Inertial particle separator for engine inlet

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10245540-B2
Application number	US-201715401237-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 9, 2017
Priority date	Jan 9, 2017
Publication date	Apr 2, 2019
Grant date	Apr 2, 2019

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.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An aircraft engine having an inertial particle separator communicating with an engine inlet of the aircraft engine, the inertial particle separator comprising:
an inlet duct defining an intake communicating with an environment of the engine;
an intermediate duct extending generally transversally from the inlet duct to the engine inlet, the intermediate duct communicating with the inlet duct adjacent a downstream end of the inlet duct; and
a bypass duct in fluid communication with and extending downstream from the inlet duct and intermediate duct, the bypass duct defining an outlet communicating with the environment of the engine;
wherein 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 defining an engine-side inlet air flow line of the inertial particle separator, a wall of the bypass duct intersecting the wall of the intermediate duct closer to a central axis of the aircraft engine than an extension of the engine-side inlet air flow line into the bypass duct while a central axis of the inlet duct extends from the inlet duct into the bypass duct before intersecting an engine side of the wall of the bypass duct.

2. The aircraft engine as defined in claim 1 , wherein a height of the inlet duct is defined adjacent the intermediate duct, a height of the bypass duct is defined adjacent the intermediate duct, and the height of the bypass duct is greater than the height of the inlet duct.

3. The aircraft engine as defined in claim 1 , wherein central axes of the inlet duct and of the bypass duct are straight.

4. The aircraft engine as defined in claim 1 , wherein the wall of the intermediate duct has a curved portion extending from the wall of the inlet duct and a straight portion extending from the curved portion, the curved portion extending along an angle αt, the curved portion defining a curved central axis for a transition between the inlet and intermediate ducts, the curved central axis having a mean radius Rm, wherein a radial distance y is defined between the intersection of the wall of the bypass duct with the wall of the intermediate duct and the extension of the engine-side inlet air flow line, and wherein

y

R
m

>

A
⁡

(

sin
⁡

(

α
t

)

-
1

)

,

where A is a constant greater than 0.

5. The aircraft engine as defined in claim 4 , wherein A has a value within a range extending from 0.2 to 5.

6. The aircraft engine as defined in claim 1 , wherein the inertial particle separator is configured for an engine operating condition defining an airflow with a Mach number M 1 at the downstream end of the inlet duct, wherein a width X of an inlet of the intermediate duct is defined along the engine-side inlet air flow line, wherein the inlet duct has a height H i , and wherein

M
1

0
,
6

X

*

H
i

>
B

,

where B is a constant having a value within a range extending from 0.12 to 0.5.

7. The aircraft engine as defined in claim 1 , further comprising an angled vane extending non-perpendicularly from the engine side of the inlet duct to an edge spaced from the wall of the inlet duct.

8. The inertial particle separator as defined in claim 7 , wherein the angled vane has a fixed position and includes openings allowing particles to pass therethrough, the openings sized so as to aggregate ice and be blocked by an ice coating under icing conditions.

9. A gas turbine engine comprising:
at least one rotatable shaft in driving engagement with a compressor section and with a turbine section and defining a central axis of the engine;
an engine inlet in fluid communication with the compressor section;
an inertial particle separator comprising:
an inlet duct defining an intake and including a wall having opposed engine and outer sides, the engine side located between the central axis of the engine and the outer side;
an intermediate duct extending radially inwardly from the inlet duct to the engine inlet, the intermediate duct communicating with the inlet duct adjacent a downstream end of the inlet duct, a wall of the intermediate duct intersecting the wall of the inlet duct on the engine side; and
a bypass duct in fluid communication with and extending downstream from the inlet duct and intermediate duct to define an outlet;
wherein in a plane containing central axes of the inlet duct and of the bypass duct, an imaginary straight line overlaps the engine side of the wall of the inlet duct and extends downstream from the inlet duct into the bypass duct; and
wherein an intersection between a wall of the bypass duct and the wall of the intermediate duct is located radially inwardly of the imaginary straight line relative to the central axis of the engine while a central axis of the inlet duct extends from the inlet duct into the bypass duct before intersecting an engine side of the wall of the bypass duct.

10. The gas turbine engine as defined in claim 9 , wherein a height of the inlet duct is defined adjacent the intermediate duct, a height of the bypass duct is defined adjacent the intermediate duct, and the height of the bypass duct is greater than the height of the inlet duct.

11. The gas turbine engine as defined in claim 9 , wherein the central axes of the inlet duct and of the bypass duct are straight.

12. The gas turbine engine as defined in claim 9 , wherein the wall of the intermediate duct has a curved portion extending from the wall of the inlet duct and a straight portion extending from the curved portion, the curved portion extending along an angle α t , the curved portion defining a curved central axis for a transition between the inlet and intermediate ducts, the curved central axis having a mean radius R m , wherein a radial distance y is defined between the intersection of the wall of the bypass duct with the wall of the intermediate duct and the imaginary straight line, and wherein

y

R
m

>

A
⁡

(

Assignees

• Pratt & Whitney Canada

Inventors

• Bisson Francois
• Cunningham Mark

Classifications

• F02C7/052

  with dust-separation devices · CPC title

• B64D33/02

  of combustion air intakes · CPC title

• B01D45/06 Primary

  by reversal of direction of flow · CPC title

• B64D2033/0246

  comprising particle separators · CPC title

• F05D2260/607

  Preventing clogging or obstruction of flow paths by dirt, dust, or foreign particles · CPC title