Abstract:
A device for filtering a flow of gas conveying liquid or solid particles in a flow channel. According to the invention, the particles are imparted a speed that is high enough to project same by inertia into the opening of a recovery channel formed inside the flow channel, while the gas from the flow bypasses said opening due to a specific configuration of the flow conditions of a perfect fluid in the flow channel and in the collection channel.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to the general field of devices and methods making it possible to separate, or filter a flow of gas conveying liquid or solid particles, such as oil, from a flow containing a gas/particles mixture. A special field of application of the invention is that of gas turbine (turbojet and turboprop engines) aircraft engines. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Gas turbine aircraft engines comprise enclosures containing bearings and gears which are lubricated and cooled with oil. In order to prevent oil from leaking out of the enclosures, seals are positioned between the rotating parts and the stationary parts of the enclosures, or even between the rotating parts. Among the various seals available, those having the longest service life are labyrinth seals and brush seals, with no contact between the parts in the first case and a very limited contact in the second case. 
         [0005]    To provide perfect sealing of the enclosures provided with labyrinth seals and brush seals, air flow has to go through the seals, with such air flow being generally sampled at one stage of the engine compressor. Using such a method also implies the provision of devices separating oil from air to be exhausted outside the engine. Such devices—commonly referred to as oil separators—are well known per se. Reference can be made, for example, to documents EP 1582703, U.S. Pat. No. 4,981,502 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,450 which disclose various types of de centrifugal oil separators. 
         [0006]    To operate properly, the oil separators of the centrifugal type must rotate at high speed, whereas the flow of air and oil circulates and is filtered through foams. The higher the rotating speed of such oil separators, the higher the pressure drops generated. As the enclosure seals are so designed as to be operated with a predefined pressure difference, when the oil separator generates a higher pressure drop, the sampling pressure at the compressors must be increased. Such sampling at a higher pressure is harmful to the engine performance, since the air sampled for operating the oil separators does not participate in the propulsion of the turbine engine, but also for cooling the bearings and the gears, since sampling at a higher pressure implies air being sampled at a higher temperature. Besides, the air flow which is taken from a stage of the compressor depends on the engine operation speed, so that the minimum air flow required for sealing the enclosures and the operation of the oil separators are calculated on the basis of the slow phase of the engine (such phase corresponds to the engine operating speed, during which the sampled air flow is the lowest). During the other operating phases of the engine, and more particularly at full speed, the flow of air going through the enclosures is in excess as compared to what is sufficient to provide the sealing of the enclosures, which causes an over-consumption of oil with all the harmful effects entailed therein (pollution, additional cost, etc . . . ). 
         [0007]    Besides, the centrifugal oil separators currently used are subjected to a very specific and restrictive integration in the turbine engine, because of the existing rotating parts which have to be driven within the oil separators. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The invention disclosed here provides for an efficient, easily implemented and economical solution to the above-mentioned problems. 
         [0009]    For this purpose, the invention relates to a device for filtering a flow of gas conveying liquid or solid particles such as a oil separator, with said device comprising: 
         [0010]    a flow channel comprising a neck extended by an enlargement in the downstream direction, 
         [0011]    a recovery channel having an upstream opening arranged inside the flow channel so as to be substantially aligned with the neck in the downstream extension thereof, 
         [0000]    with the recovery channel and the flow channel being so configured that the flow allowed to circulate in the recovery channel is less than the one allowed to circulate in the flow channel. 
         [0012]    In order to better understand the positioning of the upstream opening of the recovery channel with respect to the neck of the flow channel, such upstream opening can be described as being positioned opposite the upstream facing the neck, while being inside the widened part of the flow channel. 
         [0013]    The filtering device mentioned above thus has a relatively simple design, as regards its structure, since it requires no rotating part. Besides, it has relatively small dimensions, and can thus be more easily integrated into a turbine engine, for instance, than the centrifugal oil separators of the prior art. 
         [0014]    Besides, it operates with no foam-type filtering means, which reduces the resulting pressure drops. Using a sampling pressure as high as the one required for centrifugal oil separators at the compressors shall thus not be required in a turbine engine. 
         [0015]    The operation of the preferred filtering device is based on the following principle: the flow containing air and particles flows through the flow channel up to the neck; at the widening of the flow channel downstream from the neck, the air contained in the flow, the behaviour of which can be compared to that of a perfect fluid, mainly by-passes the upstream opening of the recovery channel and flows on in the flow channel. As a matter of fact, the filtering device has been so configured that the flow allowed to circulate in the recovery channel is less than the one allowed to circulate in the flow channel. This is obtained for instance by increasing the flow resistance in the recovery channel, or by increasing the static pressure downstream from the recovery channel, or a combination of both. 
