Rear-Driven Aircraft De-Aerator for Higher Oil Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing de-aerators in aircraft power plants are inefficient in handling large oil flows and air separation, leading to flow rate restrictions and pressure drops, which affect the lubrication and cooling systems.
Innovation Solution
A rear-driven de-aerator design with a rotor positioned at the rear end of the housing, driven by a power source at the opposite end of the air-oil inlet, minimizing shaft interference and enhancing flow rates while separating air and oil effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If existing de-aerator designs are used, then air separation function is provided, but flow rate restrictions and pressure drops occur reducing efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional de-aerator configuration by positioning the rotor at the rear end and the shaft at the forward end, opposite to traditional designs. This inversion minimizes shaft interference with the air-oil mixture flow, reducing pressure drops and improving flow rate efficiency while maintaining effective air separation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the shaft from the inlet plenum area, positioning it only at the forward end of the housing without extending into the air-oil inlet path. This extraction eliminates shaft-induced flow restrictions and pressure losses in the critical inlet region, allowing unrestricted air-oil mixture flow into the rotor separation zone
2Ease of operation
If shaft extends through the air-oil inlet area, then rotor can be driven, but shaft interference restricts flow and increases pressure drop
Solution Approach 1:
The shaft is extracted from the inlet plenum and air-oil mixture flow path, extending only to the forward end of the housing where it connects to the power source. This positioning eliminates shaft interference with the air-oil flow while maintaining rotor drive capability through the rear-mounted rotor configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The conventional arrangement of shaft at the inlet end driving a rear rotor is inverted to shaft at the forward end with rotor at the rear end. This inversion allows the shaft to be positioned away from the air-oil inlet area, minimizing flow restriction while maintaining the driving function
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 rear-driven de-aerator design improves flow rate and efficiency by reducing pressure drops and maximizing air-oil mixture flow, ensuring effective lubrication and cooling of aircraft power plant components.
Implementation Method 1
a rotor received within the housing and rotatable relative to the housing about a rotation axis
Data Source
AI summary
A de-aerator for an aircraft power plant, has: a housing defining an air-oil inlet, an oil outlet, and an air outlet, the housing having a forward end and a rearward end opposite the forward end, the air-oil inlet defined at the forward end; a rotor received within the housing and rotatable relative to the housing about a rotation axis; and a shaft rotatable about the rotation axis, the shaft extending axially from a fore end at the forward end of the housing to a rear end at the rearward end of the housing relative to the rotation axis, the rotor drivingly engaged to the shaft at the fore end of the shaft, the rear end of the shaft defining a coupler drivingly engageable to a power source for rotation of the shaft and of the rotor mounted thereto.