# US 10,765,980 B2 · Inertial particle separator for engine inlet

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- Number: US 10,765,980 B2
- Document ID: US10765980B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/359,163
- Filed: 2019-03-20
- Published: 2019-07-18
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2017-01-09
- Assignees: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
- Applicants: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
- Inventors: Francois Bisson; Mark Cunningham
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10765980B2

## CPC

- B01D 45/06: by reversal of direction of flow
- B64D 33/02: of combustion air intakes
- F02C 7/052: with dust-separation devices
- B64D 2033/0246: {comprising particle separators}
- F05D 2260/607: Preventing clogging or obstruction of flow paths by dirt, dust, or foreign particles
- Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)
- B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
- F02C: GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (construction of turbines F01D; jet-propulsion plants F02K; construction of compressors or fans F04; generating combustion products of high pressure or high velocity F23R; using gas turbines in compression refrigeration plants F25B11/00)
- F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

An inertial particle separator for an aircraft engine inlet, including inlet, intermediate and bypass ducts. The intermediate duct extends generally transversally from the inlet duct to the engine inlet, and communicates with the inlet duct adjacent its downstream end. The bypass duct extends downstream from the inlet duct and intermediate duct, and defines an outlet communicating with the environment of the engine. A wall of the intermediate duct intersects a wall of the inlet duct on an engine side of the wall of the inlet duct. The engine side of the wall of the inlet duct defines an engine-side inlet air flow line of the inertial particle separator. A wall of the bypass duct intersects the wall of the intermediate duct closer to a central axis of the engine than an extension of the engine-side inlet air flow line into the bypass duct.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An aircraft engine having an engine axis and having an inertial particle separator communicating with an engine inlet of the aircraft engine, the inertial particle separator comprising:
an inlet duct extending from an intake connectable to an environment outside the engine to an intersection with a bypass duct, the bypass duct extending from the intersection to an outlet of the inertial particle separator, a radial height of the bypass duct relative to the engine axis at the intersection greater than a radial height of the inlet duct at the intersection, an intermediate duct extending generally transversally relative to the inlet duct from the intersection toward the engine inlet, and an inlet screen extending at an angle from a wall of the inlet duct facing toward the engine axis, the inlet screen upstream of the intersection, the angle between 10 to 40 degrees.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The aircraft engine of claim 1, wherein the inlet screen extends from the wall and away from the intake of the inlet duct.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The aircraft engine of claim 1, wherein the inlet screen extends from the wall to an edge spaced apart from another wall of the inlet duct facing away from the engine axis.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The aircraft engine of claim 3, wherein the edge of the inlet screen is spaced apart from a central axis of the intermediate duct.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The aircraft engine of claim 4, wherein an axial distance relative to the engine axis from the edge of the inlet screen to the central axis of the intermediate duct ranges from 40% to 60% of a width of an inlet of the intermediate duct, the width taken on an axial direction relative to the engine axis.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The aircraft engine of claim 3, wherein a radial distance between the edge of the inlet screen and the other wall ranges from 15% to 40% of a height of the inlet duct, the height taken on a radial direction relative to the engine axis.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The aircraft engine of claim 1, wherein the inlet screen is porous and defines openings.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The aircraft engine of claim 7, wherein a cross-sectional dimension of the openings is about 1-2 millimetres.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The aircraft engine of claim 1, wherein the inlet screen is made of a mesh material.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The aircraft engine of claim 1, wherein the inlet screen is made of a perforated plate.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The aircraft engine of claim 1, wherein the inlet screen is made of a honeycomb material.

### Claim 12

A method of separating particles from a flow for an inlet of an engine having an engine axis, the method comprising:
directing the flow including air and particles through an inlet duct;
directing a portion of the flow through an inlet screen extending at least partially across the inlet duct from a wall facing the engine axis thereby blocking at least some of openings defined through the inlet screen with at least some of the particles, the inlet screen extending from the wall at angle ranging from 10 to 40 degrees;
circulating the flow through an area defined between the inlet screen and another wall of the inlet duct facing away from the engine axis; and
separating at least some of the particles from the air and directing the separated particles to a bypass duct away from the inlet of the engine without impacting a wall of an intermediate duct extending generally transversally from the inlet duct to the inlet of the engine and directing the air toward the inlet of the engine.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein circulating the flow through the area includes accelerating the flow.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein circulating the flow through the area includes circulating the flow through the area defined from an edge of the inlet screen spaced apart from the other wall of the inlet duct by a radial distance relative to the engine axis corresponding to 15% to 40% of a height of the inlet duct taken on a radial direction relative to the engine axis.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein circulating the flow through the area includes circulating the flow through the area defined from an edge of the inlet screen and spaced apart from a central axis of the intermediate duct by an axial distance relative to the engine axis ranging from 40% to 60% of a width of an inlet of the intermediate duct, the width taken on an axial direction relative to the engine axis.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein directing the portion of the flow through the inlet screen includes directing the portion of the flow through a mesh material.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein directing the portion of the flow through the inlet screen includes directing the portion of the flow through a perforated plate.

### Claim 18 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein directing the portion of the flow through the inlet screen includes directing the portion of the flow through a honeycomb material.