# US 12,215,627 B2 · Separators for use with gas turbine engines

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- Number: US 12,215,627 B2
- Document ID: US12215627B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/295,590
- Filed: 2023-04-04
- Published: 2024-08-08
- Granted: 2025-02-04
- Earliest claimed: 2023-02-08
- Assignees: General Electric Company
- Applicants: General Electric Company
- Inventors: Pradeep Hemant Sangli; Santosh Kumar Potnuru; Keith A. Miedema; Matthew D. Brothers; Ravindra Shankar Ganiger
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12215627B2

## CPC

- F02C 7/30: Preventing corrosion {or unwanted deposits} in gas-swept spaces
- B64D 2013/0651: {comprising filters, e.g. dust filters}
- F05D 2260/607: Preventing clogging or obstruction of flow paths by dirt, dust, or foreign particles
- 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)
- B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
- F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS

## Abstract

Separators for use with gas turbine engines are disclosed herein. An example separator disclosed herein includes a first ring including a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a first opening extending from the first surface to the second surface, a second ring surrounding the first ring, the second ring including a third surface, a fourth surface, and a second opening extending from the first surface to the second surface, and a filter disposed between the first ring and the second ring, the filter disposed in a fluid pathway extending between the first opening and the second opening.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A separator, comprising:
a first ring including:
a first surface;
a second surface opposite the first surface; and
a first opening extending from the first surface to the second surface;
a second ring surrounding the first ring, the second ring including:
a third surface;
a fourth surface, the third surface is spaced from and disposed radially outward of the fourth surface, the third surface and the fourth surface defining an interior;
a plurality of walls disposed within the interior, the plurality of walls dividing the interior into a plurality of interior sections; and
a second opening extending through the fourth surface; and
a filter disposed between the first ring and the second ring, the filter disposed in a fluid pathway extending between the first opening and the second opening.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The separator of claim 1, wherein the filter is a first filter, the fluid pathway is a first fluid pathway, the first ring includes a first plurality of openings including the first opening, and the second ring includes a second plurality of openings including the second opening, the separator further including a plurality of filters including the first filter, each of the plurality of filters disposed in a corresponding fluid pathway defined by a first one of the first plurality of openings and a second one of the second plurality of openings.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The separator of claim 2, wherein the plurality of filters has an even quantity and the plurality of filters are distributed evenly about a centerline axis of the first ring.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The separator of claim 1, further including a first piston seal disposed on an external surface of the second ring.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The separator of claim 4, further including a second piston seal, the second opening disposed between the first piston seal and the second piston seal.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The separator of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of interior sections is fluidly sealed from other ones of the plurality of interior sections.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The separator of claim 1, wherein the second ring further includes a mount disposed within the interior, the mount including the filter disposed therein, the mount including:
a third opening on a first side of the filter; and
a fourth opening on a second side of the filter, the second side opposite the first side, the filter disposed between the third opening and the fourth opening.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The separator of claim 7, wherein the third opening and the fourth opening are arranged such that the fluid pathway extends circumferentially though the filter.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The separator of claim 7, wherein the filter includes:
a first separation medium abutting the third opening; and
a second separation medium abutting the fourth opening, the second separation medium denser than the first separation medium.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The separator of claim 9, wherein the third opening is radially outward of the fourth opening.

### Claim 11

A gas turbine engine comprising:
a shaft configured to rotate during operation of the gas turbine engine, the shaft disposed within a cavity containing a first fluid and a second fluid, the second fluid having a different density than the first fluid, wherein the first fluid is oil and the second fluid is air; and
a separator coupled to the shaft, the separator including:
a first ring including a first opening, the first opening receiving the first fluid and the second fluid from the cavity;
a second ring surrounding the first ring; and
a filter disposed between the first ring and the second ring, a rotation of the separator causing the first fluid and the second fluid to flow through a fluid pathway including the filter, the fluid pathway separating the first fluid from the second fluid.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The gas turbine engine of claim 11, wherein the second ring includes a second opening downstream on the fluid pathway from the filter, second opening to expel the second fluid from the separator.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The gas turbine engine of claim 12, further including:
a first piston seal disposed on an external surface of the second ring; and
a second piston seal disposed on the external surface, the first piston seal on an opposite side of the second opening as the first piston seal.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The gas turbine engine of claim 11, wherein the second ring includes:
a first surface; and
a second surface disposed radially outward of the first surface, the first surface and the second surface defining an interior; and
a plurality of fluidly sealed walls disposed within the interior, the plurality of fluidly sealed walls dividing the interior into a plurality of interior sections.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The gas turbine engine of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of interior sections includes a corresponding one of a plurality of filters, the plurality of filters including the filter.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The gas turbine engine of claim 11, wherein the separator is disposed within an oil seal diameter of a sump.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The gas turbine engine of claim 11, wherein the filter includes a plurality of separation mediums disposed sequentially along the fluid pathway, the separation mediums having different permeabilities.

### Claim 18

A gas turbine engine comprising:
a shaft configured to rotate during operation of the gas turbine engine, the shaft disposed within a cavity containing a first fluid and a second fluid, the second fluid having a different density than the first fluid, wherein the shaft is associated with a supercritical carbon dioxide pump, the first fluid is liquid supercritical carbon dioxide, and the second fluid is gaseous supercritical carbon dioxide; and
a separator coupled to the shaft, the separator including:
a first ring including a first opening, the first opening receiving the first fluid and the second fluid from the cavity;
a second ring surrounding the first ring; and
a filter disposed between the first ring and the second ring, a rotation of the separator causing the first fluid and the second fluid to flow through a fluid pathway including the filter, the fluid pathway separating the first fluid from the second fluid.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The gas turbine engine of claim 18, wherein the second ring includes:
a first surface; and
a second surface disposed radially outward of the first surface, the first surface and the second surface defining an interior; and
a plurality of fluidly sealed walls disposed within the interior, the plurality of fluidly sealed walls dividing the interior into a plurality of interior sections.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The gas turbine engine of claim 18, further including a piston seal disposed on an external surface of the second ring.