Centrifugal deaerator for a turbomachine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11060456-B2
Application number	US-201816493161-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 7, 2018
Priority date	Mar 21, 2017
Publication date	Jul 13, 2021
Grant date	Jul 13, 2021

Abstract

A centrifugal deaerator for an air/oil mixture of a turbine engine includes: an annular housing arranged around a hollow shaft and having an outer annular wall and an inner annular wall; axial mixture inlets for the inflow of the air/oil mixture into annular housing; a pinion for rotating the annular housing, the pinion including a web that is securely connected to the hollow shaft and to the inner and outer annular walls; radial oil outlets in the outer wall; and oil-free air outlets in the inner wall. The axial mixture inlets and the radial oil outlets are axially arranged on either said of the web to prevent the axial mixture inlets from reintroducing oil evacuated by radial oil outlets into the annular housing.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A centrifugal deaerator for an air/oil mixture of a turbine engine, comprising:
an annular enclosure for a centrifugal separation of said air/oil mixture arranged around a hollow shaft and delimited by an outer annular wall and an inner annular wall;
at least one axial mixture inlet for said air/oil mixture in said annular enclosure;
a pinion configured to rotate said annular enclosure, the pinion comprising a sail securely connected to said hollow shaft and to said inner annular wall and said outer annular wall such that rotation of said pinion drives said annular enclosure in rotation;
at least one radial oil outlet arranged in said outer annular wall and configured to evacuate an oil portion separated from said air/oil mixture towards an outside of the centrifugal deaerator; and
at least one oil-free air outlet arranged in said inner annular wall and configured to evacuate an oil-free air portion of said air/oil mixture towards said hollow shaft;
wherein said at least one axial mixture inlet and said at least one radial oil outlet are axially arranged on either side of said sail of said pinion so as to prevent reintroduction of the oil portion evacuated by said at least one radial oil outlet in the annular enclosure by said at least one axial mixture inlet.

2. The centrifugal deaerator according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one anti-return disc extending perpendicularly to the outer annular wall and partially blocking said axial mixture inlet in the annular enclosure so as to prevent an oil outlet in a vicinity of said outer annular wall by said at least one axial mixture inlet.

3. The centrifugal deaerator according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one anti-return disc is formed by a portion of the sail of the pinion arranged upstream of said annular enclosure and surrounding the at least one axial mixture inlet.

4. The centrifugal deaerator according to claim 3 , wherein said sail of said pinion comprises a plurality of access openings to said at least one axial mixture inlet in the annular enclosure.

5. The centrifugal deaerator according to claim 1 , wherein said annular enclosure comprises a plurality of compartments arranged radially around the hollow shaft, each compartment of the plurality of compartments being configured to receive the air/oil mixture through the at least one axial mixture inlet and being connected to the at least one radial oil outlet and to the at least one oil-free air outlet.

6. The centrifugal deaerator according to claim 1 , further comprising a metal foam arranged in said annular enclosure.

7. A turboshaft engine comprising a mechanical member, the turboshaft engine comprising the centrifugal deaerator according to claim 1 , wherein the centrifugal deaerator is adapted to be driven in rotation by said mechanical member, wherein said mechanical member is configured to be driven by an accessory box or a reduction gear of the turboshaft engine.

8. The centrifugal deaerator according to claim 3 , wherein said annular enclosure comprises a plurality of compartments arranged radially around the hollow shaft, each compartment of the plurality of compartments being configured to receive the air/oil mixture through the at least one axial mixture inlet and being connected to the at least one radial oil outlet and to the at least one oil-free air outlet.

9. The centrifugal deaerator according to claim 4 , wherein said annular enclosure comprises a plurality of compartments arranged radially around the hollow shaft, each compartment of the plurality of compartments being configured to receive the air/oil mixture through the at least one axial mixture inlet and being connected to the at least one radial oil outlet and to the at least one oil-free air outlet.

10. The centrifugal deaerator according to claim 2 , further comprising a metal foam arranged in said annular enclosure.

11. The centrifugal deaerator according to claim 3 , further comprising a metal foam arranged in said annular enclosure.

12. The centrifugal deaerator according to claim 4 , further comprising a metal foam arranged in said annular enclosure.

13. The centrifugal deaerator according to claim 5 , further comprising a metal foam arranged in said annular enclosure.

14. A centrifugal deaerator, comprising:
an annular enclosure arranged around a hollow shaft, the annular enclosure being delimited by an outer annular wall and an inner annular wall;
an axial mixture inlet for an air/oil mixture in the annular enclosure;
a pinion configured to rotate the annular enclosure, the pinion comprising a sail securely connected to the hollow shaft, to the inner annular wall, and to the outer annular wall such that rotation of the pinion drives the annular enclosure in rotation;
a radial oil outlet arranged in the outer annular wall and configured to evacuate an oil portion separated from the air/oil mixture towards an outside of the centrifugal deaerator; and
an oil-free air outlet arranged in the inner annular wall and configured to evacuate an air portion of the air/oil mixture towards the hollow shaft;
wherein the axial mixture inlet and the radial oil outlet are configured to prevent reintroduction of the oil portion of the air/oil mixture evacuated by the radial oil outlet via the axial mixture inlet, by arrangement of the axial mixture inlet on a first side of the pinion and arrangement of the radial oil outlet on a second side of the pinion.

15. A turboshaft engine, comprising:
a mechanical member configured to be driven by an accessory box or a reduction gear of the turboshaft engine; and
a centrifugal deaerator configured to be driven by the mechanical member, the centrifugal deaerator comprising:
an annular enclosure arranged around a hollow shaft, the annular enclosure being delimited by an outer annular wall and an inner annular wall;
an axial mixture inlet for an air/oil mixture in the annular enclosure;
a pinion configured to rotate the annular enclosure, the pinion comprising a sail securely connected to the hollow shaft, to the inner annular wall, and to the outer annular wall such that rotation of the pinion drives the annular enclosure in rotation;
a radial oil outlet arranged in the outer annular wall and configured to evacuate an oil portion separated from the air/oil mixture towards an outside of the centrifugal deaerator; and
an oil-free air outlet arranged in the inner annular wall and configured to evacuate an air portion of the air/oil mixture towards the hollow shaft;
wherein the axial mixture inlet and the radial oil outlet are configured to prevent reintroduction of the oil portion of the air/oil mixture evacuated by the radial oil outlet via the axial mixture inlet, by arrangement of the axial mixture inlet on a first side of the pinion and arrangement of the radial oil outlet on a second side of the pinion.

Assignees

• Safran Helicopter Engines

Inventors

• Fulleringer Benjamin
• Pajard Jean-Pierre
• Cazaux Yannick

Classifications

• F02C7/06 Primary

  Arrangements of bearings (bearings F16C); Lubricating ({of turbo machines F01D25/18; of machines or} engines in general F01M) · CPC title

• F01M13/04

  having means for purifying air before leaving crankcase, e.g. removing oil · CPC title

• B01D45/14

  generated by rotating vanes, discs, drums or brushes · CPC title

• F01M2013/0422

  Separating oil and gas with a centrifuge device · CPC title

• F05D2260/609

  Deoiling or demisting · CPC title