Volute Scroll Deoiler for Gas Turbine Oil Leakage Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional deoilers in gas turbine engines have a large number of components, which reduces their reliability, increases costs, and adds weight, while also failing to effectively prevent oil leakage due to imperfect seals.
Innovation Solution
A simplified deoiler design with a specific impeller and housing geometry that separates lubricant from air, using a volute scroll housing and a splitter wall to efficiently manage airflow and prevent lubricant leakage, capable of pumping significantly more air than leaks into the bearing compartment during idle conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional deoiler designs with many components are used, then the deoiler can facilitate functionality over the engine operating profile, but the reliability decreases, cost increases, and weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple deoiler components into a simplified integrated design. The impeller, housing, and separation mechanisms are merged into a single compact unit that performs oil-air separation across the full engine operating profile, reducing component count while maintaining functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The simplified deoiler design performs multiple functions within a single component structure. The impeller both drives airflow and creates centrifugal separation, the housing serves as both structural support and separation chamber, enabling the device to handle varying operating conditions without requiring multiple specialized components
2Reliability
If conventional deoiler designs with many components are used, then the deoiler can facilitate functionality over the engine operating profile, but the cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By merging multiple components into a single integrated deoiler assembly, the patent reduces manufacturing steps, assembly operations, and quality control checkpoints, thereby lowering production costs while maintaining reliable performance
3Reliability
If conventional deoiler designs with many components are used, then the deoiler can facilitate functionality over the engine operating profile, but the weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate components into a single lightweight integrated structure. By eliminating redundant parts and using a compact impeller-housing design, the deoiler achieves reliable oil-air separation with significantly reduced weight compared to conventional multi-component designs
4Object-affected harmful factors
If the deoiler pumps more air than leaks into the bearing compartment, then oil leakage is prevented, but the device must handle higher airflow volumes
Solution Approach 1:
The deoiler employs a dynamically adjustable impeller speed that adapts to different engine operating conditions. During idle conditions, the impeller pumps excess air to prevent oil leakage; during high-power conditions, the system modulates airflow to match actual leakage rates, optimizing performance across the operating profile
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes variable airflow parameters by adjusting impeller rotation speed and airflow pressure differential. This allows the deoiler to pump significantly more air than leakage during idle conditions to ensure oil prevention, while scaling airflow capacity during high-power operations
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 deoiler effectively prevents lubricant leakage by pumping at least two to ten times more air than leaks in during idle conditions, reducing the risk of oil leakage and maintaining engine reliability while being lighter and cheaper to manufacture.
Implementation Method 1
The impeller may include a rotatable wheel and a plurality of vanes that project from the wheel, and where a rotation of the wheel causes the mixture of lubricant and air to separate in the deoiler
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 1A
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AI summary
Aspects of the disclosure are directed to a deoiler. The deoiler includes an impeller, a housing arranged as a volute scroll, a splitter wall located at an exit of the deoiler that separates a lubricant and air discharged by the deoiler, and a port located at the exit that discharges the lubricant to at least one of a pump, a tank, or a gearbox.