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US 10,767,559 B2Granted
Adaptive-area inertial particle separators
AssigneeRolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
InventorsCrawford F. Smith, III, Bryan H. Lerg, Kenneth M. Pesyna
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A particle separator adapted for use with a gas turbine engine includes an adaptive-area hub, an outer wall, and a splitter. The splitter cooperates with the adaptive-area hub and the outer wall to separate particles suspended in an inlet flow moving through the particle separator to provide a clean flow of air to the gas turbine engine.
Claims20
A particle separator for use with a gas turbine engine, the particle separator comprising
- an adaptive-area hub arranged circumferentially about an axis of the particle separator to define an inner profile of the particle separator, the adaptive-area hub includes an inner wall arranged circumferentially about the axis, a plurality of outer slats arranged circumferentially about the inner wall, and a plurality of inner slats located radially between the inner wall and the plurality of outer slats,
- an outer wall arranged circumferentially about the adaptive-area hub to define an inlet passageway between the outer wall and the adaptive-area hub, the inlet passageway adapted to receive a mixture of air and particles suspended in the air, and
- a splitter located aft of the adaptive-area hub and configured to separate the mixture of air and particles into a clean flow substantially free of particles and a dirty flow containing the particles during operation of the particle separator,
- wherein the adaptive-area hub is configured to move between a non-austere position in which the plurality of inner slats is aligned circumferentially with the plurality of outer slats to cause the inner wall to provide the inner profile of the particle separator such that the inlet passageway has a first area and an austere position in which the plurality of inner slats is misaligned circumferentially with the plurality of outer slats to cause the plurality of inner slats and the plurality of outer slats to cooperate to provide the inner profile of the particle separator such that the inlet passageway has a second area smaller than the first area to encourage the particles into the dirty flow.
1 more element
A particle separator comprising
- an adaptive-area hub that includes an inner wall, a plurality of outer slats spaced apart from the inner wall, and a plurality of inner slats located between the plurality of outer slats and the inner wall, each of the plurality of outer slats is spaced apart from a neighboring outer slat of the plurality of outer slats to define a plurality of outer gaps, each of the plurality of inner slats is spaced apart from a neighboring inner slat of the plurality of inner slats to define a plurality of inner gaps,
- an outer wall spaced apart from the inner wall to locate the plurality of outer slats between the inner wall and the outer wall, and
- a splitter located aft of the adaptive-area hub,
- wherein the adaptive-area hub is movable between a non-austere position in which the plurality of inner slats and the plurality of outer slats are positioned relative to each other to cause the plurality of outer gaps and the plurality of inner gaps to be aligned and an austere position in which the plurality of inner slats and the plurality of outer slats are positioned relative to each other to cause the plurality of outer gaps and the plurality of inner gaps to be misaligned.
1 more element
A method comprising
- providing a particle separator that includes an adaptive-area hub, an outer wall arranged around the adaptive-area hub to define an inlet passageway, and a splitter, the adaptive-area hub including an inner wall, a plurality of outer slats located between the inner wall and the outer wall, and a plurality of inner slats located between the plurality of outer slats and the inner wall, each of the plurality of outer slats is spaced apart from a neighboring outer slat of the plurality of outer slats to define a plurality of outer gaps between the plurality of outer slats, and each of the plurality of inner slats is spaced apart from a neighboring inner slat of the plurality of inner slats to define a plurality of inner gaps between the plurality of inner slats, and
- moving the plurality of inner slats relative to the plurality of outer slats to cause the plurality of inner gaps to be misaligned with the plurality of outer gaps.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.