Gas Turbine Core Housing Redirection Device

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Solution Overview

Problem

Gas turbine engines face safety hazards and operational issues due to fluids draining from core compartments and reentering the engine through ventilation holes, posing risks of fire, corrosion, or ice formation.

Innovation Solution

A core housing with a redirection device that directs fluids from drainage holes away from housing apertures, preventing reentry into the engine, featuring a channel body with a channel inlet proximate to the drainage hole and a channel outlet that ensures fluid redirection away from the apertures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If drain holes are arranged on the low point of the nacelle to enable fluid draining, then fluid drainage capability is improved, but the risk of fluid reentering the engine through ventilation holes increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefluid drainage capabilityVSAvoidfluid reentry hazard
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A redirection device is introduced as an intermediary component between the drainage hole and the external environment. This device captures fluid exiting the drainage hole and redirects it away from ventilation holes, preventing harmful reentry while maintaining effective drainage functionality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The drainage system is segmented into distinct functional zones: a drainage hole for fluid extraction, a redirection device with channel for fluid direction control, and a separation between drainage and ventilation pathways. This segmentation prevents fluid from reaching ventilation holes while maintaining drainage efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Object-affected harmful factors

If a redirection device is added to prevent fluid reentry, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefluid reentry preventionVSAvoiddrainage system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The redirection device is integrated with the existing core housing structure, merging the drainage function with the housing design. This combination approach adds safety functionality while minimizing the increase in overall device complexity by utilizing existing structural elements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The redirection device is positioned to automatically capture and redirect fluid based on gravity and flow direction, without requiring external control systems or additional active components. The device self-regulates fluid redirection passively, reducing operational complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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

Effectively prevents fluid reingestion into the engine, enhancing safety and operational reliability by ensuring fluids are diverted away from core components, thus mitigating potential hazards and maintaining optimal engine performance.

Implementation Method 1

a redirection device arranged to receive a fluid from the drainage hole and direct such fluid away from the housing aperture

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluid flow direction control:

Data Source

PatentEP3690197B1Gas turbine engine bypass drainage system
Publication Date: 2023.04.26 RTX CORP
  • EP3690197B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3690197B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3690197B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Core housings (218, 318, 418, 518, 618, 718) for gas turbine engines (200) are described. The core housings include a housing surface (466, 546, 746) defining an exterior surface of the core housing, a housing aperture (232, 332, 432, 532, 632) arranged on the housing surface, the housing aperture configured to enable fluid communication between an external environment and an interior of the core housing, a drainage hole (230, 330, 430, 530, 630, 730, 830) arranged upstream relative to the housing aperture, the drainage hole configured to enable draining of a fluid from an interior of the core housing to the external environment, and a redirection device (436, 536, 636, 736, 836) arranged to receive a fluid from the drainage hole (230, 330, 430, 530, 630, 730, 830) and direct such fluid away from the housing aperture (232, 332, 432, 532, 632).