US 12,258,903 B1
Vortex tube particle separators with coatings for rebound control
James C. Loebig, Indianapolis, IN (US)
Assigned to Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Indianapolis, IN (US)
Filed by Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Indianapolis, IN (US)
Filed on Sep. 22, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/371,812.
Int. Cl. F02C 7/052 (2006.01); B01D 45/16 (2006.01); B04C 3/00 (2006.01)
CPC F02C 7/052 (2013.01) [B01D 45/16 (2013.01); B04C 3/00 (2013.01); B04C 2003/003 (2013.01); B04C 2003/006 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An air-inlet duct assembly for a gas turbine engine,
the air-inlet duct assembly comprising:
a vortex particle separator configured to receive atmospheric air laden with particles and to separate the atmospheric air laden with particles into a first flow of air having a majority of the particles and a second flow of air having a minority of the particles, the vortex particle separator including a vortex tube arranged circumferentially around an axis and configured to receive the atmospheric air therein, swirl vanes arranged within the vortex tube and configured to separate the atmospheric air laden with particles into the first flow of air and the second flow of air, and an outlet tube that extends into the vortex tube and is spaced apart axially from the swirl vanes, the outlet tube and the vortex tube cooperate to define a scavenge passageway radially there between that receives the first flow of air, and the outlet tube defining an intake passageway that receives the second flow of air,
a scavenge duct in fluid communication with the scavenge passageway and configured to direct the first flow of air away from the gas turbine engine, and
an inlet duct in fluid communication with the intake passageway and configured to direct the second flow of air into a compressor of the gas turbine engine,
wherein the vortex particle separator includes a layer of material on a surface of the swirl vanes, the layer of material has a coefficient of restitution that is less than a coefficient of restitution of the surface of the swirl vanes to reduce a velocity of the particles that bounce off the surface of the swirl vanes to prevent the particles from bouncing into the intake passageway of the outlet tube.