Abstract:
One embodiment of the present disclosure is a unique particle separator. Another embodiment is a unique aircraft. Another embodiment is a unique inertial particle separator. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for aircraft, engines and particle separators for aircraft and engines. Further embodiments, forms, features, aspects, benefits, and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the description and figures provided herewith.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/769,548, filed 26 Feb. 2013, the disclosure of which is now expressly incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to aircraft, engines, and particle separators for aircraft and engines. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Particle separators that effectively remove particles from an airflow to provide relatively clean air to an engine remain an area of interest. Some existing systems have various shortcomings, drawbacks, and disadvantages relative to certain applications. Accordingly, there remains a need for further contributions in this area of technology. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    One embodiment of the present disclosure is a unique particle separator. Another embodiment is a unique aircraft. Another embodiment is a unique inertial particle separator. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for aircraft, engines and particle separators for aircraft and engines. Further embodiments, forms, features, aspects, benefits, and advantages of the present application will become apparent from the description and figures provided herewith. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    The description herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and wherein: 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  schematically illustrates some aspects of a non-limiting example of an aircraft in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  schematically illustrates a sectional view of some aspects of a non-limiting example of a particle separator in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  schematically illustrates an isometric view of some aspects of a non-limiting example of a particle separator in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; and 
           [0009]      FIGS. 4A-4C  illustrate some particle trajectories for an embodiment of a particle separator in accordance with the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0010]    For purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the disclosure, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nonetheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the disclosure is intended by the illustration and description of certain embodiments of the disclosure. In addition, any alterations and/or modifications of the illustrated and/or described embodiment(s) are contemplated as being within the scope of the present disclosure. Further, any other applications of the principles of the disclosure, as illustrated and/or described herein, as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the disclosure pertains, are contemplated as being within the scope of the present disclosure. 
         [0011]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , some aspects of a non-limiting example of an aircraft  10  in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure are schematically depicted. Aircraft  10  includes a flight structure  12 , an air inlet  14 , a particle separator  16 , a transition duct  18 , an engine  20 , an exhaust nozzle  22 , and an exhaust exit  24 . In one form, aircraft  10  is a fixed-wing aircraft. In other embodiments, aircraft  10  may be a rotary wing aircraft or any other type of aircraft. In one form, flight structure  12  is a wing structure of aircraft  10 . In other embodiments, flight structure  12  may be a fuselage, a lift body, an empennage and/or any other structure of an aircraft. In one form, air inlet  14  and exhaust exit  24  are disposed on an upper surface of flight structure  12 . In other embodiments, one or both of air inlet  14  and exhaust exit  24  may be disposed on, embedded in or otherwise attached to or extending from any portion of flight structure  12 . 
         [0012]    In one form, air inlet  14  is louvered. In other embodiments, air inlet  14  may take any other form. In one form, particle separator  16  is fluidly disposed downstream of air inlet  14 . In other embodiments, particle separator  16  may form part or all of air inlet  14 . In one form, particle separator  16  is displaced from the inlet of engine  20 , and is in fluid communication with the inlet of engine  20  via transition duct  18 . In other embodiments, particle separator  1 $ may be disposed immediately adjacent to the inlet of engine  20 . Particle separator  16  is configured to remove particles within a selected size or mass range from air received via air inlet  14  for use by engine  20 , e.g., in providing propulsion or other power for aircraft  10 . Transition duct  18  is configured to provide the cleaned air output of particle separator  16  to engine  20 . In one form, engine  20  is a gas turbine engine. In other embodiments, engine  20  may be another type of engine. In the form, as a gas turbine engine, engine  20  is a turbofan engine. In other embodiments, engine  20  may be any other type of gas turbine engine, e.g., a turbojet engine, a turboshaft engine, a turboprop engine, a hybrid engine, or may be any other type of turbomachine engine, including, for example, a pulse-jet, pulse detonation, ramjet, scramjet or any other type of subsonic, sonic, supersonic or hypersonic engine. 
