Separating airflows within a turbine engine

1 . An assembly for a turbine engine, comprising:

an engine core extending along an axis, the engine core including a compressor section, a combustor, a diffuser structure, a diffuser plenum, a first separator, and a second separator, the compressor section comprising a compressor rotor, wherein the first separator includes a center body, an inner tube, an outer tube, an outlet tube, a first airflow passage, and a second airflow passage;

the combustor arranged within the diffuser plenum, the combustor including a combustion chamber extending radially between a first combustor wall and a second combustor wall, the first combustor wall and the second combustor wall being disposed between the combustion chamber and the diffuser plenum, the first combustor wall comprising a first dilution aperture extending through the first combustor wall to the combustion chamber, and the second combustor wall comprising a second dilution aperture extending through the second combustor wall to the combustion chamber;

the diffuser structure including a first diffuser passage, a second diffuser passage disposed radially outboard of the first diffuser passage, and a third diffuser passage disposed radially inboard of the first diffuser passage, the first diffuser passage fluidly coupling the compressor section to the diffuser plenum, the second diffuser passage fluidly coupling the compressor section to the first separator, the third diffuser passage fluidly coupling the compressor section to the second separator, the second diffuser passage extending longitudinally from an inlet of the second diffuser passage to an outlet of the second diffuser passage, the inlet of the second diffuser passage downstream of and adjacent the compressor rotor, and the outlet of the second diffuser passage interfacing with the outer tube at a separator inlet of the first separator;

the outlet tube of the first separator extending from the outer tube and through the first dilution aperture, and fluidly coupling the outer tube with the combustion chamber; and

the first separator fluidly coupling the second diffuser passage to the first dilution aperture, and the second separator fluidly coupling the third diffuser passage to the second dilution aperture.

2 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein

the engine core further includes a turbine section comprising a circumferential stator vane array; and

the first combustor wall is connected to the circumferential stator vane array.

3 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first separator is arranged within the diffuser plenum radially next to the first combustor wall.

4 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first separator comprises a cyclonic separator.

5 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein

the first separator is configured to separate compressed core air received from the compressor section into a first airflow and a second airflow;

the first separator is configured to direct the first airflow into the diffuser plenum; and

the first separator is configured to direct the second airflow into the combustion chamber through the first dilution aperture.

6 . The assembly of claim 5 , wherein, when the compressed core air received by the first separator from the compressor section includes debris, the first separator is configured to divert at least a majority of the debris away from the first airflow and into the second airflow to flow with the second airflow into the combustion chamber through the first dilution aperture.

7 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein

an upstream portion of the center body extends longitudinally in a bore of the outer tube, and a downstream portion of the center body projects longitudinally into a bore of the inner tube;

the outer tube extends longitudinally along and circumscribes the inner tube;

the first airflow passage is formed within the inner tube; and

the second airflow passage is formed between the inner tube and the outer tube, and the second airflow passage is fluidly coupled to the first dilution aperture.

8 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first airflow passage is fluidly coupled to the diffuser plenum.

9 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first separator further includes one or more vanes connecting the center body to the outer tube.

10 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first separator further includes one or more vanes connecting the center body to the inner tube.

11 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein

the first diffuser passage comprises an annular passage; and

the second diffuser passage is a non-annular passage.

12 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein

the engine core further includes a third separator;

the first combustor wall further comprises a third dilution aperture extending through the first combustor wall to the combustion chamber;

the diffuser structure further includes a fourth diffuser passage radially offset from the first diffuser passage and radially aligned with the second diffuser passage, and the fourth diffuser passage fluidly couples the compressor section to the third separator; and

the third separator fluidly couples the fourth diffuser passage to the third dilution aperture.

13 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the compressor section comprises an axial flow compressor rotor upstream of and next to the diffuser structure.

14 . A method of operating the turbine engine assembly of claim 1 , comprising:

compressing core air with the compressor section to provide compressed core air;

directing a first portion of the compressed core air into the diffuser plenum;

directing a second portion of the compressed core air into the first separator;

separating the second portion of the compressed core air within the first separator into a first airflow and a second airflow carrying debris;

directing the first airflow out of the first separator through the first diffuser passage into the diffuser plenum; and

directing the second airflow carrying the debris out of the first separator through the second diffuser passage into the combustion chamber within the combustor.

15 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein:

the first airflow passage is fluidly coupled to the diffuser plenum;

the second separator includes a second center body, a second inner tube, a second outer tube, a third airflow passage, and a fourth airflow passage;

the third airflow passage is formed within the second inner tube, and the third airflow passage is fluidly coupled with the diffuser plenum; and

the fourth airflow passage is formed between the second inner tube and the second outer tube, and the fourth airflow passage is fluidly coupled to the second dilution aperture.

16 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the outlet tube projects radially inward from a sidewall the outer tube.