         [0016]    The liquid or solid particles contained in the flow have a much higher density than air, and thus have a much higher inertia than air, and such inertia, because of the momentum of the particles, makes then flow mainly in the geometrical extension of the neck, downstream thereof, in spite of the widening of the flow channel. Such particles thus do not by-pass the upstream opening of the recovery channel, which is so arranged as to be substantially aligned with the downstream extension of the neck, but are introduced therein, on the contrary. The particles contained in the flow are thus mainly introduced into the recovery channel, whereas the air in same flow mainly by-passes the recovery channel so as to flow on in the flow channel. 
         [0017]    The rate allowed in the recovery channel shall thus be preferentially defined so as to exclusively match the rate of the particles in the flow. The particles will thus not accumulate in the recovery channel and air will integrally circulate outside the recovery channel. 
         [0018]    In a particular embodiment, the neck of the flow channel has a section having a size smaller than or equal to the section of the upstream opening of the recovery channel provided in the extension thereof. The section of the neck can also be said to be included in the section of the upstream opening of the recovery channel. 
         [0019]    The flow channel may also have, upstream from the neck, a throat in the downstream direction. 
         [0020]    Thanks to this characteristic, the principle of a venturi is re-created for the flow channel. Upstream from the neck, the flow is thus accelerated to the neck, so as to give the particles a higher momentum at the neck outlet than at the inlet thereof in the filtering device. In this case, the particles shall then be projected more efficiently, while still being too fast to be deflected, into the upstream opening of the recovery channel. 
         [0021]    Particles suction means, such as a pump are preferably arranged in the recovery channel. Making an appropriate selection of pump characteristics thus makes it easy to make the allowed flow rate circulate in the recovery channel so that the filtering device is optimized, as explained above. 
         [0022]    Advantageously, at least a portion of the flow channel is formed coaxially around the recovery channel downstream from the upstream opening of the recovery channel. In such a configuration, the air in the flow which mainly circulates in the flow channel about the upstream opening of the recovery channel, is not deflected much from its path, with respect to upstream from the neck. The pressure loss caused by the filtering device is thus reduced. The flow channel and the recovery channel can also be formed along and around the same longitudinal axis. 
         [0023]    According to a particular embodiment, obstacles to the flowing of particles are formed in the flow channel downstream from the upstream opening of the recovery channel The particles which remain in the flow channel, downstream from the upstream opening of the recovery channel are thus blocked and the filtering capacity of the device is enhanced. 
         [0024]    The obstacles to the flowing of particles preferably comprise a buffer mounted across the flow channel. Such buffer can for instance comprise walls successively formed through the flow channel and comprising respective not aligned openings. 
         [0025]    Besides, the buffer may comprise an intermediate wall comprising concentric grooves for the run-off of the particles on the upstream face thereof, and formed opposite a duct for the suction of the particles opening into the flow channel. Such solution makes it possible to efficiently exhaust the particles at the buffer, and the particles cannot undesirably accumulate in the filtering device. 
         [0026]    The invention also relates to a turbine engine which comprises a filtering device as mentioned above, arranged in an air/oil mixture routing circuit. 
         [0027]    In this case, the filtering device can be positioned in a box driving the accessories of the turbine engine, or be cast with a case of the turbine engine, and be connected: 
         [0000]    at the inlet of the flow channel, to a bearing or a gear lubrication enclosure, and
 
at the outlet of the recovery channel, to an oil collecting circuit.
 
         [0028]    The last solution is particularly interesting since it provides for an optimum integration solution, which requires no additional attachment means. It should however be noted that, in any case, the filtering device, which is the object of the present patent application, offers integration capacities which are much greater and versatile than the centrifugal oil separator of the prior art. 
         [0029]    As for the method for filtering a flow of gas conveying liquid or solid particles along a path, as recommended here, it shall be understood from the above that it is such that: 
         [0000]    on said path is placed a recovery channel having an upstream opening arranged inside a flow channel, which comprises a neck extended by an enlargement in the downstream direction, so that said upstream opening is substantially aligned with the neck, along a downstream extension thereof,
 
and a flow is allowed to circulate in the recovery channel which is less than the one allowed to circulate in the flow channel.
