초록 ▼

Embodiments include an inlet particle separator system for a gas turbine engine. The inlet particle separator system includes an inertial particle separator that separates incoming air into a cleaned air flow and a scavenge flow. Embodiments may also include an ejector that provides a draw on a scav

Embodiments include an inlet particle separator system for a gas turbine engine. The inlet particle separator system includes an inertial particle separator that separates incoming air into a cleaned air flow and a scavenge flow. Embodiments may also include an ejector that provides a draw on a scavenge duct and entrains the scavenge flow into a charged flow, e.g., such as the output of a first stage fan. The ejector may have a variable output.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An inlet particle separator system for a gas turbine engine, comprising: a separator inlet structured to receive a vitiated air flow;an inertial particle separator in fluid communication with the separator inlet positioned upstream of a fan, wherein the inertial particle separator includes an out

1. An inlet particle separator system for a gas turbine engine, comprising: a separator inlet structured to receive a vitiated air flow;an inertial particle separator in fluid communication with the separator inlet positioned upstream of a fan, wherein the inertial particle separator includes an outer flowpath wall and an inner flowpath wall that define an inlet pathway to receive the vitiated air flow and discharge a cleaned air flow and a scavenge flow, a first portion of the inlet pathway extending radially outward to an apex and a second portion of the inlet pathway extending radially inward from the apex such that scavenge flow is directed radially outward towards the outer flowpath wall;a flow splitter having an intermediate outer flowpath wall and an intermediate inner flowpath wall positioned downstream of the inertial particle separator;a scavenge flowpath defined by the intermediate outer flowpath wall of the flow splitter and the outer flowpath wall of the inlet pathway positioned to receive the scavenge flow from the inertial particle separator;a cleaned air flowpath defined by the intermediate inner flowpath wall of the flow splitter and the inner flowpath wall of the inlet pathway positioned to receive the cleaned air flow from the inertial particle separator;a variable output ejector in fluid communication with said flowpaths, wherein said variable output ejector is structured to provide a variable draw on the scavenge flowpath using a portion of the cleaned air flow as a motive fluid for operating said variable output ejector; anda cleaned air engine inlet in fluid communication with the cleaned air flowpath, wherein the cleaned air engine inlet is structured to receive the balance of the cleaned air flow and to direct the balance into the gas turbine engine as at least one of a core flow and a fan bypass flow of the gas turbine engine. 2. The inlet particle separator system of claim 1, wherein said variable ejector is structured to entrain the scavenge flow with the motive fluid. 3. The inlet particle separator system of claim 1, further comprising a variable bleed system having a variable flow area, wherein the variable bleed system is structured to vary the amount of the cleaned air flow used as the motive fluid. 4. The inlet particle separator system of claim 3, wherein said variable bleed system is structured to reduce the static pressure of the motive fluid to a pressure below the total pressure of the scavenge flow. 5. The inlet particle separator system of claim 3, wherein said variable bleed system includes a plurality of bleed doors, each bleed door having a minimum flow position and a maximum flow position; and wherein the plurality of bleed doors are structured to vary the flow area by moving between the minimum flow position and the maximum flow position. 6. The inlet particle separator system of claim 3, further comprising a variable guide vane structured to cooperate with said variable bleed system to direct the motive fluid through the variable output ejector. 7. The inlet particle separator system of claim 1, wherein said variable output ejector includes a movable wall positioned between the scavenge flowpath and the cleaned air flowpath, wherein the movable wall is movable between a closed position and a fully open position within the scavenge flowpath for varying the draw on the scavenge flowpath. 8. An inlet particle separator system for a turbofan engine, comprising: a separator inlet structured to receive a vitiated air flow;a particle separator positioned upstream of a fan in fluid communication with said separator inlet and structured to output a cleaned air flow from the vitiated air flow, wherein the particle separator includes an outer flowpath wall and an inner flowpath wall that define an inlet pathway;a first portion of the inlet pathway extending radially outward to an apex and a second portion of the inlet pathway extending radially inward from the apex such that scavenge flow is directed radially outward towards the outer flowpath wall;a flow splitter having an intermediate outer flowpath wall and an intermediate inner flowpath wall positioned downstream of the particle separator;a scavenge flowpath in fluid communication with both said particle separator and a first fan bypass duct of the turbofan engine, wherein the first bypass duct is configured to direct a first bypass flow; and wherein said scavenge flowpath is further defined by the intermediate outer flowpath wall of the flow splitter and the outer flowpath wall of the inlet