Patent US4255174A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.

US4255174A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Separator

Assignee: Rolls Royce PLC

•

Filing: 1979-09-27

•

Granted: 1981-03-10

•

Expires: 1999-09-27

📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract Jet engines can function properly even in conditions where liquid droplets are taken in by the compressor of the engine. However, where the droplets contain corrosive substances such as salts, damage can accrue not only through corrosion, but through build up of deposits spoiling the aerodynamic flow of air and gas through the engine. The risk of this ocurring is reduced by placing a vaned vortex generator in the intake and including on the flanks of its vanes, grooves which collect the droplets into coalesced streams and directs them to an area adjacent the intake wall. A flow splitter provides an annular, secondary outlet to dump the concentrated fluids.

Inventors

👤 Trevor W. Simpson

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —

Jurisdiction US

Data Source google_patents

Last Synchronized 2026-10-27 13:23

CPC Classifications

F; F02; F02C; F02C7/00; F02C7/04; F02C7/05; F02C7/052; B; B01; B01D; B01D45/00; B01D45/12; B01D45/16; F02M; F02M35/00; F02M35/02; F02M35/022; B04; B04C; B04C3/00; B04C2003/006; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S55/00; Y10S55/25

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11

Claim 1

Independent Claim 193 words

A separator suitable for separating liquid droplets from a liquid droplet carrying gas stream comprising: a substantially circular cross-sectional primary duct; and vaned means positioned within said primary duct for causing any liquid droplet carrying gas stream passing in operation through said primary duct into a vortex about the axis of said primary duct, said vaned means including at least one vane upon which at least some of said liquid droplets of said liquid droplet carrying gas stream impinge and coalesce, said at least one vane having a leading edge and a trailing edge with respect to said gas stream passing through said primary duct, said at least one vane additionally having a liquid droplet and coalesced liquid directing means on at least one surface thereof interconnecting at least a radially inner region of said leading edge with a radially outer region of said trailing edge, said directing means causing liquid droplets and coalesce liquid to be directed to said radially outer region of said primary duct so that the gas stream exhausted from the radially inner region of said primary duct has a reduced droplet concentration or is substantially liquid droplet free.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 193 words

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 46 words

A separator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said vaned means comprises a plurality of vanes mounted on a common support member positioned along the longitudinal axis of said primary duct, said vanes extending between said support member and the internal wall of said primary duct.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 49 words

A separator as claimed in claim 1 wherein means are provided downstream of said vaned means which means are adapted to split any gas stream exhausted from the radially inner regions of said primary duct from any gas stream exhausted from the radially outer regions of said primary duct.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 50 words

A separator as claimed in claim 3 wherein said gas stream splitting means comprises a secondary duct having an end portion of frusto conical form, the smaller diameter end of said frusto conical end portion being positioned within said primary duct and adjacent the downstream end of said vaned means.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 46 words

A separator as claimed in claim 4 wherein the radially outer surface of said secondary duct and the radially inner surface of said primary duct downstream of said vaned means are each provided with means adapted to break up any of said coalesced liquid into droplets.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 25 words

A separator as claimed in claim 5 wherein said means adapted to break up said coalesced liquid into droplets comprises a plurality of axial grooves.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 36 words

A separator device comprising a plurality as claimed in claim 1 of said separator wherein said separators are grouped together in support means and provided with a common drain for liquid separated from said gas stream.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 35 words

A separator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said directing means interconnecting said trailing and leading edges of said at least one vane comprises a plurality of grooves on the at least one surface thereof.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 45 words

A separator as claimed in claim 8 wherein said plurality of grooves are equally spaced along said leading edge from said radially inner region of the same and all extend to the radially outer region of said trailing edge of said at least one vane.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 51 words

A separator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said directing means interconnecting the leading and trailing edges of said at least one vane comprise at least one fence extending from the inner region of the leading edge to the outer region of the trailing edge of said at least one vane.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US1372714A Cited

US1866663A Cited

US2348785A Cited

US3448563A Cited

US3955948A Cited

US3748832A Cited

US3885935A Cited

US4157250A Cited

US3825212A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1984-03-09	1984-09-08	1985-03-10	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1988-03-09	1988-09-08	1989-03-10	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1992-03-09	1992-09-08	1993-03-10	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag

Select Category

Notes (Optional)