Prevention of deposits on engine components
A fuel and/or lubricant system for an engine can include an engine component configured to be in fluid communication with the fuel and/or lubricant, and an alternating current (AC) source electrically connected to the engine component to create an electric field of alternating polarity to subject particles within the fuel and/or lubricant to dielectrophoresis as the fuel and/or lubricant passes through the electric field to prevent deposits from forming on the engine component. In certain embodiments, the engine component can be a filter screen configured to filter the fuel and/or lubricant to subject particles within the fuel and/or lubricant to dielectrophoresis as the fuel and/or lubricant passes through the filter screen.
1. A fuel and/or lubricant system for an engine, comprising:
an engine component configured to be in fluid communication with the fuel and/or lubricant; and
an alternating current (AC) source electrically connected to the engine component to create an electric field of alternating polarity to subject particles within the fuel and/or lubricant to dielectrophoresis as the fuel and/or lubricant passes through the electric field to prevent deposits from forming on the engine component, where the engine component is a filter screen configured to filter the fuel and/or lubricant to subject particles within the fuel and/or lubricant to dielectrophoresis as the fuel and/or lubricant passes through the filter screen.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the filter screen includes a mesh formed of a conductive material.
3. The system of claim 2 , further comprising an insulating ring disposed around the filter screen to electrically isolate the filter screen from a fluid pipe.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the AC source is electrically connected to the fluid pipe via a fluid pipe cable.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the fluid pipe cable is grounded.
6. The system of claim 2 , wherein the conductive material is coated with a non-conductive material.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the AC source includes high voltage and low amperage.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the filter screen is a flat screen.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the filter screen is a conical screen.
10. A method for preventing deposits from forming on one or more engine components exposed to a fuel and/or lubricant, the method comprising:
providing an alternating current (AC) to the one or more engine components to create an electric field of alternating a polarity around the one or more engine components, wherein providing the AC includes providing a high voltage, low amperage current.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the one or more engine components include a fuel filter, wherein providing the AC includes providing the AC to the fuel filter of a turbomachine.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the one or more engine components include a fuel pipe, wherein providing the AC includes providing the AC to the fuel pipe that is electrically isolated from the fuel filter.
13. A method for preventing deposits from forming on one or more engine components exposed to a fuel and/or lubricant, the method comprising:
providing an alternating current (AC) to the one or more engine components to create an electric field of alternating a polarity around the one or more engine components, wherein the one or more engine components include a fuel filter, wherein providing the AC includes providing the AC to the fuel filter of a turbomachine.
14. A method for preventing deposits from forming on one or more engine components exposed to a fuel and/or lubricant, the method comprising:
providing an alternating current (AC) to the one or more engine components to create an electric field of alternating a polarity around the one or more engine components, wherein the one or more engine components include a fuel pipe, wherein providing the AC includes providing the AC to the fuel pipe that is electrically isolated from a fuel filter.