pathway and is structured to receive a scavenge flow from the particle separator and to discharge the scavenge flow into the first fan bypass duct;an ejector in fluid communication with particle separator, the scavenge flowpath and the first fan duct, wherein said ejector is structured to provide a draw on the scavenge flowpath using a portion of the cleaned air flow as a motive fluid for operating said ejector; andan engine inlet structured to receive the balance of the cleaned air flow and to direct the cleaned air flow into at least one of an engine core of the turbofan engine as a core flow and a second bypass duct of the turbofan engine as a second bypass flow. 9. The inlet particle separator system of claim 8, further comprising a variable bleed system having a variable flow area, wherein the variable bleed system is structured to vary the amount of the cleaned air flow used as the motive fluid. 10. The inlet particle separator system of claim 9, wherein said variable bleed system is structured to reduce the static pressure of the motive fluid to a pressure below the total pressure of the scavenge flow. 11. The inlet particle separator system of claim 9, wherein said variable bleed system includes a plurality of bleed doors positioned between a portion of the scavenge flowpath and the cleaned air flow, each bleed door having a minimum flow position and a maximum flow position; and wherein the plurality of bleed doors are structured to vary the flow area by moving between the minimum flow position and the maximum flow position within the scavenge flowpath. 12. The inlet particle separator system of claim 9, further comprising a variable guide vane structured to cooperate with said variable bleed system to direct the motive fluid through the ejector. 13. An apparatus, comprising: a fan stage;an inlet particle separator system in fluid communication with and upstream of said fan stage, said inlet particle separator system including: a separator inlet structured to receive a vitiated air flow;an inertial particle separator in fluid communication with the separator inlet, wherein the inertial particle separator is structured to receive the vitiated air flow and discharge a cleaned air flow and a scavenge flow, and wherein the particle separator includes an outer flowpath wall and an inner flowpath wall that define an inlet pathway;a first portion of the inlet pathway extending radially outward to an apex and a second portion of the inlet pathway extending radially inward from the apex such that scavenge flow is directed radially outward towards the outer flowpath wall;a flow splitter having an intermediate outer flowpath wall and an intermediate inner flowpath wall positioned downstream of the inertial particle separator; a scavenge flowpath defined by the intermediate outer flowpath wall of the flow splitter and the outer flowpath wall of the inlet pathway is positioned to receive the scavenge flow from the inertial particle separator;a clean air flowpath defined by the intermediate inner flowpath wall of the flow splitter and the inner flowpath wall of the inlet pathway is positioned to receive the cleaned air flow from the inertial particle separator and direct the cleaned air flow into the fan stage; anda variable output ejector in fluid communication with said scavenge flowpath and said clean air flowpath; wherein said variable output ejector is structured to provide a variable draw on the scavenge flowpath using a portion of the cleaned air flow exiting the fan stage as a motive fluid for operating said variable output ejector;a gas turbine engine comprising:a compressor section in fluid communication with the inlet particle separator system;a combustor section in fluid communication with said compressor section; anda turbine section in fluid communication with said combustor. 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the fan stage is upstream of the ejector; wherein the fan stage is structured to pressurize the cleaned air flow, the motive fluid thereby being pressurized; and wherein said variable ejector is structured to entrain the scavenge flow using the motive fluid and to discharge a combined flowstream formed of the motive fluid and the scavenge flow. 15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a turbofan bypass duct in fluid communication with the ejector, wherein the turbofan bypass duct is structured to direct the combined flowstream. 16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising another turbofan bypass duct structured to direct at least some of the cleaned air flow as another bypass flow different than the combined flowstream. 17. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising another fan stage structured to receive the balance of the cleaned air flow. 18. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a variable bleed system having a variable flow area, wherein the variable bleed system is structured to vary the amount of the cleaned air flow used as the motive fluid. 19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said variable bleed system is structured to reduce the static pressure of the motive fluid to a pressure below the total pressure of the scavenge flow. 20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said variable bleed system includes a plurality of bleed doors that separate the scavenge flowpath from the cleaned air flowpath, each bleed door having a minimum flow position and a maximum flow position, wherein the plurality of bleed doors are structured to vary the flow area by moving between the minimum flow position and the maximum flow position within the scavenge flowpath.