 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0030]    The various aspects of the solutions disclosed herein will be better understood, and other details, characteristics and advantages thereof will appear upon reading the following description given by way of a non restrictive example while referring to the appended drawings wherein: 
           [0031]      FIG. 1  is a schematic sectional view of the filtering device recommended here; 
           [0032]      FIG. 2  is a schematic front view of a grooved wall in a buffer which can be integrated in said filtering device; 
           [0033]      FIG. 3  is a schematic sectional side view of the grooved wall shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0034]      FIG. 4  is a schematic view of a turbine engine wherein the filtering device recommended here can be incorporated. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0035]    Reference is first made to  FIG. 1  which shows a device  10  for filtering the particles in a flow, according to the invention. Such device is particularly advantageous as regards the filtering of oil from a flow comprising air and oil droplets. 
         [0036]    The device comprises two channels  12 ,  14 , with one  12  being a flow channel and the other one  14  being a channel for the recovery of the particles for filtering purposes. 
         [0037]    The recovery channel  14  and the flow channel  12  respectively define first and second calibrated passages, or tubular segments, with the first one of these being adapted to allow a flow of fluid smaller than the one allowed in the second one. 
         [0038]    The flow channel  12  is here integrally formed with a circular section and extends along a straight axis  16 . However, such considerations have no restrictive purpose as regards the device operation, which implies that the section of the flow channel  12  could have any shape and the extension thereof could be not linear. 
         [0039]    The flow channel  12  comprises an upstream opening  18  wherein the flow of air and particles, whether solid or liquid, is introduced, at a predefined rate and speed. Downstream from such opening  18 , the flow channel  12  has a gradual reduction in the section  20  in the downstream direction, i.e. forming a funnel  20  in the downstream direction. The section throat directly opens downstream into a cylindrical portion  22  of the flow channel, which thus has a narrower section than that of the upstream opening  18 . The last cylindrical portion  22  directly opens downstream into a channel portion  24  having a gradual increase in section in the downstream direction, i.e. it is tapered in the downstream direction. Such tapered portion  24  of the flow channel is connected downstream to a cylindrical portion  26 , which has a larger section than the cylindrical portion  22 , which will be referred to as the neck  22 , placed between the funnel-shaped portion  20  and the tapered portion  24 . The length of the neck  22  may vary, and even be punctual, in some cases. The downstream end  28  of the wide downstream cylindrical portion  26  is, in the case shown in  FIG. 1 , provided with walls, and is connected to a perpendicular exhaust channel  30  positioned close to such wall  28 . 
         [0040]    A recovery channel  14 , a cylindrical one in the case shown here, is arranged coaxially with and inside the flow channel  12 , downstream from the neck  22 . The section of the recovery channel  14  is preferably larger than the section of the neck  22 , and smaller than the wide downstream cylindrical portion  26  of the flow channel  12 . The recovery channel  14  is open at the upstream end  32  thereof, with such upstream opening  32  facing, or being formed opposite the neck  22  further upstream. In  FIG. 1 , the upstream opening  32  is formed at the tapered portion  24  of the flow channel  12 . The recovery channel  14  thus extends in the downstream direction and coaxially with the flow channel  12 , and goes through the downstream end wall  28  of the flow channel  12 . The downstream end  34  of the recovery channel is compartmentalized, and a suction duct  36  opens into the recovery channel  14  at the downstream end  34 . The suction means  36  is connected downstream to a pump  78  regulating the suction rate. 
         [0041]    Three successive transversal walls  40 ,  42 ,  44 , forming a buffer  38 , are formed through the flow channel  12 , at the wide downstream cylindrical portion  26  of the flow channel  12 , downstream from the upstream opening  32  of the recovery channel  14 . Both upstream and downstream walls  40 ,  44  extend inwards from the wall of the flow channel  12 , and each have a cylindrical opening  46  at the centre thereof which leaves an internal cylindrical flow space between same and the wall of the recovery channel  14 . Additionally, the external part of the upstream wall  40  has at least one opening  48 . The second intermediate wall  42  extends outwards from the wall of the recovery channel  14  while leaving an external cylindrical flow space between itself and the wall in the flow channel  12 . Suction means  50  open into the recovery channel opposite such intermediate wall  42 , between the upstream and downstream transverse walls  40 ,  44 . Such suction means  50  are connected downstream to a pump  80  regulating the suction rate. The buffer  38  may also consist of more than three transversal walls, so long as the alternating pattern of the walls as shown above is complied with. 
