# US 2021/0277811 A1 · Centrifugal debris pre-separator for turbine engine oil filter

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- Number: US 2021/0277811 A1
- Document ID: US20210277811A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/329,473
- Filed: 2021-05-25
- Published: 2021-09-09
- Earliest claimed: 2018-05-08
- Assignees: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
- Applicants: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
- Inventors: David Allen Stachowiak
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210277811A1

## CPC

- F01M 11/03: Mounting or connecting of lubricant purifying means relative to the machine or engine; Details of lubricant purifying means (filters B01D)
- B01D 21/265: {by using a vortex inducer or vortex guide, e.g. coil (B01D21/0054 takes precedence)}
- B01D 29/21: with corrugated, folded or wound sheets
- B01D 29/33: arranged for inward flow filtration
- B01D 29/58: arranged concentrically or coaxially
- F01D 25/18: Lubricating arrangements (of machines or engines in general F01M)
- F01M 1/10: Lubricating systems characterised by the provision therein of lubricant venting or purifying means, e.g. of filters
- F02C 7/06: Arrangements of bearings (bearings F16C); Lubricating ({of turbo machines F01D25/18; of machines or} engines in general F01M)
- F16N 39/06: by filtration (filters in general B01D; magnetic separators B03C1/00; {centrifugal separators or filters B04B5/005})
- B01D 2201/32: Flow characteristics of the filter
- F01M 2001/1007: {characterised by the purification means combined with other functions}
- F01M 2001/1035: {comprising centrifugal filters}
- F01M 2001/1057: {comprising a plurality of filters, parallel or serial}
- F02C 3/04: having a turbine driving a compressor (power transmission arrangements F02C7/36; control of working fluid flow F02C9/16)
- F05D 2220/323: for aircraft propulsion, e.g. jet engines
- F05D 2260/607: Preventing clogging or obstruction of flow paths by dirt, dust, or foreign particles
- F05D 2260/98: Lubrication
- F16N 2210/02: Turbines
- F16N 2210/08: Aircraft
- Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft
- F01M: LUBRICATING OF MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; LUBRICATING INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES; CRANKCASE VENTILATING
- 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)
- F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D)
- 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)
- F16N: LUBRICATING
- 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

A fluid filtration assembly (FFA) includes a housing having a thickness defined between an internal surface and an external surface, the housing receiving a filter and defining an outer annular flow passage between an outer surface of the filter and the internal surface of the housing; an inlet pipe communicates with the FFA and injects a fluid into the housing to impart a centrifugal force; an outlet pipe communicates with the FFA and discharges the fluid from the housing; and a collection area disposed towards an end of the outer annular flow passage collects particulate matter from the fluid; wherein a width of the outer annular flow passage increases towards the collection area.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A fluid filtration assembly, comprising:
a housing having a thickness defined between an internal surface of the housing and an external surface of the housing;
a first filter having a first radially outer surface and a first radially inner surface, the first filter disposed in the housing, the first radially outer surface and the internal surface of the housing defining an outer annular flow passage;
a cavity disposed radially inward of the first filter;
an inlet pipe in fluid communication with the outer annular flow passage;
an outlet pipe in fluid communication with the cavity to discharge the fluid from the housing; and
a collection area disposed towards an end of the outer annular flow passage axially distal the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe, the collection area configured to collect particulate matter from the fluid, wherein:
the fluid is configured to flow radially from the outer annular flow passage through the first radially outer surface of the first filter and the first radially inner surface of the first filter into the cavity, and
the fluid is configured to flow axially from the cavity out the outlet pipe.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The fluid filtration assembly of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the housing decreases towards the collection area.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The fluid filtration assembly of claim 1, wherein an outer diameter of the housing increases towards the collection area.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The fluid filtration assembly of claim 1, wherein a width of the outer annular flow passage increases towards the collection area to augment a centrifugal force.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The fluid filtration assembly of claim 1, wherein the fluid filtration assembly is an oil filtration assembly and the fluid is an oil.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The fluid filtration assembly of claim 1, further comprising a drain plug proximate an end cap near the collection area.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The fluid filtration assembly of claim 1, further comprising a turning vane assembly proximate the inlet pipe.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The fluid filtration assembly of claim 1, further comprising a second filter configured within the first filter.

### Claim 9

A gas turbine engine, comprising:
a fan section configured to induce air from a surrounding environment into the gas turbine engine;
a compressor section in fluid communication with the fan section and configured to compress the air received from the fan section;
a combustor section in fluid communication with the compressor section and configured to ignite a fuel-air mixture to generate combustion gases;
a turbine section in fluid communication with the combustor section; and
a debris capture device to remove particulate matter from fluids associated with lubricating rotating components of the gas turbine engine, comprising:
an inlet pipe;
an outlet pipe; and
an oil filtration assembly, comprising:
a housing having a thickness defined between an internal surface of the housing and an external surface of the housing;
a first filter having a first radially outer surface and a first radially inner surface, the first filter disposed in the housing, the first radially outer surface and the internal surface of the housing defining an outer annular flow passage;
a cavity disposed radially inward of the first filter, the cavity in fluid communication with the outer annular flow passage; and
a collection area disposed towards an end of the outer annular flow passage axially distal to the inlet pipe, the collection area configured to collect the particulate matter from an oil, wherein:
the inlet pipe is in fluid communication with the outer annular flow passage,
the outlet pipe is in fluid communication with the cavity to discharge the oil from the housing, and
the oil is configured to flow radially from the outer annular flow passage through the first radially outer surface of the first filter and the first radially inner surface of the first filter into the cavity.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The gas turbine engine of claim 9, wherein the thickness of the housing decreases towards the collection area.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The gas turbine engine of claim 9, wherein an outer diameter of the housing increases towards the collection area.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The gas turbine engine of claim 9, wherein a width of the outer annular flow passage increases towards the collection area to augment a centrifugal force.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The gas turbine engine of claim 9, further comprising a drain plug proximate an end cap near the collection area.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The gas turbine engine of claim 9, further comprising a turning vane assembly proximate the inlet pipe.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The gas turbine engine of claim 9, further comprising a second filter configured within the first filter.

### Claim 16

A method of filtering particulate matter from a fluid filtration assembly, comprising:
injecting a fluid into a housing with a centrifugal force;
augmenting the centrifugal force within the housing by increasing a width of an outer annular flow passage between a first outer surface of a filter and an internal surface of the housing;
collecting particulate matter from the fluid in a collection area due to the augmenting the centrifugal force before the particulate matter impacts the filter;
flowing the fluid radially inward from the outer annular flow passage through a first radially outer surface of a first filter and a first radially inner surface of the first filter into a center cavity of the housing; and
flowing the fluid axially through an outlet pipe of the housing, the outlet pipe disposed axially opposite the collection area.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of filtering particulate matter from the fluid filtration assembly of claim 16, wherein the fluid filtration assembly is an oil filtration assembly and the fluid is an oil.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of filtering particulate matter from the fluid filtration assembly of claim 17, wherein the fluid filtration assembly is a component of a gas turbine engine.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The method of filtering particulate matter from the fluid filtration assembly of claim 16, further comprising additionally augmenting the centrifugal force by imparting an additional rotational force to the fluid as the fluid enters the housing.