allowing the separator to rotate at a different speed than the pump. The gearbox mediates the speed difference, enabling optimized separation efficiency while containing the complexity increase within a standardized component.
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 enhances lubrication efficiency by effectively separating air and oil, reducing friction and wear, and improving component performance, while allowing for faster engine startup and emergency scenarios.
Implementation Method 1
a separator driven by the rotatable shaft and operable to separate oil from a mixture of air and oil communicated by the at least one bearing compartment
Implementation Method 2
The first stage may include a plurality of vanes for directing supply oil from an oil supply to a bearing compartment. The second stage may include a plurality of vanes for directing scavenge oil from the bearing compartment to an oil reservoir.
Data Source
AI summary
A pump assembly may include a drive mechanism and a rotatable shaft coupled to the drive mechanism. A pump may be carried by the rotatable shaft. The pump may include at least one pump stage for communication of a lubricant. A separator may be driven by the rotatable shaft. The separator may be operable to separate oil from a mixture of air and oil. A method of assembly is also disclosed.