         [0042]    In operation, the flow containing air and particles enters the flow channel  12  through the upstream opening  18  thereof. The flow accelerates in the funnel-shaped portion  20  and reaches its maximum speed at the neck  22 , which has the smallest section of the flow channel  12 . At the outlet of the neck  22 , at the tapered portion  24  where the upstream opening  32  of the recovery channel  14  is, the air and the particles of the flow have different respective behaviours. 
         [0043]    At the neck  22  outlet, air behaves like a perfect fluid and flows partly along the extension of the flow channel  12  and partly into the recovery channel  14 , and the respective pressure drops of such channels. Such parameters are configured, by so selecting the pump  78  that the flow rate allowed to circulate in the recovery channel  14  is substantially equal to the flow rate of the particles in the flow only, and in any case lower than the flow rate allowed to circulate in the flow channel  12  downstream from the upstream opening  32  of the recovery channel  14 . Air thus mainly flows in the downstream direction in the flow channel  12  with respect to the recovery channel  14  and is exhausted through the downstream exhaust channel  30 . 
         [0044]    As for the particles, they have a behaviour complying with the conventional solids mechanics, and thus show inertia. The momentum of the particles at the neck  22  outlet, when accelerated through the funnel-shaped portion  20 , thus inertially drives them in the extension of the direction of movement thereof at the neck  22  outlet, i.e. in the case shown here in the cylindrical extension of the neck  22 . As the upstream opening  32  of the recovery channel  14  is formed around such cylindrical extension of the neck  22 , the particles are introduced into the recovery channel  14 . The device shall thus be so configured that the particles have a sufficient speed so that they are too fast to be deflected, by the air, about the upstream opening  32  of the recovery channel  14 . As the rate allowed in the recovery channel  14  substantially matches the rate of the particles in the flow only, the particles will flow into the recovery channel  14  and be sucked by the downstream suction duct  36 . 
         [0045]    When particles remain in the flow channel  12  downstream from the upstream opening  32  of the recovery channel, the buffer  38  can intercept such particles, which shall deposit between the upstream  40  and downstream  44  walls of the buffer and shall be sucked by the suction means  50  using the pump  80 . 
         [0046]    It should be noted that the pumps  78  and  80  may be the same pump, which the suction means  36  and  50  are connected to. The operation of the device is not affected thereby. 
         [0047]    Reference is now made to  FIGS. 2 and 3  which show in greater details the intermediate wall  42  of the buffer  38 . 
         [0048]    The upstream face of the intermediate wall  42  is provided with concentric circular grooves  52 . Additionally, the annular wall portion  42  outside each groove  52  is thinner than the annular wall portion inside such groove. In operation, the particles intercepted by this wall  42  thus flow to the outside of the flow channel  12  and the suction means  50 , for example by gravity, circumferentially along such grooves  52  at the upper part of the device  10 , and radially to the suction means  50  at the lower part of the device. 
         [0049]    Reference is now made to  FIG. 4 , which shows a turbine engine  54  wherein the filtering device can be integrated so as to meet the operating constraints mentioned above. In the downstream direction, the turbine engine comprises a blower  56 , a low pressure compressor  58 , an intermediate case  60 , a high pressure compressor  62 , a combustion chamber  64 , a high pressure turbine  66  and a low pressure turbine  68 . The air entering the turbine engine  54  is separated into a primary air flow (A arrow) which circulates inside the low and high pressure compressors  58 ,  62  towards the combustion chamber  64  and then through the high and low pressure turbines  66 ,  68  and into a secondary air flow (B arrow) which by-passes the compressor, the combustion chamber and the turbine. 
         [0050]    The intermediate case  60  comprises structural arms  70  which radially extend outwards. One of the arms  70  of the intermediate case  60  contains a radial shaft  72 , the internal end of which is connected to the driving shaft  74  of the high pressure compressor by a couple of bevel pinions. The radially external end of the radial shaft  72  is connected by another couple of bevel pinions to the inlet of a gear box  76 , comprising pinions driving a plurality of accessory equipment, such as, for instance, an oil pump, a hydraulic pump, a fuel pump, a starter and an electric generator. The various items of equipment described above show several bearings in enclosures, which have to be lubricated with oil and pressurized, as disclosed at the beginning of the present patent application. The need therefor exists to filter an air and oil flow at the outlet of such enclosures, after lubrication. 
         [0051]    Thanks to its structural simplicity, the filtering device  10  can be integrated at the box  76  driving the accessories, or be formed in one piece with the various cases of the turbine engine, or be integrated close to a driving shaft of the turbine engine. Such device can easily be connected to the outlet of the lubrication enclosures to filter the oil of the outgoing flow.