Gas Turbine Separator Assembly for Cooling Air Particle Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas turbine engines in aircraft face reduced cooling effectiveness and component durability issues due to airborne particles like fine sand, which accumulate on high-temperature surfaces, leading to increased metal temperatures and reduced operational time.
Innovation Solution
A separator assembly is designed to remove entrained particles from the cooling air stream, comprising a first particle separator and a particle remover, which separates the fluid stream into reduced-particle and particle-laden streams, with the particle remover further processing the particle-laden stream and returning a second reduced-particle stream to the separator to enhance particle removal efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If cooling air is ducted from compressors to turbine components, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but particle accumulation on turbine surfaces increases
Solution Approach 1:
The particle separator is positioned in the cooling air duct upstream of the turbine components, performing preliminary particle removal from the cooling air before it reaches the turbine surfaces. This prevents particle accumulation while maintaining the cooling function, resolving the contradiction by addressing the harmful factor before it can cause damage.
2Productivity
If fine sand particles are present in cooling air, then cooling air flow is maintained, but cooling effectiveness is reduced due to particle deposition
Solution Approach 1:
The particle separator extracts and removes sand particles from the cooling air stream while allowing the cooled air to continue flowing to the turbine components. This separation process maintains the cooling air flow productivity while eliminating the harmful particles that would reduce cooling effectiveness, thus resolving the contradiction.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If particle separator is added to remove particles from cooling air, then particle accumulation is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The particle separator utilizes pneumatic principles where centrifugal force generated by swirling flow separates particles from the air stream without moving mechanical parts. This passive pneumatic separation mechanism reduces device complexity compared to active mechanical separation systems, while still effectively reducing particle accumulation in the cooling air.
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 effectively reduces particle accumulation in turbine components, improving cooling effectiveness and extending the operational lifespan of engine components by minimizing particle ingestion and deposition, thus enhancing engine durability and performance.
Implementation Method 1
a first particle separator for separating the fluid stream into a reduced-particle stream and a particle-laden stream
Implementation Method 2
a particle remover... having a return outlet emitting a second reduced-particle stream from the particle-laden stream
Data Source
AI summary
A separator assembly for removing entrained particles from a fluid stream passing through a gas turbine engine includes a first particle separator for separating the fluid stream into a reduced-particle stream and a particle-laden stream, and emitting the particle-laden stream through a scavenge outlet. Another particle remover is fluidly coupled to the scavenge outlet to remove more particles from the air stream.