Reducer Deflector Tongues for Turbomachine Oil Recirculation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mechanical gear reducers in aircraft turbomachines face challenges in efficiently managing oil circulation and heat evacuation, leading to issues such as oil recirculation and particle transitions, which affect the gearbox's performance and reliability.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a deflector with elongated tongues on cylindrical surfaces that interlock with satellite teeth, and a lubricating and cooling core with frustoconical flanges to enhance oil circulation and heat management, preventing oil recirculation and improving the structural rigidity of the gearbox.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a mechanical reducer is used in a turbomachine gearbox, then the speed and torque ratio between input and output axes is modified, but oil recirculation and particle transitions occur between adjacent satellites
Solution Approach 1:
The deflector is divided into multiple functional segments: a main body with first and second lateral surfaces for inter-satellite baffling, and multiple protruding tongues extending from these surfaces for inter-helix baffling. This segmentation allows the single component to simultaneously address multiple harmful oil flow paths without requiring multiple separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The deflector acts as an intermediary component positioned between adjacent satellites. Its protruding tongues extend into the inter-helix grooves of satellite teeth, creating a physical barrier that mediates and controls oil circulation patterns, preventing harmful recirculation while maintaining necessary lubrication.
2Reliability
If deflectors are added to prevent oil recirculation, then heat evacuation and reliability are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple deflector functions are merged into a single integrated component. The deflector combines inter-satellite baffling (preventing oil transfer between satellites) and inter-helix baffling (preventing oil recirculation within satellite teeth) functions in one piece, reducing the number of components while achieving multiple protective functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The deflector is designed as a universal component that performs multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a thermal management element for heat evacuation, a structural element for maintaining satellite spacing, and a fluid control element for preventing oil recirculation. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity despite adding sophisticated oil flow control capabilities.
Data Source
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AI summary
Deflector (18) for a mechanical turbomachine reducer, in particular for aircraft, this deflector being intended to be intercalated between two adjacent satellites of said reducer, this deflector comprising a block including a first lateral surface (18a) which is cylindrical and concave and which has a radius of curvature R1 measured from an axis G1, the block including a second lateral surface (18b), opposite said first surface, which is cylindrical and concave and which has a radius of curvature R1 measured from an axis G2 which is parallel to G1, characterized in that it includes on each of said first and second surfaces a projecting tab (34) which has a generally elongated shape around the axis G1, G2 of the surface considered and whose internal periphery is concave and has a radius of curvature R2 measured from this axis G1, G2 which is less than R1.