         [0013]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , some aspects of a non-limiting example of particle separator  16  are illustrated in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Particle separator  16  is an inertial particle separator. In one form, particle separator  16  includes a plurality of linear flow splitters  30 , structures in the form of linear end-wall flow guides  32 , a plurality of shaped linear flow splitters  34 , a plurality of linear flow splitters  36 , and a plurality of linear scavenge flowpaths or passages  38 . Flow splitters  30 ,  34  and  36 ; flow guides  32  and scavenge flowpaths  38  are referred to as “linear” because they are not bodies of revolution disposed about a centerline, but rather, extend generally linearly between side or end  40  and side or end  42 . In one form, flow splitters  30 ,  34  and  36 ; flow guides  32 ; and scavenge flowpaths  38  extend in a straight line between ends  40  and  42 , e.g., as would an extruded shape. In other embodiments, flow splitters  30 ,  34  and  36 ; flow guides  32 ; and scavenge flowpaths  38  may not extend in a straight line, and may, for example and without limitation, undulate between ends  40  and  42  or otherwise vary from a straight line between ends  40  and  42 . In one form, each of flow splitters  30 ,  34  and  36 ; flow guides  32 ; and scavenge flowpaths  38  are formed of sheet aluminum. In other embodiments, other materials may be employed. In the depicted embodiment, a sheet thickness of 0.055 inches is employed. In other embodiments, the material thickness may vary with the needs of the application. 
         [0014]    Each flow splitter  30  is disposed adjacent to another flow splitter  30  or to one of flow guides  32 . Formed between adjacent flow splitters and/or flow guides  32  are flowpaths  44 . In some embodiments, only a single flow splitter  30  may be employed, e.g., disposed between flow guides  32 , and form two flowpaths  44 . Other embodiments may not employ any flow splitters  30 , and may form a single flowpath  44  between flow guides  32 . Still other embodiments may employ any number of flow splitters  30 , forming (in conjunction with flow guides  32 ) any number of flowpaths  44 . 
         [0015]    In one form, flow splitters  34  are disposed downstream of flow splitters  30  and flow guides  32 , i.e., downstream of the leading edge portions  46  of flow splitters  30  and flow guides  32 . In other embodiments, flow splitters  34  may not be positioned downstream of flow splitters  30  and flow guides  32 . Flow splitters  34  are configured to subdivide each flowpath  44  into two flowpaths  48 . In one form, each flowpath  48  has the same flow area. In other embodiments, the flow area may vary between instances of flowpaths  48 . In one form, flow splitters  36  are disposed downstream of flow splitters  34 , i.e., downstream of the leading edge portions  49  of flow splitters  34 . In other embodiments, flow splitters  36  may not be disposed downstream of flow splitters  34 . Flow splitters  36  are configured to subdivide each flowpath  48  into two flowpaths, a vitiated air flowpath  50  and a cleaned air flowpath  52 . Each vitiated air flowpath  50  culminates in a scavenge flowpath  38 . In one form, scavenge flowpaths  38  are perpendicular to vitiated air flowpath  50 , e.g., perpendicular to the plane of the drawing of  FIG. 2 . In other embodiments, scavenge flowpaths  38  may be arranged at other angles. Scavenge flowpaths  38  are configured to receive particles captured in vitiated air flowpaths  50 . In one form, scavenge flowpaths  38  are configured to discharge the particles to a desired location, e.g., overboard aircraft  10 , e.g., via exhaust exit  24 . In some embodiments, a scavenge blower (not shown), ejector (not shown) or other device or system may be employed to apply a suction to scavenge flowpaths  38 , e.g., in order to assist removal of particles captured in vitiated air flowpaths  50 . In other embodiments, no suction may be applied to scavenge flowpaths  38 . 
         [0016]    Flow splitters  34  are configured to impart an outward velocity (outward relative to flow splitters  34 ) to particles entrained in the air received into flowpaths  48  and to impart momentum to the particles in the air flow and direct at least some of the particles (with air) toward vitiated air flowpath  50 . In one form, flow splitters  34  are configured to impart momentum to particles above a predetermined mass and direct the particles above the predetermined mass (with air) into vitiated air flowpath  50 , whereas the balance of the air is a cleaned air flow directed into cleaned air flowpath  52  along with some particles having a mass lower than the predetermined mass. The mass of particles (if any) entering cleaned air flowpath  52  is less than the mass of particles entering vitiated air flowpath  50 . 
