Contaminant separator for a nitrogen generation system and method of removing contaminants from an airstream

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016136556-A1
Application number	US-201414546441-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 18, 2014
Priority date	Nov 18, 2014
Publication date	May 19, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A contaminant separator for a nitrogen generation system includes a swirl vane chamber defined by a chamber wall, the swirl vane chamber configured to receive an air bleed flow. Also included is a vane located within the swirl vane chamber, the vane configured to direct contaminants heavier than air radially outwardly toward the chamber wall. Further included is an ejector defined by an ejector wall, the ejector located downstream of the swirl vane chamber and radially inwardly of the chamber wall. Yet further included is a housing surrounding the ejector and the chamber wall. Also included is a contaminant separating path, the contaminant separating path extending from an inlet comprising an annular gap defined by the chamber wall and the ejector wall, the contaminant separating path extending to an outlet defined by the housing and the ejector wall.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A contaminant separator for a nitrogen generation system comprising:
a swirl vane chamber defined by an inner surface of a first portion of a chamber wall, the swirl vane chamber configured to receive an air bleed flow; a vane located within the swirl vane chamber and operatively coupled to the chamber wall, the vane configured to induce vortices of the air bleed flow within the swirl vane chamber to direct contaminants heavier than air radially outwardly toward the inner surface of the chamber wall; an ejector defined by an ejector wall, the ejector located downstream of the swirl vane chamber and radially inwardly of a second portion of the chamber wall, the second portion of the chamber wall oriented at an angle from the first portion of the chamber wall; a housing surrounding at least a portion of the ejector and at least a portion of the second portion of the chamber wall; and a contaminant separating path having an increasing cross-section area along at least a portion thereof, the contaminant separating path extending from an inlet comprising an annular gap defined by the second portion of the chamber wall and the ejector wall, the contaminant separating path extending to an outlet defined by the housing and the ejector wall.

2 . The contaminant separator of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of vanes located within the swirl vane chamber.

3 . The contaminant separator of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of vanes comprises at least four vanes.

4 . The contaminant separator of claim 1 , wherein the vane is tapered.

5 . The contaminant separator of claim 1 , wherein the vane comprises sheet metal.

6 . The contaminant separator of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a plurality of segments.

7 . The contaminant separator of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of segments of the housing comprises a first axial segment and a second axial segment configured to be repeatedly removable and coupleable for removal of contaminant therein.

8 . The contaminant separator of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a settling chamber for collection of contaminant.

9 . The contaminant separator of claim 1 , wherein the contaminant separator is located upstream of an air separation module of the nitrogen generation system.

10 . The contaminant separator of claim 1 , wherein the contaminant separating path comprises at least one turn region.

11 . The contaminant separator of claim 10 , wherein the at least one turn region comprises at least one 180 degree turn.

12 . The contaminant separator of claim 10 , wherein the at least one turn region comprises a two 180 degree turn regions.

13 . The contaminant separator of claim 1 , wherein at least one contaminant is removed from the air bleed flow, the at least one contaminant comprising at least one of sand and oil.

14 . A method of removing at least one contaminant from an air bleed flow in a nitrogen generation system comprising:
routing the air bleed flow into a swirl vane chamber having a plurality of vanes located therein; directing the at least one contaminant radially outwardly toward an inner surface of a first portion of a chamber wall based on a swirling airflow induced by the plurality of vanes; routing the at least one contaminant into a contaminant separating path having an inlet at a gap defined by a second portion of the chamber wall and an ejector wall, the ejector wall defining an ejector; and collecting the at least one contaminant in a settling chamber located along the contaminant separating path by bringing the at least one contaminant to rest with a decreasing velocity based on an increasing cross-sectional area of the contaminant separating path along at least a portion thereof.

Assignees

• Hamilton Sundstrand Corp

Inventors

• Rugg Jared
• Army Jr Donald E

Classifications

• B01D45/16 Primary

  generated by the winding course of the gas stream {, the centrifugal forces being generated solely or partly by mechanical means, e.g. fixed swirl vanes} · CPC title

• B01D45/06

  by reversal of direction of flow · CPC title

• B01D45/12

  by centrifugal forces (centrifuges B04B; cyclones B04C) · CPC title

• B04C3/06

  Construction of inlets or outlets to the vortex chamber · CPC title