Rotationally Symmetric Air Diffuser for Steering-Independent Cooling

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Solution Overview

Problem

The cooling performance of propulsion oriented devices is affected by the steering angular position, leading to power imbalances and performance derating due to pressure drops in cooling system ducts.

Innovation Solution

A cooling rotating interface with an air diffuser that includes a main portion as a solid of revolution around the axis of rotation, ensuring consistent cooling efficiency regardless of the device's orientation, and a peripheral portion with a cylindrical cross-section to maintain airflow areas and reduce volume for lubricating oil, along with dynamic and static seals for effective airflow isolation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a conventional cooling rotating interface with non-symmetric air diffuser is used, then the cooling system can be installed, but the pressure drop inside the ducts depends on the steering angular position, leading to cooling performance variation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling performance consistencyVSAvoidsteering angle independence

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies asymmetry in reverse - it uses symmetry (solid of revolution) to eliminate the problems caused by asymmetry in conventional designs. The air diffuser's symmetric geometry ensures that airflow characteristics remain consistent regardless of the steering angle, resolving the contradiction between reliable cooling performance and steering angle independence.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the geometric parameter of the air diffuser from a conventional asymmetric shape to a symmetric solid of revolution. This parameter change ensures that the pressure drop and airflow distribution remain constant across different steering angular positions, achieving both reliable cooling performance and steering angle independence.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If the air diffuser main portion is made as a solid of revolution, then cooling efficiency remains consistent regardless of orientation, but the design complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling efficiency consistencyVSAvoidair diffuser geometry

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs spheroidality by designing the air diffuser's main portion as a solid of revolution with curved surfaces. This curved geometry naturally provides symmetric airflow characteristics in all radial directions, ensuring consistent cooling efficiency while the rotational symmetry actually simplifies the design process through parameter reduction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Data Source

PatentUS20230415877A1Air diffuser intended to be installed in a cooling rotating interface of a propulsion oriented device

Publication Date: 2023.12.28 AETC SAPPHIRE

AI summary

An air diffuser configured to be installed in a cooling rotating interface of a propulsion oriented device, the propulsion oriented device being pivotable relative to a vessel around an axis of rotation, the air diffuser capable of being attached to the propulsion oriented device. The air diffuser includes a main portion capable of being surrounded by an air box attached to the vessel so as to delimit, inside a volume delimited by the air box, a first fluid path for a cold fluid flow and a second fluid path for a warm fluid flow from each other. The main portion is a solid of revolution around the axis of rotation.