         [0017]    Walls  54 ,  56  forming scavenge flowpaths  38  define a plurality of linear flow mixers  58 . Flow mixers  58  are positioned downstream of flow splitters  36 . Flow mixers  58  are configured to combine each adjacent pair of clean air flowpaths  52  into a single flowpath  60 . Flowpaths  60  are configured to direct the cleaned air toward the inlet of engine  20 . 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIGS. 4A-4C  in conjunction with  FIGS. 2 and 3 , during operation, air flow enters particle separator  16  approximately in the direction indicated by lines  70 . The airflow is split and directed into flowpaths  44  by splitters  30  and flow guides  32 . The air flow in each flowpath  44  is then split and directed into flowpaths  48  by flow splitters  34 . The airflow in each flowpath  48  is then split and directed into vitiated air flowpath  50  and clean air flowpath  52 . Adjacent pairs of clean air flowpaths  52  are combined by flow mixers  58  into flowpaths  60 . The vitiated air received into vitiated air flowpaths  50  flows into scavenge flowpaths  38  for removal from particle separator  16 . 
         [0019]    In order to direct most or all of any particles in the air received into particle separator  16  into vitiated air flowpaths  50 , flow splitters  34  have a shape configured to impart momentum to particles in the air flowing in flowpaths  48  to direct the particles toward vitiated air flowpaths  50 , in addition, the flowpath walls  62  of flowpaths  48 , e.g., defined at least in part by flow splitters  30 , have a shape configured to direct the particles toward vitiated air flowpaths  50 . The path of the particles varies with the size (mass) of the particles. The shapes of flow splitters  34  and flowpaths walls  62  may vary with the needs of the application in order to direct particles within the selected mass range into vitiated air flowpaths  50 . 
         [0020]      FIG. 4A-4C  are analytical results illustrating the calculated trajectories of particles of different masses as they pass through illustrated portions of a non-limiting example of a particle separator  16  in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIG. 4A  illustrates streams  64  of ultra fine particles passing through the illustrated portions of particle separator  16 .  FIG. 4B  illustrates streams  66  of fine particles passing through the illustrated portions of particle separator  16 , wherein the shape of flow splitters  34  and walls  62  are configured to deflect the fine particles impacting flow splitters  34  and walls  62  toward vitiated air flowpath  50 .  FIG. 4C  illustrates streams  68  of course particles passing through the illustrated portions of particle separator  16 , wherein the shape of flow splitters  34  and wails  62  are configured to deflect the course particles impacting flow splitters  34  and walls  62  toward vitiated air flowpath  50 . The operating conditions for the illustration of FIGS,  4 A- 4 C are an engine  20  take-off power rating at sea level static, standard day inlet conditions. In the non-limiting example illustrated in  FIGS. 4A-4C , flow splitters  34  and walls  62  are configured, e.g., in shape and elasticity, to direct substantially all of the fine and course particles into vitiated air flowpath  50 , e.g. as illustrated by particle streams  66  and  68 , respectively, entering vitiated air flowpath  50 ; and configured to direct most of the ultra fine particles into vitiated air flowpath  50 , e.g. as illustrated by particle streams  64 , at the same engine and inlet conditions. Hence, particle separator  16  is configured to provide relatively clean air to engine  20  via flowpaths  52  and  60  in the presence of ultra fine, fine and/or coarse particles in the air received into inlet  14 . Other engine power and/or inlet conditions may yield different particle capture results. In the illustrated examples of  FIGS. 4A-4C , ultra fine particles are approximately 2 micron; fine particles are approximately 24 micron, and coarse particles are approximately 500 micron. Various embodiments of particle separator  16  may be configured to direct particles of other desired sizes and/or ranges of sizes into desired vitiated air flowpaths  50 . Also, in other embodiments, flow splitters  34  and walls  62  may be configured to yield different trajectories for particles of different sizes and/or masses in order to achieve the same or different results, e.g., different degrees of particle capture into vitiated air flowpaths  50  under the same or different engine and inlet conditions. 
