Fuel oxygen conversion unit with a fuel/gas separator

A gas turbine engine comprising:

• a combustion section;
• and a fuel oxygen conversion unit fluidly coupled to the combustion section, the fuel oxygen conversion unit comprising:
• a contactor defining a liquid fuel inlet, a stripping gas inlet and a fuel/gas mixture outlet;
• and a fuel/gas separator defining a fuel/gas mixture inlet in flow communication with the fuel/gas mixture outlet of the contactor, an axial direction, a radial direction, and a central axis of the fuel/gas separator extending in the axial direction, wherein the fuel/gas separator comprises:
• a separator assembly including a core comprising a gas-permeable section extending along the axial direction and defining a maximum diameter, the maximum diameter of the gas-permeable section being substantially constant along the axial direction;
• and a stationary casing, the fuel/gas separator defining a fuel/gas chamber in fluid communication with the fuel/gas mixture inlet at a location inward of the stationary casing and outward of the gas-permeable section of the separator assembly along the radial direction, wherein the maximum diameter is defined as a distance between a topmost portion of the gas-permeable section in the radial direction to a bottommost portion of the gas-permeable section in the radial direction, and wherein the topmost portion of the gas-permeable section is on a top side of the central axis, and the bottommost portion of the gas-permeable section is on a bottom side of the central axis,
• wherein the gas-permeable section of the core defines a plurality of gas flow paths, and wherein the separator assembly of fuel/gas separator further comprises a plurality of paddles coupled to the core and extending outwardly generally along the radial direction.

A fuel oxygen conversion unit comprising:

• a contactor defining a liquid fuel inlet, a stripping gas inlet and a fuel/gas mixture outlet;
• and
• a fuel/gas separator defining a fuel/gas mixture inlet in flow communication with the fuel/gas mixture outlet of the contactor, an axial direction, and a radial direction,
• wherein the fuel/gas separator comprises:
• a stationary casing;
• and
• a separator assembly including a core comprising a gas-permeable section extending along the axial direction,
• wherein the fuel/gas separator defines a fuel/gas chamber in fluid communication with the fuel/gas mixture inlet at a location inward of the stationary casing and outward of the gas-permeable section of the separator assembly along the radial direction,
• wherein the gas-permeable section defines a volume fraction greater than 20 percent and less than 75 percent,
• wherein the gas-permeable section defines a maximum diameter, and wherein the maximum diameter of the gas-permeable section is substantially constant along the axial direction,
• wherein the gas-permeable section of the core defines a plurality of gas flow paths, and
• wherein the separator assembly of fuel/gas separator further comprises a plurality of paddles coupled to the core and extending outwardly generally along the radial direction.