         [0021]    Embodiments of the present disclosure include a particle separator, comprising: two adjacent first linear flow splitters configured to form a first flowpath therebetween; a second linear flow splitter configured to subdivide the first flowpath into two second flowpaths; and two third linear flow splitters, each third linear flow splitter being configured to subdivide each second flowpath into -a pair of third flowpaths. 
         [0022]    In a refinement, the particle separator further comprises a linear flow mixer configured to combine one third flowpath from each of two pairs of third flowpaths into a single fourth flowpath. 
         [0023]    In another refinement, the fourth flowpath is configured to direct air toward a gas turbine engine. 
         [0024]    In yet another refinement, the second linear flow splitter is positioned downstream of the first linear flow splitters; wherein the third linear flow splitters are positioned downstream of the second linear flow splitter; and wherein the linear flow mixer is positioned downstream of the third linear flow splitters. 
         [0025]    In still another refinement, one of the third flowpaths formed by one of the third linear flow splitters is a vitiated air flowpath configured to receive a vitiated air flow wherein the other of the third flowpaths formed by the one of the third linear flow splitters is a clean air flowpath configured to receive a cleaned air flow. 
         [0026]    In yet still another refinement, a mass of particles entering the clean air flowpath is less than a mass of particles entering the vitiated air flowpath. 
         [0027]    In a further refinement, the second linear flow splitter is configured to impart momentum to particles above a predetermined mass and direct the particles with air toward the vitiated air flowpath. 
         [0028]    In a yet further refinement, the balance of the air is directed into the clean air flowpath. 
         [0029]    In a still further refinement, each of the second flowpaths have a same flow area. 
         [0030]    In a yet still further refinement, the particle separator further comprises a scavenge flowpath in fluid communication with each vitiated air flowpath. 
         [0031]    In another refinement, the scavenge flowpath is perpendicular to the vitiated air flowpath. 
         [0032]    Embodiments of the present disclosure include an aircraft, comprising: a flight structure; an engine coupled to the flight structure; and a particle separator in fluid communication with the engine, including: one or more structures forming a first flowpath; a first linear flow splitter configured to subdivide the first flowpath into two second flowpaths; and two second linear flow splitters, each second linear flow splitter being configured to subdivide each second flowpath into a pair of third flowpaths. 
         [0033]    In a refinement, the particle separator further includes a flow mixer configured to combine one third flowpath from each of two pairs of third flowpaths into a single fourth flowpath. 
         [0034]    In another refinement, one of the third flowpaths formed by one of the second linear flow splitters is a vitiated air flowpath configured to receive a vitiated air flow; and wherein the other of the third flowpaths formed by the one of the second linear flow splitters is a clean air flowpath configured to receive a cleaned air flow. 
         [0035]    In yet another refinement, a mass of particles entering the clean air flowpath is less than a mass of particles entering the vitiated air flowpath. 
         [0036]    In still another refinement, the second linear flow splitter is configured to impart momentum to particles above a predetermined mass and to direct the particles with air toward the vitiated air flowpath. 
         [0037]    In yet still another refinement, the balance of the air is directed into the clean air flowpath. 
         [0038]    In a further refinement, the particle separator further includes a scavenge flowpath in fluid communication with each vitiated air flowpath. In a yet further refinement, the scavenge flowpath is perpendicular to the vitiated air flowpath. 
         [0039]    Embodiments of the present disclosure include an inertial particle separator, comprising: means for forming a first flowpath; means for subdividing the first flowpath into a plurality of second flowpaths; and means for subdividing each second flowpath into a plurality of third flowpaths. In a refinement, the inertial particle separator further comprises means for combining at least some of the third flowpaths into a fourth flowpath. 
         [0040]    While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment(s), but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, which scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures as permitted under the law. Furthermore it should be understood that while the use of the word preferable, preferably, or preferred in the description above indicates that feature so described may be more desirable, it nonetheless may not be necessary and any embodiment lacking the same may be contemplated as within the scope of the disclosure, that scope being defined by the claims that follow. In reading the claims it is intended that when words such as “a,” “an,” “at least one” and “at least a portion” are used, there is no intention to limit the claim to only one item unless specifically stated to the contrary in the claim. Further, when the language “at least a portion” and/or “a portion” is used the item may include a portion and/or the entire item unless specifically stated to the contrary.